Customer Reviews

Poison Pen: A Forensic Handwriting Mystery

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is a smart new mystery series but I can't agree with those who have tagged it as "cozy". I found it much too graphic, a little too "salty" if you will, with a considerable tendency toward violence for that description. What this does, however, is demonstrate Ms. Lowe's ability to turn out a page turner. The action is admirably paced and characters well developed. I was very pleased to see, as I got to the end of Poison Pen, that she is working on another in the Claudia Rose series. Speaking again of misleading tags, I don't understand several of those listed for this book. I realize I'm not here to review others' reviews except as how they may affect whether someone gives this book a try. There is nothing psychic involved--nor paranormal....!? The main character's occupation is analyzing handwriting. I highly recommend the book--it's a terrific mystery.

Kudos to Sheila Lowe for giving us a new mystery series with an entirely fresh and new story line. Claudia Rose is a forensic handwriting analyst who is often called in to assist the police - both to identify handwriting as belonging to a specific individual as well as to give insight into the actual character, personality and current mental state of an individual who has penned a specific item.

The story opens with Claudia and her best friend, Kelly Brennan, attending the funeral of their old friend, Lindsey Alexander, an influential PR maven who worked with many of Hollywood's elite. The three women had been very close at one time, but had had a falling out years earlier, and while Claudia still did occasional handwriting analysis for Lindsey, the three were no longer on friendly terms. Lindsey's death had been deemed a suicide, but Claudia and Kelly overhear an interesting conversation at the funeral that plants a seed of doubt, and at the reception following the funeral, Claudia is approached by Ivan Novak, Lindsey's business manager, asking her to prove that the suicide note hadn't been written by Lindsey - as he is convinced she was murdered.

Claudia decides to take the case but uncovers a WHOLE lot more than she bargained for regarding Lindsey's very messy past and a host of deviant sexual practices (including child sexual abuse, kiddy porn, bestiality, and S&M) among many of Lindsey's rich and powerful clients. When Ivan is attacked trying to pass along some information to Claudia, the entire story shifts into high gear and it becomes crystal clear that Claudia herself is in extreme danger - so much so, that even the talents of LAPD Detective Joel Jovanic might not be enough to keep her safe.

Ms. Lowe's forensic handwriting series promises us exciting new mysteries in the scientific slash police procedural vein. The plot is well written and the characters believable. This reader is definitely keeping an eye out for Written in Blood, the second book in the series!

Carol Ann Hopkins 4/2/2008

If you have read Ms Lowe's book Complete Idiot's Guide to Handwriting Analysis then you are aware that she has solid expertise in the field--court certified, thousands of analyses performed. That background is put to good use in this contemporary mystery. You will be intrigued by the clues her character Claudia Rose extracts from the notes and handwriting samples in the book. Highly recommended.

Linsey Alexander's life was not one to admire; drugs, sex, and blackmail were her favorite vices. The way she treated supposed friends and clients whom she was supposed to be promoting was deplorable. One would almost expect her to be murdered, but when she turns up dead, everyone quickly accepts the verdict of suicide; everyone, that is, except her one time friend, Claudia Rose, a forensic handwriting expert who sees something off in the note left behind. Despite the facts to the contrary, Claudia digs for the truth, in the process finding out more than she really wanted to know about Linsey. With the help of a handsome cop, Claudia searches for justice, but might prove to be another victim.

**** Mysteries have always been, at least I have found them to be, a source of great learning. While they challenge your mind with a puzzle, readers also learn new facts via the eyes of the amateur sleuth's discoveries or expertise. Claudia Rose's insights into psychology and forensic graphology are as fascinating as the murder itself. Readers' can look forward to having their own store of information broadened in a very enjoyable fashion. ****

I enjoyed this debut a lot and am looking forward to reading more in this series.

I was particularly glad to see Jovanic taken off the case for taking Claudia along while he searched a house. That's one of my pet peeves in cozies...characters that blatantly cross the line and suffer no consequences in the name of a plot device.

Good job!

Sheila Lowe does know what she is talking about when she talks about graphology and man o' live she can write a real fun and riveting book too. I was interested in the characters from the get-go, no need to have endless pages of character building when they are ready to go from page one. I like books that leave me wondering about the character later and this book certainly left me wanting more. So I was quite happy to find her next book and now I understand she will have a third soon. Yippee, I downloaded this on my kindle (which I love) and just bought the next book and can hardly wait for the third. Kindle gives you a great price on recently released books..check it out

Poison Pen, Sheila Lowe's debut novel is an instant hit. Claudia Rose, a moderately successful Handwriting Analyst; is an intelligent, attractive woman who is instantly thrown into a police investigation when an old friend is found dead under somewhat questionable circumstances. It is her job to determine if the suicide note is the real deal. As the plot thickens, continuing at break-neck speed, guilty parties seem to jump off the pages. Claudia Rose instantly becomes the character that you want to see succeed.

If you are looking for high drama and/or suspense, this is not your book. If you are looking for a good "cozy" mystery to curl up with in your favorite chair, this is the one. The characters are well-developed and the plot moves along nicely. I did find the best friend a bit annoying but that seems to be the standard in many of these types of books. The romantic side developed nicely and I hope to see more in future books in the series. This is not a "keeper" for me but I defintely will buy the next one when it is published.

She is a graphologist forensic handwriting expert whose clients range from business people who want to check out job applicants to police who use Claudia Rose as an additional tool in their crime investigations. Both divergent groups agree she is always on the money with her assessments.

Claudia and her friend Kelly attend the funeral of their childhood friend Hollywood publicist Lindsey Alexander, who allegedly committed suicide leaving behind an explanatory note written in block letters. Her business manager Ivan does not believe Lindsey killed herself and hires Claudia to prove it. The handwriting is suspicious since Lindsey always wrote in cursive not print although the deceased's sleazy brother gives Claudia photos to prove otherwise as Lindsey printed on them. The pictures do make it quite clear that Lindsey was a victim of child sexual abuse. Ivan is going to makes an out of town trip and finds some incendiary evidence amidst Lindsey's belongings. He asks Claudia to come over to his house to look at them; she does, but when she arrives she find him lying dead. She takes the flash drive lying under him home to find it contains a spread sheet of high profiles people into kink. Claudia learns Lindsey was blackmailing them so now has a motive for homicide, but whom. Soon someone shoots at her and her house is broken into and is somewhat trashed. Obviously an unknown adversary wants the case dropped.

Claudia is a strong willed independent person who persists even while skeptics scoff at her profession as being voodoo forensics. The romance between her and the lead detective adds a personalized dimension to the story line without intruding on the inquiry. Among Lindsey's clients are DC and California politicians and Hollywood superstars with the power and money to hire a pro to make it look like a suicide, but who remains just out of reach.

Harriet Klausner

This is an amazing book, especially as it's Sheila Lowe's first effort at mystery writing. Sheila draws us into the world of Claudia Rose with believable, 3-dimensional characters, a fast-paced and exciting plot, and an unexpected ending. I've already ordered the other two books and hope to have them finished by the time Claudia Rose's next adventure is in print. Sheila Lowe should definitely continue writing!