1.57k reviews for:

Fifty Fifty

Steve Cavanagh

4.21 AVERAGE

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No
dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad 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: Complicated
challenging dark funny informative mysterious reflective tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
medium-paced

This was my first thriller in a while and I was really pleased with it. 

The middle section had my heart racing, at every turn I thought I knew what was going to happen but I was consistently wrong. 

I'm going to be thinking of this one for a long time, think Menendez Brothers meets psychopath. 

I requested this one off NetGalley after reading Kill For Me, Kill For You and it did not disappoint.

Review: Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh

Steve Cavanagh’s Fifty Fifty is an absolutely riveting legal thriller that grabs you from page one and doesn’t let go. This is the fifth book in the Eddie Flynn series, but it works perfectly well as a standalone—though once you’ve read this one, you’ll definitely want to go back for more.

The setup is ingenious: two sisters each accuse the other of murdering their father, a powerful former mayor of New York. Both are clearly hiding something—but which one is guilty? Both are on trial, both have skilled defense attorneys (including Eddie Flynn himself), and the case unspools in a tense, twisty courtroom battle that keeps readers guessing until the very end.

Cavanagh’s writing is razor-sharp and lean, with no wasted words. The courtroom scenes are expertly crafted and full of crackling tension. Eddie is an immensely likable protagonist—smart, principled, and with just the right amount of irreverence—and the pacing is breakneck without sacrificing character depth.

One of the things I appreciated most was how Cavanagh plays with perspective and reader expectations. You’ll find yourself changing your mind again and again about which sister is guilty—and just when you think you’ve figured it out, Cavanagh pulls the rug out from under you in the best possible way.

In short: Fifty Fifty is a smart, taut, and thoroughly entertaining legal thriller with a brilliant premise and a fantastic payoff. If you’re a fan of John Grisham, Michael Connelly, or Lisa Scottoline, this is a must-read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes