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Lettie Portman #1
The District Attorney
Like the victims who pass through her office, this attorney's own past demands justice.
When an eleven-year-old girl is savagely attacked by her mother's live-in boyfriend, attorney Lettie Portman is called to the hospital. She meets a sweet, young girl whose only goal is to go to school and come home to a safe environment. But the abuse gets worse, the case goes to trial by jury.
And Lettie stumbles. To help this girl in need, she must first deal with her own abuse from years before.
Meanwhile, Detective Antonio "Tony" Reedy lets her know he's interested in more than just investigating the abused girl's case. But Lettie's background makes it all but impossible to trust again. As Tony slowly begins to gain her confidence, can she learn to love again?
John Ellsworth is a USA TODAY bestseller, an Amazon Featured Author, and has repeatedly won the title of Kindle All-Star.
When an eleven-year-old girl is savagely attacked by her mother's live-in boyfriend, attorney Lettie Portman is called to the hospital. She meets a sweet, young girl whose only goal is to go to school and come home to a safe environment. But the abuse gets worse, the case goes to trial by jury.
And Lettie stumbles. To help this girl in need, she must first deal with her own abuse from years before.
Meanwhile, Detective Antonio "Tony" Reedy lets her know he's interested in more than just investigating the abused girl's case. But Lettie's background makes it all but impossible to trust again. As Tony slowly begins to gain her confidence, can she learn to love again?
John Ellsworth is a USA TODAY bestseller, an Amazon Featured Author, and has repeatedly won the title of Kindle All-Star.
367 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 16, 2021
3745 people are currently reading
392 people want to read
About the author
John Ellsworth
147 books516 followersFormerly 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
Official Website: www.ellsworthbooks.com
Official Twitter: @jellsworthbooks
Official Instagram: @johnellsworth_author
Official Facebook: facebook.com/johnellsworthauthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 177 reviews
February 8, 2022
KU read
Interesting start for a series
Interesting start for a series
April 24, 2020
As a member of the Advance Reader Team, I am always excited to receive a copy of a new John Ellsworth. And I was not disappointed when I read his latest, "The District Attorney"
We are introduced to Lettie Portman, wife, mother and young Assistant DA in San Diego, but before that we get a sneak peek into what life was like for Lettie as a young child. It is not pretty!
Lettie makes a major faux pas when she goes to explain her actions in a particular case, to a judge without advising the other side of the argument. While the DA agrees to support her in any upcoming case or complaint against her, it is made very clear that this is not expected of a 4-year ADA and Lettie is put on six-months’ probation.
The case in which Lettie is involved centers around an eleven-year-old girl who is being physically abused, along with her five-year-old brother Abe, by her mother’s live-in boyfriend. The children are very afraid of the violent man. He threatens to hurt their mother, who is unaware of the level of abuse if they tell anybody what really is happening.
The girl, Elle, ends in the hospital with a spiral fracture which she claims happened when she fell off her bed while trying to fix a curtain. The medical staff determine that this fracture couldn’t have happened that way: it could only happen if somebody twisted the young girl’s arm with great force. The girl sticks to her story and the social worker calls in the ADA as she is convinced there is so much more than is being told.
The girl refuses to make a complaint against the man and is eventually released . Being driven home from the hospital the man abuses her once again, twisting her arm in the cast until she agrees to abide by his rules around the house.
No sooner is she home again than the abuse restarts culminating in his hitting her on the back of the head with a flashlight rendering her unconscious. Panicked he sets the scene to look as if she fell off her bike when attempting to enter the yard. This is all watched by the terrified five-year-old.
In time, Lettie convinces Elle to tell the truth and the man, Slep Stephan is arrested and charged with abusing the child.
Things go wrong with Lettie’s case as Abe, having told the mother and Lettie what really happened, crumbles under cross-examination at the trial and the man walks free.
Slep is now obsessed with making Elle pay. He kidnaps her, rapes her and eventually sells her to a people-trafficking ring, and she finds herself working as a streetwalker in Phoenix, Arizona.
Meantime in San Diego, Lettie with the help of her therapist and support of her husband decides to take control of her life and front the man who raped and abused her as a child. The man is her stepfather, Ralph Warden. Her mother who is at the dinner table when Lettie confronts Warden is horrified and leaves her husband at the restaurant.
However, Warden and his money quickly affect the way Lettie’s mother and brother treat Lettie and when they know she is going to take him to trial, they turn on her leaving her confused, angry and upset.
The story takes another turn when Lettie’s five-year-old son, Alan is kidnapped by Stephan.
This is a story of evil, abuse, kidnap and greed and I encourage you to grab a copy as soon as possible. It is a must-read.
I hope we will see more of Lettie, who as the story ends, finds the courage to stand up to her abusers and to help others in similar situations.
Thank you, John Ellsworth, for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
We are introduced to Lettie Portman, wife, mother and young Assistant DA in San Diego, but before that we get a sneak peek into what life was like for Lettie as a young child. It is not pretty!
Lettie makes a major faux pas when she goes to explain her actions in a particular case, to a judge without advising the other side of the argument. While the DA agrees to support her in any upcoming case or complaint against her, it is made very clear that this is not expected of a 4-year ADA and Lettie is put on six-months’ probation.
The case in which Lettie is involved centers around an eleven-year-old girl who is being physically abused, along with her five-year-old brother Abe, by her mother’s live-in boyfriend. The children are very afraid of the violent man. He threatens to hurt their mother, who is unaware of the level of abuse if they tell anybody what really is happening.
The girl, Elle, ends in the hospital with a spiral fracture which she claims happened when she fell off her bed while trying to fix a curtain. The medical staff determine that this fracture couldn’t have happened that way: it could only happen if somebody twisted the young girl’s arm with great force. The girl sticks to her story and the social worker calls in the ADA as she is convinced there is so much more than is being told.
The girl refuses to make a complaint against the man and is eventually released . Being driven home from the hospital the man abuses her once again, twisting her arm in the cast until she agrees to abide by his rules around the house.
