THE WAIT IS OVER ORDER NOW

Blending the moral grit of Breaking Bad with the soul of A Bronx Tale.

Blending elements of Breaking Bad and A Bronx Tale

Haunted by his family’s legacy and personal loss, Cost is pulled back into Milwaukee’s criminal underworld—fighting not just for survival, but for his daughter.

The Sins We Inherit is a contemporary drama about Costantino “Cost,” a man shaped by his childhood in Milwaukee’s criminal underworld. After overcoming personal trauma and building a successful career, a bitter divorce and devastating losses pull him back into the life he tried to escape. When his notorious grandfather dies, Cost, driven by a need for control, re-enters the Milwaukee rackets while struggling to rebuild his life and reconnect with his daughter.

About the book

The protagonist

Milwaukee crime drama novel, Carlo J. Emanuele,” and The Sins We Inherit.

Costantino “Cost” is a commanding presence—lean, sharp-featured, and intense, with eyes that seem to see everything. His dark hair, usually neat but sometimes tousled, mirrors the push and pull of his controlled yet unpredictable nature. He avoids the spotlight, but his quiet magnetism makes him impossible to ignore.

A natural leader, Cost reads people and situations with unnerving precision, earning respect effortlessly. His charm is built on genuine empathy and unwavering loyalty, yet his pride and stubbornness often set him at odds with those he cares about. Fiercely protective, he struggles against the weight of his past, driven by an unrelenting need for control—over his family, his career, and himself.

Haunted by a childhood shaped by Milwaukee’s criminal underworld, Cost fights to break free from the sins he was born into. But as he’s pulled back into the life he swore to leave behind, his fractured relationship with his daughter becomes his greatest battle—forcing him to choose between the empire he’s reclaiming and the redemption he desperately craves.

If you enjoy

Crime Dramas: Fans of Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, or A Bronx Tale will be drawn to the gritty, authentic struggles of Costantino “Cost” as he navigates the blurred lines between his personal life and Milwaukee's criminal underworld
Complex Antiheroes: If you’re captivated by flawed protagonists seeking redemption and making morally ambiguous choices, Cost’s journey—marked by both his downfalls and desperate attempts to rise again—will resonate deeply.
Family and Personal Struggles: The Sins We Inherit intertwines raw family dynamics, personal tragedy, and the pull of the criminal world. Readers who connect with stories of fractured families, complicated relationships, and emotional reckonings will find Cost’s fight to rebuild his life both painful and powerful.
Urban and Contemporary Fiction: Set in Milwaukee—a city with a rich cultural history and a hidden criminal underbelly—this novel speaks to those who love modern-day stories rooted in real places and unflinching realities.
Psychological Tension: The Sins We Inherit delves into the mind of a man torn between control and chaos. If you’re drawn to stories where internal battles are as fierce as the external ones, Cost’s descent—and fight for redemption—will captivate you.

The Story Behind the Story

'Epigraph'

Some debts aren’t written in ledgers. They’re written in blood, in silence, in names we’re still trying to live down.

Inside the book

The Sins We Inherit Trailer

This story changed my life—and maybe it will speak to yours too.

What began as a way to cope with heartbreak and anxiety transformed into a gripping story about legacy, redemption, and the fight to break free from the past.

Set in Milwaukee’s criminal underworld, this novel weaves together themes of fatherhood, identity, and personal transformation.

🎯 Preorder now
📘 Official release coming August 15, 2025

Watch now, and be among the first to step into a story that’s as raw as it is real.

Inside the book

From Broken to Becoming: The Story Behind The Sins We Inherit

This is the part of the story you won’t find in the pages—a raw look at how heartbreak, healing, and writing this novel changed everything.

This video is a personal reflection on the journey that led me to write The Sins We Inherit—a story born from heartbreak, healing, and transformation. What began as journaling through pain became a powerful exploration of redemption, family, and the legacy we carry. I hope this resonates with anyone who's ever had to rebuild.

If this resonated with you, I hope you’ll explore the book—and join me on the journey

Inside the book

Pain was the beginning—not the end.

