Razorblade Tears and Blacktop Wasteland solidified Cosby as one of my favorite authors. With My Darkest Prayer being his first novel, it gives fans like me a chance to see where it all started for the man who has brought a refreshing feel to the thriller/mystery genre. 

The cinematic approach Cosby takes with his writing continues to capture the attention of long-time fans like myself. The detailed fighting sequences are on par with the best films/tv shows. With this technically being Cosby’s first novel, I took this opportunity to watch his progression as a writer. It’s fair to assume that the inspiration for Ike and Buddy perhaps was birthed from Nathan and Skunk. Nathan is the only MC thus far that is not family-oriented like Beau and the previously mentioned characters. Ike and Beau have their family as anchors to make sure they stay on the straight and narrow, whereas Nate lives more of a bachelor lifestyle and serves up rogue justice part-time.The main thing all three men have in common is their violent streak and being adept in combat, but the origin of where Nate’s anger stems from isn’t clear. 

This doesn’t necessarily make me feel disconnected from Nathan, but it feels as if there was more to unpack with his character. Since I’m no stranger to this genre and Cosby’s style, the unfolding of events nearing the climax were a bit predictable and cliche, but nonetheless intense and entertaining. My Darkest Prayer leaves me with a question mark since it seems like Nate’s story is almost incomplete. 

 If you’re a fan of his other novels or want to get a feel for his writing style My Darkest Prayer isn’t a bad place to start. This novel is more sexually explicit than the others, but there is no shortage of violence to balance everything out. An action-packed layered mystery awaits anyone ready to enter SA Cosby’s world.