Skin of Tattoos | Christina Hoag, Author, Freelance Writer/Editor

Sometimes your best homies are your worst enemies.

A noir crime novel, Skin of Tattoos portrays a Salvadoran gang in Los Angeles as members battle each other for leadership while fighting rival gangs.

Magdaleno thought he was done with the Cyco Lokos, the gang that framed him and sent him to prison. But Rico, his old nemesis, has other plans.

Now Mags is trapped in a deadly game of cat and mouse, where every move could be his last. He must choose between loyalty and freedom, revenge and redemption, in a world where the only way out is through sacrifice. Based on real-life stories of gang warfare in LA and San Salvador, this gripping novel exposes the harsh realities of immigrant families living in the shadows of the American dream.

Available here

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

"A wild ride through a world few get to see."

"I was completely drawn into the protagonist's world and wanting to find out how it would shake down."

"A very touching story for such brutal reality. A brilliant book."

"An authentic and worthwhile read."

"A great debut...full of the inevitability of lost lives."

"The superb writing and the escalating tension will hold you until the very last page."

"Great storytelling, great suspense, great characters."

"A thought-provoking, literary story that kept me turning the pages."

"A real page-turner that was hard to put down."

"Fluidly poetic, dialogue spot on."