Chasing Justice

Piper Anderson #1

by Danielle Stewart

Alternate cover edition of ASIN B00CC19MS6

Piper Anderson has been given a fresh start in the picturesque town of Edenville, North Carolina. But her plans of settling into a normal life are derailed when she witnesses a prominent judge in her community committing a violent assault. Running from her own past and fueled by a passion to make the judge answer for his crimes, Piper is forced to decide if she’ll play by the rules or achieve justice in her own way.

Complicating things further, Piper finds herself fighting a powerful attraction to rookie cop, Bobby Wright. Although she’s increasingly enamored with Bobby, his staunch belief in the justice system is in stark contrast to her own. She may not share his opinions about the effectiveness of the law, but she certainly can’t deny how safe she feels when she’s in his arms or how every kiss leaves her desperate for more.

For Piper, the idea of finally living an ordinary life with a man to love is tempting. However, fate keeps placing the judge, quite literally, in her path. Will she decide the only way to win is to be as wicked as the judge, but with righteous intentions? And more importantly, will Bobby choose to let her go, or follow her as she crosses the line and takes justice into her own hands?

Genres: Romance, Mystery, Romantic Suspense, Suspense, Contemporary, Fiction, Ebooks

402 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 11, 2013

About the author

Writing is a way to make a lot of different people do exactly what you want them to do. When I can’t get my toddler to listen to me, I turn to my characters. They always cooperate!

I currently live in Charlotte, North Carolina with my husband and seven year old son. I have perfected the ability to write in a noisy house and create story lines while folding laundry.

Ten Things to know about me:

1. I have a fear of whales. All whales. The noise they make. The sight of them (even on tv). I don't think this phobia has a name and I've never met anyone else who feels this way. I blame it on the 3D movie when I was 7 at the Boston Museum of Science. (Thanks Dad.)

2. When I get hungry it brings out the worst in me. My friends and family know to keep me well fed. They pack snacks now.

3. I can cook but not bake. Not even a little. Not even a box of brownies.

4. If there is a song I like it is normal to hear me listening to it a hundred times (give or take) in a row.

5. I do not, under any circumstances, read directions. Who has time for that? Making mac & cheese by the seat of my pants for the last 25 years.

6. Like a black-out drunk, I have lost hours of my life mysteriously to Pinterest. If you haven't tried it yet... don't. Save your self.

7. Before I became a mother, lots of things grossed me out. Now nothing does.

8. My favorite food is food... my least favorite food is no food. I love food. (apply the same rule to wine)

9. I do not have a green thumb. I have the kind of thumb that kills any type of plant ever given to me. Whatever kind of thumb that is... I have it.

10. Writing has changed my life. Not just the career it's created but the way I feel when I write. If you have something you love to do I hope you get the opportunity to do it.



Piper Anderson Series:
Book 1: Chasing Justice (FREE)
Book 2: Cutting Ties
Book 3: Changing Fate
Book 4: Finding Freedom
Book 5: Settling Scores
Book 6: Battling Destiny
Book 7: Chris & Sydney Collection (Choosing Christmas & Saving Love)

Betty's Journal - Bonus Material (suggested to be read after Book 4 to avoid spoilers)

The Edenville Series:
Book 1: Flowers in the Snow (FREE!)
Book 2: Kiss in the Wind
Book 3: Stars in a Bottle
Book 4: Fire in the Heart (pre-order)

The Clover Series:
(Book 1 & 2) Half My Heart & Change My Heart (FREE)
(Book 3) All My Heart
(Book 4) Facing Home

The Rough Waters Series:
Book 1: The Goodbye Storm(FREE)
Book 2: The Runaway Storm
Book 3: The Rising Storm

The Barrington Billionaire Series
Book 1: Fierce Love (Free)
Book 2: Wild Eyes
Book 3: Crazy nights
Book 4: Loyal Hearts

The Piper Anderson Legacy Mystery
Book 1: Three Seconds to Rush (Free)
Book 2: Just for a Heartbeat
Book 3: Not just an Echo

Stand Alones:
Yours for the Taking
Sweet Rendezvous
Running from Shadows

Reviews

[Somia · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 Star because I’m so Happy that I didn’t Pay

Ack this was not what I was hoping for at all. The premise of this had me all excited, as did the ton of positive reviews I saw, but I’m sorry to say that for me the characters were dull and the plot extremely tepid, I never found myself engaged, even mildly and the characters, especially Piper and her actions/behaviour had me wrinkling my nose a fair bit.

