All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

 

“Terrible people can do good things sometimes. But they like doing the terrible things more.”

First book of the 2024 reading challenge! All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby was a great detective/police procedural that examined racism, responsibility, and what it means to be a "good" or ethical person. Former FBI agent Titus Crown is the recently elected -and first- Black sheriff for his hometown in Charon County. Just like any small town in the south (this one's in Virginia--from which Cosby hails), there's the good, the bad, and the ugly. And man, are some of these people UGLY on the inside. Despite its small size, however, it is not immune to hardship and violence, notably demonstrated at the start of the story when a young Black man shoots and kills a well-regarded and beloved high-school teacher, and then is killed himself by a white officer. As Titus and his deputies begin to investigate this shocking incident, the case blows wide open with a horrific discovery that exponentially raises the stakes and puts the entire town in grave danger. Small towns can harbor the biggest secrets....

“Even the people we loved kept pieces of themselves hidden away from the light.”

While I did very much enjoy this book, I had to give 4/5 stars due to the feeling of something "missing." I think some characters and conversations weren't as fleshed out as I was expecting. On the other hand, there was decent action and pacing, plus I appreciated the discussions on racism, police brutality, religion, and grief.

Overall, if a Southern gothic mystery with dark/disturbing elements sounds interesting to you, definitely pick this one up!

“It occurred to him that no place was more confused about it's past or more terrified of the future than the South.”

This novel contains disturbing subject matter that may be harmful to some sensitive readers. CW listed below:

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CW: school shooting, child sexual abuse, torture (adult and children, postmortem injuries described on page), child loss, parental loss, gore, descriptions of violence, racial slurs, overt racism, hate crimes, religious trauma