Shawn Andre Cosby (born August 4, 1973, in

Newport News, Virginia Newport News () is an Independent city (United States), independent city in southeastern Virginia, United States. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the List of c ...

) is an American author of "

Southern noir Southern noir is a genre of crime fiction set in the American South. It is considered a subgenre of noir fiction and often deals with themes related to poverty, racism, and violence. Terminology Southern noir is sometimes also called "rural no ...

" crime fiction.Note: S.A. Cosby is the author's

pen name A pen name or nom-de-plume is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen name may be used to make the author's na ...

, but also his initials. He resides in

Gloucester, Virginia Gloucester Courthouse ( ) is a census-designated place (CDP) in and the county seat of Gloucester County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,951 at the 2010 census. History The Gloucester County Courthouse Square Historic District, ...

, on the York River. Cosby has published five crime novels: ''

My Darkest Prayer ''My Darkest Prayer'' is a 2018 mystery thriller novel by S. A. Cosby. ''My Darkest Prayer'' is Cosby's debut novel. It was not met with widespread critical attention at the time of its original publication. It was re-published in 2022, after Co ...

'', ''

Blacktop Wasteland ''Blacktop Wasteland'' is a noir mystery novel written by S.A. Cosby and published in July 2020 by Flatiron Books. Plot Beauregard "Bug" Montage is a hardworking black mechanic with a remarkable talent for driving. He has a checkered past, but ...

'', ''

Razorblade Tears ''Razorblade Tears: A Novel'' is a crime novel by S. A. Cosby, published in July 2021 by Flatiron Books. This novel debuted at number 10 on the ''New York Times'' bestseller list. Jerry Bruckheimer's company has "optioned the story for Par ...

'', '' All the Sinners Bleed'', and ''King of Ashes''.

Awards and accolades

Cosby's 2021 novel, ''

'', debuted #10 on ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list. The book was featured on

Jimmy Fallon James Thomas Fallon (born September 19, 1974) is an Americans, American comedian, television host, actor, singer, writer, and producer. Best known for his work in television, Fallon's breakthrough came during his tenure as a cast member on the ...

's ''The Tonight Show'' for Fallon's 2021 Summer Reads Book Club. The book was one of six contenders for a Jimmy Fallon read. It won or was nominated for a slew of awards, particularly ones that honor thrillers, suspense, and mystery, such as the

Anthony Award The Anthony Awards are literary awards for mystery writers presented at the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention since 1986. The awards are named for Anthony Boucher (1911–1968), one of the founders of the Mystery Writers of America. Categori ...

, Barry Award,

Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America which is based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards hon ...

Gold Dagger The CWA Gold Dagger is an award given annually by the Crime Writers' Association of the United Kingdom since 1960 for the best crime novel of the year. From 1955 to 1959, the organization named their top honor as the Crossed Red Herring Award. ...

, ITW Award,

Macavity Award The Macavity Awards, established in 1987, are a group of literary awards presented annually to mystery writers. Nominated and voted upon annually by the members of the Mystery Readers International, the award is named for the "Macavity, mystery cat ...

, and Lefty Award. It was received positively by critics and audiences. His previous novel, ''

'' "...won a landslide of awards, including a ''Los Angeles Times'' Book Prize in 2020." Notably, it is a 2021

and

winner. The

International Thriller Writers International Thriller Writers (ITW), was founded October 9, 2004, at Bouchercon XXXV, the "World Mystery and Suspense Conference", in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Six months later, some 150 authors with more than one billion books sold worldwide h ...

, an association spanning 49 countries, with a membership of 4,500 authors of the genre, voted ''Blacktop Wasteland'' the ITW Award Best Hardcover Novel of 2021. It also was chosen as a 2020 ''New York Times'' Notable Book and charted at #22 on that list.

Bibliography

* * * * *

Adaptations

''Blacktop Wasteland'' and ''Razorblade Tears'' have been optioned for films.

Jerry Bruckheimer Jerome Leonard Bruckheimer (born September 21, 1943) is an American film and television producer. He has been active in the genres of action, drama, comedy, fantasy, horror and science fiction. After working in advertising out of college, Bruck ...

's company "was among the group that won the film rights in an auction" for ''Razorblade Tears''.

References

External links

S. A. Cosby
at Macmillan * *S. A. Cosby
Pain is Universal – That's What Binds all of Crime Fiction Together"
''CrimeReads'', July 21, 2020
"Interview With an Author: S.A. Cosby"
Los Angeles Public Library. {{DEFAULTSORT:Cosby, S. A. 1973 births 21st-century African-American writers 21st-century American novelists 21st-century American short story writers African-American male writers African-American novelists American male novelists American male short story writers American mystery writers Living people Novelists from Virginia People from Gloucester County, Virginia People from Newport News, Virginia Southern noir writers