This video reflects the emotional core of The Sins We Inherit. It began as a story written in the dark—at a time when I was facing heartbreak, anxiety, and a life that had been turned upside down. I wasn’t trying to write a novel. I was trying to survive.

But as the pages grew, so did something else: clarity, strength, a sense of purpose. I poured my struggles into Cost, my protagonist—a man torn between power and peace, haunted by his past but desperate for redemption. His journey mirrors my own in many ways. The pain didn’t disappear—but it transformed. Into words. Into legacy. Into a voice I didn’t know I had.

This clip is a raw piece of that journey. It’s not just about the hurt—it’s about what we build from it. If you’ve ever felt like you were drowning in it, I hope this reminds you: pain can be a forge. What breaks us can also shape us. And sometimes, healing doesn’t look like closure. It looks like turning the page.

Inside the book

This One Is For Us

The Sins We Inherit is more than a novel—it’s a tribute.

To the working-class Italians of Milwaukee.

To the ones who came here with nothing and built everything.
To the grandparents who spoke in thick accents and the parents who worked double shifts.

To the families who carried pride, faith, and sometimes pain in silence. To the loyalty, the love, the struggle—and the stories that never made the headlines.

This book is born from that world.
This one is for us.

Inside the book

From Athlete to Executive to Author: My Journey

Follow my journey from collegiate basketball player to corporate executive, and now, to author of The Sins We Inherit. A story of resilience, reinvention, and finding purpose

This short video takes you through my journey from collegiate basketball player to corporate executive, and now, to author of The Sins We Inherit. It's a glimpse into how each chapter of my life has shaped my story and my path forward.

Inside the book

New Milwaukee Author Carlo Emanuele’s Debut Novel, ‘The Sins We Inherit’

After working in business his entire career, Carlo Emanuele is taking a creative leap. The new Milwaukee author is putting out his debut novel this year, The Sins We Inherit, a contemporary crime drama with Milwaukee, and family, at the heart. Emanuele’s debut novel is fiction, but the themes, characters, and story are deeply personal.

‘If You Know Carlito and Doug, You’re About to Meet Cost’

From Carlito’s Way to The Town… Now Comes The Sins We Inherit

A legacy of crime. A fight for redemption. Meet Cost—the next unforgettable antihero. In just 15 seconds, see how he stacks up against Carlito Brigante and Doug MacRay in this high-impact visual showdown. The streets made him. Now he's rewriting the rules.

Inside the book

'The Men Behind the Fiction'

Every word in The Sins We Inherit carries echoes of real people, real places, and real pain. This is where the fiction began.

Cost and his crew didn’t come from imagination—they came from memory. From growing up on Milwaukee’s south side, surrounded by men who wore pride and pain like second skin. The ones who taught me about strength, silence, loyalty, and sometimes, loss. This glimpse behind the curtain is my way of honoring them—and showing readers that while the novel may be fiction, its foundation is deeply personal

Inside the book

'Lorenzo Leale'

Lorenzo Leale is Costantino “Cost” Jr.'s childhood friend, a short, thin man with a sharp mind and a knack for staying calm under pressure. Unlike the more forceful figures in Costantino “Cost's” life, Lorenzo is calculating, smart, and excels at navigating difficult situations with a level head. He’s the one Costantino “Cost” turns to for advice.

Inside the book

'For My Daughters and Parents: A Dedication from the Heart'

This dedication is for my daughters, Aliza and Sienna—the truest parts of me. Your laughter heals me, your love drives me, and this story is for you. Every word, every choice, every fight is a step toward being the man you can be proud to call Dad. This book carries darkness, but it also carries the unshakable love of a father who will always fight for you.

For my parents, Joe and Luann—who saw me at my lowest and helped me rebuild. Your unwavering love, support, and faith gave me the strength to write this book. Every word is a reflection of your belief in me. I owe more to you than words can hold, but these are for you, with all my heart.

