Maximum Pressure: A Claudia Rose Novel

Forensic Handwriting Mysteries #9

by Sheila Lowe, Scott Montgomery

Old friendships turn deadly and the past comes back to haunt Claudia Rose in unexpected ways.

Claudia never intended to confront her past at her 25-year high school class reunion in Edentown, California. However, the reunion takes a chilling turn when she stumbles upon a drowning victim in the high school swimming pool—someone she knew. Was it a tragic accident or something more sinister?

With the help of her LAPD homicide detective husband, Joel Jovanic, Claudia delves into the investigation and uncovers a web of secrets and lies that have been buried for decades. Haunted by the memory of Lucy Valentine, a young classmate who vanished without a trace while they were juniors in high school, she joins forces with Matt, an old flame who is producing a documentary on the girl's mysterious disappearance.

When a cryptic note signed "Lucy" is found, Claudia's expertise as a forensic handwriting examiner is needed to dig deeper into what happened to Lucy Valentine. Was she kidnapped? Did she run away? Kill herself? As Claudia and Matt begin to collaborate on his documentary project, shocking revelations surface about the classmates they thought they knew.

Getting closer to the truth, Claudia discovers that two crimes are intimately connected—and that someone is willing to do anything to keep their secrets buried.

In this gripping mystery, Claudia Rose finds herself on a twisty path, where friends come under suspicion and dangerous long-buried secrets resurface.

Genres: Mystery

318 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 3, 2024

About the author

"Publishers Weekly gave Poison Pen a starred review and called it ""a dynamite debut.""

Award-winning author Sheila Lowe's stories of psychological suspense put ordinary people into extraordinary circumstances. Jefferey Deaver, No. 1 International Bestselling Author, said this: Utterly compelling! Outside the Line joins the ranks of those rare thriller that expertly blend nonstop plotting with keen perceptions of the characters--good and bad--who populate this wonderful tale.""

Like her fictional character Claudia Rose in the award-winning Forensic Handwriting series, Sheila is a real-life forensic handwriting expert who testifies in court cases. She also writes the Beyond the Veil paranormal suspense series and nonfiction books about handwriting and personality.

Stop by and sign up for Sheila's newsletter: www.sheilalowebooks.com/ "

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/sheilalowe
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SheilaLoweBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sheila_lowe
Instagram: https://bit.ly/38iKXus
Youtube: https://bit.ly/3lfPUc7

www.sheilalowe.com (handwriting analysis)

Reviews

[♡Heather✩Brown♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

#ad much love for my advance copy @picbt #partner

🅼🅰🆇🅸🅼🆄🅼 🅿🆁🅴🆂🆂🆄🆁🅴
< @SheilaLoweBooks >
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ꜱᴛᴀɴᴅᴀʟᴏɴᴇ

Lucy Louise Valentine was only a junior in high school when she vanished without a trace. Now twenty-five years later, during their class reunion, tragedy strikes again - Josh Dickson is found dead. Was it an accidental drowning? Or something more sinister?

Edentown is your typical small town where nothing ever really changes and secrets have a way of bubbling to the surface - eventually. What happens in the dark is always brought into the light, but could these mysteries possibly be connected?

Maximum Pressure by Sheila Lowe is a thrilling page-turner of a read that I devoured in a day. The small town atmosphere - where everyone knows everyone, and no one ever truly escapes - sets the perfect backdrop for this mystery. Lowe’s writing is hypnotic and once you’re pulled in, you won’t be able to escape it.

The characters are just fascinating and well-developed, the setting is atmospheric, and the twists and turns tie the past to the present. It’s the kind of read where every character feels like a suspect - keeping you on the edge-of-your-seat until the very end. You’ll be side-eyeing everyone.

With sharp, short chapters and the perfect pacing, this is the kind of book you’ll devour in one sitting. Add in the making of a true-crime documentary, secrets waiting to be found, and the tension only heightens. Also, Claudia’s unique perspective as a handwriting analyst adds a fascinating angle to the story.

A gripping and fast-paced murder-mystery that will keep you guessing - while also keeping you awake long past your bedtime - until the very end. Just fabulous. Will def be checking out this author’s previous books now!

[Steph Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I jumped at the chance to read and review this book, as I am fascinated by specific forensic fields like handwriting analysis and love mystery stories or thrillers that hinge on such specialisms, and this book definitely didn’t disappoint!

