Fify Fifty gets 5 stars from me. It was the perfect thriler. It has murder and family drama. You should read this one!

I love Steve, and Fifty Fifty was no different. At no point do you know the direction this story is gonna take! I was just as baffled and confused as many others on this case, and it all came to a pulse-pounding conclusion! Can't recommend Steve's work enough.

Steve Cavanagh has a way of making me stay up all night fully invested in his thrillers and this one followed suit of all his books I've read in the past. Every book in this series has had me clinging to the pages while i try to figure out the rabbit hole Steve is taking me down. Eddie Flynn is one of my favorite MMCs in the thriller world. The verdict had me hanging on for dear life. absolutely mind blowing. I look forward to reading more in this series.

3.5 stars!

This was my first time diving into the Eddie Flynn series, and my first Steve Cavanagh novel at all, and I don't think it'll be my last of either! Despite it being book number five, it was easy to jump right in and not feel lost. Eddie himself was immediately likable and a great narrator, and I adored Kate's POV and her as a character as well.

Some of the other characters fell a bit flat for me though, lacking much dimension, including the two sisters/suspects. I kept going back and forth on who I thought the real killer was, so I will give credit there, it kept me guessing. I've not read many legal thrillers, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but this did a really good job at keeping my attention. I wasn't sure if the legal talk would get tedious but it wasn't at all.

Overall, it was enjoyable, but the reveals and ending just felt a bit lackluster for me personally.

So incredibly well done. I loved the POV of both lawyers and trying to figure out who did it! I did figure it out by two different clues, so that was fun. Pick up a Steve Cavanagh book if you haven’t already!

Thank you NetGalley and Aria Books for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Atria Books for my #gifted copy of Fifty Fifty!

This was my first Steve Cavanagh book, and the fifth in the Eddie Flynn series, but it absolutely works as a standalone. That said, I’ll definitely be picking up the others because Fifty Fifty is a fantastic legal thriller that I devoured in less than 24 hours. I simply couldn’t put it down.

The setup is chilling and brilliant:
Two sisters, Alexandra and Sofia Avellino, both call 911, reporting the murder of their father, each blaming the other. Both are arrested, and both are set to stand trial in a joint proceeding. One of them is lying. One of them is a killer. But who?

Told from three POVs: Eddie Flynn (defense attorney for one sister), Kate Brooks (defense attorney for the other), and “She” (the sister who knows what really happened). This book kept me on edge from the first page to the jaw-dropping reveal at the end.

With razor-sharp courtroom drama, incredible pacing, and twists I genuinely didn’t see coming, Fifty Fifty is a must-read for fans of legal thrillers that keep you guessing until the final verdict.

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.

Thank you to Atria for the review copy! I'm becoming a fast fan of Steve Cavanagh's work, especially his Eddie Flynn series. Fifty Fifty is a standout—fast-paced, suspenseful, and full of sharp twists that kept me guessing. The plot grabs you early, the courtroom drama is top-notch, and the mystery of figuring out who she is makes it impossible to put down. Smartly written and thoroughly entertaining right through to the final page.

This was unfortunately a DNF for me. The beginning was a bit melodramatic and also had some conflicting information. I read a few more chapters but it wasn’t for me.

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.

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.

Really enjoyed this book. I thought Cavanagh did a great job keeping the reader guessing between the accused sisters. I flip flopped several times. It was suspenseful, enjoyable and a great legal read. Well done!

Every book I've read in this series makes me like Eddie Flynn even more. Is he perfect? No, but he's street smart, and he has his own moral code that makes him an intriguing character. In every book, we encounter other fascinating main and secondary characters. The pair of sisters, Sofia and Alexandra, duking it out in this story made for a suspenseful and entertaining read. Fans of crime fiction and legal thrillers have to check out this series.

His books are supposed to be intriguing and exciting, but I find his writing dull and lackluster. Nothing is keeping me engaged in his writing.

FIFTY FIFTY - STEVE CAVANAGH

5⭐

2 sisters Alexandra and Sofia have found their father's mutilated body and call the police immediately each blaming the other for his murder. Both go on a trial at the same time and kgs upto jury to decide who is lying and who is the murderer and for Eddie and Kate to defend both of them!

Wow, ever since I read Kill for me Kill for you and Witness 7 last year Steve Cavanagh has become a new favourite for me and this book was no less. The legal aspects along with defending your client , finding loopholes creating doubt in jury's mind was highlight for me.
Apart from that the chapter of "she" where it could be either sister who committed the crime keeps you guessing throughout and all loose ends are tied brilliantly!
A fast paced thriller which has suspense mystery in every chapter truth of which comes out bit by bit in a courtroom via defence attorneys Eddie and Kate and even after the final verdict there are some revelations!!

This is the second book of the Ed Flynn series that I've read and I'm really enjoying it. I generally don't gravitate to procedurals but Steve Cavanagh has me rethinking that. The premise of the story sounds so interesting on it's own but the execution is even better! I loved the pacing, the multiple POVs and the tension throughout the book. There are parts of the book that are so suspenseful and I have no idea which way things will go. On the other hand, there are parts of the book where you can feel that you're being led a certain way which in my opinion, makes it easy to guess what's going to happen.

Another wonderful read from Steve Cavanagh and I can't wait to read more from the series.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Father’s Day

Having enjoyed Steve Cavanagh's "Witness 8" and "Th1rt3en," both captivating Eddie Flynn novels, I was happy to see Atria Books releasing "Fifty Fifty" in the US, an earlier entry in the series originally available elsewhere in 2020. These thrillers are the perfect solutions to reading slumps, books that will have you staying up much too late to knock off one more chapter.

Eddie is a former conman turned defense attorney. This background adds more opportunity to spice up a courtroom drama setting. In “Fifty Fifty” Eddie is defending one of two sisters accusing each other of brutally butchering their father. The prosecution decides to try the sisters together, hoping to convict both, but convinced they will receive at least one conviction.

The two sisters could not have more different personalities. Eddie’s client, Sofia, has a history of mental problems and seems to be the odds-on-favorite to take the fall. The other sister, Alexandra, is strikingly attractive and a social butterfly. In chapters labelled “She,” we see the unidentified murderous one methodically killing off any threats to her alibi. Cavanagh has us jumping back and forth throughout, trying to see if we are being duped into misdirection. It is so obvious who is guilty…is it? No, that’s what he wants us to believe… wait, no…

Cavanagh is a master. At the risk of sounding sacrilegious, I rank Eddie Flynn just ahead of Michael Connelly’s Lincoln Lawyer escapes. Wonderful choices to make.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #FiftyFifty #NetGalley

Why don’t I read thrillers more often?! If I’d had had the time to devour this in one sitting, I most certainly would have. To say I was hooked from the first page is an understatement.

The inner-connectedness of the characters and the way this book had me completely second guessing everything was perfection. One second I was SURE the killer was this person and the next moment I felt they were innocent.

I have no clue how this was my first Steve Cavanagh book but it definitely won’t be my last.

A fast-paced thriller that grabs you literally from the first page. I was not aware this was a re-release, so this series was very new to me, but this is the fifth installment in the Eddie Flynn series. I really enjoyed reading from all perspectives, the storyline and character development was very well done. The court room setting at times felt a bit too wordy for me, and I did feel myself zoning out at times. Overall, the fast pacing of the book kept me guessing and reading until the very end!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own

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