Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
Climb aboard the justice train and let Thaddeus keep you up all night in Flagstaff Station

An FBI chase through the streets of Phoenix leads to an epic firefight and the fatal shooting of an important member of the Vittini mob. As a result, Special Agent Donnie Francisco faces an enraged crime family bent on payback. They come for Donnie, they come for his family.

Donnie seeks out Flagstaff attorney Thaddeus Murfee. The young lawyer agrees to defend and exonerate the agent, but he runs afoul of the mob himself. The body count rises as warfare erupts in the court and in the dark streets and back alleys and small towns of Arizona.

A young Indian boy seeks out Thaddeus for help. The boy, Thaddeus and Donnie travel to reservation lands and meet with the elders of the Indian Court. Watch from the front row of the jury box as Thaddeus and Christine, his wife, tangle with Indian culture and twenty-first century technology. Then, Turquoise Murfee, Thaddeus's police detective daughter, makes a discovery at Flagstaff Station that could trigger sudden death--but she doesn't know what she has and could inadvertently kill hundreds of innocent men, women, and children if Thaddeus doesn't stop her in time.

326 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2019

3141 people are currently reading
120 people want to read

About the author

John Ellsworth

150 books516 followers
Formerly a trial lawyer for 30 years, John Ellsworth is now a full-time writer of thrillers and historical fiction, with over millions of copies sold. He holds titles such as USA Today bestseller, an Amazon Bestseller and Featured Author, as well as a Kindle All-Star.

Official Website: www.ellsworthbooks.com
Official Twitter: @jellsworthbooks
Official Instagram: @johnellsworth_author
Official Facebook: facebook.com/johnellsworthauthor

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
1,176 (56%)
4 stars
605 (29%)
3 stars
210 (10%)
2 stars
63 (3%)
1 star
26 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
Profile Image for David Highton.
3,762 reviews32 followers
June 14, 2019
I had read all the previous Murfee books, so grabbed this one as well. Not great literature but a good poolside rapid read. Thaddeus takes the Phoenix Mob on.
Profile Image for Vickie Sarmina.
241 reviews4 followers
December 3, 2018
This book starts out with two bank robbers, aka Manuel Vittini and Barrabas, evading the FBI. Apparently these bank robbers are robbing banks in different states, so the FBI was called in. But these bank robbers are equipped with AR-15 and a shotgun. These are not the usual weapons of a bank robber. SA Francisco and Gennings have called for backup. There are numerous special agents chasing these two robbers. In a high speed chase, the robbery’s Monte Carlo ended up in the side of a tree. This resulted in a full blown gun war. The robbers seem to be getting the best of the FBI. Vittini decides that it’s not enough to just shoot the special agents, he shoots two of them in the head. Finally SA Francisco takes down Vittini. However, it looks like Vittini is reaching for a weapon at his ankle. SA Francisco isn’t taking any chances and shoots Vittini in the head. SA Francisco receives a Medal of Honor for his act of selflessness. But this unleashes the angry head of the Vincenzano mob in the Phoenix area. Vittini’s family files a lawsuit against SA Francisco. They claim that he murdered Vittini, because no gun was found at the scene, at the time that SA Francisco shot him. SA Francisco contacts Thaddeus Murfee. Thaddeus accepts the case at no charge. Little did the two know, the mob had already put targets on both of their heads. Will they have to go into hiding or witness protection? Will the mob be able to infiltrate Thaddeus’ secure compound? Why is the mob so upset about the demise of this one individual? Will the two ever have peace? If you like a book that is constantly keeping the reader on the edge of their seat, diving into the legal system, the mob, traveling across the Mexican border, drugs, and a stint in jail, then this is the book for you. I loved the way the plot went through multiple themes, and came together in the end. I also liked the character development, which allowed the reader to experience the good as well as the bad from each character. I look forward to the next Thaddeus Murfee book.
5 reviews
November 22, 2018
Just Don't

