Maude Kirby has recently been dumped by her diplomat husband and has moved back to her quirky hometown of West Elk, BC, to live with her ever-optimistic, fashion-forward mother, Val. On the ropes financially, and with her confrontational fifteen-year-old daughter, Rhette, to look after, Maude applies for a clerking job at the local courthouse, and to her surprise, gets it. How hard can it be? Not talking on the record is hard enough, but Maude finds it impossible not to get emotionally invested when eighteen-year-old Levi is charged with murder (a local gym owner’s protein shake was laced with rat poison). No one else seems concerned that the prosecution’s case rests on dubious "facts," but Maude can’t help speaking up for the nearly silent Levi. Things get more complicated when Maude runs into her first love, who appears to have aged very well—and also appears to be dating Maude's prime suspect! Reminiscent of beloved mysteries such as The Maid, The Thursday Murder Club, and Finlay Donovan is Killing It, All Rise for Murder features quirky characters, old grudges, hidden crushes, surprising twists, and a satisfying ending that will leave the reader eager for the next installment of the Madame Clerk series.
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