No sooner is she home again than the abuse restarts culminating in his hitting her on the back of the head with a flashlight rendering her unconscious. Panicked he sets the scene to look as if she fell off her bike when attempting to enter the yard. This is all watched by the terrified five-year-old.
In time, Lettie convinces Elle to tell the truth and the man, Slep Stephan is arrested and charged with abusing the child.
Things go wrong with Lettie’s case as Abe, having told the mother and Lettie what really happened, crumbles under cross-examination at the trial and the man walks free.
Slep is now obsessed with making Elle pay. He kidnaps her, rapes her and eventually sells her to a people-trafficking ring, and she finds herself working as a streetwalker in Phoenix, Arizona.
Meantime in San Diego, Lettie with the help of her therapist and support of her husband decides to take control of her life and front the man who raped and abused her as a child. The man is her stepfather, Ralph Warden. Her mother who is at the dinner table when Lettie confronts Warden is horrified and leaves her husband at the restaurant.
However, Warden and his money quickly affect the way Lettie’s mother and brother treat Lettie and when they know she is going to take him to trial, they turn on her leaving her confused, angry and upset.
The story takes another turn when Lettie’s five-year-old son, Alan is kidnapped by Stephan.
This is a story of evil, abuse, kidnap and greed and I encourage you to grab a copy as soon as possible. It is a must-read.
I hope we will see more of Lettie, who as the story ends, finds the courage to stand up to her abusers and to help others in similar situations.
Thank you, John Ellsworth, for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
April 23, 2020
This is a thrilling book, one I found nearly impossible to put down. Assistant District Attorney Lettie Portman is a courageous, driven, and complicated woman, who makes an compelling protagonist. John Ellsworth has created an engrossing story, tightly plotted, with characters who are well developed. The author masterfully intertwined many different threads of the storyline into an excellent book, one that I highly recommend!
November 12, 2021
Rant alert! So sorry, for anyone who stumbles here. You'll likely get scared off anyway from my surging rant of a review. This book showed up titled "The People's Lawyer" in my Kindle, which I'm assuming is first edition, so it caught me off guard to see to see this other title on Goodreads. Not that it matters. It's still the same piece of crap book anyway. I had LOTS of complaints along the way, all of which I've made notes on, if you're curious. I'll point out a few of them here, but if you'd rather read through my notes themselves, Click Here
This. Book. Was. GARBAGE. Pure and utter garbage. The only thing I'll commend is the quality ammunition it provided me in ranting about it. The plot could have worked if in the hands of another author, but because it wasn't, it ended up being just shockingly bad. Be warned that the plot deals heavily with child abuse, including being in the head of the abusers. Didn't help that the main said abuser in this book was exaggerated to an unbelievable degree that it made things that much worse. This book destroyed, mangled, shredded, annihilated, and performed any other similar adjectives on my interest in reading ANYTHING else from this author. This is one hard book to take seriously. I mean, good gawd. Literally everything that can go wrong in a book went EXTRA wrong for this one.
The writing style is atrocious. And painfully so. The characters were either over-the-top, or flip-flopping, or horridly cliched, or annoyingly inconsistent, or nonsensical. Character interactions and growths were laughably bad, mostly because developments take place in the background. Worst of all, characters were legit STUPID (more on that later, but see my highlights), especially the main one Lettie Portman. She's annoying. Unlikable. Childish. Immature. Inadequate. I seriously don't know HOW she would even become a district attorney. And given that the author's biography tells a tale on how he gave up the legal profession in real life, that's probably why the story was severely lacking in convincing me of Lettie being actually good at her job. Because there's NOTHING in this story that would indicate such a thing. She's not only a bad character, but she's a bad "professional," one who I DON'T want to get to know in the slightest.
The pacing was ALL. OVER. THE. PLACE. Lots of things left undeveloped or unfinished, chapters ending on one point without a resolution later. I got so much mental whiplash from the gymnastics of it all. It was all clunkily "kersplatting" itself all around me. Bad, bad, BAD editing. I seriously had to reread a dialogued paragraph three or four times before I realized that the author misnamed the person speaking it. No joke. (See my highlighted note for my comment on it). He literally applied the name of the 11-year old character to the adult's dialogue and it was way OBVIOUS. How does no one catch that? Neither the author nor editors? Did editors even exist for this thing? Because it should not have been greenlit. Someone shoulda said something and stopped this book from materializing. *groan*
The amount of useless exclamation points in this thing drove me BONKERS. I'm not kidding when I say that they were EVERYWHERE. Infecting sentences in the most obscure places, totally changing the tone of a scene from tragic/sad to humorous. I mean come on, look at this:
It became painfully evident as this horrible story carried on why the author tended to resort to providing quick, sloppy narrations of his characters interacting in the background rather than giving me a play-by-play via dialogue. Because his version of character dialogue SUCKS. Seriously, absolutely NOBODY talks like the ways these characters talk (see my highlights). You would almost think that the author has no experience talking to people in real life, which of course isn't true in the least, but for it to FEEL that way is quite telling. There is very much a non-existent knack for putting realistic dialogue on the pages here. Some folks can do dialogue great, and some folks can't. And this is very much a CAN'T category. The dialogue that exists here was very poorly done. It was dreadful to read.
Sad to say what further proves the point of the poor plot and character develop is the author's version of a "legal thriller." These specific plot points and the laziness in their writing was wholly evident and so poorly done. It swarmed like a plague throughout this entire story. Courtroom scenes are short-lived, unembellished, and omg, so, so flimsy. For example, there came a point in the story where a weapon that was used for a crime was brought up once to be introduced in court, but then it was absolutely NOT mentioned in the courtroom at ALL (nor was its absence explained, if that was the author's intent). But it was almost as if the author forgot about its importance in the story, or that it even existed in the first place. As a result of all this laziness, crucial arcs in the story feel rushed through haphazardly, which is the BEST way to get me to not care about them.
