Two sisters. Two 911 calls. Both accusing the other of murdering their father. Fifty Fifty is the fifth book of the Eddie Flynn series. I didn’t realize it was the fifth and at first I was disheartened. I have not read any of the other books. I didn’t want to be reading a story that felt like I should know some things already. I decided to give it a go anyways. It’s an arc and I said I would read and review so I would. At no point did I feel like I was in the middle of a series. Half way through, I looked it up and the author says these books are designed to be read in any order or as standalones. I love that. This book kept me on my toes. It’s a fast paced legal thriller told by multiple points of view. I did not figure out any of the big reveals until the author wanted me to figure them out. I thought I knew but then I never really knew. It was a great read. This book is being republished and will be out June 3rd, 2025. Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the eARC.

Thank you Atria Books @atriabooks and Steve Cavanagh @sscav for this free book!
“Fifty Fifty” (Eddie Flynn #5) by ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Genre: Thriller. Location: Manhattan, New York City, NY, USA. Time: October 2018-January 2019.
THE SERIES: Eddie Flynn was famed conman “Eddie Fly”. Now he’s a defense trial lawyer, skilled at knowing what the other side thinks, and what a jury will decide. He’s known for taking hopeless cases, with help from ex-FBI investigator Harper, and retired judge Harry Ford.

THIS BOOK: Sofia and Alexandra Avellino found their father’s mutilated body-each believes the other is the killer. They’re both charged with murder. Frank Avellino is the former New York City mayor, so this is high profile, and it’s a joint trial in front of one jury. One daughter is a liar and a killer. But which one? Eddie’s representing Sofia.

Author Cavanagh’s book is well written and researched, entertaining, full of disturbing psychological suspense and raven metaphors. His descriptions add color (and blood) to the plot: The abusive mother biting the girls’ fingers if they made bad chess moves; the daughter who bit her wrist so deep she was covered in blood; the daughter with a bone saw (the same daughter or the other one?) His clever, descriptive prose alternates between Eddie’s 1st person account, attorney Kate Brooks’ work, the victim’s diary entries, and “She”-the anonymous sociopath killer: (“the sensation of warm liver and butter in her hands was almost too good.”) Cavanaugh adds realism by describing actual signs of the time. This book can be read as a standalone, but reading the series in order gives a deeper understanding of the characters and evolving storyline. (For those who follow Eddie’s adventures, this book introduces Kate Brooks and Bloch.) If you like fast-moving thriller books with wise-cracking heroes, check this out! It’s definitely 5 stars from me📚👩🏼‍🦳#eddieflynn #stevecavanagh

Another legal thriller from Steven Cavanagh featuring Eddie Flynn. Every book in the Eddie Flynn series is a hit for me. This time, two sisters are on trial for the murder of their father. Their trials are happening simultaneously and one of them is lying. Eddie thinks he has the innocent sister but does he? This book is exciting and has you going back and forth between sisters to find out who is guilty. It’s really fun to see Eddie’s legal team grow and to see how he pulls out all the stops. I will never not read an Eddie Flynn thriller. Thank you to Atria books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Orion And NetGalley, who provided me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Steve Cavanagh and his Eddie Flynn series gives us another fantastic read! It’s starts with back to back 911 calls from estranged sisters. This book had me from the beginning in this tense and riveting thriller. As the title states this case/trial could go fifty-fifty. A rare woman serial killer…

I have wanted to check out alot of books by this author. I do not know why but I felt really bored when I was reading this.

Fifty Fifty is only the 2nd book l've read by Steve Cavanaugh, but it's safe to say he will be an auto read author for me from here on out. Fifty Fifty was an intense crime thriller about 2 sisters, both who claim the other sister killed their father.
The chapters alternate between different character POVs, including both sisters' lawyers, and the guilty sister's POV. The kicker is, you don't know who the guilty sister is, so you don't know who is telling their story. I loved the mystery behind it and this book definitely kept me guessing!
Fifty Fifty is part of the Eddie Flynn series by Cavanaugh, but you don't have to read the others to get completely invested in this story.

This is my first book from Steve Cavanagh, surprisingly, and I didn’t realize this was part of a previously published series, although I know now they can be absolutely read as standalone/out of order. I will definitely go back and read the rest of the series now though that I’m enthralled with Eddie Flynn and team’s criminal justice adventures.

One of my biggest pet peeves as a reader and practicing criminal lawyer myself is when legal fiction is inaccurate. This book was actually mostly legally accurate and believable, only minor inaccuracies or things that would never happen that I chalk up to exaggeration and entertainment value (for example, the polygraph debacle).

I enjoyed Steve’s writing style, the chapters were not too long, and the dual POVs definitely kept readers on the hook. This book was like a long game of tug-o-war, where readers go back and forth suspecting each sister of murdering their father from the day it happens, through their joint murder trial, and even through the aftermath of trial. I truly had no idea how the end would turn out and who really did it. The mark of a great murder mystery/courtroom drama!

Thank you so much to Steve, Atria, and NetGalley for the opportunity to early read this re-release!

100/100 Steve C. Is amazing!!!! I ate this book up ! The way Steve is able to store characters and describe things is remarkable .

Two separate phone calls to 911, each from a sister claiming their father has been brutally attacked, and each claiming the other one did it.