I enjoyed the early Ellsworth. It's been churning away, and finally gone from predictable to repetitive. I hate to give a bad review because I wish I had the balls to write and applaud those who do for their efforts. Good writing enlightens the reader, ok writing entertains the reader, the best writing does both. This book does nothing in the latter category but started out well on the former. Unfortunately, it seems like the author got tired of the book and resorted to the "They all got run over by a bus." ending, thus falling down on the former as well. Too bad, I think he's got better stuff.
Profile Image for Page Turner .
120 reviews
September 29, 2020
Another fast paced thriller with Thaddeus Murfee involved with defending someone against a mob group he ran into several books ago. A good read.
Profile Image for Judith Baxter.
198 reviews19 followers
December 6, 2018
The story opens with an FBI chase through the streets of Phoenix that ends with a raging firefight and the death and/or injury of several FBI agents. In the firefight, Special Agent Donnie Francisco kills two of the mobsters whom he had seen shooting two of his colleagues in cold blood., but unfortunately one of them was an important member of the mob, and the mob wants revenge.

The family lodges a lawsuit against Francisco who employs lawyer, Thaddeus Murfee to defend him. This begins a series of events that affect the two men both together and separately, ending with Francisco being blinded in one eye and Murfee being run over and suffering multiple injuries.

We also meet again Christine Murfee, Thaddeus’ wife who is also a lawyer, and Turquoise Murfee their daughter an LAPD Detective. We meet Nathan a young man whose mother is a prostitute and who asks Thaddeus for help, two rogue FBI agents, and a sheriff’s deputy who takes the law into his own hands believing he is protecting his wife and young children.

So be ready for a fast ride and for a kaleidoscope of characters and locations. This is certainly Ellsworth at his best. Another new series and I look forward to reading more about Thaddeus in the books to come.
Profile Image for Pam.
4,625 reviews68 followers
April 21, 2019
Flagstaff Station: A Thaddeus Murfee Legal Thriller Series Book 11 is by John Ellsworth. John Ellsworth writes great legal thrillers; but this one misses the mark. I love reading about Thaddeus Murfee and his exploits; but this one is quite lengthy and misses the mark. It starts out great and focuses on one case and one crime family. It then expands into kidnapping for no apparent reason and excessive killing of collateral people which makes no sense either. He loses focus on his plot. Even the characters seem to be lacking depth. Thaddeus is there in the book and appears several times; but others take on his legal work while he seems to be focused on trivial things. Then, in the middle of the book, he focuses on adopting a young Indian boy. It seemed like John put this in to create a different view of Thaddeus as a caring, loving, and doting parent. I suggest readers who like the Thaddeus Murfee series to skip this book.
449 reviews4 followers
August 19, 2024
I’m an emotional reader so I’m sad 😢 a lot when I read, recommend

Sometimes it’s not best to read reviews 1st. I made this grave mistake and I almost missed out on a good book. I’m a bonding person and I love good relationships. So, the bond that Thaddeus and Donnie formed was real. Because of the torture they endured together, made it a soul and spiritual connection between them. They saw the pain inflicted on each other by others. They couldn’t physically help each other but they bonded as brothers. So, when Thaddeus said, I loved him, I felt that. My heart was broken for Donnie. He endured so much pain all bc he did his job as a FBI. And I wish Thaddeus would change his security detail bc XFBI not the one. And I love that soft spot Thaddeus has for children. Henry still hanging on. There was a lot of corruption in the law enforcement and criminal justice systems as a whole so I’m wondering was these individuals ever identified and brought to justice?
Profile Image for ursula gift.
15 reviews
December 6, 2018
Okay John i have done it again, started off a bit slow but if we take our time and read the book we would find it made a lot of sense, you haven't cease to amaze me and to keep me glued to your books. Thaddeus has played his part well, kudos. After a while I got real teary eyed, reading what That had to go through he and his detective friend, but I was wishing that he could of gotten them back earlier, but it played its way out, the mob is no match for Thad, he is good. So sorry when the detective died, but in the end it was help to tell the priest, just an old saying. He really have them what they deserved, I enjoy every chapter of that book, and is so happy for Touquise.
10 reviews
November 17, 2018
This was one of his worst - probably wasn't even written by John Ellsworth.
Confusing, wandering story with MANY erroneous geographical items concerning Arizona.
(For instance: driving from Phoenix to Tucson and going thru Ajo.) Only a complete fool would do this. Also driving from Cabo to Nogales - one would get very wet on this route - going from Cabo in Baja California to Sonora would necessitite a very wet Gulf of Cakifornia crossing.
Several other mistakes. This was written with absolutely no knowledge of Arizona, even tho it was mostly centered there
Profile Image for Martha Brown.
232 reviews7 followers
July 25, 2019
Doggone!