The writing was splotchy, there are some editing issues, and the characters are lacking layers and robustness. Bobby’s initial appearance in the book led me to imagining a petulant teen rather than a grown man/cop, the second intersection between him and Piper didn’t do much to alter that. He does kind of improve, but as a leading man he was blah.

Then there is Piper, she should have been a kickass heroine, but I found her one dimensional despite her complicated history. Her drive for justice, vigilante justice didn’t come across potently. Plus for someone who is meant to be smart, some of her actions/choices were dense/dumb.

The book ends with a cliff-hanger but I honestly couldn’t care less what happens next.

Some skim reading did occur, and even when I was reading this my attention was never caught, so events were forgotten immediately/quickly.

Thank goodness this was free on Amazon, 9th April 2019, it has now been deleted

[Kinsey Faucette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story! I loved Piper! I adored Bobby, Michael, Betty, and Jules. And the romance evolution between Piper and Bobby was realistic. And the fact that there was an actual story base behind the romance made for a much better read!

[Black Butterfly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER GET DONE WITH THIS BOOK. OMG! SLOW, BORING, TALKY, CONFUSING, FLAT CHARACTERS AND WAY TOO LONG. IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH IT'S A CLIFF HANGER ENDING. HUH? WHY? ;<

[Musing · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! What a brilliant debut novel by talented writer Danielle Stewart. If you enjoy Romantic Suspense, you will be incredibly impressed with this work.

Chasing Justice began in first person with the voice of the feisty, intelligent and likeable heroine, Piper Anderson. Switching to third person for the remainder of the story, Stewart created a believable twisty plot, with superb storyline and character development. She built the tension well, and resolved 'the situation' in a clever way.

Piper Anderson has a history that you WILL NOT anticipate! Her faith in the justice system has been damaged to the point that she believed vigilante justice was the only way to right the sinister deed she witnessed, by a prominent and well respected member of the small community in which she lived. Little did she know, that in attempting to bring this man to his knees for the wrongdoing she was aware of, she would uncover his other malevolent and deplorable proclivities as well.

The scam created to bring this to pass was quite believable, and Piper didn't become this fanciful superhero in the process. In fact, the timeline involved was plausible, as was the character interactions and plot to ensure its success. The little nugget used for the cliffhanger was inspired!!!

I really enjoyed the gentle romance between Piper and unassuming but insightful Hero, Bobby. I simply adored Betty, whose Southern motherly charm and vernacular caused me to snort with laughter on many occasions. Things like this "I'm sure you've got lots to tell us, and it's colder than a cast iron commode out here." just tickled the senses wonderfully!

So, Danielle Stewart, you are off to a brilliant start in your writing career! Cannot wait until the second instalment is written!

[Tracey Quintin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a MUST READ! I am very picky in what I choose to read. This book's cover captured my attention first. Then from the prologue on I was HOOKED!

The storyline was so realistic as were the characters. As I was reading it I felt "there" in the story observing all going on. I could picture the settings in my head!

The book had the perfect balance of dialog and descriptions. I don't like books that are mainly descriptions and not enough dialog. Many authors have a hard time finding this balance.

I really had such a hard time putting this book down to do other things. I kept telling myself 1 more page or I'll break at the next chapter. I was so sad when the book ended...I want more and can't wait to see how the story progresses!

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS TO ALL MYSTERY / ROMANCE READERS!!

Danielle Stewart is without a doubt going to be a well known name among authors!

[Khalima · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was so bloody painful to read. First you have a heroine with a tragic past who is in witness protection, yet she jeopardizes this by trying to become a vigilante against corruption? She not only does this but she does it knowing full well she has no experience, training, or know how to pull it off? Furthermore, the plan she originally comes up with would result in a corrupt person dying due to her actions? She shares this ridiculous plan after just revealing she already felt responsible for a death of someone due to her actions which is part of the reason why she's in witness protection in the first place? Are you sh*tting me? How is this at all believable? I'm sorry but between this ridiculous plot and the flat characters I found this book hard to get through. Also, I just didn't feel any connection between Piper and Bobby at all really. I mean all of sudden we went from a cute burgeoning romance to them loving each other? And this love, young and fledgling as it was remains after a two month hiatus that was preceded by Piper being a ridiculous delusional ninny and Bobby rightly calling her out on this. I tell you, it was all, just bad. Lastly this book had the nerve to end in a cliff-hanger! If this book wasn't free I would be seriously pissed. As it is I'm still upset my time was wasted.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I am just going to scream about the ending!! How can you end it like that, there is no closer I need more!! I wanted the progression between Piper and Bobby!! Damn cliffhangers, hahaha!!! It is going to drive me nuts waiting for the second book in this series, specially when she ended it on such an a crazy event!! I have got to learn to wait till all the books are out before reading, I guess I enjoy torturing myself, lol!!

