The Family Values

Johnnie's life looks perfect.

She has an adoring family: three older brothers, two crazy uncles, and one loving father who would do anything for her.

She's a violinist with skills that could rival Paganini's. She could make a career out of her passion if she gets into the right college.

She has a grandfather who has enough money to fill three Olympic-sized swimming pools, and often gives his grandchildren hundred dollar bills instead of candy.

But if you look at the fine print, you'll find that things aren't what they seem.

For the past 8 years, Johnnie's lived in Italy . . . secluded, alone, with nothing but guards to keep her company. "It's for your own safety," her family tells her. The sad thing is, they're probably right; they're the Tomarchios, a decades old crime family that has half of the U.S. under their shadow. As expected, rivalries are common--as well as casualties.

All Johnnie wants to do is be away from her family; she's nothing like them, after all. Because of them, she's never had friends, has never gone to school, and has really never had a chance at a life. When she turns 18, and she finally sees a way out, she grasps it with all she has. But as she tries to claw further away from her family, she begins to realize that sometimes your namesake has more control over your destiny than you do.