I love love love Thaddeus Murfee but I love love love the creator of these wonderful works of fiction more because he has the ability to throw these terrific stories out so quickly. The major and only problem with a John Ellsworth novel is that it ends far too quickly and I read far too fast.

I’m not giving you a blow by blow of this book. Just read it. Become a John Ellsworth fan. I can assure you this one book will drag you in. Stay healthy John! We need more of these high quality stories. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
1 review1 follower
November 30, 2019
I have read the entire series and I have enjoyed all the books so very much. Flagstaff Station was as good as the get. I am sorry I have finished the series but look forward to my next read. John Ellsworth is without a doubt one of the finest authors I have ever read. What an imagination!!! Thank you Mr. Ellsworth for giving us so much enjoyment in reading. Maybe I haven’t read the entire series. I just noticed Flagstaff Station is number eleven. I couldn’t find the name of the 12th book listed at the end of Flagstaff Station. Help!!! I want to read that last one.
3 reviews
May 20, 2020
This was an interesting frictional thriller. The legal aspects were limited, a bit more on the legal proceeds especially when going to Navajo Tribal Court.

The appropriation of Navajo Cultural was trying for me as a native person. The reference of how his family is or as describe than to compare with how the Navajo culture is was stretching the reality into friction. For the uninformed reader, it was misleading, the informed reader got a chuckle.

If looking for an easy read thriller I would recommend it.
4 reviews
January 9, 2019
Good Read, but!

Very good new series featuring Thadeus Murfee. But someone should read the book before it's published and repair some glaring errors. I'll just point out one. Thaddeus is taking Nathan home from the court where his mother just was bailed out. It says they got into the Yukon and drove to the trailer on the reserve. BUT when That his going to leave it says he puts his RAM into reverse?
136 reviews
May 2, 2019
John Ellsworth book 10

This novel is the best of all John’s stories. It was intense from beginning to the end. Well almost to the end. The Thaddeus Murfree series is comparable to Patterson, Woods, Connelly, and others who have made their mark. I pray there are more Thaddeus Murfree novels for all of us enthusiasts to enjoy. Thank you John Ellsworth. Much Appreciated!!! Dr. C. 🎉🎊
1 review1 follower
May 14, 2019
Another amazing read by Ellsworth

Couldn't put down. Characters are relatable and empathetic. Was fascinated by the diversity of several story lines at once. I'd suggest you plan to stay in for the evening and finish this fantastic read. Every chapter brings a different perspective to the ongoing list of engaging as well, detestable, characters. I am absolutely an Ellsworth fan - attempting to have all of his works read by year's end.
31 reviews
Read
April 16, 2020
Falstaff Station

I really enjoyed this book. I was a little put out because of some of the events
in the book. The young girl that was able to kill the movie producer with the letter opener. A little farm fetched. Also Thaddeus able to kill the room full of people without anyone surviving! OK, it is fiction, but it should be a little closer to reality. However, John writes them and I continue to buy them, and read them, and really enjoy them. Keep writing them John!
Profile Image for Louise Pledge.
1,292 reviews29 followers
May 6, 2020
How fun it was to return to a Thaddeus Murfee story again. I have missed them! While reading "Flagstaff Station", many times I felt like I was reading about Jack Reacher... only Jack alternated between being Thaddeus and Christine. What a couple! So much action in this book that I found myself scared for Thaddeus. Even though I realize he's in books after this one, I was still fearful for his life. Good read!
Profile Image for Dr. Pj Forrest.
194 reviews
October 27, 2020
Ellsworth is Wonderful

I ran across one of the later books in the Thaddeus Murfee series and just had to go back to book 1 and read the series straight through. Not a book in the series disappointed. John Ellsworth is a terrific writer. He knows how to write a novel and how to write one really, really well. There are none of the annoying grammatical errors or misused words you often find. John Ellsworth’s writing is as smooth as silk.
11 reviews
April 29, 2021
Too much going on.