Okay on to the review, so let me think.....

I really enjoyed this story, everything by the way it was written to the characters in the book. It had a great story line and it flowed very nicely. I also enjoyed that you got to see different POV's from the characters, I can not say enough of how much I like multiple POV's. It just really helps the book become more real and it also helps the reader to understand where the character is coming from and how they feel about things. There were very few errors if any with grammar or spelling, but like I have said in previous reviews that I do not base my review off grammatical errors, we are all human and we make mistakes. As long as I can read the story and understand it I don't care.

Poor Piper, the pain and horror she had to endure in her past growing up and to hold it in and deal with it all herself was just to much. I felt so bad for her, to think you are alone in this world and not have anyone to turn to talk to about it. How she even stayed sane is beyond me. She is strong but also weak. She just needs someone to believe in her and not run away from her when her past is revealed. Definitely emotional time in the book when she finally tells Bobby what happened.

Bobby, nothing like a man in uniform, lol!! He is such a loyal and caring guy. Everything about him is just sweet and hot. He tries so hard to make sure everything is done by the law the way it is supposed to be done, but only to have it thrown back in his face and to be punished by it. He never gives up and his worry for Piper is so strong. He stands by her when he knows the worst and that is a big plus in my book. Everybody needs a Bobby in their life.

Betty and Jules are just to much, their personalities and the things they say had me laughing. They are not afraid to speak their mind and are willing to go the extra mile to make you feel welcomed. They are strong women who fight for what is right. They had a really sad loss 10 years ago and have never been able to really get over it, but they strong and hope that one day justice will be served.

Michael, what can I say, just that he is super hotness! He is a lawyer who fights for whats right. Unfortunately, he is in the same boat as far as getting screwed over by the judicial system as Bobby is. He is a good friend to Piper and helps support her the best he can.

This book had some harsh crimes that came about and some might be a little upset about the whole situation, but what I liked is the fact that Piper, just a standard civilian, was willing to take on this load of in justice and bring the evil monster down. I just wish more people would be willing to take the effort to help those in trouble and stand up for what is right instead of turning their back on it. No I don't think that people should take the steps that Piper did in the story as in real life you may not be as lucky, but there are other ways to show your support.

The book was great and I can't wait for the second one to come out. I so want to see the progression between Piper and Bobby....I feel that I was teased to much in this book, haha! This is my first book by this author and I am looking forward to more of her books as she releases them. If you want a little crime solving, suspense and a little bit of romance all mixed into one, you will enjoy this book, it is worth reading!

[Ginny Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness! Mrs.. Stewart! The cliffhanger!!! The very first thing I did after reading this book was to go on Amazon and look for book 2, and darn it, it hasn’t been released yet.

Chasing Justice, is a story that offers some of everything I enjoy in a book. It has romance, mystery, and suspense and a great group of characters that you will find yourself thinking about days after you finish the book.

I will admit that at first I had a hard time connecting with Piper but once she started interacting with the other characters I was hooked.

The book explores a different take on justice and how far one might go to see justice served. There are some scenes that deal with abuse and violence but I didn’t find them overly graphic. I felt like the story line was well developed and other than the cliffhanger ending, which I won’t ruin by talking about it, the end of the book left me feeling satisfied and wanting more.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down. I was intrigued by the main character, charmed by those who became her friends, and repulsed by the villain. This is a well written tale of corruption, courage, and intrigue stocked with believable characters. I was a bit annoyed that the strong female main character one time did put herself in a compromising position and had to be rescued, but generally speaking, she's a pinnacle of strength, smarts, and determination in the face of some very dangerous situations. The supporting characters are equally engaging, whether loving, or degenerate, and the plot is constantly moving and shifting. I also liked that fact that although an enjoyable romance or two develops, we are never bombarded with gratuitous bedroom scenes, leaving us able to enjoy the well crafted plot and characters without unnecessary interruptions. One of the great strengths of this book is that only the information we need to move the plot and character growth forward is provided. There is nothing extraneous; everything is relevant and well written, making for an over all great read. I'm looking forward to the next in the series!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chasing Justic is the first book in the Piper Anderson Series! This was a great book to read! I had hard time putting this book down! I enjoyed reading the story and watching it all fold out in front you! Through each new chapter more and more is revealed! I enjoyed reading about Piper and Bobby! I love both Bobby and Michael characters! I loved watching Piper's interaction with both men! I like Bobby and Michael both find something special about Piper even if Piper can't see it herself! They are great with Piper!! I can't wait to see what Piper and Bobby have in story for them in the next book. Looking so forward to book 2!!!!

