This is an interesting, well written story about an unknown man who enjoys killing. The plot is cleverly disguised to keep his identity secret. How the killer manipulates his identity to achieve his goals is surprising. This is Steve Cavanagh's third book. Thirteen was so entertaining I may need to go back and read the first two books.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy from Flatiron Books through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.
#Thirteen #NetGalley

Thirteen is a story of two main characters. A too good to be true defense lawyer and a serial killer who is too unbelievable to take this book seriously. All the elements are here but I really struggled with this book, it took a week to finish and I did not put it aside because it seemed I should like this book. I do not need todo a synopsis of the story as I see plenty of reviews who explain it. This may be one of those books where it is helpful to have read the other books in the series so you are more invested in the characters.
You will need to suspend disbelief in how quickly this attorney makes connections and solves murders that the FBI has apparently been clueless about. The lengths to which the killer goes to do he can be on the jury are jaw dropping. I can understand the high praise for this book as it does have a lot of action but it was too far fetched for me to really enjoy.

*4.5 stars!

Eddie Flynn is a criminal lawyer who wants a simpler career and life for the sake of his family, but he's good at what he does. Rudy Carp may just be able to help Eddie, as he offers him a steady job in exchange for his assistance on the next big media frenzy-focused trial: the murder of actress Ariella Bloom by her famous husband, Robert Soloman. All Eddie has to do help Bobby walk free. But is it ever that easy? Because whilst the lawyers prepare for the trial of the century, the killer has set his plan in motion. One part of said plan? He's on the jury for the murder trial of his victims.

Okay, I've got zero chill, so I'll just say it. It's currently 2.57am, and I have just finished whisper-shouting whilst slapping my bed:
"are you f***ing serious! Are you f***ing serious! Are - you - f***king - serious!"
I really enjoyed this. It kept me interested, intrigued and on my toes until the last pages. This is the first Eddie Flynn book I’ve read, and it’s definitely a legal thriller that’s worth picking up.

This is full of legal procedure and courtroom drama, which was engaging due to the back-and-forth nature of prosecutor and defence attorney’s relationship. I found it really difficult to put the book down, especially when the story got into the nitty-gritty of the trial. One minute I was at 50%, and in the next minute, I was at 85%.

Thirteen has excellent plot development; the plot moves forward with an easy and enjoyable pace, filled with engrossing courtroom drama, special services investigations and an insight into what the killer is up to per his perspective.
Cavanagh successfully pulls the reader in by his use of alternating perspectives. On one hand, there's Eddie Flynn, criminal defence attorney, whose perspective is compelling. On the other hand, is the killer that's behind all of the sinister events that unfold. This contributes to a tone that likens to cat-and-mouse thrillers, that builds a consistent suspense toward the novel’s climax.

The characters were great; they made this a deliciously frustrating read, in the best possible way. The book is compromised with characters that are easy to root for; a victim who is facing jail due to being framed, there’s spunky kick-ass females and the lawyer with a righteous outlook to help those in need. And then there are characters that are meant to irk the reader; characters giving testimonials that you just want to shut up, shady police officers you want karma to bite on the ass, and the ruthless baddie who has little empathy.

Literally, this was a sure 5 star read for me until the last 5% of the read. I had been a little irked with some of the long-winded prose, but similar to Cavanagh's latest book Twisted, it could easily be overlooked as it was compensated for with all the thrills. But, in the big climax, I felt slightly dumbfounded with what transpired. There was an awesome, jaw-dropping twist that inspired by whisper-shouting moment, but I also had a teeny tiny issue with the ending.
It wasn't that it wasn't believable, but I feel it was questionable – I wasn't fully convinced a certain someone wouldn't notice they'd been disarmed.

Overall, this is an intense read surrounding legal procedure in a criminal trial, that will ensnare readers in; hook, line and sinker. This was crazily good. I read this over 2 days and I’m rating it 4.5 stars; and recommend it to those who love mystery/thrillers and courtroom drama. I’ll definitely pick up Cavanagh’s next Eddie Flynn novel, and any other standalones or series he writes, because he certainly knows how to write a book that ensnares a reader.
Thank you kindly to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an e-copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

I kept sneaking to the bathroom at work so I could finish this book. The under dog lawyer that beats the big money, charismatic prosecutor. And the true killer is in the jury box! The author leads you down a path to the true identity of the killer, then switches it all up for the ending. Read it.

Eddie Flynn, a former-conman-turned-defense-attorney is at a court hearing with his client who's been charged with drug possession when he's approached by a celebrity lawyer, Rudy Carp, who asks Eddie if he's interested in sitting for a murder trial. "The biggest murder trial the city has ever seen", Rudy says.

A famous celebrity is standing trial for the murder of his new spouse and bodyguard. Rudy, his attorney believes his client is innocent and wants Eddie to prove the state wrong.