Much of the "romance" in this story almost exclusively takes place in the background, narrated by the author just to carry the readers through. This in turn made character commentary on the other person very jarring because it refers to things you weren't privy to as a reader, which was SUPER annoying. You're just suddenly supposed to believe that two main characters are in love because of what someone says. I'm willing to bet a big reason for this is because the author simply doesn't know how to write romance, or knows how a woman might think or deal with situations. I know it isn't easy writing the opposite gender of oneself, but plenty of authors have pulled this off splendidly that I forget whether the person writing is a woman or a man. In this case? No. I could very much tell a man was behind the thoughts of the woman in this book.
Last but not least, I just HAVE to reiterate how utterly STUPID people are in this book. Literally everyone does something stupid and nonsensical. I was quite overwhelmed with all the blatant stupidity. For example, the child Elle had been attacked and hospitalized twice by the same man Slep, and yet is STILL left home alone by literally EVERY adult present (including the damn PROSECUTOR!) even despite her showing fearfulness that Slep would come back again. In fact, even the adults felt the same way, that Slep would return. Which of course he does. Good thing that his abduction of Elle was made easier since she inexplicably decided to ride her bike outside ALONE with only her 6-year old brother present and no adults. Where'd all that fear go? Oh, the author removed it for plot convenience. Allow me to go ahead and point out here another stupid moment that involves yet ANOTHER abduction of a child:
This. Book. Was. GARBAGE. Pure and utter garbage. The only thing I'll commend is the quality ammunition it provided me in ranting about it. The plot could have worked if in the hands of another author, but because it wasn't, it ended up being just shockingly bad. Be warned that the plot deals heavily with child abuse, including being in the head of the abusers. Didn't help that the main said abuser in this book was exaggerated to an unbelievable degree that it made things that much worse. This book destroyed, mangled, shredded, annihilated, and performed any other similar adjectives on my interest in reading ANYTHING else from this author. This is one hard book to take seriously. I mean, good gawd. Literally everything that can go wrong in a book went EXTRA wrong for this one.
The writing style is atrocious. And painfully so. The characters were either over-the-top, or flip-flopping, or horridly cliched, or annoyingly inconsistent, or nonsensical. Character interactions and growths were laughably bad, mostly because developments take place in the background. Worst of all, characters were legit STUPID (more on that later, but see my highlights), especially the main one Lettie Portman. She's annoying. Unlikable. Childish. Immature. Inadequate. I seriously don't know HOW she would even become a district attorney. And given that the author's biography tells a tale on how he gave up the legal profession in real life, that's probably why the story was severely lacking in convincing me of Lettie being actually good at her job. Because there's NOTHING in this story that would indicate such a thing. She's not only a bad character, but she's a bad "professional," one who I DON'T want to get to know in the slightest.
The pacing was ALL. OVER. THE. PLACE. Lots of things left undeveloped or unfinished, chapters ending on one point without a resolution later. I got so much mental whiplash from the gymnastics of it all. It was all clunkily "kersplatting" itself all around me. Bad, bad, BAD editing. I seriously had to reread a dialogued paragraph three or four times before I realized that the author misnamed the person speaking it. No joke. (See my highlighted note for my comment on it). He literally applied the name of the 11-year old character to the adult's dialogue and it was way OBVIOUS. How does no one catch that? Neither the author nor editors? Did editors even exist for this thing? Because it should not have been greenlit. Someone shoulda said something and stopped this book from materializing. *groan*
The amount of useless exclamation points in this thing drove me BONKERS. I'm not kidding when I say that they were EVERYWHERE. Infecting sentences in the most obscure places, totally changing the tone of a scene from tragic/sad to humorous. I mean come on, look at this:
"I'm buying donuts after! We can earn those calories!"
"That's what I'm talking about, Sook! I can do this!"
"You got this, Lets!" Sooki said and held out her fist for a bump. "Get it, girl!"
...he wrapped the new yellow belt around her middle in the traditional Taekwondo knot. Which Lettie often got wrong when she tried herself!
"It's a bath that goes for an hour sometimes!"
"I was crying while trying to drive, and everyone was poking along. What a ride!”
“Wait till you feel my abs. Wow!”For the love of gawd. STOP. THE. EXCLAMATION. POINTS.
It became painfully evident as this horrible story carried on why the author tended to resort to providing quick, sloppy narrations of his characters interacting in the background rather than giving me a play-by-play via dialogue. Because his version of character dialogue SUCKS. Seriously, absolutely NOBODY talks like the ways these characters talk (see my highlights). You would almost think that the author has no experience talking to people in real life, which of course isn't true in the least, but for it to FEEL that way is quite telling. There is very much a non-existent knack for putting realistic dialogue on the pages here. Some folks can do dialogue great, and some folks can't. And this is very much a CAN'T category. The dialogue that exists here was very poorly done. It was dreadful to read.
Sad to say what further proves the point of the poor plot and character develop is the author's version of a "legal thriller." These specific plot points and the laziness in their writing was wholly evident and so poorly done. It swarmed like a plague throughout this entire story. Courtroom scenes are short-lived, unembellished, and omg, so, so flimsy. For example, there came a point in the story where a weapon that was used for a crime was brought up once to be introduced in court, but then it was absolutely NOT mentioned in the courtroom at ALL (nor was its absence explained, if that was the author's intent). But it was almost as if the author forgot about its importance in the story, or that it even existed in the first place. As a result of all this laziness, crucial arcs in the story feel rushed through haphazardly, which is the BEST way to get me to not care about them.
Much of the "romance" in this story almost exclusively takes place in the background, narrated by the author just to carry the readers through. This in turn made character commentary on the other person very jarring because it refers to things you weren't privy to as a reader, which was SUPER annoying. You're just suddenly supposed to believe that two main characters are in love because of what someone says. I'm willing to bet a big reason for this is because the author simply doesn't know how to write romance, or knows how a woman might think or deal with situations. I know it isn't easy writing the opposite gender of oneself, but plenty of authors have pulled this off splendidly that I forget whether the person writing is a woman or a man. In this case? No. I could very much tell a man was behind the thoughts of the woman in this book.
