Justice

Written by Karen Robards

Narrated by Angela Dawe

Feisty criminal attorney Jessica Ford has done her best to comply with the orders of the Secret Service’s unofficial witness protection program ever since she became the lone witness to the First Lady’s murder. Unfortunately, winning her first high-profile case for a prestigious Washington, D.C., law firm, subsequently landing her face all over the news, is not exactly “keeping a low profile.” Or so says hunky Secret Service agent Mark Ryan, whose newest assignment is keeping her safe at all costs. It just so happens he’s also her ex-boyfriend.

The trial earns Jess a permanent spot on the firm’s legal defense team, replacing an associate who eloped and never came back. But Jess’s mind has raced from the moment the prosecution’s star witness shocked the courtroom with a revelation involving the handsome son of a powerful U.S. senator. Was the pretty young mother intimidated into changing her story on the stand? Why won’t she return Jess’s calls? Did Jess’s predecessor really just abandon her successful career? Or did both women mysteriously disappear?

After Mark rescues Jess from an attack outside her apartment, she begins to consider the possibility that she is a target. Maybe it’s not so bad to have her irresistibly charming and hard-bodied former lover around for protection. The question is, which of the many inadvertent enemies Jess has made recently is he protecting her from? The investigation leads her to some startling coincidences—and to a teenage runaway who may just hold the missing link…if Jess can find her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Jul 19, 2011
• ISBN: 9781611061307

Karen Robards

Karen Robards is the New York Times, USA TODAY, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than fifty books and one novella. Karen published her first novel at age twenty-four and has won multiple awards throughout her career, including six Silver Pens for favorite author. Karen was described by The Daily Mail as “one of the most reliable thriller...writers in the world.” She is the mother of three boys and lives in Louisville, Kentucky.

Reviews for Justice

[Kim · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I liked it I love the author can't wait for more.

[azacia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is an edge-of-your-seat, keep-you-up-all-night, you-won't-want-to-walk-alone-in-a-dark-alley thriller!! Karen Robards novel is gripping, thrilling, and just too good to put down. With plot twists every turn, Robards intricately weaves several mysteries and murders into one cleverly organized story which will leave you engrossed trying to figure out who-did-it until the very end!

This is part of the Jessica Ford series, and both Jessica, and her hunky secret-service body guard Mark are extremely likable clever characters. With humor, grace, love, romance, murder, betrayal, and suspense, this book is a must read!

[breena31 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

God that was painful. I've never had to drag myself thru one of Ms. Robards' books like that before. I don't know what happened, but the heroine Jess seemed to morph into this uber-bitchy chick who didn't give a damn about anyone or anything but her career. There was no charm to her; nothing sympathetic about her at all. I kept trying to put myself in her place and think how I would feel in her situation, but I just couldn't manage it. I didn't care that her feelings got hurt by the hero, I didn't care that someone could be out to kill her, and I certainly didn't give a fig about her career. Anyway, not one of Ms. Robards best efforts, that's for sure.

[judithdcollins · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Did not enjoy this #2 novel as much as I did #1 Pursuit which read a while back. The book leads off with a murder witnessed by two runaway girls. It then jumps to a trial continued from the first book. Jessica, criminal attorney has been in witness protection program since the witness to First Lady’s murder. Her secret service agent Mark (ex-boyfriend) is cool, but Jess is drama queen. She wins the case after the girl on the stand backs off from the rape case of the son of US senator. Goes back and forth between the two and back to the runaway teens who hold the key.

[steph1203-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Annnd done! That didn't take long at all! I enjoyed this one but Pursuit probably didn't need a sequel, especially given the nice happy ending it had; which was squashed once this book started. Oh well, I was happy to be reading about Mark and Jess again, and I kind of hope that there will be another book.

[centralcaligrrrl · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I’ve never read anything by Karen Robards before, and while I usually get embarrassed by gratuitous romance novels, I only blushed a couple of times while reading her newest thriller, Justice.Although I didn’t think the characters or the plot were the most believable, I did find Jess and Mark to be likable and I was hoping all would work out well for our heroine and her buff bodyguard.The story was pretty intriguing and it was set to a good, page-turning pace. A nice, easy, enjoyable read.3 stars

[sunnysd_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When you're in witness protection, you're really not supposed to get your face splashed across the national news. After a dramatic trial victory puts her smack in the spotlight, criminal attorney Jessica Ford's hidden past seems to be coming back to haunt her, and staying alive to see her future means putting her life in the hands of her ex, Secret Service agent Mark Ryan. But is it Jessica's past that's put her in the crosshairs? Or her present...A convoluted plot involving runaways, the death of the First Lady, and murder somehow manages to hang together and even be fairly readable. A few too many elements, but it kept me turning pages.

[Kathryn Mathias · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

There were many stories interwoven, which kept this moving quickly. The character development was deep - the female lead was not wishy washy. Surprise ending. Well narrated. Stand alone - though I'd like to go back and listen to the first book, to get the back story - I didn't need to know it, to enjoy the second one

[NNEAMAKA PAYNE · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After listening to an hour of the newly released Justice, I was wondering more about the TSTL behavior of heroine Jessica Ford than the plot. She’s in the Secret Service’s witness protection program (of sorts) after witnessing the murder of the First Lady. Now that she is established with her new identity, she only takes the slightest of precautions and has more of an attitude of “Why are you making me do this?” than anything else. But I digress because this is one good romantic suspense tale made even better in audio by Angela Dawe’s narration.

Mark Ryan is the Secret Service agent attempting to keep Jess safe – not an easy job. He’s also her former boyfriend and their established relationship (they called it quits only months before) was quite a plus as I felt an immediate connection between the two despite the fact that they were no longer an item. Mark pushes to keep Jess safe and give their relationship another chance while she pushes back (with good reason I might add).

But the suspense was just like I like it – with little to no gore and a true mystery. I had no idea of the villain’s identity and the mystery plays from three separate angles – all intriguing. Although there are a number of secondary characters, Mark and Jess’s relationship still receives ample attention – another requirement for my idea of successful romantic suspense. The part I wasn’t too crazy about? In the final suspense scene – Robards seemed to lose her originality.

Prior to Justice, my only experience with narrator Angela Dawe was Nalini Singh’s Slave to Sensation and I wasn’t overly impressed with her ability to distinguish characters. However, she won me over with Justice. Although I was unable to differentiate secondary female and male voices at times, I had no difficulty with Mark and Jess and, I must say, at times that’s all that matters to me. She understands Mark and Jess and is especially spot-on with her performance of Mark. I had no doubt he was the character Robards intended him to be and that was evident with his first lines.

After I finished Justice and rushed off to Audible to find more of Robards’ romantic suspense backlist, I discovered that Justice is actually the sequel to Pursuit. I never guessed – Justice stands on its own that well. Robards’ website is not up to date so I can’t be sure of the fact but Mark and Jess will have at least one more book (The Jessica Ford Series). A few unsolved bits remain here although I was quite satisfied with the ending. I’m definitely backing up and listening to Pursuit.