The Breath of the Dragon

By Barry Duffield

In the heart of Chicago's towering skyline and labyrinthine alleyways, Detective Martin Callow, a battle-hardened veteran with a past etched in military service and scarred by the relentless specter of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), confronts an emotional crucible. His life takes a harrowing turn when a high-profile case involving the formidable Vietnamese Black Dragons gang surges into his world, echoing the chaos within.

Once regarded as a source of strength, Callow's military background now becomes a symbol of both resilience and vulnerability. As he delves into the investigation, the city itself transforms into a metaphor for his internal strife, mirroring the dark and complex journey he embarks upon.

With each revelation, the investigation snakes deeper into a quagmire of corruption, exposing high-ranking police officers, some of whom Callow once considered mentors, deeply entangled in the Black Dragons' nefarious activities. The shockwaves of betrayal intensify his PTSD-induced anxieties, pushing him to confront moral lines that can never be uncrossed.

In a desperate bid to dismantle the Black Dragons, Callow reaches out to his old military team, comrades bound by unbreakable bonds forged in the crucible of war. Together, they hatch a plan that promises to take down the gang and secure riches beyond their wildest dreams. The lure of wealth and redemption, however, begins to blur the lines between right and wrong, virtue and vice.

Callow's estranged wife and two young daughters, innocents caught in the storm, become unwitting hostages to his relentless pursuit of justice and fortune. As the stakes soar to unfathomable heights, he is faced with an impossible choice: protect his family by embracing the darkness within, or risk their safety in his unwavering quest for truth.
In this cinematic narrative of redemption, sacrifice, and moral ambiguity, Chicago's vibrant neighborhoods and diverse communities accentuate the stark disparities of the city. The Black Dragons' stranglehold over its underbelly casts a long shadow, threatening to engulf all who dare to challenge it.

As Callow stands at the precipice, torn between his duty to his family and his unwavering commitment to his mission, his story becomes a visceral exploration of the human spirit. In a city both majestic and unforgiving, battles are fought not just in the streets, but within the depths of the human soul, where the allure of riches tests the boundaries of morality, and the price of redemption remains shrouded in darkness.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FHF5Z27N
• ISBN13: 9798288150999
• Release Date: July 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 270 Pages
• Weight: 0.59 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.0" x 8.0"