Last but not least, I just HAVE to reiterate how utterly STUPID people are in this book. Literally everyone does something stupid and nonsensical. I was quite overwhelmed with all the blatant stupidity. For example, the child Elle had been attacked and hospitalized twice by the same man Slep, and yet is STILL left home alone by literally EVERY adult present (including the damn PROSECUTOR!) even despite her showing fearfulness that Slep would come back again. In fact, even the adults felt the same way, that Slep would return. Which of course he does. Good thing that his abduction of Elle was made easier since she inexplicably decided to ride her bike outside ALONE with only her 6-year old brother present and no adults. Where'd all that fear go? Oh, the author removed it for plot convenience. Allow me to go ahead and point out here another stupid moment that involves yet ANOTHER abduction of a child:
"We were watching them the whole time. We made them buddy up. Alan had to go to the bathroom, but Patrick, his buddy, didn’t go with him. Alan took off to the bathroom, and we haven’t seen him since. The place is huge, lots of toys and equipment blocking our view of the bathrooms…”And here is my response to this:
The utter STUPIDITY of this entire thing. It's asinine. First, if you were watching kids the whole time, a boy wouldn't go missing from them. Second, buddying up 6-year olds with other 6-year olds means NOTHING without adult supervision. Third, Alan went to an ADULT before going the bathroom, which means you CLEARLY SAW he had no buddy with him. Fourth, you were well aware you had no clear sight of the bathroom and you let the kid go anyway. Everything is just. So. STUPID!If it isn't obvious by now, I hated this book and I'm DONE with this series, as well as this author. I see he has a vast collection of stories and heck, maybe some of them are actually good and I just started out with a very bad apple. But alas, the damage is done. Absolutely NOT moving forward in any way. Good riddance. Now to wash my eyes out with more quality stories.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2020
"Moving on"
Perhaps it was the writing style allied with the disturbing subject matter, but somehow this didn't work for me. I never felt engaged with the main character and switched off. Time to move on.
Perhaps it was the writing style allied with the disturbing subject matter, but somehow this didn't work for me. I never felt engaged with the main character and switched off. Time to move on.
April 23, 2020
Lettie has worked in the District Attorney office for four years and is finally getting to handle cases on her own. But Lettie's enthusiasm for dealing with sex crime perpetrators leads her astray from her training when the opportunity to get a victim's statement presents itself.
As the story develops, we learn more of Lettie's upbringing and what has shaped her career choices. Child abuse (especially sexual abuse) is a tough subject to tackle but the author does a good job of dealing with the subject matter without a lot of specific detail. This is complicated storyline with some unseen twists along the way.
As the story develops, we learn more of Lettie's upbringing and what has shaped her career choices. Child abuse (especially sexual abuse) is a tough subject to tackle but the author does a good job of dealing with the subject matter without a lot of specific detail. This is complicated storyline with some unseen twists along the way.
April 23, 2020
An excellent legal thriller with a great storyline and well developed realistic characters. Lettie is truly an excellent main character. The story has a tight plot with plenty of suspense. A very engaging page turner that was hard to put down. Highly recommended book by a terrific writer.
Want to read
June 22, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (6/22/2020)! 🎁
September 2, 2021
Let me start by saying I’ve read a few John Ellsworth novels and they were, for the most part, a pretty decent read, but I’m a little on the fence with this one.
My first issue was the continuity of the story. For instance, if someone kidnapped your child, would you go to work and continue on with life as if nothing had ever happened? Wait, what? Yes, DA Portman goes through some things in this story and it bothered me tremendously that her child will eventually be kidnapped and she went to work and tried an actual case. How in the hell would you be able to concentrate on a trial, if your child had recently gone missing? Wouldn’t you think her boss would have put another DA in charge to be first chair instead? Umm, not sure about you, but there isn’t no way in hell I’m working on anything if my child is missing. Perhaps that is just me!
My second issue with the story line is the way the characters interacted with each other and their dialogue. DA’s and defense counsel usually have legal arguments, but they don’t carry on with the type of banter these characters did. This story appeared to be all over the place with not much rhyme or reason. I could not wrap my head around how these characters were behaving.
When you delve into the story, you’ll find yourself scratching one’s head because a lot of this story didn’t make much sense to me whatsoever. I don’t know how you go from a fourteen year old being sexually abused to the DA having to deal with her own past demons and the way she went about attacking the person who sexually abused her for many years. Bottom line, for me, I think this story would have been so much better had it been broken down into sections and each subject handled individually and then brought together, if this makes sense to you? In other words, there were too many things occurring for each character and it becomes a bit confusing, disjointed and leaving the reader, once again, scratching your head thinking, “what did I miss?”
The synopsis of the story really pulls you in and you grab your favorite drink, collect your e-Reader and snuggle down in your favorite chair or position and begin to read only to keep going back re-reading sections because you’re not quite sure what one subject has to do with the other.
So, with that, the Sexy Nerd gives The District Attorney three life long sentences. Unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling this story at all. In fact, I’m not sure why this book received all the high ratings. It makes me wonder were the people who rated this book if they “truly” read it? And if so, what did they see that I completely missed? Umm, I wasn’t feeling this story by any means. I will not be continuing on with the series. This was certainly not my cup of tea. But, as my readers know, I’m not one to advise anyone not to read something. If you’re familiar with Ellsworth work and would like to give this a try, I say go for it.
To read original review, please go to: https://www.thesexynerdrevue.com/2020...
My first issue was the continuity of the story. For instance, if someone kidnapped your child, would you go to work and continue on with life as if nothing had ever happened? Wait, what? Yes, DA Portman goes through some things in this story and it bothered me tremendously that her child will eventually be kidnapped and she went to work and tried an actual case. How in the hell would you be able to concentrate on a trial, if your child had recently gone missing? Wouldn’t you think her boss would have put another DA in charge to be first chair instead? Umm, not sure about you, but there isn’t no way in hell I’m working on anything if my child is missing. Perhaps that is just me!