[Jenn Morris-duffey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was awesome! I immediately went to look for the next book since it left me hanging.come to find out I had to wait almost 2 weeks for book 2 cutting ties,which finally I got today and finished.amen to Danielle Stewart for writing the best book I have read this year. Can't wait for book 3;)

[Cindy B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting mystery with a side of romance (some uncomfortable descriptions). Corrupt -vs- true blue authority. Serial killer subplot is next tale in series. No cussing or graphic violence. Stand-alone but part of series. Not Christian but not offensive to those sensibilities, overall. TTS-enabled.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down. I wanted to keep reading and reading and that's just what I did. Looking forward to what happens next. I hope book two is out soon! This book had just enough romance for me and plenty of suspense which I loved! The plot twists kept me intrigued.

[Becky Schisler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Amazing characters, tons of suspense, budding romance, and plenty of humor. Not to mention a cliff hanger that will make you want to pull your hair out waiting for the next book! Can't wait to read more by this author.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book! I'm pretty hit or miss when it comes to mysteries but Piper was a wonderful starring character and its hard to resist Bobby and Michael!

[K.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happier than a dead pig in sunshine!!! This was an Amazon freebie that has surpassed any and all expectations that I had for it. Incredible book that wove together romance, lost innocence, mystery, intrigue, and the fight for justice. I really don't want to give away any of the details of the book so I'll be broad in my plot summary.

The story opens with Piper. She appears to be a typical disgruntled, emotionally scattered young woman that has just up and quit college. Within the first few chapters, the reader realizes there is much more to Piper than the initial superficial background story. After living in NYC for all of her life, Piper moved to small town North Carolina where she's resided for the past 2 years. She meets Bobby, a young detective with a chip on his shoulder; Betty, a widow of 10 years that works at the local diner; Jules, Betty's daughter and Bobby's childhood friend; and Michael, a popular lawyer in town that Piper turns to for advice.

Eventually Piper stumbles upon a potential corrupt judge and has hopes of bringing him to justice. However, Piper's idealistic quest for justice through traditional means quickly turns into a quest of vigilante vengeance. Chasing Justice deals with the failing American judicial system and the lengths a person will go to ensure justice prevails. Also, it begs the question if seeking justice, or some measure of it, is actually worthwhile if you have to compromise your own morals. At first glance, there are good guys and there are bad guys. It's all white and black. But Chasing Justice proves that there is a vast amount of gray area in the world.

The characters were holistically written and properly developed by the end of the book. The location seemed completely charming. The protagonists weren't perfect, but were instead, relatable human beings with their own flaws. Oh and the villains...they were everything wicked, ruthless, and evil that one would come to expect. Actually, they were more than what I was expecting. Piper's own individual story is even more interesting and heartbreaking, which I'm sure will be further explored in book 2. Do your self a favor, READ THIS BOOK. Brava Ms. Stewart!

I also loved the author's knack for including witty and charming Southern-isms:
1) Well, that happened faster than a knife fight in a phone booth.
2) Trying to get her to understand is like trying to nail jelly to a tree.
3) I'd be as happy as a dead pig in sunshine...

[JadeShea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chasing Justice was a very fun read. I enjoyed it a lot, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
It starts with Piper deciding she's going to take justice into her own hands, because she knows the law system fails people very easily. But she seems to have bitten off more than she can chew, so her comes Bobby to help her out with things, but Bobby isn't all cracked up about her idea of justice, since he's a law abiding COP. Things take a not so great turn in their relationship because of this until Piper learns so information that could possible hurt the people Bobby cares about the most.

The book has romance, drama, and suspense which made it all the more enjoyable. Piper is an extremely damaged individual for good reason too, so she's not great when it comes to relationships of any kind because anything good that has ever happened to her has turned bad pretty quickly. And Bobby hasn't had a whole lot of bad things happen to him, but he knows he can help Piper, or well he wants to try to help Piper if she will let him.

Now there are two main things I didn't like about the book.
One, it seemed like Bobby and Piper kept putting off their relationship for everything else going on yet the other two people who were building a relationship didn't, so to me it didn't make a lot of sense that they couldn't be there for each other in that way as well during the hard times.
Two, I didn't like how Piper was the one who got ALL of the information about the judge, and everything else. She set everything up, yet Bobby and Micheal were the ones acting like they did everything when they only did a little bit compared to what Piper did. It really got on my nerves!
And overall I just felt something was missing in the book. I can't be sure what it was, but I just didn't feel a deep connection with it, and sometimes the dialogue got on my nerves because it seemed way to corny. But other wise I enjoyed the book, and I do recommend it!

