In 1893, seventeen-year-old Mary Anne Schlegel left her uncle’s Chicago home and vanished. The discovery of her fate more than a century later upends the life of Rachel Connolly, an adoptee desperately seeking her roots. Rachel’s search for her birth mother leads her north to Minnesota’s Iron Range and deep into a shrouded family past, where she uncovers a secret kept for three generations… a secret one of her newfound kin just might be willing to kill for.
“D. M. Pirrone’s debut thriller, No Less in Blood, is a complex mystery of family, greed and love that spans more than a century… The plot, with its multiple points of view and alternating timeline, is easy to follow, the narrative clearly written and fast-paced. Those who appreciate a strong, family-centric drama will be taken in by No Less in Blood.”
–Guest reviewer Betty, Mysterious Reviews, March 25, 2011
No Less In Blood
D. M. Pirrone
CHAPTER ONE
All he’d wanted to know was where to find Linnet. A father wanting to see his daughter—what was wrong with that? Nothing. Not a goddamned thing.
Luke glared at the crumpled body by the base of the swing set. “Why didn’t you just tell me? You always do this, Grace. The simplest little thing I want, and you won’t give it to me. You are sogoddamned stupid . . .”
He clenched his fists to stop their shaking. Talking to a corpse. He was losing it for sure. Bark crunched under his sneakers as he turned away from the body. He propped himself against the swing set with one arm and gulped the cold night air. It smelled of wet leaves and mud, plus a hint of exhaust. Drizzle stung his face. The swish of traffic echoed across the playground, unnaturally loud.
He snagged a Marlboro from the half-empty pack in his jacket and lit it on the third try. The flame warmed his fingers, which were stiffening in the chill. Lungs full of nicotine, he leaned against the cold metal of the swing set frame and considered his next move. In this part of town, the few night owls who might be lurking weren’t likely to be chummy with cops. Grace worked the five-to-one shift; this late, no one much was around. Used to work, he corrected himself, and choked down a nervous laugh.
She should have given him another chance. She should have known he meant it this time when he said things would be different. She should have let him explain. And she sure as hell shouldn’t have had those papers served in front of every waitress in the goddamned diner. He’d wanted to belt her one right there. But they’d all come up close around her, the…
Website: http://www.dmpirrone.net
Trish Jackson, Author 
Very, very intriguing. What a powerful first page!! Makes a reader to want more!! Well done!
This is my favorite kind of thriller. Going straight to my to-read list! You do have a way with words, Diane.
Thanks, Cynthia and Marta, for the kind words. I love finding new readers. And a huge thank-you to Trish for doing this in the first place. I appreciate you all more than I can say. 🙂
I think you have a winner with this one!
Thanks Trish for another winner!! Diane you have done some fine writing and I'm interested in this book already. Excellent first page with a great hook and good internal dialogue. Really impressive!
Micki
Excellent! Want to read it immediately. Good job.