My second issue with the story line is the way the characters interacted with each other and their dialogue. DA’s and defense counsel usually have legal arguments, but they don’t carry on with the type of banter these characters did. This story appeared to be all over the place with not much rhyme or reason. I could not wrap my head around how these characters were behaving.
When you delve into the story, you’ll find yourself scratching one’s head because a lot of this story didn’t make much sense to me whatsoever. I don’t know how you go from a fourteen year old being sexually abused to the DA having to deal with her own past demons and the way she went about attacking the person who sexually abused her for many years. Bottom line, for me, I think this story would have been so much better had it been broken down into sections and each subject handled individually and then brought together, if this makes sense to you? In other words, there were too many things occurring for each character and it becomes a bit confusing, disjointed and leaving the reader, once again, scratching your head thinking, “what did I miss?”
The synopsis of the story really pulls you in and you grab your favorite drink, collect your e-Reader and snuggle down in your favorite chair or position and begin to read only to keep going back re-reading sections because you’re not quite sure what one subject has to do with the other.
So, with that, the Sexy Nerd gives The District Attorney three life long sentences. Unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling this story at all. In fact, I’m not sure why this book received all the high ratings. It makes me wonder were the people who rated this book if they “truly” read it? And if so, what did they see that I completely missed? Umm, I wasn’t feeling this story by any means. I will not be continuing on with the series. This was certainly not my cup of tea. But, as my readers know, I’m not one to advise anyone not to read something. If you’re familiar with Ellsworth work and would like to give this a try, I say go for it.
To read original review, please go to: https://www.thesexynerdrevue.com/2020...
May 28, 2020
This book is about child abuse, both physical and sexual, and how it can tear families apart. It is about human trafficking of children. It delves into the reasons wives and mothers ignore child abuse. Lettie Portman is a young Assistant DA with a perfect win record in misdemeanors. Her first case after being moved to felonies is a nightmare. A young girl has her arm broken by her mother’s live in boyfriend. With lies and recanted testimonies and contempt of court charges the perpetrator walks. Lettie knows it will happen again, knows by experience as she was abused for years by her stepfather. Lettie is a strong lead character, not perfect but very believable. The book parallels the child abuse case and the trial of Lettie’s stepfather. The abuser is a heinous man. There was nonstop action as Lettie races to save the girl and herself bI was given a copy of this book by the author. I look forward to reading more about Lettie Portman.
May 19, 2020
A wild ride!
Another great story. My only complaint was that it was a wild ride for the first 98% and everything confidently wrapped up in the final 2%. It was almost as if Mr Ellsworth got tired of writing the story.
Another great story. My only complaint was that it was a wild ride for the first 98% and everything confidently wrapped up in the final 2%. It was almost as if Mr Ellsworth got tired of writing the story.
July 1, 2023
In this gripping legal drama, The District Attorney captivates readers by delving into pressing societal matters that demand our full attention.
What I liked about The District Attorney:
The District Attorney is an exceptionally intense book that tackles weighty subjects such as physical and sexual abuse, and the profound consequences it can have on families. It also sheds light on the distressing issue of human trafficking involving children. John Ellsworth courageously addresses these dark topics, shining a light on real-life events that society often prefers to ignore or overlook. Through his writing, Ellsworth forces readers to confront uncomfortable truths and challenges us to acknowledge and confront the harsh realities that exist in our world.
What I disliked about The District Attorney:
Personally, I found the characters and the storyline to be dry, and it's hard for me to pinpoint the exact reason. Whether it was the nature of the storyline itself or the writing style, there seemed to be a certain element missing that failed to fully captivate my attention.
Furthermore, I couldn't help but notice that the conclusion of the book seemed rushed as if all the loose ends were hastily tied up quickly. Considering the level of detail provided throughout the book, I anticipated that John Ellsworth would have taken more time to provide a more comprehensive resolution.
What I think would have made The District Attorney better:
As previously noted, the story did come across as somewhat dry, leaving me with a sense that something essential was missing from the overall narrative, although I couldn't quite identify what it was. Moreover, I would have welcomed a more prolonged ending.
Would I recommend The District Attorney by John Ellsworth:
This book delves into a deeply sorrowful and unsettling narrative, shedding light on important issues that demand our attention. With its exploration of sexual and physical abuse within the home, as well as the harrowing subject of human trafficking, it serves as an eye-opening account. These crucial topics deserve our awareness, making this book a highly recommended read.
***Trigger Warning: However, this book does contain extremely sensitive and distressing subjects such as sexual and physical abuse, along with the grim reality of human trafficking. ***
****
Lettie Portman, an Assistant District Attorney, confronts her haunting past while tackling a challenging case. When a fourteen-year-old girl endures a brutal assault by her mother's live-in boyfriend, Lettie is drawn into a deeply troubling situation. Motivated by the girl's safety and well-being, Lettie embarks on a mission to bring the perpetrator to justice.
As Lettie immerses herself in the case, she encounters a resilient young girl with aspirations of a normal life, free from the horrors of abuse. Unfortunately, the boyfriend's actions persist, creating a hostile and increasingly dangerous environment. Fueled by her determination, Lettie takes the case to the grand jury, unwavering in her commitment to seeking justice for the victim.
However, Lettie's own painful past threatens to impede her pursuit of justice against the notorious perpetrator. Will she find the strength to confront her own trauma and emerge as the relentless prosecutor the young girl so desperately needs? The answers lie in Lettie's unyielding determination to overcome her own demons and fight for justice.
What I liked about The District Attorney:
The District Attorney is an exceptionally intense book that tackles weighty subjects such as physical and sexual abuse, and the profound consequences it can have on families. It also sheds light on the distressing issue of human trafficking involving children. John Ellsworth courageously addresses these dark topics, shining a light on real-life events that society often prefers to ignore or overlook. Through his writing, Ellsworth forces readers to confront uncomfortable truths and challenges us to acknowledge and confront the harsh realities that exist in our world.
