The protagonist in this story (and the series) is Claudia Rose, and she is thrown into the twisty plot on the first page with the entrance of Paige Sorensen, a wealthy widow in the middle of a hotly contested will. Hired to verify the signature on the will, Claudia breaks one of the firm tenets of business — don't get personally involved with clients! At risk is the future of the Sorensen Academy, a high class, high-cost girls' school. Almost from the outset, Claudia's interest in student Annabelle colors her concerns about the case, and about her client. As she says to Paige, "Handwriting reveals what motivates people, and it can help you understand how to deal with them." Taking her own advice, Claudia Rose begins delving into what the handwriting has to say about the various people in her new case. As she searches, she inadvertently stirs up the muck and the tempers of the personalities involved. As she learns about the stepchildren, the girls of the school, and the employees' loyalties, she becomes more and more committed to finding a resolution to the case.

The courtroom scenes are intriguing, the personalities involved, convoluted.  It is a clever approach to a mystery, learning about people from their handwriting, and it certainly helps Claudia Rose understand and appreciate how the case will evolve. Her commitment to her client extends to the girls in the school, specifically the troubled Annabelle. The young girl has been through a lot, with the death of her mother when she was only six, and the uneasy relationship with her Hollywood director dad. The case heats up with a death and a kidnapping, and Claudia is up to her armpits in alligators. Being pulled in one direction by the family and another by her tentative relationship with Annabelle, Claudia knows that she has to solve things, and fast, to keep the girl safe, and the school on a firm footing for the future.

Sheila Lowe's character development is fantastic — each character is sketched with firm strokes, and fully believable. The reader can easily become involved in the plot, and in the development of the story and characters. Ms. Lowe keeps the pressure on and the mystery at fever pitch right to the last chapter, and the book will leave you wanting more of this gifted, clever author and her central character. If this is your first foray into the series, it is highly recommended that you read the first book in the series as well (Poison Pen - also reviewed on Myshelf) although you can read them in either order, as they stand alone beautifully. To explore Sheila Lowe's website for a fuller understanding of the art of handwriting analysis, and the future of the series, follow the excerpt link in the sidebar to the right. ENJOY!