Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
ARC REVIEW ♊ Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Book #5 in the Eddie Flynn series
Two sisters, one dead father, and a courtroom showdown that’ll have you trusting no one! This legal thriller is as twisty as it is addictive.
"Fifty Fifty" kicks off with a bang. A former NYC mayor is found savagely murdered, and both of his grown daughters are at the scene, each claiming the other did it. This legal face-off unfolds like a high-stakes game of chess, with multiple points of view adding to the suspense, including the most chilling of them all: the anonymous killer. The mysterious narrator makes this book both creepy and compelling. This is one of my favorite narratives, and Cavanagh executes it perfectly here.
Even if you’re jumping into the series out of order (yep, that's me 🙋♀️), you won’t feel lost. Eddie Flynn is as sharp, witty, and morally scrappy as ever, and Cavanagh’s signature humor keeps the darker moments from feeling too heavy. The pacing is brisk, and the legal drama is top-tier.
If you like your thrillers clever, fast, and a little dark with a side of courtroom sass, "Fifty Fifty" needs to be on your reading list!
Trust no one, suspect everyone, and buckle up for the ride!
Thank you to the author and Atria Books for providing this eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was my first book by Steve Cavanaugh. Eddie Flynn is a lawyer that used to be a con artist which gives him a unique perspective on people especially his clients. This is a legal thriller and I loved the way the author gave us little clues to bring the plot together. It was so layered and unpredictable. Two sisters each accusing the other of murder and on trial together. These were some truly interesting characters. I enjoyed the whodunnit legal battle. This story kept me locked in and I did not foresee the ending. I realize this is apart of a series and I must say I'm intrigued and will be reading more. Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for the eARC.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This exciting crime thriller will have you on the edge of your seat. If you love the legal and courtroom aspects of crime thrillers, this is a book worth checking out. The suspense and twists kept this fast-paced book engaging from start to finish. I was unaware that this was the 5th in the Eddie Flynn series before starting. I am interested in reading the first four to see how his journey all began.
My only qualms with the book as an American are that you can tell that the author is not American. This isn't a huge deal, but there a words and phrases throughout the book that are not used by Americans. These words and phrases detracted from the book. NYPD was overused when the police could have simply been used. The author wanted to drill into the book that this was an American lawyer, and American crime, based in New York.
There were also a few legal/procedural items that were inaccurate, such as reconnection and double jeopardy which resulted in me giving less than 5 stars. The research and updating of those items are necessary.
Thank you, NetGalley, Atria Books, and Steve Cavanagh, for the opportunity to read this digital ARC for my honest review.
My only qualms with the book as an American are that you can tell that the author is not American. This isn't a huge deal, but there a words and phrases throughout the book that are not used by Americans. These words and phrases detracted from the book. NYPD was overused when the police could have simply been used. The author wanted to drill into the book that this was an American lawyer, and American crime, based in New York.
There were also a few legal/procedural items that were inaccurate, such as reconnection and double jeopardy which resulted in me giving less than 5 stars. The research and updating of those items are necessary.
Thank you, NetGalley, Atria Books, and Steve Cavanagh, for the opportunity to read this digital ARC for my honest review.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a super compelling and addicting read! It’s the fifth book in the Eddie Flynn series but the first one I’ve read, and my first book from the author. After this I will definitely be picking up more. We follow Eddie as he represents one of two sisters accused of murdering their father, both sisters are blaming the other but as the story progresses we see that they both have motives and means. I definitely flipped back and forth in who I thought was the murderer and although ultimately I came to the right conclusion early on I still enjoyed seeing how the story played out. I guess I don’t read many legal procedurals because this was a different point of view for me, usually we follow the police investigation side of things but I enjoyed seeing the ins and outs of the court process. I also really liked that the author put a lot of thought into the legal aspects of forensics, I thought it was a very realistic take on how things typically happen. I am definitely excited to read more by this author!
Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for this e-ARC that I chose to read and review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I think I might have rated it 5 stars had I had more time to focus on it.
Sophie and Alexandra Avellino are both on trial for the murder of their father. Except only one of them did it. Eddie Flynn and Kate Brooks both think their clients are innocent, except one of them is a killer. But which sister is the murderer? And which attorney backed the right horse?
I really liked the method of storytelling for this one! Just when you thought you had it figured out because a clue was dropped something would pop up that would make you think the other way.
I will say I think I figured out who the killer was before the reveal but I really enjoyed how it all unfolded.
I’m definitely going to be going back and reading more of the books in this series! I loved that you didn’t need to read the earlier books to enjoy this one!
Sophie and Alexandra Avellino are both on trial for the murder of their father. Except only one of them did it. Eddie Flynn and Kate Brooks both think their clients are innocent, except one of them is a killer. But which sister is the murderer? And which attorney backed the right horse?
I really liked the method of storytelling for this one! Just when you thought you had it figured out because a clue was dropped something would pop up that would make you think the other way.
I will say I think I figured out who the killer was before the reveal but I really enjoyed how it all unfolded.
I’m definitely going to be going back and reading more of the books in this series! I loved that you didn’t need to read the earlier books to enjoy this one!