Inside the book

‘Author’s Note

While The Sins We Inherit is a work of fiction, it is deeply personal. The events depicted in this story are not true in the literal sense. Some never happened, and those that did have been altered in chronology, detail, or tone to serve the narrative. All character names are fictitious, and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

That said, this novel is inspired by the people, places, and experiences that have shaped my life. It is, in some sense, a reflection of what my life might have been had I made different choices, followed different roads, or surrendered to different forces.

This is not my story. But it comes from a place of truth.

—Carlo J. Emanuele

Inside the book

Inside The Sins We Inherit

"Number one"

A mother knows

Same church. Same wall. Years ago.

He had been fourteen then, standing just where he was now, his back against the same cold stone. Tiger beside him.

His grandfather was dressed in black, the sharp lines of his overcoat crisp against the gray Milwaukee afternoon. The air was lighter—no mist, no drizzle—but colder.

Cost had felt it in his fingers, his knuckles red as he shoved his hands deep into his pockets, trying to keep them warm.

Tiger was unbothered. A cigarette hung from the corner of his mouth, the cherry flaring orange with each drag, a brief ember of life against the muted street.

The city was quieter that day. Or maybe it just felt that way. Grief had a way of muffling the world.

The church doors creaked open behind them. A kid stepped out. One of his cousins—Tommy, maybe. Mikey. It didn’t matter.

The boy hesitated before speaking, shifting on his feet like he wasn’t sure if he had permission to interrupt.

“Uh… The priest says they’re ready to start, Grandpa.”

Tiger barely looked up. He took another drag, slow, unhurried, the kind of pause that let everyone know he was in control of the moment.

Then, exhaling smoke into the crisp air, he tapped the ash off the tip.

He shifted his gaze to Cost. “Number One, you go tell the priest he can start when I finish my cigarette.”

The boy in the doorway hesitated. Blinked. Maybe waiting for Tiger to laugh, to say he was joking.

But Tiger wasn’t joking.

His voice had been even. Calm. Absolute. The same way he had given orders in life. And Cost had felt something then—something strange, electric. A mix of pride and awe.

Tiger did what Tiger wanted.

A mother knows

Irene doesn’t look at him as she speaks, keeps her hands moving—tossing a pinch of salt into the bowl, stirring, giving him just enough room to pretend she isn’t pushing. But she is.

"I know you’re struggling. And I know how much you hate being seen struggling. We can help you, son. We have a little money put back—"

Cost tenses, his spine going rigid before she even finishes.

“I don’t need—” The words come too sharp, too fast. He exhales hard, dragging a hand down his face. Softer this time. “Don’t worry about it, Ma.”

But she doesn’t let it go, not yet.

“Maddy asked me the other day why you won’t take help from family.” The words are measured, but the weight of them presses down, tightens something deep in his chest. “Why you’d rather break your back doing everything alone instead of letting the people who love you make it easier.”

Cost freezes, caught between confrontation and escape.

Maddy said that?

Doesn’t want to lie.

Doesn’t want to admit it either.

His jaw tightens. “I get by just fine.”

Irene shakes her head, clicking her tongue like she does when she knows she’s being fed bullshit. But she studies him for a long moment, and because she is who she is—because she knows him—she lets him off the hook.

“For now,” she murmurs. Then, quieter, “You let me know when ‘just fine’ stops being fine, alright?”

Cost swallows hard. Nods once.

And just like that, the tension shifts—still there, still lingering, but no longer pressing down so hard it threatens to crack something open.

Irene reaches up, her fingers light as they brush his hair back from his forehead. A rare, fleeting gesture. One she used to do when he was a kid, when comfort came easier, when he didn’t flinch at the touch of reassurance.

Cost lets it happen. Just for a second.

Then he steps back, clearing his throat like that might erase the moment.

Irene doesn’t react, doesn’t call attention to it. Just turns back to the stove, giving him the space he needs.

"Go on," she says, stirring the sauce. "Your father could use some company." She doesn’t look at him as she speaks.

Doesn’t need to.

She’s already said everything that matters.

The what if that never faded

Maria Celestina.

