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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The second Forensic handwriting mystery is filled with plenty of action and deep emotions, September 3, 2008
This review is from: Written In Blood: A Forensic Handwriting Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)
Claudia Rose runs a thriving business as a graphologist who the local law enforcement recognizes for her forensic handwriting skills. Young widow Paige Sorenson married much older wealthy Torg and; when he died he left his entire estate to her including The Sorenson Academy.. His twin children from his first wife, Dane and Diana, challenge the new will that gave everything to this gold-digger younger than them; they accuse her of fraud insisting she forged their late dad's signature. Paige hires Claudia to prove the signature on the will is that of Torg.
Claudia compares specimens and affirms the signature is that of Torg. Her expert testimony leads to Judge Krieger ruling that the will stands as is. The graphologist also becomes involved with Sorensen Academy student Annabelle Giordano, whose father Dominic runs a construction company allegedly with mob ties. Despite Annabelle's anger, Claudia bonds with the hurting teen. When Paige and Annabelle disappear, everyone assumes Annabelle kidnapped and killed Paige except Claudia. When Annabelle calls her, Claudia worries for the adolescent because there are people who want her dead.
The second Forensic handwriting mystery (see POISON PEN) is filled with plenty of action and deep emotions as Claudia cares about Annabelle. Paige will surprise readers as she also care about her students especially suicidal Annabelle and Claudia, whom she just met. There are plenty of suspects, but it is difficult to pick out the clever culprit from the crowd as that person is a nice individual who prefers the background. There is a fabulous courtroom scene where the opponent's handwriting expert proved to be a fraud instead of a differing rival pro. Readers will relish Sheila Lowe's fine tale.
Harriet Klausner
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28 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interpreting the Hand Writing on the Wall, September 9, 2008
This review is from: Written In Blood: A Forensic Handwriting Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)
Claudia Rose is a forensic handwriting specialist who gets embroiled in the private life of her client, a beautiful widow named Paige Sorenson who is pitted against the children of her ex-husband Torg in a fight about a contested will. The elderly deceased Sorenson had suffered several strokes before one claimed his life but before he died, he changed his will and left the bulk of his assets, including money, real estate and the Sorenson Academy, a girls school located in Bel Aire, California to his wife. Bert Falkenberg is Paige's assistant and administrator of the Sorenson Academy. He had thrown his loyalty to Paige sometime before Torg Sorenson died. Prior to this he had worked for Sorenson's children. Bert had witnessed Sorenson signing the will. It was up to Claudia Rose to determine whether or not the most recent signature was authentic or not. This is a murder mystery and thriller within the new genre of hand-writing analysis and the author excels in her ability to develop plot, suspense, action, and hold the reader's interest from start to finish. Her ability to build interesting characters within the plot who have unusual proclivities and personal problems makes this book even more fascinating.
When Claudia gave her testimony on the witness stand she used slides and copies of the elderly Sorenson's handwriting and showed how scientific analysis helped her conclude his signature was authentic. Of course, the oppostion had their own hand writing expert, a nemesis of Claudia's. It is very entertaining and amusing how her clients lawyer, with Claudia's help makes him look very foolish. The outcome of the trial is in favor of Paige Sorenson but the matter does not end there. Diana and Dane Sorenson, her ex-husband's twin children, who are nearly the same age as Paige, seek revenge. They want to own the Sorenson Academy because it is located on prime real estate worth many millions of dollars.
Paige Sorenson is the head mistress of the Academy which educates primarily the preteen and teenage girls of the Hollywood film elite. During the trial, Claudia learned about one particular student, named Annabelle who had attempted suicide and was the daughter of Dominic Giordano, a very wealthy and successful film producer, head of Sunmark Studios. Rumors swarmed around about him regarding his female consort choices and mob connections. Claudia seldom got involved in the personal life of a client but when she heard about Annabelle and met her, her heart went out to this confused teenager and she made an exception. Claudia also learned Paige was not the grieving widow she appeared to be but led an active love life, with one of the teachers at the Academy, Cruz Montenegro, a handsome muscular athletically built guy with a mysterious past. The author does a phenomenal job of weaving together the complex problems of these characters, with surprising twists and turns which connect the plot together in unimaginable ways. There is mystery, there is romance and there is murder within this most engaging and enjoyable novel. I managed to read it in one sitting and could not put it down. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
SHARP WRITING AND SHARP INSIGHTS, October 7, 2008
This review is from: Written In Blood: A Forensic Handwriting Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)
If you're looking for a quick read that's entertaining as well as informative, then Written In Blood: A Forensic Handwriting Mystery (Forensic Handwriting Mysteries)is definitely the book for you.
This well written little tome is not your "run of the mill" murder mystery. True is has the requisite amounts of jealousy, avarice, and revenge, but author Shelia Lowe has gone the extra mile in character development by giving the reader a smart and likable protagonist (Claudia Rose) with an interesting and unusual occupation (forensic handwriting analysis) and a multiple mystery with plenty of suspects, each harboring a plethora of secrets.
By integrating several aspects of the science of graphology, from personality analysis to signature authentication, to a therapy involving handwriting exercises performed to music, into her storyline Lowe has managed to produce an uncommon, illuminating and fascinating yarn with more twists and turns than a mountain road.
Written in Blood is guaranteed to captivate even the most jaded mystery aficionado.
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