"Penny Warner's Dead Body Language features an unconventional female sleuth Connor Westphal, an ex-Chronicle reporter who now publishes her own small Gold Country newspaper, lives and works in Flat Skunk. What raises the book above the ordinary is its heroine, deaf since an attack of meningitis when she was four. Connor's disability doesn't keep her down one bit. From Connor we learn about lip reading, sign language, and writing styles on the TTY. The novel is enlivened by some nice twists, an unexpected villain, a harrowing mortuary scene, its Gold country locale, and fascinating perspective on a little known subculture."

 

"Connor Westphal is a lively amateur sleuth. Warner renders the world of the deaf well, without dominating the text. There is quite a good bit of satire about jargon, especially in the world of undertakers. The writing is clear and direct, and the pace of the plot keeps moving well."

 

"Connor Westphal happens to be deaf. Her character is drawn in superb detail and impressive realism. If the author is not herself deaf, then she has done her homework extremely well. If she is, she has given the readers a detailed and correct picture of the everyday challenges of being Deaf in a hearing world."

 

"Penny Warner makes and auspicious debut in this delightful romp. Welcome a big new talent to the mystery field."

 

"Penny Warner has created a fascinating community of eccentrics, a delightfully complex plot, and a heroine who is charming, clever, and funny. Dead Body Language is a treasure."

 

"What a great addition to the ranks of amateur sleuth is the inimitable Connor Westphal! Not only does she overcome the extra challenge a deaf person confronts, she also uses her special adaptations to solve a twisted murder mystery."

 

"Dead Body Language, Penny Warner's debut mystery, catches us up in an intriguing world where few of us have ever been before. Her witty, courageous protagonist, Connor Westphal, tugs at hearts and engages minds, making for a rewarding read. Way to go, Penny!"

 

"It's not as amateurish as I thought it would be. But did she have to use those two bad words."