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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
BY BLOOD POSSESSED...Good To The Last Drop!, August 30, 2000
By A Customer
Wisecracking Patricia "Pat" Montella is in a dead-end job and in a nowhere life when out-of-the-blue this Pennsylvania native is notified that a stranger is considering bequeathing property in Virginia to her. The stranger is retired school teacher, Civil War historian and present owner, Magnolia "Miss Maggie" Shelby. Her one stipulation is that Pat spend one week in May at Bell Run, the estate in question, to learn about the land, the Bell Family and ultimately about Pat, herself. Laying claim to Bell Run is no easy task for Pat Montella. Not only is there a long-lost descendant of the Bell clan competing for the family homestead, but there are also land developers itching to get their hands on this prime real estate property. Threats, murder and eerie happenings move the plot to a predictable but very satisfying climax, with plenty of suspense to spare. This book is a real find. Not only do you fall in love with Pat Montella in the first chapter as she humorously fantasizes the demise of her obnoxious boss in a barrage of rifle fire, but you can really empathize with a petite but broad-hipped, short woman in white slacks crawling through Virginia woodland. Elena Santangelo has created very real characters that are warm, funny, flawed and tragic. She has blended character with the passage of time into an engrossing and atmospheric plot that toggles between presend day Virginia and the ravaged Virginia of the Civil War. I'm looking forward to the sequel!
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Knocked my socks off!, January 3, 2001
I should know better than to start a mystery novel before bedtime. Especially one as gripping and well-written as BY BLOOD POSSESSED. After several sleepless hours, completely engrossed in the novel, I realized that Elena Santangelo is definitely a force to be reckoned with. And no, I did not get to sleep until I finished the book. This, her first mystery novel, not only delivers one of the best stories I've read, but skillfully weaves both the historical "back" story with the contemporary primary storyline with seamless integration, combining them into a finished, polished tale that will hold its own among the best of the genre. Santangelo bears watching - she may just sneak up and snatch an award or two. Brava!
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Now for something completely different, November 3, 1999
I don't like historical mysteries. I don't like mysteries about time travel. I don't like flash backs and forwards. I'm not a Civil War buff. But I LOVED By Blood Possessed by Elena Santangelo. If you like the aforementioned items, you might love this book even more. The main protagonist is from the Philadelphia area and, while she's surprised to discover Civil War era Virginia ancestors, she's well aware of her Philly Italian heritage from the Montella's, Giamo's etc. Pat is refreshingly real. She hates her job. Her life is going nowhere. Her description of the outcome of her five dating relationships (only two getting beyond date #1) is worth the price of the book. This is a story short on terrifying suspense, yet I couldn't put it down. I think there's a big future for Pat.
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