What follows next in this book may be one of the most gripping and engaging stories you'll ever read in a legal thriller. The chapters alternate between Eddie Flynn in the first person and a third-person perspective focused on Joshua Kane.

Thirteen is my first book by Steve Cavanagh and I will definitely read more from him. Suffice it to say, this is one of my favorites of 2019.

If you love legal thrillers, give this book a try—it will be worth your time. 5 stars and I highly recommend!

Thank you to Steve Cavanagh, Flatiron Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A fun thriller, but I wish I had known of the previous books first - I went into this cold and struggled at times. Character development is well done, plot is fast paced, and I did find myself on the edge of my seat, so there's that. Overall solid book - would recommend for anyone who likes thrillers, especially court room ones!

Thirteen was AMAZING! You think you know what's going on, but there are so many twists! I wish I could describe it more, but I can't without spoilers. Just know that even when you see a big twist, there's more coming! I've never read a book that surprised me that many times. I'm going to look into the other books by Steve Cavanagh!

This legal mystery/thriller was absolutely incredible. From the very first page, I could not put the book down. I mean, hello, the defense lawyer is an ex-conman. That in itself is interesting! This entire book was intense and so wonderfully done. I felt myself on the edge of my seat the entire read. The plot twists were well planned and for the most part I had no questions. I did find myself exclaiming "what?!" and "no way!" out loud numerous times at work though when I should not have been reading.

In regards to the main characters, the defense lawyer and the serial killer, both were incredibly clever and well written. The reader is given just enough information at the right times to not be overwhelmed or have any lingering questions. Not to mention, I was floored by some of the tactics that were done and the thought that had to have gone into accomplishing them.

At the end of the day, I really enjoyed reading this book and I cannot wait to read more books by Steve Cavanagh. Initially I thought that Thirteen was a stand alone book, but I am happy to report it is not! You can read it as so, but I definitely will be checking out the other books in this series.

I was so excited to read this because I saw it all over Bookstagram! I didn't realize it was the fourth book in a series, but also it didn't matter.

The murders and the style of the killings were the most interesting part of this book! Some of the most inventive murders I've read (and I read a lot of murdery books) and some of the goriest!

Joshua Kane is a master con man and the lengths he went to trick people were extreme and absolutely fascinating! I've never been on a jury before, but I've read enough legal thrillers to have an idea of how it works and it does seem possible after reading Thirteen how a serial killer could con their way onto to the jury.

Eddie Flynn was amusing and sad to read about, but he came across as a likable guy with his whole "started from the bottom as a criminal and now I'm a lawyer" shtick. He is also a "holier than thou" person who refuses to defend anyone he doesn't believe in. He will not take a client unless he is certain they are innocent. Of course, everyone claims they are innocent, but with his newest client, he isn't absolutely positive until the guy almost dies. I assume if you've read the other books this is a very "classic Flynn" moment because that's the vibe I got from it.

I'm not going to read the other books because I really was only here for the murderrr and not the smuck lawyer. I liked reading about them trying to outwit each other a lot and I thoroughly enjoyed the uniqueness of each murder! Some parts were ridiculous, but it was a fun fluffy bloody read! Four stars for the murder, but one star deduction because ol' Eddie boy.

Read this one if you are sick of just regular old serial killers and want to read new ways to murder people!

I found this to be a nail biting read. Interesting characters I enjoyed having the point of view of the antagonist, so there is tension as events unfold and it is unclear whether the investigators can put together the pieces in time to stop the killing.

As this is part of a series I will go back an read the earlier installment and look forward to the next book.

A really unique twist to the serial killer/ celebrity killer story line. Let's just combine them all and see what shakes out! A great story line that reads like a host of check out lane magazines with a twist that no one could have predicted. It would be interesting to know where Steve Cavanagh got the idea for this book. All I know is it is one of the best books I've read in awhile...and I read a lot.

There is something in legal thrillers that always piques my curiosity. That controversial thing called a moral compass that doesn't equal law, and that wrestling between legal justice and legality of achieving justice by all means. Here we got a chance to ponder is it possible to get justice when the flaw unknowingly comes from the justice system itself. Everything is compromised from scratch, and not necessarily because of flawed individuals involved in the process. How to get out of the loop when the whole system is convincingly set to frame you.

The idea, the serial killer's modus operandi, was quite novel to me. The twist and the resolution of the story came also rather unexpected. I haven't read previous Eddie Flynn's books in the series, but I didn't have any issues reading this one. It was a solid stand-alone novel, that made me wish to read another Eddie Flynn's legal puzzle.

The only pet peeve I had were some characters that were completely crooked. People (excepting, well, serial killers...) usually function in various shades of grey. Some are more crooked, some less, but rarely are so extremely bad that reason and logic aren't part of their equation. That unpredictability of human characters makes relationships between various characters and their actions more convincing. Let's just say some characters, minor though!, were more movie-like, less real-life-like. Everything else, storytelling, main characters, the whole storyline, was great. I'd really like to read another Flynn's adventure. Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for allowing me to read the novel.

