In this, page-turning prequel to the Playing Dirty and Notorious duology, national bestselling author Kiki Swinson never lets up with her high-octane depictions of striving and scheming in the Dirty South, taking readers on a wild ride to the early days of Yoshi Lomax, when she was an ambitious law student making her way in the privileged circles of academia.
The perfect storm . . . Young, irreverent, and reckless, Yoshi is struggling to make good at her prestigious college and keep her demanding mother off her back, while living the good life with her peers. But between the overwhelming workload and hostile professors, she’s on the verge of flunking out. Yet that’s the least of her troubles when her roommate, Gia, winds up in a coma, and Yoshi finds her diary—and a library’s worth of shocking, extremely valuable secrets . . .
The perfect edge . . . For the school’s elite-of-the-elite students, their perfect transcripts, priceless connections, and endless entitlements are fueled by an all-consuming round of drug deals, sex, trading favors—and killer leverage. And in spite of her idealistic friend’s warnings, Yoshi is convinced she can handle it all . . .
The perfect trap . . . Until Yoshi discovers that every little lie, dirty secret, and easy betrayal is hiding a secret even she isn’t willing to keep. Now with everything she cares about on the line, she must make a wrenching choice that could cost her more than her life . . .
Praise for KiKi Swinson
“Pitch-perfect dialogue, juicy sexual trysts, cold-blooded betrayal, and ruthless violence mark this suspenseful fast-moving tale that is topped off by a shocking epilogue.” —Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW on The Score
“Swinson delivers another strong, fully dimensional lead character in Misty, who begins as an ordinary career woman and ends up in even deeper trouble with each wrong choice.” —Booklist on The Black Market
“National bestselling author Swinson is back, with a new novel packed with suspense, intrigue, and brutally memorable characters, all portrayed through the lens of gritty Southern life. You’ll keep flipping pages to see how the story’s heroine faces a succession of harrowing adventures as she fights desperately to keep herself, and those she loves, alive.” —The Grio on The Safe House
“Edgy street action with an extra dose of suspense…For MadameNoire loyalists with an addiction to street stories, Kiki Swinson’s latest book is a strong follow-up to her much talked about novel, The Score. Kiki Swinson has raised the bar with The Mark, not only because of the cat and mouse theme that sits between the pages but also because of the ocean-deep suspense that runs all through it.” —MadameNoire
“From one of the most prolific and respected voices in urban fiction…You’ll tear through this vivid and pulse-pounding journey of a young woman on the run, who will do whatever she can to save her life—and protect those she loves.” —CrimeReads on The Safe House
“Breathless suspense explodes on practically every page, highlighted by scenes of violence and merciless, execution-style murders. Lauren comes off as something of Superwoman who performs feats of strength two days after giving birth, but that just adds to the page-turning appeal. Swinson’s name will generate strong interest.” —Library Journal on The Mark
Kiki Swinson is the national bestselling author of over 30 novels and short stories. A star of the street lit genre—crime novels in an urban setting—Swinson’s works feature resilient women making tough, and sometimes not quite legal, decisions to survive. Her novels, inspired by her experiences and a five-year stint in federal prison, have sold over 1 million copies. She completed her first novel while incarcerated and her second novel, Wifey, became the first book in one of today's best-selling street lit series. A native of Portsmouth, Virginia, and a former hustler's wife, Swinson resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Visit her online at KikiSwinson.net.
View titles by Kiki Swinson
In this, page-turning prequel to the Playing Dirty and Notorious duology, national bestselling author Kiki Swinson never lets up with her high-octane depictions of striving and scheming in the Dirty South, taking readers on a wild ride to the early days of Yoshi Lomax, when she was an ambitious law student making her way in the privileged circles of academia.
The perfect storm . . . Young, irreverent, and reckless, Yoshi is struggling to make good at her prestigious college and keep her demanding mother off her back, while living the good life with her peers. But between the overwhelming workload and hostile professors, she’s on the verge of flunking out. Yet that’s the least of her troubles when her roommate, Gia, winds up in a coma, and Yoshi finds her diary—and a library’s worth of shocking, extremely valuable secrets . . .
The perfect edge . . . For the school’s elite-of-the-elite students, their perfect transcripts, priceless connections, and endless entitlements are fueled by an all-consuming round of drug deals, sex, trading favors—and killer leverage. And in spite of her idealistic friend’s warnings, Yoshi is convinced she can handle it all . . .
The perfect trap . . . Until Yoshi discovers that every little lie, dirty secret, and easy betrayal is hiding a secret even she isn’t willing to keep. Now with everything she cares about on the line, she must make a wrenching choice that could cost her more than her life . . .
Reviews
Praise for KiKi Swinson
“Pitch-perfect dialogue, juicy sexual trysts, cold-blooded betrayal, and ruthless violence mark this suspenseful fast-moving tale that is topped off by a shocking epilogue.” —Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW on The Score
“Swinson delivers another strong, fully dimensional lead character in Misty, who begins as an ordinary career woman and ends up in even deeper trouble with each wrong choice.” —Booklist on The Black Market
“National bestselling author Swinson is back, with a new novel packed with suspense, intrigue, and brutally memorable characters, all portrayed through the lens of gritty Southern life. You’ll keep flipping pages to see how the story’s heroine faces a succession of harrowing adventures as she fights desperately to keep herself, and those she loves, alive.” —The Grio on The Safe House
“Edgy street action with an extra dose of suspense…For MadameNoire loyalists with an addiction to street stories, Kiki Swinson’s latest book is a strong follow-up to her much talked about novel, The Score. Kiki Swinson has raised the bar with The Mark, not only because of the cat and mouse theme that sits between the pages but also because of the ocean-deep suspense that runs all through it.” —MadameNoire
“From one of the most prolific and respected voices in urban fiction…You’ll tear through this vivid and pulse-pounding journey of a young woman on the run, who will do whatever she can to save her life—and protect those she loves.” —CrimeReads on The Safe House
“Breathless suspense explodes on practically every page, highlighted by scenes of violence and merciless, execution-style murders. Lauren comes off as something of Superwoman who performs feats of strength two days after giving birth, but that just adds to the page-turning appeal. Swinson’s name will generate strong interest.” —Library Journal on The Mark
Author
Kiki Swinson is the national bestselling author of over 30 novels and short stories. A star of the street lit genre—crime novels in an urban setting—Swinson’s works feature resilient women making tough, and sometimes not quite legal, decisions to survive. Her novels, inspired by her experiences and a five-year stint in federal prison, have sold over 1 million copies. She completed her first novel while incarcerated and her second novel, Wifey, became the first book in one of today's best-selling street lit series. A native of Portsmouth, Virginia, and a former hustler's wife, Swinson resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Visit her online at KikiSwinson.net.
View titles by Kiki Swinson
