Jury of One by John Warley An eminent judge being considered for important appointment is the focus of this legal thriller. Upon learning more about the Judge in both his personal and professional life, it was difficult to relate to some of his actions. The ending left some unanswered questions. All in all an entertaining read.

Thank you to the author, Koehler Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me the ARC(Advanced Readers Copy) of this book. All the views and opinions expressed are my own.
Being a fan of legal thrillers, I requested this book but due to various reasons, never got around to read it. However, I was underwhelmed by this book.
This book follows Dan Borders who is on the verge of becoming a Supreme Court judge as a result of his Jury of One idea. However, due to a divorce case he dealt with year's ago, he finds himself at the wrong place at the wrong time on the night when Alana's ex Toby, from whom she had gotten a divorce is killed.
I was underwhelmed mainly because there were a few courtroom scenes and I would have liked more of them. Although, my favorite character was of Dan Borders despite the fact he was cheating on his wife mainly because I like men of power. I also liked him due to the way he took care of his wife who was suffering from Multiple Sclerosis.
There were areas where this book dragged a little and hindered the pace of the book although ample amount of time has been given for the character development of all the characters.
I would recommend this book to any person who wants to begin reading legal thrillers as the person would realize whether legal thrillers suit his/her taste and would give the individual an idea what legal thrillers are like.

I could not put this book down! I loved the drama and the suspense that held me captive in this book! I loved the way it felt you actually knew the characters. They were well explained. Pulled me to the very end!

Thank you NetGalley for a chance to read and review this advance copy. I am sad to say that I did not finish this book. I tried to get into the story and just could not do it. The characters and events were not believable and just didn’t make sense, at least not to me. I am sorry but I would not recommend.

This was a good story which kept me turning the pages throughout the night. Great mystery, writing and plotting will recommend to all my friends who love this genre.

Wow! What a wonderful well written book. I was captured right from the beginning. I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend

In this legal thriller, South Carolina Circuit Court judge Dan Borders appears poised for selection to the state Supreme Court thanks to his controversial proposal for dealing with death penalty cases. But a divorce he entered years earlier for Alana Morgan, a bright, ambitious school teacher, leads to a relationship that puts both of their futures in jeopardy. On the night Alana's ex, Toby, is killed, Dan finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. He and Alana strike a deal that may save them both.

Wow, what a book this was. I cannot say how much I enjoyed this story. If you like legal thrillers then this will definitely be one you want to get hold of and now John Warley has been added to my favourite authors list. This is a very well put together book and the quality of the main characters really is what makes the book shine.

Dan and Alana meet and Dan is instantly attracted to her, only problem is that he is married so this does complicate things. Dan is not a bad guy, it is just that he is struggling. His wife has MS and anyone that knows any thing about the disease will know that this is a terrible burden to carry both physically and emotionally for both people in the relationship. I felt that the author handled this aspect of the book very well making the reader understand how this can affect life in such a major way. The path that Dan and Alana take will not be easy for either of them but makes great reading for us.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions are my own.

I thought this book could have been so much more. All around decent legal thriller with ending I thought left too many questions unanswered . 3.5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley for advance copy.

A little confusing because of the back and forth on character chapters. Once you find your way through his writing style, the story gets you sucked in and the ending I just didn't see coming.

Jury of One by John Warley is a legal drama about a pact to remain silent in order to protect a judge who is the likely next appointee as Chief Justice. South Carolina Circuit Court Judge Dan Borders is a much loved and revered figure who jumpstarts Alana Morgan’s car one evening after a Historical Society meeting. The untimely death (a shooting) of Alana’s ex-husband leads to a pact between them, in order to protect each other. As their relationship develops, consequences from that night put both of their futures in jeopardy, when an ambitious young prosecutor questions Alana’s account of the shooting. Can she be trusted to keep silent and how will the investigation affect Dan’s chances of securing the nomination for Chief Justice? Although a promising premise, the narrative doesn’t quite deliver on the tension, despite a startling twist of a climax and so a three stars rating of a legal thriller rating. With thanks to Koehler Books and the author for an uncorrected proof copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.

