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Psychic Justice #1

Chasing Shadows

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One kiss, one touch, one night. It’s all she wants to last her forever.

Psychic Juliana Westwood returns home after twelve years and foresees a young girl’s abduction. Not only does she risk her life delving into the mind of a dangerous kidnapper, she risks her heart assisting the lead detective and child’s uncle…the man she was forced to leave behind. Juliana knows Alex doesn't trust her, but can she endure another twelve years without him?

He deadened his heart against loss. Her return changed everything.

Alex MacKenzie’s wary of reconnecting with the woman who broke his heart, but he knows Juliana can save his niece. As they race against time chasing clues, Alex realizes he’ll fight to give Juliana a lifetime of forevers…if the kidnapper doesn’t destroy her first.

CHASING SHADOWS was previously published by Ellora’s Cave Publishing (Blush Imprint). This new edition has been editorially revised and updated.

336 pages, Paperback

First published April 3, 2008

79 people are currently reading
622 people want to read

About the author

Erin Richards

27 books134 followers
USA Today best-selling author, Erin Richards, writes suspenseful paranormal, fantasy and contemporary young adult fiction with a splash of romance. You’ll typically find Erin’s characters in peril, whether based in reality or in a fantasy setting. Magic, murder and mayhem are all in a days’ work!

Erin lives in sunny Northern California, and in her spare time, she enjoys reading, photography, and re-landscaping her backyard, even though she hates digging holes…unless she’s burying fictional bodies! Erin also confesses to a fascination with American muscle cars…and reality TV shows. For more information about Erin and her novels, please visit her website at www.erinrichards.com.

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5 stars
84 (40%)
4 stars
72 (35%)
3 stars
32 (15%)
2 stars
10 (4%)
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7 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
Profile Image for M.J. Schiller.
Author 44 books183 followers
April 12, 2013
First I must say that I was very attracted to the premise of this story. Hunky cop and psychic who have a past, flung together on a case. Compelling! I also like what Ms. Richards did with the extrasensory perception angle, the connection between the psychic mind and the criminal mind, and telepathy. I don’t want to give too much away, but that was fascinating! She is also extremely descriptive, drawing on all of the senses, sight, smell, touch, hearing, and taste. It really pulls you into the story. The suspense was handled well as, while I suspected the character that turned out to be behind the kidnapping, I also suspected several other characters, too. And when the reveal came, it made sense. (I hate it when authors choose someone so far out in left field in order to surprise the reader, that the motives don’t seem genuine because they weren’t at least hinted at earlier in the book.) Thanks for sharing your story with us!
Profile Image for Tara.
Author 36 books120 followers
January 11, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed Chasing Shadows by Erin Richards. It had everything: reunited lovers with wounded hearts; a kidnapping; vendettas; and more suspects than you can shake a stick at.

I loved the gutsy but fragile heroine, Juliana, whose clairvoyance opened her up to the kidnapper's mind. Unfortunately, when that door swings open, he gains unintended access to her as well and the huntress becomes the hunted.

I admit, I wasn't sure about the hero in the beginning. Alex had wrapped his broken heart in a bulletproof vest of pain. Nothing was going to get at him now, especially not Jewel, his old endearment for Juliana. But not only does he thaw in a big and beautiful way, he becomes the light that leads the woman he loves out of the dark that surrounds her.

The author kept me guessing all the way through, right along with the investigation. A very engaging read.
Profile Image for Cindy.
2,349 reviews172 followers
July 26, 2015
3.5 Stars..

Character wise I really liked the story. The who and why of the kidnapping was weak and to easy to figure out though. This is not to say it wasn’t a good story because the descriptions of the psychic episodes Juliana Westwood would have when she connected with the kidnapper were very well written. I also liked the love story between her and Alex MacKenzie who is both the uncle of the kidnapped little girl along with being a detective and who also happens to be the man that Juliana ran out on 12 years before with no explanation breaking his heart.

Alex never had any problems with Juliana’s gift but to protect himself from heartache again he never put himself out there with another woman after words. So when she suddenly shows up at the police station claiming that a kidnapping of a small child is soon going to occur his biggest issue is his unresolved anger and underlying feelings for Juliana still. When it turns out the little girl that’s kidnapped is his niece he has no problem working with Juliana to try and find her.

Juliana comes from a family of psychics. Her gift didn’t activate (for a better word) until a tragic accident in her youth. She had a premonition about it but got it wrong and her best friend’s boyfriend died. We don’t find out the real reason that Juliana left after the tragic accident until she finally discloses it to Alex and its heartbreaking enough that Alex can no longer harbor any ill feelings about how she left with no word. Due to her family’s history of going insane with this gift Juliana doesn’t think a relationship would ever work.

