S. A. Cosby

Shawn Andre Cosby (born August 4, 1973, in Newport News, Virginia) is an American author of Southern noir crime fiction. He resides in Gloucester, Virginia on the York River. Cosby has published five crime novels: My Darkest Prayer, Blacktop Wasteland, Razorblade Tears, All the Sinners Bleed, and King of Ashes.

Early life Cosby grew up in Mathews County, Virginia. His mother was partially disabled and raised Cosby and his brother. His father was a scallop boater on the Chesapeake Bay.

After high school, Cosby began attending college courses, but dropped out due to financial issues. He continued writing while moving around Virginia, and at a Lowe's while finding some initial publishing success with short stories.

His first traditionally published novel, My Darkest Prayer, was released in 2018 by a small press. His career breakthrough came after he impressed agent Josh Getzler during a crime writing symposium. Getzler was able to place Cosby's second novel, Blacktop Wasteland, with Flatiron Books. The book was featured on Jimmy Fallon'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 International Thriller Writers, 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.