My Darkest Prayer

Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author S. A. Cosby’s debut novel My Darkest Prayer is republished in a new edition, with a new introduction from the author.

“S.A. Cosby’s reissued debut thriller proves he was a master from the start…Cosby has in three books emerged as one of the genre’s best living practitioners...its reissue is a brilliant idea.” —Los Angeles Times

“I handle the bodies.”

Whether it's working at his cousin's funeral home or tossing around the local riffraff at his favorite bar, Nathan Waymaker is a man who knows how to handle the bodies. A former marine and sheriff's deputy, Nathan has built a reputation in his small Southern town as a man who can help when all other avenues have been exhausted. When a beloved local minister is found dead, his parishioners ask Nathan to make sure the death isn’t swept under the rug.

What starts out as an easy payday soon descends into a maze of mayhem filled with wannabe gangsters, vicious crime lords, porn stars, crooked police officers, and a particularly treacherous preacher and his mysterious wife. Nathan must use all his varied skills and some of his wit to navigate the murky waters of small town corruption even as dark secrets of his own threaten to come to the surface.

“[A] colorful tale of small-town corruption...[Cosby's] powerful storytelling skills shine through.”
—Washington Post

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Published Dec 6, 2022

288 pages

Average rating: 7.6

40 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

LucyCarrillo
Aug 21, 2025
8/10 stars
Re-issue of a debut novel, great language, and turns of phrases. Nate works at a mortuary, that his cousin runs. He was in the Marines, was a cop for a while. He “investigates” a reverend’s death after some parishioners ask him to. He meets a porn star Lisa, he has a best friend who’s a killer named skunk. Lots of small town, corruption, and the pastor is a prior Conman and convict… lots going for this book
thelexilusk
Mar 22, 2025
10/10 stars
narrated brilliantly by Adam Lazarre-White, dive into the life of Nate, a former marine and ex-sheriff's deputy, who now finds himself working at his cousin Walt's funeral home as a "mortician." when a beloved pastor is mysteriously murdered, the police brush it off as a suicide, hired by concerned congregants, Nate embarks on a tense investigation that leads him through a tangled web of street pharmacists, adult film-makers, and dangerous killers. the stakes are high, and the path to uncover the truth is fraught with challenges. having devoured “Razorblade Tears” and “All the Sinners Bleed,” i was thrilled to discover that this is actually Cosby's debut novel. his evolution as a writer is amazing! what stood out to me were the subtle differences in the spicy and erotic scenes compared to his other works, which are more action-packed. i found this book just as compelling and enjoyable as his later ones.
ImABeliever
Nov 12, 2024
8/10 stars
I have a biased review because I enjoy reading books written by S.A. Cosby. He writes in a way that feels like I am the story. The imagery, jokes, commentary, characters, plot twists, etc. I like how in this story, the main character was redeemed by solving the mysterious death of a pastor (queue, the church scandals). It was relatable and a good read for me.
Laz_91
Nov 04, 2024
10/10 stars
Wow. Just wow.
W Dee Reads
May 27, 2024
9/10 stars
8/10

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