The author tries to throw some red herrings in to throw us off on the identity of the kidnapper but about 50 percent in she gives what I would call a blatant clue that gives it away too easily. This kind of turned me off of that part of the story at that point but I did enjoy psychic aspects and Alex and Juliana rekindling their romance.
Profile Image for Sandra.
27 reviews5 followers
May 20, 2013
Definitely enjoyed this book! Chasing Shadows had everything that a reader could want and provided the perfect balance of crime, suspense, and romance. I loved the relationship between Alex and Juliana. Their story was a perfect example of two people meant to be together eventually finding their way.

The suspenseful area of this book was also well done. Throughout the entire book I kept thinking that I knew who was behind the kidnapping but was surprised when it was finally revealed. Chasing Shadows kept my interest the entire time and I found myself not wanting to put this book down. I definitely plan on reading more of Erin Richards' work and highly recommend this book!

I received Chasing Shadows as part of a goodreads giveaway however, this does not in any way influence my rating or review of the book. All opinions are my own. I would like to thank the author for giving me the privilege of reading her work.
Profile Image for Tory.
324 reviews
July 6, 2013
I liked that Julianna explained why she had left and stayed away but didn't torment herself over it or make excuses. Alex had a lot of anger, but listened to her and went to her for help without tormenting her or trying to make her feel guilty. Juliana towards the end reacted without thinking things through, which seemed a little out of character for someone who was so proud of her control. They story had a good flow and the mystery was good.
Profile Image for Lacy.
3 reviews3 followers
June 25, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. You think you have got it all figured out and then there is a twist that throws you for a loop. It's an amazing book, especially for those that like the psychic detective type books. Thanks Erin!
Profile Image for Bette.
3,298 reviews24 followers
October 29, 2022
A Thrilling Romantic Suspense! Great Story & Narration🎧

Chasing Shadows
A Psychic Justice, Book 1
By: Erin Richards
Narrated by: Meghan Kelly

This is my first book written by Erin Richards and consider me impressed, not only with her writing style and skills but her ability to merge and master several genres into this novel. A mystery crime drama meets romantic suspense with a side of paranormal and contemporary romance. The story drew me right in, grabbing my attention and captivating it the entire book, it kept me thinking and even brought me to the edge of my seat several times. The characters are realistic, easy to relate to and connect with, they are easy to care about too. Juliana Westwood has psychic abilities and has worked with police departments in the past. When she sees a vision that a crime that is going to happen, she needs to report it and explain how she knows and after that crime happened, she winds up working with the local PD to help them. Detective Alex MacKenzie works homicide cases but when his niece is kidnapped, he is on the case. He has history with Juliana and was not expecting to see her again, but once he gets his emotions about her and their past settled, he will take any help he could get to get his niece back home. Juliana’s psychic abilities have not always been a blessing, and she has not always gotten it right, and her abilities have grown and it becomes more of a challenge for her. Juliana and Alex work well together and besides working on the case, they need to navigate their feelings for each other and what happened in the past. There is never a dull moment in this cleverly plotted story, there is plenty of drama, crime and relationship, action, twists and turns, thrilling suspense, heartfelt emotions and a second chance romance. Erin Richards, thank you for this great story.

🎧📚🎧 And for the amazing narration, Meghan Kelly is a fabulously talented narrator and versatile voice artist. She performs the voices for all the characters, does a great job covering both the male and female roles, gives each their own distinct sound making it easy to follow along and tell who is who. Kelly has a complete understanding of the characters she is portraying and is believable in every role she plays. She sets the perfect tone for the story, captures all the characters’ emotions and projects them in to her performance and has you feeling every single one. She is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to, her narration enhances an already great story to another level. Thank you for another fabulous listen.
Profile Image for Bette Stanek.
2,146 reviews3 followers
March 25, 2020
4.5 Eyes in the Mirror Stars. While I'm not giving this a full 5-star rating, I have no hesitation in rounding up from 4.5-stars. Erin Richards has written a book that truly has it all. A second chance story, two people who are guarded due to their past (with one another and with others), troubled childhoods, a homicide detective and a psychic (what could go wrong?), supernatural connections, personal connections with the victim, and lots more. This story has many twists and turns, but they are not overdone and for the most part, are easy to navigate. Don't let that fool you, though. You'll probably figure out "whodunnit" before it's officially announced, but it won't be too much before. You'll figure out accomplices well before the culprit. Once I started this book I didn't want to put it down. When I did have to put it aside, I kept thinking about it. Well done, Ms Richards! Well done!
715 reviews9 followers
November 10, 2019
Good story!