The author’s own expertise in the field of forensic handwriting analysis added so much to the story, and it was so interesting to learn about how main character Claudia’s early interest in handwriting analysis was sparked and then developed from a quirky hobby to a profession. That past and present perspective is also mirrored in the plot as she dives back into her school years to revisit past friendships, old flames and historic grudges in order to solve both of the mysteries before her: whatever happened to Lucy Valentine and how could it possibly be linked to an accidental drowning at their high school reunion, twenty-five years after the teen disappeared?

This is the ninth book in the Claudia Rose series but the first one I have read and I had no trouble at all diving straight in and following along with the characters and story – everything I needed to know was explained as we went along with no info dumping to slow the fast pace…

…Because, yes, this is another ‘read all nighter’ of a book (I’ve been blessed with a glut of them recently and gladly sacrifice my precious sleep at the altar of a thriller nail-biter!). The well-constructed plot kept me in suspense and guessing right up to the reveal, the characters’ secrets and lies had me intrigued to uncover the truth, and the skilful acceleration of that pace throughout spiked my adrenaline so I wouldn’t have been able to sleep even had I wanted to put the book down.

Having read this book, I would quite happily go back to catch up on books 1-8 and/or read more from this series in the future. And I can’t stop wondering now what my handwriting would reveal about me!

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been so anxious for this author's next book, that it's felt like forever. I was very excited to dig in. I have the book on my tbr list, but I love audiobooks, and this one did not disappoint. In fact , I had to listen twice. I adore Claudia, and she exceeded my expectations in this one. After listening I was on a reading high. My adrenaline was mid level until the end and then it was on high alert and all systems were totally engaged and ready for fight or flight..Claudia is my hero. She's persistent in searching for information even to her detriment. The ending left me breathless. I'll probably be listening to this again and following along on my book. Thank you Sheila. You are magnificent! The narrator did an excellent job bringing the characters and story to life. Can't wait for more.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maximum Pressure: A Claudia Rose Novel (Claudia Rose Forensic Handwriting Mysteries Book 9), my ninth read from author Sheila Lowe and the ninth book in the Claudia Rose Forensic Handwriting Mysteries. Excellent, well-written mystery that takes off like a jet from an aircraft carrier in the opening pages and never lets up! With every book she writes Lowe continues to sculpt her craft and gets better & better. The characters are likable & attention holding. The plot and the sub-plots were both well-developed. I received an Audible copy of this book & am voluntarily reviewing it. I'll definitely be reading more in this series as new books come up. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[G.P. Gottlieb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claudia Rose attends her high school reunion and comes away with two mysteries: the long unsolved case of a missing classmate that pulls her back into the world of mean girls and their acolytes, and the death of an old teacher who might or might not have had too much to drink. Claudia is a dynamite sleuth and an intriguing character. Her skills as a forensic handwriting analyst and Sheila Lowe’s dark imagination again kept me turning the pages long past bedtime. #partnersincrimeblogtour

[Victoria Mccaslin · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this book !

Great writing. Held my interest throughout. The suspense ( which I won’t spoil for the reader ) had me on the edge of my seat. I’ve been waiting for a new book from Sheila Lowe and was happy to find this one. When’s the next Claudia Rose book ?

[K-BRC · Rating 5 out of 5]

So well written I could see these characters so clearly. I love this series! The suspense was edge of your seat & I loved it.

[T.G. Wolff · Rating 4 out of 5]

MAXIMUM PRESSURE is an amateur sleuth mystery. Handwriting expert Claudia Rose is headed to her 25-year high school reunion and a cold case. Lucy Valentine was a junior when she walked out of the high school and was never seen again … but she did leave a note. Now, her ex-boyfriend and current filmmaker Matt Macedo is making a documentary and enlisting Claudia’s help. As they start interviewing people, the reluctant witnesses reveal there was much more going on than a girl unhappy at school.

Bottom line: MAXIMUM PRESSURE is for you if you like cold case mysteries where there is more than meets the eye.

The note Lucy Valentine left has always been a point of confusion for Lucy’s mother and now for Claudia. After examining the original, Claudia doubts everything about the note—from the message to the hand that wrote it. Twisted with Lucy Valentine’s cold case is the very fresh case of the death of Josh Dickson. Claudia finds the body of the former teacher and driver’s ed instructor at the bottom of the high school swimming pool. What is first chocked up to the sad result of too much alcohol is determined to be murder. Claudia decides to quietly ask questions to figure out exactly who was where that evening.

Claudia is our storyteller and our detective. She straddles a line between an amateur detective and an expert detective. She isn’t a cop, though she is married to one, but she is an expert in handwriting and is frequently consulted and testifies in civil and criminal court cases. Claudia knows the rules of policing and generally follows them; she is not a renegade type of character. But she has friends and isn’t afraid to use them, which makes her a resourceful detective.

