Today, you’ll have the pleasure of a great conversation with author Jennifer Chance (who also writes as Jenn Stark). If you listen to the podcast, you know how this story starts…with an author beach retreat.

It’s the first time I got to know Jennifer. The best part, she did Tarot readings for us all. Because she was spot on, I still think of it often. Oh, and after the interview, she did one for me virtually! I’m excited for what my professional future brings.

Let’s chat. I have *so* many questions.

You can find Jennifer Chance: Website: jennstark.com/books/jennifer-chance/ Instagram: @jenniferchanceauthor Facebook: @authorjenniferchance TikTok:@jenniferchanceauthor

The Happy Hollisters by Jerry West and Helen S. Hamilton The Zane Gray Series Revenge Prey by John Sandford Wheel of Time by Robert Conrad

Author J.R.R. Tolkien Author C.S. Lewis Author Ru Emerson

Harrison Ford, Actor Empire Strikes Back (Star Wars Series) Indiana Jones movie series

Jennifer Chance titles we talked about on the podcast: Getting Wilde by Jenn Stark Maids of Honor by Jennifer McGowan The Accidental Exorcist by Jennifer Chance Sexy as Sin by Jennifer Chance Guilty as Sin by Jennifer Chance

Simon & Schuster – Barnes & Noble dispute (2013)

In this episode of Politics of Justice, I recap and discuss chapters 13 and 14 of Ransomed.

Ransomed is currently available on all platforms and as an audiobook. This series uses the book as a springboard to talk about justice, race, family, and the systems that fail us—and the ones we fight to change.

This episode is sponsored by Audible. Get Casey Cort on Audible. The book I talk about in this podcast is: We Don’t Talk About Carol by Kristen L. Berry and narrated by Nicole Cash. You can download the audiobook for free with a new Audible subscription.

In this episode of Politics of Justice, we examine Ransomed Chapters 13 and 14, where the investigation into Judge Eamon Brody begins to gather momentum—and raises disturbing questions about power, silence, and credibility.

AUSA Miles launches deeper inquiries into Brody’s past and encounters a woman whose history with the judge appears deeply troubling. Her difficulty communicating due to a brain injury complicates the search for truth, highlighting one of the central tensions in cases involving abuse: what happens when the witness cannot fully speak for herself?

Meanwhile, personal and professional worlds collide as Miles meets Casey, and an evening at a wine bar with Lulu and Tom Brody introduces another layer of uncertainty. Tom’s renewed pursuit of Casey raises questions about motive, loyalty, and whether personal relationships can ever be separated from institutional power.

These chapters explore the early stages of building a case “brick by brick,” where suspicion is not yet proof—but patterns are beginning to emerge.

Join me as we unpack the legal, ethical, and political implications of investigating powerful figures—and what it takes to turn suspicion into accountability.

️ Politics of Justice — Ransomed Chapters 13 & 14 ⚖️ Topics include: judicial misconduct, vulnerable witnesses, power dynamics, and the murky motives that complicate both justice and relationships.

The Politics of Justice series explores how real legal failures influence fiction—and what those stories reveal about power, trust, and accountability.

Ransomed is Book 2 in the Casey Cort series.

Read the book: https://books2read.com/Ransomed Available on Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and other ebook retailers.

Start with Book 1: Judged https://books2read.com/caseycort1

Subscribe if you’re interested in legal thrillers, true crime–inspired fiction, and the real cases behind the stories.

About Politics of Justice: Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.

About Aime Austin: I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.

Find Me Online: Website: https://aimeaustin.com Substack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.com Instagram: h...

H.M. Ward (Holly) is the 22x New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author with sales of over 23 million books. Years ago, Holly took a break. Now she’s back and better than ever. Her first title, 2011’s Demon Kissed, a romantasy before the term was coined, is being rereleased soon!

Let’s chat. I have *so* many questions.

You can find H.M. Ward: Website: www.hmward.com Instagram: @authorhmward Facebook: @authorhmward X @hmward YouTube: @hmwardauthor Pinterest: @hmward3 TikTok: @hmwardauthor

H.M. Ward titles we talked about on the podcast: The Arrangement Series by H.M. Ward Damaged by H.M. Ward Demon Kissed by H.M. Ward Scandalous by H.M. Ward

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls Sounder by James Barkley Old Yeller by Fred Gipson Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery Peter Pan by James Matthew Barrie The (Original) Cinderella by Charles Perrault

Monty Don Horticulturalist Author Carly Phillips NaNoWrimo (defunct – read the story here.