"Written in Blood" by Sheila Lowe

Forensic handwriting expert Claudia Rose is back in her second mystery, "Written in Blood," and she is sharper, tougher and more tenacious than ever. In this installment, Claudia is hired to authenticate the signature on a contested will.

Her client is Paige Sorensen, the widow of a wealthy older man who died following a series of debilitating strokes.

His children, a pair of psycho-twins, believe their young and beautiful stepmother forged his signature on the will so she could inherit the estate, which includes the prestigious Sorenson Academy.

Paige is headmistress of the school for "emotionally challenged" celebrity children, and wants it to continue. The twins have other plans for the property.

Claudia meticulously follows the prescribed steps to verify the signature on the will, giving readers a fascinating insider's glimpse of what's involved in the process. But in the tense courtroom scene that follows, her findings are challenged by the prosecution's so-called "expert."

Impressed by Claudia's expertise, Paige invites her to the academy to speak to the girls about her profession. In class, she meets and is curiously drawn to a deeply troubled student named Annabelle.

With Paige's approval, Claudia attempts to help the girl through graphotherapy - specific hand movement exercises combined with therapeutic music - but before any success can be measured, tragedy strikes.

Claudia is soon locked in a violent maelstrom of greed, jealousy, revenge and murder. Her detective boyfriend is miles away working on his own case and Claudia must use her professional training as well as her wits to stay alive and to stand between the innocents and the monsters that pursue them.

Lowe's firsthand knowledge and experience as a graphologist are evident in her writing. She weaves in the several aspects of her profession - signature authentication, personality analysis/behavior profiling and graphotherapy - so skillfully that readers are entertained and yet come away with a new respect for the science.

"Written in Blood" is a fascinating and complex murder mystery that keeps readers involved and guessing till the exciting climax, and then adds a teaser epilogue to assure them that there'll be more books in the series.

Release date is September 2008. It's available for pre-order on Amazon for $6.99.

To learn more about Sheila Lowe's handwriting analysis practice, go to www.sheilalowe.com.

For more information about her Chaudia Rose mysteries, visit www.claudiaroseseries.com.