What I disliked about The District Attorney:
Personally, I found the characters and the storyline to be dry, and it's hard for me to pinpoint the exact reason. Whether it was the nature of the storyline itself or the writing style, there seemed to be a certain element missing that failed to fully captivate my attention.
Furthermore, I couldn't help but notice that the conclusion of the book seemed rushed as if all the loose ends were hastily tied up quickly. Considering the level of detail provided throughout the book, I anticipated that John Ellsworth would have taken more time to provide a more comprehensive resolution.
What I think would have made The District Attorney better:
As previously noted, the story did come across as somewhat dry, leaving me with a sense that something essential was missing from the overall narrative, although I couldn't quite identify what it was. Moreover, I would have welcomed a more prolonged ending.
Would I recommend The District Attorney by John Ellsworth:
This book delves into a deeply sorrowful and unsettling narrative, shedding light on important issues that demand our attention. With its exploration of sexual and physical abuse within the home, as well as the harrowing subject of human trafficking, it serves as an eye-opening account. These crucial topics deserve our awareness, making this book a highly recommended read.
***Trigger Warning: However, this book does contain extremely sensitive and distressing subjects such as sexual and physical abuse, along with the grim reality of human trafficking. ***
****
Lettie Portman, an Assistant District Attorney, confronts her haunting past while tackling a challenging case. When a fourteen-year-old girl endures a brutal assault by her mother's live-in boyfriend, Lettie is drawn into a deeply troubling situation. Motivated by the girl's safety and well-being, Lettie embarks on a mission to bring the perpetrator to justice.
As Lettie immerses herself in the case, she encounters a resilient young girl with aspirations of a normal life, free from the horrors of abuse. Unfortunately, the boyfriend's actions persist, creating a hostile and increasingly dangerous environment. Fueled by her determination, Lettie takes the case to the grand jury, unwavering in her commitment to seeking justice for the victim.
However, Lettie's own painful past threatens to impede her pursuit of justice against the notorious perpetrator. Will she find the strength to confront her own trauma and emerge as the relentless prosecutor the young girl so desperately needs? The answers lie in Lettie's unyielding determination to overcome her own demons and fight for justice.
June 8, 2021
Disappointing for this author
I've read the vast majority of his other books, I particularly enjoyed the Thaddeus Murphy series. This one started out great and was pretty enticing as the story was engaging and the characters developing nicely. I was even impressed with the sensitivity used when writing about such harrowing topics as child abuse, rape and even children being sold into human trafficking. Unfortunately the plot simply didn't ring true towards the end.
CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM HERE - a parent wouldn't be able to function on anything other than a very basic level knowing their 5 year old was likely in the hands of a very violent man, let alone prosecute him in court (on a different charge) in the days following - nor would she be allowed to!!!. The last few chapters felt rushed, almost like there was a word limit so the story had to be wrapped up pretty quickly and not to the same standard as the earlier parts of the book. Very little was said about her brothers death and the aftermath, nor her search for the step fathers hidden assets nor her being paid over 5 million, it was all kind of glossed over and barely mentioned. I appreciate these issues may be dealt with in future books but it just left me feeling disappointed with the book overall.
I've read the vast majority of his other books, I particularly enjoyed the Thaddeus Murphy series. This one started out great and was pretty enticing as the story was engaging and the characters developing nicely. I was even impressed with the sensitivity used when writing about such harrowing topics as child abuse, rape and even children being sold into human trafficking. Unfortunately the plot simply didn't ring true towards the end.
CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM HERE - a parent wouldn't be able to function on anything other than a very basic level knowing their 5 year old was likely in the hands of a very violent man, let alone prosecute him in court (on a different charge) in the days following - nor would she be allowed to!!!. The last few chapters felt rushed, almost like there was a word limit so the story had to be wrapped up pretty quickly and not to the same standard as the earlier parts of the book. Very little was said about her brothers death and the aftermath, nor her search for the step fathers hidden assets nor her being paid over 5 million, it was all kind of glossed over and barely mentioned. I appreciate these issues may be dealt with in future books but it just left me feeling disappointed with the book overall.
November 8, 2020
Good thriller, but needs work
The plot makes for a good thriller, and I learned a.lot of detail about the American felony court system. However, the writing needs a lot more work, and the writer needs an editor.
The characters are flat and not well developed, just enough to contribute to the story. It’s a good story and if the reader isn’t bothered by sustained dialogue, inappropriate and inconsistent use of stream of consciousness, I’d recommend it because of the court procedural detail and the thrilling end.
I won’t be buying any more of the authors work, this genre is well supplied and it’s not difficult to find other, better writers. It is thrilling, so if you enjoy this genre, give the author a go, and see what you think of the writing. As an independent author he’s not bad, there are certainly a lot worse writers out there, but I do wish he would invest in a good editor. It could take his writing to a new, better level.
The plot makes for a good thriller, and I learned a.lot of detail about the American felony court system. However, the writing needs a lot more work, and the writer needs an editor.
The characters are flat and not well developed, just enough to contribute to the story. It’s a good story and if the reader isn’t bothered by sustained dialogue, inappropriate and inconsistent use of stream of consciousness, I’d recommend it because of the court procedural detail and the thrilling end.
I won’t be buying any more of the authors work, this genre is well supplied and it’s not difficult to find other, better writers. It is thrilling, so if you enjoy this genre, give the author a go, and see what you think of the writing. As an independent author he’s not bad, there are certainly a lot worse writers out there, but I do wish he would invest in a good editor. It could take his writing to a new, better level.
March 17, 2021
A great start to this new series! The main protagonist, Lettie Portman, the main protagonist, is a courageous, driven, and complicated woman fighting to overcome the affects of sexual abuse as a child.
