If you could save someone's life, would you? Anyone's? Ali's older brother has a swastika tattooed on his knuckles, a prison ID number for nearly beating an immigrant to death, and spent his teenage years ruthlessly persecuting Ali for being gay. Blood may be thicker than water, but Ali has spent most of his life desperate to prove he is nothing like Tony. A committed vegetarian, charity-supporter, and blood donor, Ali would do anything for anyone. Ali may share parentage with Tony, but he’s determined not to share anything else if he can help it. So when Tony contracts leukaemia, and Ali is the only match for the urgently-needed bone marrow transplant, Ali is caught between two equally awful choices: to refuse and condemn a man to death, or to donate. And in donating, save the life of the man who nearly murdered Ali's Iraqi boyfriend?

Thicker Than Bone

“Yes. I told Mum, too. She agreed when I said it was the only way I’d donate.”


“So she’s losing one son to maybe save another,” Yazid said, and shook his head. “I’ll never understand your mother.”


“You’re not talking me out of it,” Ali said sharply.


“I’m not trying to,” Yazid returned, and Ali deflated. “Look, Ali, if there’s one thing I learned after going into care, it’s that families aren’t what people make them out to be. They’re not sacred. They can really suck. You know how many kids are in care because their families are fucking awful? Loads. You know how many there are because of stupid car accidents? Barely any by comparison.”


Ali stroked his thumb gently over Yazid’s fingernails.


Chapter 91