[Neva · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is another one that I can't believe I finished. Amazing that this book has received the great reviews that I read. I don't think this will be a spoiler.... the main character sees a man mistreating a young woman. Does she intervene to try and stop him? No. Does she call the police? Nope. Instead, she drops out of college and begins stalking the man. But wait, there's more. She goes to work for the cable company, so she can have access to peoples' houses. She even checks to see which pay-per-view movies they watch, then she watches them, to gain insight to the people she is stalking. Yep, that is the basis of this book. The book ends on a cliffhanger, but I won't know what happens in the next book. I really don't care. The writing is actually pretty good, but the plot is laughable. (and not in a good way)

[Jean Oram]

A mystery with a sweet romance mixed in. Piper doesn't like to get close to people. She's started a new life and is going to school. Only she sees that the law isn't something that can always save those in need. With her own sense of justice, she begins taking matters into her own hands. Only problem is that crush she's developing on a police officer. And his sense of justice is very black and white.

When the chips are down, will she run? Will she accept the help of her friends? And will she let Bobby, her new crush, in?

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I can't believe that this book was free!! It was an excellent read... I couldn't put it down once I started it... It has so many twist and turns and unexpected things going on...I was on the edge of my seat...holding my breath...I went through every emotion and I felt like I was there. I was waiting for something else at the end...[I don't want to spoil it] I liked the cliff hanger ending, I had hoped that Piper would get some closure...Next Book!!

[Brookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, loved it, LOVED it! Piper was amazing character and I loved her curiosity. I loved how Stewart sort of stayed true to the title of Chasing Justice by not overwhelming the story with too much romance. I loved Betty and her odd sayings as well!

[Andrea Mcbride · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg! I was so intrigued by this story I'm having a book hangover lol Loved the writing it felt like I was in a movie! It had details very good details that it felt like I was there witnessing everything first hand ! I soo can not wait till book number 2! Ill be not so patiently waiting !!!!

[Donna Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great start to a good mystery romance story. It held my interest throughout and I bought the next book, because I had to keep going. The main person is Piper and she falls for Bobby. they are very believable characters. this book is a good read

[Joyelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing. I couldn't put this book down. I cannot wait for the next book to come out

[Kayla Meek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cool!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put it down. Can't wait for book #2!

[Crazycowgirl · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gave up at 30%. For some reason I just could not connect to the main character, in fact, I found her to be more than a tad annoying. I get the feeling that the idea of the plot probably sounded quite good in the planning stage, with a few original twists on the standard romantic suspense. However, it then failed for me in execution. Why start a story in the first person and then switch to third? Even then, some chapters seemed to be a confusing mix of both as if the author had forgotten what style was being used.
What really failed for me in this book though, was that I was supposed to ignore the incredulously stupid premise that someone in witness protection would risk everything to commit the very acts that they were in hiding from. It may have been plausible had she been someone with any sort of law enforcement background, but no, instead she was like a screwed up version of an adult Nancy Drew.

[Meriehellene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Piper, a strong, brave young woman has seen justice averted too many times. When she sees a crime committed outside her window, she decides to deal out justice on her own. Along the way she meets Bobby a by the book rookie cop dealing with corruption that he is not yet aware; Betty, the waitress with Southern flavor and Julie her daughter, both dealing with loss in their own ways; and Michael, her first friend in town. These characters are well developed particularly Piper whom I liked right away before it was revealed why she was so far from home and afraid to be herself. Though she flirts with Michael, the attraction between Piper and Bobby is immediate. She will need her new family as she continues her undercover work and will find out they need her too. Kept my attention and left me wanting more.

[Michele Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Chasing Justice. Piper, a young woman relocated to the South with Witness Protection, was an interesting character who decides to go vigilante on a corrupt town and involves Bobby, a rookie cop - one of the good ones - who she seems to be falling for. There are some interesting secondary characters that help out. All in all I thought it was a good read but it kind of left you hanging at the end. Ir seems like there should be a part two but no mention at the end of the book. Hopefully it will continue.

[Cindy Claar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this police drama romance book. It was a fast read, a real page turner. I enjoyed the characters , the plot and the small town atmosphere. Will be reading the next sequel. Girl is put into protective custody and is moved into a town where she knows no one. She has to build family, learn who to trust and put her life back together while stumbling on a heinous crime and pursuing justice for the victims.