As a mystery, MAXIMUM PRESSURE falls into the “ride along” category. Perhaps because this is a cold case, the clues and suspects evolve as Claudia discovers them. One of my favorite things about the book is that we do generally know everything Claudia knows. This is a pet peeve of mine, when narrators withhold information, and so I was very happy that Claudia was not that kind of narrator. Overall the pace is deliberate, taking the time to interview the witnesses in a way mystery lovers will be accustomed to.

Standing at the end and looking to the front, overall, the logic holds up. For Claudia, this was a straightforward, Point A to Point Z investigation, but then she was looking at it 26 years after the fact. Going back to the original events, I do have some questions related to timing and sequence, but what happened, why, and what happened after are solid.

MAXIMUM PRESSURE is the 9th book in the Claudia Rose series. It is the first I have read. This does work as a stand alone or a good place to jump into the series because the case largely takes place away from Claudia’s normal turf. The scenes with her husband are brief and point to their current relationship, backstory not required.

Overall, MAXIMUM PRESSURE and Claudia Rose was an enjoyable read. It kept my attention and read quickly in just a few sittings. Definitely recommend for ride-along and cold case mystery lovers and anyone looking for a new series to sink their teeth into.

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sheila Lowe’s latest entry in the Claudia Rose series proves that the past never really stays buried and sometimes, it can kill.

Claudia, a forensic handwriting expert, has no intention of digging into old wounds at her 25-year high school reunion. But when she discovers a classmate’s body in the swimming pool, her return to Edentown takes a dark turn. With her detective husband Joel by her side, Claudia is drawn into a chilling investigation that resurrects the unsolved mystery of Lucy Valentine, a girl who disappeared decades ago. When cryptic notes signed Lucy resurface, Claudia’s skills and her resolve are put to the test.

What makes this installment shine is how Lowe weaves the personal with the professional. Claudia isn’t just analyzing handwriting samples; she’s confronting old friendships, teenage heartbreaks, and the long shadows of secrets her classmates hoped would never come to light. The addition of Matt, her former flame turned documentary filmmaker, adds another layer of tension emotional as well as investigative.

The pacing is tight, the twists are sharp, and the dual mysteries of the present-day drowning and Lucy’s long-ago disappearance keep the pages flying. Lowe balances suspense with heart, reminding readers that the most dangerous secrets are often the ones we thought were behind us.

Perfect for fans of character-driven mysteries with a psychological edge, Maximum Pressure delivers both a satisfying puzzle and a haunting exploration of how the past can shape and sometimes sabotage the present.

⚡️Thank you Partners in Crime Tours and Sheila Lowe for sharing this book with me!

[Kimberly Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

My girl, Claudia Rose, is back and better than ever! I haven’t read her in a long while and I must say, Lowe didn’t let me down with this latest installment in the handwriting series. I caught up with Claudia attending her 25 year high school reunion. One would think I knew Claudia Rose personally, but she’s a fictional character whom I love. So, Claudia is back to her old stomping grounds and living it up with her former classmates having the best of time, when one of their teachers stops over to have a chat with her and her school friends. Immediately, the air grew stale and Claudia sensed something wasn’t quite right.

After the teacher moved on to mingle with other students, an old flame of Claudia’s, who happens to be a journalist, approached her about helping him solve an old murder mystery of a student they both knew at their high school. Claudia was a bit skeptical and wasn’t sure how her husband would feel about her working with an ex-boyfriend, but the disappearance of Lucy Valentine was too good to pass up. She agrees to assist him with his documentary, and while they didn’t have much time to celebrate working together, their former teacher was found dead at the bottom of the school’s swimming pool. Say what now? And to make matters worse, not only did their favorite teacher die, but poor Claudia was the one to find his lifeless body. Talk about a conversation piece to have with your old school chums. Claudia could not believe their teacher was dead. He was loved by so many people. Who on earth would want him dead?

Well. . .in order to find that out, Nerds, you have to read the novel. OMG! I truly loved this story. I have to say, it started out a bit slow for me, but once Claudia picked up speed, she was on the heels of many who were suspects on her list. I must say I had my suspicions too and I figured correctly. It didn’t matter that I figured it out, the story was great to sink my eyes into.

To read original post, please go to: https://www.thesexynerdrevue.com/2024...

Thanks!

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave me lots of connective vibes – Pretty Little Liars, Sarah Michelle Gellar (who should totally play Claudia if this series is ever adapted for the screen), and even Romy & Michelle’s High School Reunion’s mean girls. All of that is incidental, though, to a killer plot held together by some well-developed and intriguing characters.

