"This is the second book that I read by John Ellsworth. I first read A Young Lawyer's Story, a prelude to the Thaddeus Murder series. Ellsworth keeps a book moving quickly. His characters are realistic, his plots are twisted and threaded (a good thing). Net, if you're a fan of courtroom drama, you'll love his books."

"When your competition in the writing of legal thrillers are John Grisham and so many others, it's not an easy genre to be successful. But John Ellsworth does an admirable job in this book - the first of a series featuring attorney Thaddeus Murfee."

"First, this book is one of the best I have read for a while. It reminds me of John Grisham, one of my favorite authors, but the part that makes it fun is where it is placed. I was born and raised in Illinois, so I love reading books that take place there. Small towns like this are much more prevalent than the big cities like Chicago, but John Elsworth portrays both accurately and with evident regard. Since he writes about what he knows, there is a familiarity with the subject that gives the story a feeling that the reader is really there. I look forward to seeing what happens to Thad in later books. Thanks, John, for sharing these great folks with us."

"John Ellsworth is an incredible wordsmith. I began with his 1st book "The Defendants" and discovered an exciting protagonist, Thaddeus Murfee. The book was a non-stop "thriller". Literally, I could not put the book down and read it in one day. Mr. Ellsworth develops his characters so completely that one feels as if they have known them all their lives. Mr. Ellsworth takes us on a whirlwind trip in this, his first, Thaddeus Murfee Novel. "The Defendants" is a do not miss book."