A gripping family drama entangled in Milwaukee’s unforgiving underworld

Blending elements of Breaking Bad and A Bronx Tale

In the shadows of Milwaukee’s underworld, the hardest battles are fought at home.

The Sins We Inherit unravels the story of Costantino "Cost," a man forged by a brutal past and bound by blood. Haunted by his family's legacy and personal loss, Cost fights not only for his survival but for his daughter's future. Torn between the life he swore to leave behind and the irresistible pull of power, his journey is a heart-pounding clash of redemption and ambition, where every choice carves its own consequence.

More than a crime story; it’s about the scars we carry, the choices that define us, and the relentless pursuit of a future untangled from the sins of our past.

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

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.

About the author

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

Writing became his way of navigating the storms of anxiety and loss—a way to give voice to the struggles that often go unheard. Born and raised on Milwaukee's south side in a close-knit Italian American family, Carlo grew up surrounded by the unyielding bonds of love, loyalty, and community.

A former collegiate basketball player at Carroll University, Carlo later built a successful career as a corporate executive, working with respected Milwaukee organizations like Direct Supply and Brady Corporation.

But it’s his debut novel, The Sins We Inherit, that lays bare his heart. Inspired by his life and the city that shaped him, it’s more than a crime drama—it’s a story about family legacies, ambition, and the unseen battles we fight within ourselves.

Carlo is also a proud father of two daughters, whose love and strength continue to inspire his journey. The Sins We Inherit marks just the beginning of his work as an author, with more stories of loyalty, redemption, and human complexity to come.

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

Inside The Sins We Inherit

"Number one"

The what if that never faded

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.

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 taste of tradition

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.

The taste of tradition

The sound of tires crunching on gravel reached Cost’s ears first, followed by the dull thud of car doors slamming shut.

Then came the voices—casual greetings called out; familiar names tossed around like they’d never been apart. More family. They filtered in the way they always had—unannounced, without knocking, just walking in like they belonged.

Because they did.

The scent of food thickened as someone lifted the foil off a fresh tray of baked ziti, the steam rising into the summer air, thick with melted cheese and slow-cooked sauce. At the grill, another round of Italian sausage hit the flames, the fat sizzling, curling smoke into the sky.

A bowl of cucumber and tomato salad made its way down the table, the tang of red wine vinegar and olive oil sharp in the air, mixing with the heavy, familiar warmth of garlic and herbs.

Kids weaved through the legs of the adults, their laughter sharp, unrestrained. The sound tangled with the low hum of conversation, blending into something that should have felt like home. Cost leaned back in his chair, watching it all unfold. It was exactly as it had always been.

And yet, somehow, it wasn’t.

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.

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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.

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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.

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The Sins We Inherit
Coming Soon

A gripping family drama entangled in Milwaukee’s unforgiving underworld

Blending elements of Breaking Bad and A Bronx Tale

In the shadows of Milwaukee’s underworld, the hardest battles are fought at home.

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.