Chasing Shadows is romantic suspense novel with a psychic twist. The story was solid, but I felt no emotional connecrion to the protagonists or characters!
There were more than a few triggers and lewd behaviors by the antagonist! I wasn't sure I could finish the book, but I was hooked enough to read till the end! I just found the material of the book was distasteful to me!
243 reviews2 followers
December 27, 2023
This book caught me off guard, I wasnt expecting to enjoy it so much. Juliana and Alex are both well-rounded characters with strengths and weaknesses that are relatable and it is easy to root for them. The 'baddies' are also written in an authentic way instead of the usual 2-dimensional shadow that you often have in procedural texts. The writing style and plot kept me hooked throughout the entire text, which I found hard to put down. Overall a very enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Dana Webster.
659 reviews4 followers
October 9, 2019
Intriguing story involving a kidnapping and romance tossed away a decade before.

Juliana and Alex find each other accidentally, both reeling from their pasts, but with a job to do.

The two stories work well together to give you a mystery and a romance - both building throughout the story.

Good read.
Profile Image for Margaret Jones.
113 reviews1 follower
October 18, 2019
Interesting Story

I enjoyed the story, I liked the story line,found the ESP parts very good. I am a prude my kids tell me, so had to skip some pages. The sex doesn’t over whelm the book though. It was well written and the characters were well drawn. It was a good light read. I will buy more books by the authour.
Profile Image for Emily Dickson.
1,096 reviews7 followers
January 19, 2020
Great start to series!

Juliana and Alex were both great characters. Juliana is a psychic and helps the police. Alex is a detective and knew her before. Lots of action as the two work together and great chemistry as they also work on their personal relationship. Great plot and story!
3,164 reviews47 followers
October 31, 2022
I loved the narration of Meghan Kelly


Juliana Westwood has psychic abilities and has worked with police departments in the past. When she sees a vision that a crime that is going to happen, she winds up working with Detective Alex MacKenzie.
A mystery crime drama meets romantic suspense with a side of paranormal and contemporary romance.
Profile Image for Patricia M Lewis.
260 reviews1 follower
October 10, 2019
Great read!!

Intense mystery and suspense. I really enjoyed the intrigue. Good descriptive writing brought me into the scenes like I was watching it in a movie. Some of the romance was quite scary...the bad guy part.
Profile Image for Cheri.
425 reviews1 follower
September 4, 2018
Alex and juliana

Good story. I was looking for a psychic romance. This book had action, love, lost love and so much more. I totally enjoyed this read
1,407 reviews16 followers
September 18, 2019
this is a good story, she is a psycic and he is a detective, she left him but now he can help him. if he will let her. if you like suspense ;and steamy romance you will like the book
523 reviews3 followers
March 1, 2020
Very good read

I got hooked by the first chapter . The twist caught me by surprise , very clever ! I'll be reading the second book soon !
Profile Image for Sharon.
726 reviews10 followers
November 17, 2022
Chasing Shadows

I liked the characters and their story was intriguing, I enjoyed spending some time with them.
Profile Image for Sn8wflake .
2,391 reviews
December 23, 2023
psychic

Take a psychic returning home but her ex is back in the picture. A kidnapping, a vengeful cop both add spice
182 reviews1 follower
June 21, 2024
I was hooked from the first page and could not put it down till the end. The story is masterfully written with mystery, suspense and a second chance at love.
Profile Image for Anne Blyth.
1,980 reviews1 follower
January 6, 2026
I liked the hero and heroine and the story is readable, though the villain in the story and the ending could have been a little more interesting.
Profile Image for Jennifer Schultheis.
1,316 reviews6 followers
June 22, 2015
Make sure you have a couple hours of free time to yourself before reading CHASING SHADOWS, because you won't be able to put the book down. This is the first book I've read from Erin Richards, but it definitely won't be the last. I can guarantee I will be giving this another read real soon, that's how much I loved CHASING SHADOWS! 5 stars all the way!

The author did an amazing job creating this story. It contained so many detailed descriptions that I could picture the story playing out in my head. The storyline itself is intriguing and has the ability to keep your attention and not let go until the very end. My excitement while reading kept rising as I became more and more engrossed in the story.

As for the characters, I loved Juliana and Alex together. Juliana is a psychic who has dreams and premonitions of what will happen and Alex is a detective who needs her help to solve a kidnapping case. Only, it becomes more complicated because Juliana and Alex share a history together and Alex is directly related to the person who is kidnapped. Readers will be able to feel the emotion between these two and ultimately fall in love with them.

