All Rise

ALL RISE by Rosemarie Aquilina

 

Arrested by detectives for murder of the Chief Judge, former Judge Nicoletta Kikkra learns there isn't any problem that can't be solved out of her recently opened Ratification Hair Salon, Spa & Café. Nicoletta's cowboy boots and every day is wedding hair spray day sense of humor keeps everyone around her in good spirits even when twelve inexplicable bank accounts totaling 1.2 million dollars are discovered in her name-money that detectives pinpoint as her motive to kill. Nicoletta quickly loses control over her life as a cast of characters, including former court staff and grateful rehabilitated felons, pets included, who transplant in to her life to help solve the mystery of who killed the Chief Judge and ensure her new business succeeds and she remains a free woman. To complicate matters, to the rescue comes entrepreneur ex-husband Dexter Breckenridge, who posts a million dollars in bond money that to him equate ample reason to keep her safe. Dex hires Nicoletta's ex-boyfriend Hunter Greene, a private investigator, to protect his investment. Throw into the mix her handsome boyfriend, Australian attorney Sebastian Pearce who represents her. The three men who know her best persistently try to solve the murder always managing to also outshine each other much to her infuriation.

 

The trail leads to more murders, high-speed car chases and flying bullets, snakes and suspects-but as she tries to hone-in clues her home is turning into a bed and breakfast and her Hair Salon and Café into an animal retreat. Nicoletta begins to regain the power she lost with help from two inside female Judges and mysterious notes telling her to follow the money. Finally, she realizes Dark Money and court insiders may not only be behind Chief Judge Warren Donnettelli's murder but now they want her dead.

 

This humorous cast of diverse characters their insights, barbs, and love for Nicoletta and everyday justice makes ALL RISE an enjoyable cozy-mystery, that is a standalone tale, but is the first in a Salon mystery series. 

 

Rosemarie Aquilina is the author of Triple Cross Killer, a Special Forces Detective Series, and Feel No Evil, both published by Sabieha Press; and her memoir Just Watch Me published by Audible and Hello Sunshine.