No Less in Blood

by D.M. Pirrone

In 1893, Mary Anne Schlegel left her uncle's Chicago home and vanished. The revelation of her fate more than a century later upends the life of an adoptee desperately seeking her roots.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery

336 pages, Hardcover

First published February 16, 2011

About the author

D. M. Pirrone is the nom de plume of Diane Piron-Gelman. She lives near Chicago with her husband and sons. Her debut novel, No Less in Blood, was published by Five Star in 2011. She is also the author of the Hanley & Rivka Mysteries, Shall We Not Revenge (2014), For You Were Strangers (2015), and Promises to the Dead (2020).

Reviews

[Micki Peluso · Rating 4 out of 5]

No Less in Blood
By
D. M. Pirrone

Luke didn't mean to kill her, just teach her a lesson . . . Wasn't his fault Grace fell and slammed her head against the metal bar of the swing after he hit her. Just as well. He can grab their daughter, Linnet, now and get his life together this time for sure.

This book flashes back from the present time to 1893 when Mary Anne Schlegel runs away from her home and family, never to be heard from again. Then back to the present with Rachel Connelly searching for her birth family nearly 100 years later. She meets Jackson Schlegel, now caretaker of the mansion belonging to his descendants. Grace was smart enough to tell a friend to get Linnet to her grandfather if anything happened to her. Rachel and linnet become friends, possibly relatives.

Linnet loves the old mansion and uncovers a diary which explains the many mysteries surrounding the life of Mary Anne which helps Rachel who finally tracks her family down. Her grandfather is a bit grumpy and evasive, as if he has terrifying secrets himself. When a great deal of money comes into play, the story quickly escalates. It elates Luke who has managed to meet Rachel and track Linnet’s whereabouts, for reasons which threaten the entire family.

Flashing back and forth to Rachel's ancestors and the lives they lived, to the constant stalking by Luke, and Linnet’s fear that her father will find her, keeps the reader turning the pages. Each story is interesting with richly developed characters and well-paced action. It's easy to be drawn into this in-depth thriller with its various plots intertwining amidst several other plots.

Author D. M. Pirrone ties all the loose ends together with delicate precision, keeping her characters in a state of flux and terror right up to the explosive yet brilliant ending. This is a well-written story and highly recommended to those who enjoy a good read.

Micki Peluso, author of . . . And the Whippoorwill Sang

[Porsche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I actually liked it much more than I thought! It took awhile to get into it because of all the different points of view at first. Then I REALLY got into the story. Believe it or not, I liked Mary Anne's point of view quite a bit.
Just a warning to "gentle" readers: there is quite a bit of cussing, specifically from Luke. That part was annoying.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this thriller. We know who the murder is, and have some idea of things that other authors may have tried to (probably unsuccessfully) make a surprise. This worked because the thrill of the story was how they were going to get where they needed to go and how the characters succeed or fail in their goals. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride!

Pirrone weaves between points of view and even time beautifully. It only took me one or two chapters on each character to remember who they are and what they wanted. Each voice was distinct and engaging.

[Sharon Ervin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keeps a readers attention

Two time periods and separate characters in each keep a reader alert. Might even be beneficial to make a list early to help one keep track in the switches. Enjoyable read. Great vocabulary

[Ellie Oberth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting story that weaves past lives into the present. An intriguing tale of searching for your roots.

[Angela Myers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really get into this book until I was about a third of the way through it. The multiple viewpoints and two timelines make it difficult it to follow. I'm not sure why I continued to read, But I'm glad I stuck with it, because it eventually develops into a gripping story. I give it three stars for that last half.

[J · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't judge this book by the cover. Because the picture had little to nothing to do with the book. I felt like the main characters were not well developed, and other characters were better developed, but went no where in the story line. It seemed to end abruptly.

[Heather Hutchins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting to the very end! This book is complicated, but SO worth it. I got pulled into both the present time story & the mystery from the past. Interesting characters and a rip-roaring plot. I even thought about the characters when I wasn't reading the book. FIRST-CLASS MYSTERY!

[Ellen Marchessault · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met author at LitFest 2012 and I very much enjoyed her book. The plot moves between contemporary and historical and the setting moves between Chicago and Minnesota. Large cast of characters, but very engaging story line.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an unevenly paced thriller that included multiple viewpoints and time frames. Some parts were really good while others lacked necessary details or action.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A "Reader's Choice" mystery. Fast paced. Interesting.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would call this book a thriller and a mystery combined. I enjoyed the solution At the end.