A hidden gem of a book that I’m glad I stumbled upon. Alana, a school teacher, is charged with murder in the shooting death of her ex-husband; facing the death penalty a jury will find her either innocent or guilty. Judge Borders wants to change the way death penalty cases are handled. Alana doesn’t want a jury of 12 but of one. The lines between Judge and the accused become blurry as Beaufort County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Niles Borders has a unique history with Alana; a secret lurks between them threatening to expose them both.

This is a well thought-out and written book that I found hard to put down. With almost perfect character building you could imagine this story actually taking place. I found the history and context intriguing – who doesn’t love a good legal thriller, but I wish more of the plot focused on the trial itself. While the story itself did focus on court and the case, a majority of it happened outside the walls of the courthouse.

Lots of drama and legal jargon, if you love legal thrillers I recommend you read this book. This was my first time reading this author and it definitely won’t be the last.

I received an ARC copy of this book and leave this review of my own accord. #NetGalley #juryofone

If you love legal thrillers, this is a must read! The character development is phenomenal; never have I felt so invested in fictional person's ethical and moral dilemmas. You can't help find yourself rooting for and against the main characters, sometime simultaneously wanting victory and demise. This was my first from this author but I'll definitely be back for more!

Side note: Minor typos, page 114, line 6. Page 274, line 27.

A solid legal thriller. I don't read a lot of these, but enjoyed this one. Good story and interesting characters.

Thanks very much for the free ARC for review!!

First book I’ve read by this, and I hope to read more. An excellent legal thriller which focuses on an highly-respected judge. As the story carefully unfolds, we learn much more about the personal and professional life of the man in the robe who is being considered for an important appointment.

This is an unfamiliar author to me who’s written a thought provoking legal mystery. It’s set in South Carolina and it’s history and prejudices are spot on. The story puts into play a rather radical concept for options available to prisoners sentenced to life. The plot squarely pits right against wrong, consequences versus results, and seems meant to test your beliefs in justice.
The main character, Judge Daniel Borders, is a family man, honorable and fair. His dependability and case rulings haven’t gone unnoticed and he’s destined for advancement. Until a series of events, his midlife boredom, an ailing wife and some bad decisions threatens to derail everything. How far will he go to save himself? Will he dishonor his robe, conspire in a cover-up or uphold the laws he took an oath to enforce?
I was totally engrossed with this story in my favorite genre. There’s an unpredictable zinger of a twist that I didn’t see coming. Highly recommend to readers who enjoy legal courtroom drama with issues worth debating.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing the digital advance reader copy of “Jury of One” by John Warley, Published by köehlerbooks. The expected publication date is April 4, 2023. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

Jury of One
by John Warley
Description
In this legal thriller, South Carolina Circuit Court judge Dan Borders appears poised for selection as Chief Justice of the state supreme court thanks to his controversial proposal for dealing with death penalty cases. But a divorce he entered years earlier for Alana Morgan, a bright, ambitious schoolteacher, leads to a relationship that puts both of their futures in jeopardy. On the night Alana's ex, Toby, is killed, Dan finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. He and Alana strike a deal that may save them both.

Can Dan trust Alana to keep her vow of silence? Can she rely on him to protect her when an aggressive young Indian prosecutor realizes her account of the confrontation raises suspicions? Alana and Dan depend on each other to avoid the cliff that awaits both if the pact is broken as Jury of One pushes the limits of human trust and moral reckoning to an unforgettable climax.


Dan Borders is a judge in a small Southern town, a decent and highly respected man of honor, He is a well-liked, even loved judge and person. He is about to become Chief Justice of the state if all goes well. The story is built around a trial judge’s idea for transforming the death penalty. A Jury of One.
Then enters Alana Morgan and all bets are off. When Alana's ex, is killed, the decision is made when morals, truths, and lies in court.

This was a VERY well-written novel by John Warley. I would say, I had to say BRAVO . This was a well-thought-out plot, one I felt, and could feel as the tick, tick tick of how it plays out. Best read of 2023.