This is a story of two boys who are raised as brothers for the first six years of their lives. Eric's father, surgeon Dr. Nolan, and Thomas' mother, Branwyn, meet at the hospital when the boys are infants. Eric's mother died in childbirth and Thomas' father disappeared when Branwyn told him she was pregnant. The unlikely pair form an interracial blended family and the boys are secure until Branwyn's death. Frail African American Thomas is taken away from the only family he has ever known by his "real" father. He shifts from one heart-wrenching situation to another while blond and beautiful Eric seems to have all the luck in life. Still the boys consider themselves brothers and continue to experience the loss of their separation. They are reunited in their 20's and discover new truths about life. Mosley is most noted for his vibrant detective novels, but "Fortunate Son" shows he is a versatile writer.