Thicker Than Blood

Christopher Johnson's life is privileged in every aspect. He attends an exclusive boarding school, drives an expensive car, wears the latest styles, and vacations in exotic locations. Christopher is smart, handsome, well-spoken and liked by everyone that meets him. When he decides to leave his upscale boarding school and attend the local high school near his home, he quickly forms a friendship and special bond with Tony Pagliano Jr. Born as underworld royalty, Tony Pagliano Jr's life appears pre-ordained. His father, Big Tony, has lofty aspirations for his only son. Aspirations that include succession in the Family business. A lifetime sentence by the Feds ensures that Jr. is Big Tony's last chance to cement a legacy and remain connected. The depth and sincerity of the boys bond draws in everyone they encounter; everyone except for the Paglianos. The friendship and the approval of letting in someone who is not only an outsider, but deemed less in pedigree to the Sicilian bloodline, tests the boundaries of loyalty in family versus friendship. This gripping tale of commercial fiction follows the parallel, yet divergent lives of Tony and Christopher and their attempts to maintain a true friendship amongst societal and familial pressures while surrounded by an atmosphere best described as The Sopranos meets The American Gangster.