3.5 Don’t mind me, I’m just here trying to reconnect with the thriller genre, and I thought I’d give S.A. Cosby a try.

I ended up enjoying the emotional arc of this book much more than the actual thriller plot. I loved the religious symbolism, the atmosphere, and the way the book explores grief, faith, racism, violence, and the particular weight of being a Black sheriff in a deeply divided Southern town. That part of the book felt much more compelling to me than the serial-killer investigation itself.

Because I’m sorry, but the detective fiction part really didn’t work for me. The investigation often felt like it was moving forward because the plot needed Titus to discover the next piece of information rather than because the clues naturally led him there. There were also moments where I understood what the book was trying to reveal, but the actual investigative process didn’t feel convincing enough to make me feel like I was solving the mystery alongside him. Some of the connections and revelations felt a little too convenient, and by the time everything started coming together, I was more interested in what the case was doing to Titus emotionally than in actually figuring out who was responsible.

Still, I really liked Cosby’s writing style and I think I want to give his other books a shot.