High school reunions can be fraught with tension, old fears and grudges, and buried secrets. But, people change as they mature and none of Claudia’s old school friends counted on her becoming a forensic handwriting expert and someone who unravels mysteries for a living. Big mistake!

Those old secrets are bound to resurface, especially when a missing person is involved. Old friends want answers, while some of them want to keep those answers buried.

While the mean girl trope is prevalent here, it’s folded into a more intricate story about old friendships, loves, and all that drama usually left behind in high school.

Lowe does a great job of telling the story – stringing you along to the final, pulse-pounding conclusion. This is a new series for me but one I will surely follow. Lowe has created a likable, smart, and engaging main character in Claudia Rose, and I would really love to see this adapted for television. Lowe’s personal experience lends an authenticity to the character which you don’t always see in mysteries.

Recommended.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this mystery. The amateur sleuth is a handwriting analysis expert so that brings a different element to solving the mystery. There is also a high school reunion which is a clever way of bring a cold case to the current interest of people. A student gone missing all of those years ago and never solved. But that interest is also deadly as a second murder occurs during the reunion. I like how Claudia keeps pressing her old schoolmates to find the answers to both mysteries. The suspense at the end was breath taking.

This is the first novel by Lowe I have read and I like her writing style. The plot kept my interest as it moved along at a good pace. The bit of a twist near the end certainly heightened the suspense. It was interesting to see Claudia even analyze printing as I don't think cursive is taught much anymore. Even though this novel is down the line in the series, I felt it read well on its own.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Melanie Ollila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book in this series, I know risky to jump in so far into a series but this easily reads as a stand alone. There were only a couple references to past events, but that made the allure to go back to start of series more enticing.

This was the first time that I’ve read a book with a MC that is a Forensic Writing Specialist, which was fascinating! Makes me want to have my writing analyzed.

There was good character development, the book surrounds a class reunion, and the stereotypical groupings and behaviors were so true and well done. How easily in those setting we fall back into our teenager roles/hierarchies no matter our current age.

I enjoyed the tension created with the dual investigation of the past disappearance and the current murder, it kept you guessing on if they were related, if so, how would they be related.

The ending while action packed, made me angsty! I just wanted to shout RUN! way before she actually made to flee. I knew her world was about to go sideways, I don’t know why she didn’t listen to my shouting!😂

Overall, this is still lingering in my mind! Great thriller!

Here’s wishing for half stars, 4.5 for this one.

[Country Mama · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maximum Pressure by Shelia Lowe is a mystery/thriller about a high school reunion and a murder of a beloved member of the school environment. Our MC is Claudia Rose who is on her way to her high school reunion in a small town named Edentown. She gets there to help out her friend Kelly and set up everyone for badges for the reunion and runs into an old flame named Matt. Claudia is happily married to Joel, a homicide detective who she loves dearly so don't think you will be reading a cheating or a story involving a romance. The story is interesting as you get a clear mystery about the person who was murdered at the high school reunion, but there is a twist to the murder! Also the past mystery of the girl who disappeared during high school was a great hook for this one! I was expecting the ending but also there were some twists and turns in this one! I highly recommend for fans of mysteries and especially high school reunions, that was my favorite part!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook: I've enjoyed all the books in this series, but this one was so twisted that I'm still reeling from all the excitement and turns that have occurred throughout the story. I was entertained by this tale which began with Claudia attending her twenty-five-year high school reunion where she stumbled over the body of one of her high school teachers; plus, Claudia was approached by her old flame to be a part of an investigation into the disappearance of the student who went missing while they were juniors in high school. I have become fascinated by graphology since the first book in this series. I thought Anna Crowe's narration was easy to follow, and her performance enhanced the story's entertainment. I was given a free copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which included my honest opinions regarding this story.

[Doug Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

At her high school graduating class's 25-year reunion, Claudia Rose talks with Matt Macedo, who had been her boyfriend during their senior year. Matt is now a filmmaker, and he asks for Claudia's help on his next project. During their junior year, their classmate Lucy Valentine had disappeared and had never been seen since. Matt wants to investigate the mystery. Would Lucy's handwriting, or that of of their classmates, offer any clues about what had happened?

That is not the only excitement for Claudia at the reunion. Before the weekend is over, she discovers the body of Josh Dickson, their old driver's ed teacher, drowned in the school swimming pool. Looking into two mysteries, she finds out much more about her old classmates than she ever wanted to know.

This is an absorbing mystery with a suspenseful finish.

