All Rise for Murder

By: Roz Nay

A Madam Clerk Mystery

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? Told to remain professional during court cases, Maude nevertheless finds it impossible not to get emotionally invested when eighteen-year-old Levi is charged with poisoning a local gym owner. No one else seems concerned that the prosecution’s case rests on dubious "facts," but Maude can’t help speaking up for the quiet teen. 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!