The wind pulled at the hem of her coat, tugging strands of her dark hair loose, but she didn’t move. Didn’t speak. Just stood there, watching him with something unreadable in her gaze.

Cost felt something shift in his chest, something tight—the pull of time, of unfinished things, of words that had never been spoken and the weight of the ones that had.

For a second, he didn’t move. Didn’t breathe. The wind rushed past them, pulling dead leaves across the wet grass, rattling the branches overhead. And then, finally—

“Hey, Stranger,” she said again, her voice softer this time, almost like she hadn’t meant to say it twice.

Cost swallowed. Jesus. Of all the things he’d expected today—this wasn’t one of them. Maria stood a few feet away, her posture composed, unreadable, but her presence unshakable.

She looked the same. Maybe a little older. Maybe a little sharper around the edges. But time never really touched certain people—not in the ways that mattered.

It hit him all at once.

High school. The way they’d whispered in the back of a parked car, heat fogging the windows, dreaming up a future that neither of them really believed in but wanted to, just for the sake of it.

The firsts. First love, first heartbreak, first time thinking about forever like it was something real.

The fire. The kind that burned hot and fast, but never quite went out. And then there were the stupid plans—things they had sworn they’d do, places they said they’d go. None of it had meant anything. But somehow, standing here, it still did. She had been the ‘what if’ he never answered. The one that never fully faded.

A quiet warning

The what if that never faded

Something shifted at the edge of the crowd. A flicker of movement. A presence that didn’t belong. Cost’s gaze flicked up, drawn without meaning to be.

A figure stood apart from the mourners, just outside the gathering. Marek “Stones” Novak. Leader of the Iron Brotherhood Motorcycle Club.

Not here for Tiger. Not here for the family.

Just watching.
Calculating.

The slow coil of unease twisted through Cost’s ribs, settling somewhere deep. Marek didn’t belong here. And yet, here he was. Cost didn’t think. He just moved. A slow, measured step away from the crowd. Toward Marek.

His footsteps were steady, deliberate, each one carrying the weight of something unspoken. He didn’t break eye contact. If Marek wanted to watch, then let him be watched right back.

But just as Cost was within a few steps, the low, guttural rumble of a Harley cut through the cemetery air. Marek shifted, swinging a leg over his bike in one smooth, practiced motion.

The ignition cranked. The engine roared.
The deep, throaty growl swallowed up the murmured conversations behind them, drowning out the funeral, the priest’s closing words, even the wind. Cost clenched his jaw. This wasn’t about Tiger. It wasn’t about paying respects.

Marek had come here for one reason.

To be seen. And to send a message.

Tiger’s entire legacy had just been put on notice.

About the author

Carlo J. Emanuele discovered the power of storytelling not through triumph, but through heartbreak.

Writing became his lifeline—a way to make sense of anxiety, grief, and the quiet storms that reshaped his life. What began as late-night journal entries soon gave rise to a voice, a character, and eventually a world. That world became The Sins We Inherit.

Born and raised on Milwaukee’s South Side in a tight-knit Italian American family, Carlo was shaped by the quiet strength of the men around him. Their stories—often unspoken, but deeply felt—left a lasting impression. Loyalty, resilience, and complexity became the emotional foundation of his debut novel.

But The Sins We Inherit is also deeply personal. It was born from a period of emotional reckoning. A relationship—intense, transformative—became a catalyst for his writing. While the story is fictional, the emotions are real: longing, loss, hope. Writing became a way to process pain, honor a connection that changed him, and ultimately, find a path forward.

Before becoming an author, Carlo played collegiate basketball at Carroll University and built a successful corporate career with organizations like Direct Supply and Brady Corporation. But behind every professional milestone was a man still searching for meaning and connection.

The Sins We Inherit is more than a crime drama—it’s a reckoning. A story about generational weight, the fight for redemption, and the cost of staying loyal to the people and places that shape us.

Carlo is a proud father of two daughters, whose strength and love remain the heart of his journey. His writing is rooted in truth, family, and the pursuit of healing. The Sins We Inherit is just the beginning—more stories are coming, stories that explore the fragility and fire inside all of us.