A fast-paced read that grabs you on the first page and is powered by non-stop action and a taut, emotional narrative His well-developed characters and wonderful writing style, full of twists and turns, will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page, trying to anticipate where this story would go. This is a definite page-turner that I couldn’t put down until the very last page. It is realistic with engaging characters that you're sure to love! I am anxious to see how the rest of this series unfolds!
Thank you to the author who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
A fast-paced read that grabs you on the first page and is powered by non-stop action and a taut, emotional narrative His well-developed characters and wonderful writing style, full of twists and turns, will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page, trying to anticipate where this story would go. This is a definite page-turner that I couldn’t put down until the very last page. It is realistic with engaging characters that you're sure to love! I am anxious to see how the rest of this series unfolds!
Thank you to the author who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
July 8, 2020
It sounded like it needs a better proof reading. At one point, the victim name was replaced by the DA's first name (Lettie instead of Elle), and a couple of places there were other obvious typos. These little mistakes distract me. I read it mostly because the plot had potential but I didn't get to know the main character or her husband and couldn't care less about what was happening to them.
There were pages and pages of dialog that had nothing to do with the story and didn't help the character development either.
The house was described as a huge and expensive dwelling but in another scene it was called a very tiny house. There were a few similar discrepancies but I won't mention all.
Now containing spoilers:
The villain who was an abusive rapist was a software developer who at some point was a provider for this family and in the next page he sounded like an uneducated unemployed man driving his truck to home depot to find day jobs and was leaching off the mother of the kids!
There were pages and pages of dialog that had nothing to do with the story and didn't help the character development either.
The house was described as a huge and expensive dwelling but in another scene it was called a very tiny house. There were a few similar discrepancies but I won't mention all.
Now containing spoilers:
The villain who was an abusive rapist was a software developer who at some point was a provider for this family and in the next page he sounded like an uneducated unemployed man driving his truck to home depot to find day jobs and was leaching off the mother of the kids!
November 1, 2020
The reason I have given only two stars is because three quarters into the novel the plot turns into a manipulative mess. You have the main character making some questionable decisions about her personal and professional life and then you have a thuggish antagonist who somehow eludes every law enforcement agency on the planet (well, it seems that way). OK, Big Evil, vulnerable, imperfect protagonist, fine. But 87% into the novel, something happens that made me want to throw my Kindle across the room. If you insist on reading this, I won't devulge what it is, but suffice it to say that if I were editing this thing I'd advise Mr. Ellsworth to just kill off everyone and be done with it. Save the reader a lot of time.
August 31, 2023
Its so terrible that its great!
This story is full of sad, depressing events since the DA works prosecuting those who abuse and assault women and children. Sort of CA version of Special Victims Unit. Lettie is a single mom, and a physical assault case lands on her desk as she's beginning to remember her own sexual assaults as a child. Of course the case takes a toll on everyone and the crimes escalate after he is acquitted by a jury. Lettie sues her wealthy step father against her family's wishes in an attempt to hold him accountable.
The crimes are horrible of course, and the fear that the victims experience comes through loud and clear in the pages. I'm looking forward to reading more but have to space them out because of the subject matter!
This story is full of sad, depressing events since the DA works prosecuting those who abuse and assault women and children. Sort of CA version of Special Victims Unit. Lettie is a single mom, and a physical assault case lands on her desk as she's beginning to remember her own sexual assaults as a child. Of course the case takes a toll on everyone and the crimes escalate after he is acquitted by a jury. Lettie sues her wealthy step father against her family's wishes in an attempt to hold him accountable.
The crimes are horrible of course, and the fear that the victims experience comes through loud and clear in the pages. I'm looking forward to reading more but have to space them out because of the subject matter!
April 24, 2020
This is another great book from John Ellsworth . The newest character in his ensemble is Lettie Portman an Assistant District Attorney who works diligently to protect children while not so fondly remembering her own childhood. The plot is well constructed and interesting and the characters are well developed and believable. This book will will grab you when you open the first page and not let go until you finish. I received this book as an Advanced Reader and was definitely pleased to have the opportunity to read and review it. I definitely recommend this book and hope there are more to follow.
May 17, 2020
Terrible editing
I’m a huge John Ellsworth fan however this novel was so bad I almost didn’t make it through it. The only reason I kept going was to continue editing and make notes of the errors.
In the afterward the author acknowledges his son-in-law and daughter for contributing written chapters so that may be why parts of the story are so incongruent.
I’m completely shocked by the number of high reviews. I know as a reader I’m willing to overlook minor errors by my favorite authors but I couldn’t with this novel.
The story itself had a ton of potential and hopefully the next book in this series actually reads like it was written by this author.
I’m a huge John Ellsworth fan however this novel was so bad I almost didn’t make it through it. The only reason I kept going was to continue editing and make notes of the errors.
In the afterward the author acknowledges his son-in-law and daughter for contributing written chapters so that may be why parts of the story are so incongruent.
I’m completely shocked by the number of high reviews. I know as a reader I’m willing to overlook minor errors by my favorite authors but I couldn’t with this novel.
The story itself had a ton of potential and hopefully the next book in this series actually reads like it was written by this author.
June 20, 2020
The District Attorney was the bomb, I give John give stats, he just gets better every time, I compare Lettie to myself, with her dificulties, but in order to succeed you have to keep going, even when you think that you can't make it you keep pushing and it will all worth your whole in the end, and that is just what John was trying to tell us in this book, never give up on our dreams. People might try to play on our dreams but as long as you show them that you are determined they will appreciate us one day. Thanks John I always learn something different every book you write, it always have a message, thank you very much for Lrttie' s courage.
June 11, 2020
Riveting read
Ellsworth always delivers a purely captivating story and this one is intense. A district attorney who was sexually abused as a child is trying to deal with her continued issues stemming from that and live her life. At work she has her first case against a child abuser. At home she is closed off and edgy. Therapy is helping, but not fast enough. No spoilers here, read the book!The story is told so well that I stayed up way too late to keep reading. A definite must read.
