Dead Write

Title: Dead Write

Author: Sheila Lowe

Publisher: Obsidian Mystery

Copyright Date: 2009

Print Date: August 2009

ISBN: 9780451228123

Pages: 310

Series: 3rd in the Forensic Handwriting Mystery series

Book Description (from back cover):

Sheila Lowe's mysteries "just keep getting better,"* thanks to feisty forensic handwriting expert Claudia Rose knows that when it comes to solving a murder, sometimes the pen can be mightier than the sword.

Claudia heads to the Big Apple at the behest of Grusha Olinetsky, the notorious founder of an elite dating service whose members are mysteriously dying. The assignment puts Claudia at odds with her boyfriend, LAPD detective Joel Jovanic, who suspects Grusha herself is trouble.

Drawn into the feckless lives of the rich and single, Claudia finds herself enmeshed in a twisted world of love and lies fueled by desperation. But desperate enough to kill? Clues in the suspects' handwriting might help Claudia save Grusha's already dubious reputation before the names of more victims are scribbled into someone's little black book....

*Armchair Interviews

Comments:

Here's the thing about cozy mysteries. They tend to center around themes (hobbies, animals, holidays, professions, etc.). IMO, the best are those that really get you interested in doing or becoming involved in that background theme. For instance, Monica Ferris writes the Needlecraft mysteries - and I took a class in crocheting. Elaine Viets writes the Dead-End Job mysteries - and I've decided I could live with a dead-end job (some would be more preferable than others of course). =) What makes these especially enjoyable is that the author manages to portray enough about these themes to get me interested in more, but doesn't bog the story down with details and such.

So... I would really love to have my handwriting analyzed. It would be interesting what details I give away and what characteristics remain the same in both my nice handwriting and my sloppy rushed handwriting.

In other words, this is another enjoyable mystery with Claudia Rose, Forensic Handwriting expert... and Sheila Lowe has done a great job of attracting me to graphology without becoming to technical and boring (which would have been very possible considering her expertise — 35 years — in the field).

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any information at all about a fourth book (although, the series has certainly been set up to allow for one). Hopefully, there is one in progress. Or better yet, one to be released relatively soon. Because I hate a series I enjoy dropping.