“I didn’t set out to write a novel. I set out to survive the nights that wouldn’t let me sleep. Somewhere along the way, a story found me.”
—Carlo J. Emanuele

Follow Carlo's journey and stay connected through social media: Facebook / Discover The Sins We Inherit - A New Underworld Book

Merch - Buy now

The Sins We Inherit - Hoodie

Embrace the journey of redemption with The Sins We Inherit hoodie. Just like Cost, a man shaped by the shadows of Milwaukee's criminal underworld, this hoodie represents the struggle to break free from the past while fighting for control and family. Wear it as a symbol of resilience, personal strength, and the pursuit of a second chance.

Buy Now

The Sins We Inherit - T-Shirt

From the streets of Milwaukee to the crossroads of family and power, The Sins We Inherit T-shirt is more than just merch—it's a statement. Like Cost, a man haunted by his past but determined to reclaim his future, this shirt represents the battle to rebuild a life and reconnect with what truly matters. Wear it with purpose and pride.

Buy Now

The Sins We Inherit - Pulse Tank

Strength meets style with The Sins We Inherit women's tank. Inspired by Cost’s struggle between loyalty and freedom, this tank symbolizes resilience, self-discovery, and the courage to rewrite your story. Soft, bold, and effortlessly powerful—wear it as a reminder that your past shapes you, but it doesn’t define you.

Buy Now

Bookstore & Library Orders

🛒 How to Order Wholesale Copies

The Sins We Inherit is available via Ingram Book Group. Bookstores and libraries can order using the following details:

Order Sheet

Title / Author / Publisher

Title: The Sins We Inherit
Author: Carlo J. Emanuele
Publisher: Verde Entertainment, LLC

ISBN's

Paperback: 979-8-9992754-1-7
Hardcover: 979-8-9992754-2-4

Specifications

Trim Size: 6 x 9 inches
Pages: 260
Genre: Crime Fiction / Suspense / Family Drama
Discount: Standard Wholesale Discount

📢 Media & Events

Interested in hosting a signing, stocking the book, or featuring it at your store? I’d love to collaborate.

Email Me

Blending the moral grit of Breaking Bad with the soul of A Bronx Tale.

Gritty, Gripping, Unforgettable—Here’s What Readers Say

Exclusive Updates + First Access

Blending elements of Breaking Bad and A Bronx Tale

Haunted by his family’s legacy and personal loss, Cost is pulled back into Milwaukee’s criminal underworld—fighting not just for survival, but for his daughter.

About the book

The protagonist

If you enjoy

The Story Behind the Story

'Epigraph'

The Sins We Inherit Trailer

From Broken to Becoming: The Story Behind The Sins We Inherit

Pain was the beginning—not the end.

This One Is For Us

From Athlete to Executive to Author: My Journey

New Milwaukee Author Carlo Emanuele’s Debut Novel, ‘The Sins We Inherit’

‘If You Know Carlito and Doug, You’re About to Meet Cost’

'The Men Behind the Fiction'

'Lorenzo Leale'

'For My Daughters and Parents: A Dedication from the Heart'

‘Author’s Note

Inside The Sins We Inherit

"Number one"

A mother knows

A mother knows

A mother knows

A mother knows

A mother knows

The what if that never faded

The what if that never faded

The what if that never faded

A quiet warning

The what if that never faded

The what if that never faded

In the spotlight

Shepherd Express

Tour Ozaukee Magazine

Experience Milwaukee Podcast

Visit Milwaukee - Joshing Around

Kirkus - Reviews

About the author

Carlo J. Emanuele discovered the power of storytelling not through triumph, but through heartbreak.

Merch - Buy now

The Sins We Inherit - Hoodie

The Sins We Inherit - T-Shirt

The Sins We Inherit - Pulse Tank

The Sins We Inherit - Pulse Tank

Follow the Journey – Behind the Scenes & More!

Bookstore & Library Orders

🛒 How to Order Wholesale Copies

Title / Author / Publisher

ISBN's

Specifications

📢 Media & Events

This website uses cookies.