Publisher's Synopsis
Halfway Crook
Kyrese Vaughn is a man caught between two worlds-the legitimate empire he's built and the criminal past that refuses to let him go. On paper, he's a respected businessman in Arlington, Texas, running real estate ventures, nightclubs, and high-stakes investments. But behind the scenes, his empire was built on the streets, and the past doesn't just fade-it waits for the perfect moment to strike.
His best friend, Dante "D-Rock" Williams, is still fully in the game, reckless and loyal, but always dragging Kyrese back into the fire. Meanwhile, Vince DeLuca, a ruthless rival, sees Kyrese as a threat that needs eliminating. As tensions rise, the stakes get deadly-a nightclub burns, a hit is ordered, and a street war erupts, forcing Kyrese into choices he swore he'd never make again.
But the streets aren't his only problem.
Ava Montgomery, an investigative journalist, starts digging into his past, sensing that his clean reputation is just a front. At the same time, Detective Elijah Cross, an FBI agent, watches from the shadows, quietly building a case against him. As betrayals mount and the body count rises, Kyrese must outthink, outmaneuver, and outlast everyone trying to take him down.
When a failed assassination attempt nearly ends his life, Kyrese is forced to strike first. With ruthless precision, he manipulates events to pin everything on DeLuca, ensuring his own survival. By the time the dust settles, Kyrese appears to have won-his rival eliminated, his businesses intact, his future secured.
But just as he thinks he's free, a message appears on his burner phone:
"We need to talk."
The past isn't done with him yet.
A gripping crime thriller packed with betrayal, power moves, and high-stakes suspense, Halfway Crook blends gritty realism, dark humor, and relentless tension. Perfect for fans of urban crime dramas, morally complex antiheroes, and stories where survival means playing the game better than everyone else.
