Skin of Tattoos

"A well-crafted, engaging book about an ex-con trying to break free. Hoag is a talented writer."

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He survived prison—but the streets want him dead.
Skin of Tattoos is a gritty gangland thriller set in the underworld of Los Angeles. Magdaleno Argueta thought he was done with the Cyco Lokos—the gang that framed him and sent him to prison. But Rico, his old rival, has other plans. The moment Mags steps back onto the streets, he’s dragged into a deadly power struggle where every choice is a trap and every ally could be an enemy.

As the Lokos battle for control and rival gangs close in, Mags must decide what he’s willing to sacrifice: loyalty, freedom, or the last pieces of his soul. Breaking free means risking everything. Staying means dying. Based on real stories from gang warfare in LA and San Salvador, Skin of Tattoos is a raw, authentic, and unforgettable portrait of immigrant families fighting to survive in the shadows of the American dream.

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From the Author

I came to write Skin of Tattoos after years of reporting on gang violence and urban crime as a journalist in Los Angeles and Central America. Covering the lives of gang members, their families, and their communities gave me a deep understanding of the forces that shape their world — the danger, the loyalty, the desperation, and the hope. The character of Mags, a young man trying to break free from a life that keeps pulling him back, emerged from the stories I witnessed and the people I met, and my desire to explore the human side of a world often reduced to headlines.

Praise for Skin of Tattoos

"Readers will quickly become invested in Mags and his confrontation with an uncertain future. The overall experience is surprisingly nuanced and wholly enjoyable."

KIRKUS REVIEWS