Juliana is such a strong character and she becomes stronger as the situation becomes worse. I love a strong heroine and Juliana is definitely that. Her life isn't easy and finding out that you share a connection with the bad guy would make anyone run and hide, but not Juliana. She's determined to help. I really enjoyed how much Alex cared for her. Even though they didn't end their relationship on good terms, you can automatically tell he still cares and wants to look out for her.

The suspense will keep you turning the pages and the twist and turns woven into the story will shock you. The characters are complex and well-developed and there is never a dull moment in the story. If you love your romance with suspense, this is one book you need to read! - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
Profile Image for Samantha Holly.
331 reviews3 followers
October 6, 2015
Adding a new author to the mix can be a little apprehensive at times but I was pleasantly shocked at how quickly I became involved with the story line of this novel. We all (at times) judge the book by its cover and I initially did not want to read it but the excerpt had me interested.

Julianna Westwood returns to her hometown following the death of her father. She left San Jose 12 years ago, leaving behind her best friend and her soul mate without a word.

After having a dream plagued by visions of a child abduction, she approaches the San Jose Police Department to offer her services as a psychic (having assisted the Police in New York city) only to come face-to-face with the man she left behind.

Seeing Julianna again after all this time, gives Alex conflicting feelings of anger, resentment and much to his demise, care and lust. He wants answers about where she has been all this time and why she has not reached out but more importantly, he needs her help to solve the abduction of his niece.

These two are thrown together and must learn to trust one another in order save the life of a innocent little girl.

This is a love story but the book did have suspense and I had no idea who the suspect was until it was revealed at the end!

I am looking forward to book 2 of this series, although 'us' readers will have to wait a few month - publication is not unil 2016 at this stage.
Profile Image for Lily.
3 reviews
August 13, 2013
CHASING SHADOWS grips from the first page, and the suspense and passion doesn’t let up until the thrilling conclusion.

Ten years have gone by since psychic Juliana Westwood and her high school sweetheart Alex MacKenzie have seen each other after an abrupt separation. When Juliana dreams of a young girl’s kidnapping, she’s shocked to confront detective Alex MacKenzie. She never expected to see the love of her life again. Alex thought she had fallen off the face of the earth, even though he never stopped loving Juliana. The pulse pounding suspense takes off right from the start as Juliana and Alex are thrust together to find the kidnapped girl, Alex’s niece, before it’s too late or before the kidnapper finds a way to destroy Juliana’s telepathic mind.

The backstory of how Juliana and Alex were separated for over a decade was poignant and believable. By the end of the story, you see how much they have grown and deserved their happily ever after. I highly recommend CHASING SHADOWS to all fans of romantic suspense.
394 reviews4 followers
April 25, 2015
Wow! So much in just one book!!!

I loved this book. The characters are wonderful and have become more like friends. I was rooting for these two to reconnect. Juliana and Alex tugged at my heart strings from the start. The plot was exciting with twists and turns. Just as I thought I finally had it figured out it took another turn. While this is a new author, it won't be the last. I will be searching for more of her books. I can MOST HIGHLY RECOMMEND Chasing Shadows by Erin Richards.
Profile Image for Kim Page.
321 reviews15 followers
April 27, 2015
This story was certainly entertaining as a long lost love happens to returns after disappearing twelve years ago without a word. As her return is shocking to say the least it's nothing compared to finding out that she is psychic and offering to help in a kidnapping case. The child who just happens to be the niece of her one true love! Together they do their best to keep feelings old and new at bay to find a madman!!
The characters are great and the story line is well written!
I was given this book for an honest review.
Profile Image for Deborah Cordes.
Author 17 books52 followers
August 7, 2015
Chasing Shadows is a masterfully written suspense novel. I don't normally like a limited point of view story, but this one contained smart and complex central characters who kept me interested. The psychic aspect was unique for this reader, and I loved the fact that Ms. Richards made me continue to guess as to the identity of the villain. I also loved the romance--- a solid love lost, love found type--- yet handled so well I never felt bored. Five stars!
Profile Image for circumspect4.
134 reviews3 followers
May 28, 2015
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. Now generally I don't read books about psychics, but I'm glad I read this one. From the very beginning of the book, I was drawn in and couldn't put it it down. This book not only includes romance but mystery and constantly keeps you guessing, with every twist and turn. A truly amazing book and I would have happily paid the book price to read it. This is a MUST READ!!!!!!
34 reviews
May 12, 2015
Summary

A psychic curse, past love, and secrets. Missing child who is Alex's kin. Can he trust her after a twelve year absence? Can he work with her to help find the missing child? Love and the world of psychic powers. Who will win? Alex is reluctant to tempt fate when it comes to working with a psychic.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews

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