Thirteen is really ingenious. The premise is unique and works well. Most court dramas get boring but not this one. I was lost in this book for hours. It's absorbing on a whole new level for this genre. I loved the unpredictable twists and the crazy characters. I will read more from the author. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant! A unique and realistic twist to the trial novel!
One of my favorites of 2019!
You MUST read this book!
Excellent writing and plotting. Characters are insane and amazing!

Love when you take a chance on a book and it turns out being spectacular. The characters in this book are insane, in every form of the word; crazy, unpredictable, mad, mentally unstable, shocking, outrageous. I don’t know if Steve Cavanagh is a genius or a little mad, himself. The rollercoaster narrative that he has created is brilliantly put together. The staggering of POVs and the creativity of his character development sets the plot twists up perfectly. The story throws everything in your face from the prologue forward. Recommended for anyone who likes fast-paced, legal thrillers. 5 stars.

Thank you to #NetGalley for this ARC of #Thirteen

I received a copy of this book  NetGalley in exchange for an honest Review.

When I saw this title it didn't take me even a minute to know that I am going to read it. I really like court drama but haven't read many books on it. There is so much to take in so without proper mood, It is not right to pick this genre.

“The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” 

It is the 4th book of Eddie Flynn series, A con artist who is a lawyer now, I am sure previous books covered his past story. This book gives a few details here and there so It can be read as stand alone. 

Eddie Flynn doesn't want limelight but got it while took a case of  Solomon, a Hollywood star who is suspect of murdering his wife and security head and all the evidence are against him.

“Whatever good things you’ve heard about me probably aren’t true. Whatever bad things you’ve heard are probably just the tip of the iceberg,” I said.” 

Joshua Kane, a unique and intelligent Serial Killer who is too smart to be caught before, murdering in a pattern which no one able to notice it. Now he is part of the jury.

It was told in two POV, one was from Flynn and the other was 3rd person POV who told Kane's side. I loved each and everything about this book, from writing to story, from characters to so many minor but important details, from so many twists and turns and all the mystery throughout the book. The ending constantly kept me on edge. 

Only thing I didn't like was the pace at a few points I skimmed pages not so many but yes I did.

I overall I enjoyed it a lot and looking forward to reading other books of this series.

If I had realized this book was going to be about a serial killer, I probably wouldn't have read it. I lived through Ted Bundy's rampage in Tallahassee and have been put off by books about serial killers ever since. Still, I kept reading , and it was worthwhile. The plot was complicated and satisfying, even though I hated Kane (as I was supposed to do). I particularly enjoyed reading about the trial. I liked the alternating chapters, but would have preferred that the novel begin with the lawyer instead of the killer.

Thanks to Netgalley and Flatiron books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

WOW. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!

This is about an actor who is on trial for killing his wife and her bodyguard. Eddie Flynn, con-man turned lawyer, is representing him. Just that part of the story would be good but add to it that a serial killer, Kane, has managed to get on the jury and that makes it a whole lot more interesting.

I haven’t read a lot of courtroom/legal thrillers lately and I don’t know why because I have always enjoyed them. This was a great one to get back into the genre with. It was an engaging story from start to finish and I could not put it down. Going in, I thought we already know the killer is on the jury, what else is there to uncover? But there was a lot and the way he went about committing the crimes was so interesting. Eddie is a great character and lucky for me there are 3 other Eddie Flynn books, that I have already downloaded, and look forward to reading. Highly recommend this one.

Steve Cavanagh is a new author for me and I seem to have dived in midway through a series. That said it didn’t detract in any way from the plot which worked well as a stand-alone. However I will now seek out the remaining books in the series because Eddie Flynn is an intriguing character.
The twists in narrative through this book kept me gripped. You follow both the perpetrator of the crimes as he attempts to stay a step ahead of justice, and the lawyer defending one of the fall guys who have been set up to pay the price for the crimes committed. There are a few moments that totally surprise, and make you reevaluate everything you thought you’d already worked out...which is always welcome when crafted as skilfully as this.
Fast paced and far from formulaic, I would readily recommend this book.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Flatiron Books in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t familiar with this series or character but I am sold! This was so clever! I loved Eddie Flynn; what a complex and interesting character.

I know that I am missing some of the pieces having not read the complete series but this does work as a stand-alone. This story was very detailed and well plotted. There are a lot of players so you have to pay attention.

There are twists and some surprises but you know the villain from the get go. Really this is more of a who will prevail? How will they figure this out?

Good conclusion and a bit open ended. I’m fascinated to see what’s next for this series.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Flatiron Books for a copy in exchange for a review.