Ellsworth always delivers a purely captivating story and this one is intense. A district attorney who was sexually abused as a child is trying to deal with her continued issues stemming from that and live her life. At work she has her first case against a child abuser. At home she is closed off and edgy. Therapy is helping, but not fast enough. No spoilers here, read the book!The story is told so well that I stayed up way too late to keep reading. A definite must read.
June 27, 2020
Don't waste your time...nothing here...choppy storyline...with a completely inept and dangerous DA named Lettie Portman. Incompetent lawyer. Lost two very winnable cases putting her clients at extreme risk when the bad guy walked.
Not at all good in developing her case for trial...thus, she gets routinely beaten. Nothing of value in this book containing child trafficking and molestation. Lettie should give up the lawyer gig and get a job in detail somewhere. She is very dangerous!!
Not at all good in developing her case for trial...thus, she gets routinely beaten. Nothing of value in this book containing child trafficking and molestation. Lettie should give up the lawyer gig and get a job in detail somewhere. She is very dangerous!!
July 2, 2020
The District Attorney
I choose this rating because the story was so well written and had a brilliant story line a story line that happens every day all across the world and I am sure there are plenty of people like Lettie who dedicate their lives to finding those responsible. Would recommend this book and other works by this author to any reader . Stories are well defined and well researched and well written.
I choose this rating because the story was so well written and had a brilliant story line a story line that happens every day all across the world and I am sure there are plenty of people like Lettie who dedicate their lives to finding those responsible. Would recommend this book and other works by this author to any reader . Stories are well defined and well researched and well written.
August 2, 2022
law through the eyes of a District Attorney
Lettie Portman is one DA with a multitude of problems to juggle! New to level four, she desperately wants her first solo case to go well, but to say things just don’t seem to go well is a huge understatement. There are so many twists and turns in this story that it is impossible to predict the result.
I was a little distracted as I neared the end by a series of glaring grammatical errors that should have been picked up, but otherwise this was an intriguing read. I enjoyed it very much.
Lettie Portman is one DA with a multitude of problems to juggle! New to level four, she desperately wants her first solo case to go well, but to say things just don’t seem to go well is a huge understatement. There are so many twists and turns in this story that it is impossible to predict the result.
I was a little distracted as I neared the end by a series of glaring grammatical errors that should have been picked up, but otherwise this was an intriguing read. I enjoyed it very much.
November 6, 2022
Would Be Better With An Editor
This book was more than decent, but not as good as it could be. It was hard to follow sometimes. Several times I had to read passages more than once. The transition from one character to another wasn't smooth. It was sometimes confusing as to who was speaking. Sometimes the wrong name was used. For example using Alan when it was supposed to be Abe. Finally the characters need fleshing out. Characters need more
background. One wonders if the book had an editor. Overall the book was decent but with editing it would be good.
This book was more than decent, but not as good as it could be. It was hard to follow sometimes. Several times I had to read passages more than once. The transition from one character to another wasn't smooth. It was sometimes confusing as to who was speaking. Sometimes the wrong name was used. For example using Alan when it was supposed to be Abe. Finally the characters need fleshing out. Characters need more
background. One wonders if the book had an editor. Overall the book was decent but with editing it would be good.
December 1, 2022
The story line was good
and could even be called fresh. John Ellsworth is 1 of my favorite authors. I wish I could give the book more stars but it was my least favorite of the Ellsworth books that I've read so far, and I think I've read almost all of them, if not all. The bad guy was very bad and his character was drawn out very well. I was not able to bond with Lettie Portman. She was just too up and then to down and then too all over the map for me. And there were several times in the book that things just didn't make sense. John I still love ya!
and could even be called fresh. John Ellsworth is 1 of my favorite authors. I wish I could give the book more stars but it was my least favorite of the Ellsworth books that I've read so far, and I think I've read almost all of them, if not all. The bad guy was very bad and his character was drawn out very well. I was not able to bond with Lettie Portman. She was just too up and then to down and then too all over the map for me. And there were several times in the book that things just didn't make sense. John I still love ya!
January 31, 2023
A Bit of a Disappointment
I enjoyed the premise of the story, as well as the characters. The character development was also quite good. It was a bit slower than other legal thrillers I have read by John Ellsworth. My main criticism is with the proofreading. Characters were often misnamed and that, along with sketchy editing, started catching my attention more than the storyline. I would still recommend it to a friend, along with a note to expect some inconsistencies in writing.
I enjoyed the premise of the story, as well as the characters. The character development was also quite good. It was a bit slower than other legal thrillers I have read by John Ellsworth. My main criticism is with the proofreading. Characters were often misnamed and that, along with sketchy editing, started catching my attention more than the storyline. I would still recommend it to a friend, along with a note to expect some inconsistencies in writing.
May 21, 2020
As with most of John Ellsworth's books, I read it overnight. Once you get started with Thaddeus, Michael or now Lettie, you can't just take a break. Lettie looks to be a great series heroine who is multi-dimensionable. As a new assistant DA, she is trying to prove herself, but the cards seem to be stacked against her. This is an emotional read, especially since children are involved. You may be heart-broken on one page and angry on another.
I'm looking forward to more of Lettie Portman.
I'm looking forward to more of Lettie Portman.
June 8, 2020
The District Attorney: A Novel (Lettie Portman Book 1)
I liked the book. The authors did a good job in creating a history and description of the characters. The series has promise. The extended court events was somewhat exaggerated and could have been shorter making the point same point. The portion regarding child trafficking brings a very sad issue some needed acknowledgment. I will send Book 2, looking for a more professional Lettie in spite of her weaknesses.
I liked the book. The authors did a good job in creating a history and description of the characters. The series has promise. The extended court events was somewhat exaggerated and could have been shorter making the point same point. The portion regarding child trafficking brings a very sad issue some needed acknowledgment. I will send Book 2, looking for a more professional Lettie in spite of her weaknesses.
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