I've been a John Ellsworth fan for years. Have read all his books. This one I was not to crazy about. Although I liked the fact that he included Christine and Turqoise in the story, it had too many unrelated episode woven in. I found myself trying to figure out who was the good guy or the bad guy.
I love your books, but maybe you need a vacation.
Can't wait to check out your new series.
Profile Image for Cliff.
25 reviews
July 28, 2022
Well that ends it.
First book in sixty five years of reading that I chose to put down.
How many time will he get knocked unconscious? Sorry his wife died and left him with ALL those kids, who is looking after them while he is out getting beat up? If the bad guys are going to steal his 300 million dollars why is he putting himself in such danger.

I will miss Thad, sorry John but I could go back to the first 10 for the same story lines.
142 reviews5 followers
November 15, 2018
John Ellsworth continues his literary excellence hitting a milestone other author's envy.

True to form this novel has everything you expect from John Ellsworth novel all wrapped up in a literary package that keeps giving from start to finish, if you like fast paced mesmerizing mystery novels is author's work is definitely worth reading.
921 reviews11 followers
November 16, 2018
Very enjoyable Murfee story!

I have read all of Ellsworth's books, and enjoy them each one. Thaddeus Murfee and Christine are rock stars in the criminal defense world, and also do good by others needing a hand up. As long as Ellsworth writes about Murfee, then I will continue to be a fan.
311 reviews2 followers
November 18, 2018
Tongue -In-Cheek

I read this novel the same way I read all Thaddeus Murfee novels! Tongue-In-Cheek! So many murders, so little time. Hero Thaddeus to the rescue! A lot of "Get Smart" here. Even "Control"! If the FBI really conducted business this way, they wouldn't still be around! Awaiting the Series, Book 2!
Profile Image for Fred Burke.
8 reviews
November 20, 2018
Not really impressed with this book lot of plot holes and useless side plot that never went anywhere, the last few books this author has written have been train wracks. ..Another title changed is it Hollywood station? Flagstaff Station Thaddeus Murfee book 12 or Justice series book 1..... i'm so confused
Profile Image for Jo Ann.
116 reviews
November 23, 2018
Thaddeus an exceptional man.

This book is so good you will not want to put it down John Ellsworth has done it again, fast paced and justice redeemed, family, generosity and lots of love but also justice served for the bad guys. The wonderful thing about John's books are they can stand alone or be read in order. I know anyone who reads this will absolutely love it.

73 reviews2 followers
January 29, 2019
Read this book in one day!

I can tell you that all of Thaddeus Murder stories will keep you in suspense from beginning to end. I have never read one of his stories that I could put away and come back later. Only advise is to have an ice chest with water and a sandwich. Will wait for the next one.
223 reviews
January 30, 2019
Reading Thaddeus in this one referenced Joe Arapaio. I was glad to see him get his throat slit and cannot believe referencing him as a friend of the good people of Phoenix. The trial of Vincente(sp) was bullshit. I can’t believe some of those questions the judge allowed. While the book was decent enough I’m finished with Ellsworth.
102 reviews1 follower
January 31, 2019
Not Ellsworth's best but still really good.

I'm hooked on the Thaddeus Murfee books. He's the good guy and always wins in the end but the author always keeps the reader on the edge of his seat. Intrigue, violence and mayhem but tastefully done if that is understandable. Nothing not to like about Flagstaff Station.
4 reviews
February 3, 2019
Not up to standards

I've read several of Elsworths books, but this one felt like someone else wrote it. It was disjointed and confusing in many places. Too many characters to keep track of, and too many separate plots in one book. I won't say I hatedit, but I was a bit disappointed in this one.
9 reviews
February 25, 2019
Review of Flagstaff Station

I have given this book and all the Thaddeus Murder books a 5 star rating. I have read all the books in the series and they just kept getting better. I certainly hope there will be more Thaddeus Murfee books to follow. John Ellsworth has made it to " my favorite authors list".
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.