[Misty Knapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite by far! Claudia attends her 25th high school reunion, and while it's good to see familiar faces and catch up on the happenings of former classmates, she's not expecting to find yet another dead body! And this one ties into a former disappearance of a classmate. This one will have you on the edge of your seat, turning pages, up until the sky lightens as you race to find out who dun it, will Claudia solve the mystery and be saved in time? I was seriously hoping that this wasn't going to be the last Claudia Rose mystery! I was so happy to see that all of my favorite characters were still alive at the end of the book- Sheila Lowe does it again! Make sure to grab your copy wherever your books are sold and/or grab an e-copy, too! And, make sure to check out her other books too!

[Caroline 'relaxing with my rescue dogs' · Rating 5 out of 5]

As soon as I realised there was another Claudia Rose book out I just had to drop everything and listen. Initially when I first started this series I thought a book about forensic handwriting doesn't sound that exciting let me tell you it is, there are all these twists and turns in each book.
Onto this book this is the best yet. I am going to be very careful re spoilers but it starts of one way and I thought okay where is this going and the twists happen. There are some amazing scenes and on the audio it really brought it to life. One scene especially towards the end really got my heart racing in how it was going to end.
I had forgotten how good Anna Crowe's narration was and I must research more by her as well. She so suits this series.

[Brad Audiobibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having thoroughly enjoyed the other eight books in the series I was eager to catch up with Handwriting analyst and amateur sleuth Claudia Rose and see what trouble she gets herself into this time. I wasn't disappointed. A body at a high school reunion soon leads to Claudia investigating old school friends and teachers while also digging into a 25 year old case of a missing girl from the same school.

Nicely developed characters and a great plot, delivered in a well written tale that had me hooked from the start.

Anna Crowe's narration was spot on and was a pleasure to listen to.

I received a free copy from the author at my request and am voluntarily writing this unbiased review.

[Drmarion · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another great one in a must read series (you dont have to read them in order so start with this one). Might be the best one yet. If you haven't read any of Sheila’s books, you are in for a real treat. She writes well paced suspenseful books that are hard to put down. The characters are interesting and for me, I am always happy to see what the main character, Claudia Rose, is up to now. It’s like catching up with an old friend. This book is a good one to take along on vacation. I plan on gifting one to my sister for her to take on hers. Highly recommended!

[Michelle Boss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheila Lowe is my favorite crime mystery and supernatural suspense author! I have read all 9 of her Claudia Rose novels, all 3 Beyond the Veil Series and her memoir 'Growing from the Ashes'. I just could not get enough of Sheila's writing. I was always looking forward to the next time I got to sit back down to enjoy and indulge in whichever one of her books I was reading. Also endearing are the characters that continue throughout more than one book, and even crossover the two different series. Can't wait for what she has coming out next! HIGHLY RECOMMEND all of her books.

[Elissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming of Age

There is so much going on in this well-told story that it is hard to put down. Memories of reunions or similar occasions may flood you, as well as the joys and aggravations of high school and small towns--or close communities. Doesn't resonate? There is California traffic and big city anonymity for contrast as our favorite handwriting expert shifts gears to solve a case from her past. Enjoy!

[Maria Vickers - MysteryLFL · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up. This was a decent thriller! I struggled a bit with the third person narration, but I enjoyed the story. With a dead body, a mission person, and a handful of suspects, there was plenty of room for twists and turns, and this book delivered. It did feel a bit drawn out at times, but overall, an enjoyable read.

Worth noting that even though this is part of a series, it reads perfectly fine as a standalone!

[Laurie Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A captivating thriller that keeps readers on their toes. Lowe’s seamless storytelling and richly developed characters make this book a must-read. The meticulous attention to detail, heart-pounding action, and emotional depth create an engaging story from start to finish. Looking for an enthralling read? Maximum Pressure delivers.

[Saralyn Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reunions have the potential for drama, but Claudia Rose's reunion tops them all. The earlier death of a classmate, combined with the current disappearance of a reunion attendee, makes for a propulsive, engaging spin through twists and turns. The suspects are as familiarly drawn as one's own remembered high school associates. The book had me glued to its pages for a delightful one-day read.

[Tracey Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheila Lowe is a master story teller and she has done it again. Book 9 in her Claudia Rose is as compelling as the first. I highly recommend Maximum Pressure and this riveting series. I'm hooked!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Sheila. Truly bound from start to finish. I enjoyed delving into the past a bit and getting to know Claudia from a different angle.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claudia Rose is used to courts and this was a very good book. Looking forward to more.