Every Eddie Flynn novel I read is better than the last, and this one is no exception. Gripping, fast-paced, and ingenious, this one has you second-guessing yourself at every page. Steve Cavanagh is a master of words, turning what would otherwise be a long, drawn-out courtroom case into a cat and mouse game, leaving readers on the edge of their seats. While this is a dark, twisted story with gut-wrenching emotion, it still held onto the sarcastic, snarky humor we see in every Eddie Flynn novel. Each clever moment had me smirking and internally cheering for the good guys. If you have yet to read this series, do yourself a favor and start now. Any, including this one, can be read as a stand-alone, so start at the beginning, or pick one at random, and you won't be disappointed. Four and a half stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Atria Books, for this ARC

I've read a number of thrillers, but this one was definitely a first.
Two sisters.
Each accusing the other of murdering their father.
With evidence from both sisters on the victim, they are charged with the same crime. Murder.
It is for the court and jury to decide who was the killer - Alexandra Avellino, Sofia Avellino, or both.

The story is told from three narrators:
Eddie Flynn, Sofia's attorney
Kate Brooks - Alexandra's attorney
And the best part, "She". We don't know what sister "She" is, but one thing is clear, they are psychotic.
I had my thoughts about who "She" may be, but I also think that was the author's attempt to mislead me.

Other than the mind games of trying to figure out who the killer may be, this story had some great courtroom scenes, with both attorneys trying to unravel the prosecutor's case. They had some hits, and some misses, but I was hooked throughout trying to unravel the mystery.

This was my first read from this author, but won't be my last. Overall, a gripping courtroom thriller that kept me guessing.

Another five star read by Steve Cavanagh!

One of the most intense and gripping court room dramas I’ve read in a long time, I found myself opening and closing my jaw at least once a minute (okay, not that often but you get what I’m saying). A fast paced, exciting and twisty read, you’ll blow through this book very quickly. The court room scenes were amazing and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Eddie Flynn will forever be a favorite character of mine. This will be one of my most recommended books of the year!

"A murder trial with an innocent client is like saving someone who's fallen over a cliff edge. You've got their hand. You've got to hang on. You've got to haul them to safety. Their life is in your grasp. Your strength is all that separates them from a chasm."

This was a solid mystery/thriller about two sisters who stand trial for allegedly killing their father, and both blame the other. The writing was solid and characters well-developed. While it took me a while to get into the story, by the last 50% of the book, I was flying through! The multiple POVs keep things interesting and the twist at the end was perfect.

I didn't initially realize this book was part of a series, but you can definitely read it as a stand-alone novel. In fact, after reading Fifty Fifty, I'm interested in going back to the first book and reading the entirety of the "Eddie Flynn" series!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for a honest review. <3

This was EXCELLENT! I love, love, love these Eddie Flynn stories. The characters, the storylines, the intrigue, the who-done-its are so worth reading. These law procedurals are perfect! I can’t wait to read more Steve Cavanagh and Eddie Flynn stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this advanced copy of the American release of this book.

Steve Cavanaugh writes another fantastic thriller! I have to wonder: is all the blood and gore necessary? I know I would have liked the book otherwise. In fact, it made me a bit nervous to turn the page as that kind of thing makes me uncomfortable. Anyways, I really felt for Eddie Flynn and his trials and tribulations and this is saying something because Cavanaugh goes with the less is more for character development. The plot is like a tricky knot: the more you try to unravel it, the more tied up it becomes! True skill is displayed in this 5th installment of the Eddie Flynn series. I thank NetGalley and Atria Books for the copy in exchange for my thoughts.

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Thank you Atria Books and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for a free and honest review.

Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh is the fifth installment in the Eddie Flynn series. It all starts with two phone calls into 911. One call from Alexandra Avellino says she has found her father murdered by her sister, Sofia. Another call from Sofia at the same time says she has found her father murdered by her sister, Alexandra. Who is telling the truth and who is a cold blooded murderer? Both are now on trial for the murder and it is up to con-man turned defense lawyer, Eddie Flynn to unravel the mystery before the wrong sister is sent to jail. Can he piece together the puzzle before the wrong sister is sent to prison?

First and foremost what I love about Fifty Fifty is that while it is a story in a series you can easily read it as a standalone novel. Steve Cavanagh weaves in enough background on the characters that if you do wind up reading the Eddie Flynn books out of order you still know enough to connect with the characters and stories. All of the cases, Eddie takes on are easily self contained in their respective books. I absolutely loved the cast of characters in this book and it was amazing how despite diverse the cast was they each had their moments to shine and tell the readers who they were. I also absolutely loved the mystery and loved that I was guessing all the way up to the end and piecing the puzzle together with the characters. I love a mystery novel where I get about to 80 percent done before I finally see the fully picture. It shows that the crumbs were so beautifully sprinkled through the whole book that you get your epic ah-ha moment

Ultimately I have found I am falling in love with this series and can’t wait to read more. Definitely have the Defense saved to go back and listen to the rest of Eddie’s wild journeys as our favorite New York defense attorney.

I am addicted to this series!! Eddie Flynn is now representing Sofia who is accused on murdering her father and she is saying her sister, Alexandra, did it. This was such an interesting premise with both sister at the crime scene. The chapters are told in multiple POV as like the other books but this one has a "she" perspective who is the killer.

Lots of wrenches thrown along the way to make you guess which sister is guilty. The story grabbed my attention with all the courtroom drama and how it played out.

Thank you @atriabooks for a copy of this.

What a thriller!!! I just KNEW I had this one figured out, but NO! Twisty, deceptive, and wild… this one is sure to please fans of psychological thrillers! Loved it!

Thank you to Steve Cavanagh, NetGalley, and Simon & Schuster for the advanced reader copy of Fifty Fifty!

While this wasn’t the fastest-paced legal thriller I’ve read, it definitely had its strengths. I initially struggled to find my footing with the multiple POVs and the heavy use of legal jargon—it slowed the momentum and made it a bit tricky to follow in the early chapters. But once I hit the 75% mark, I was fully invested.

The trial, the case, the characters—it all started clicking into place. I especially enjoyed Eddie Flynn and Kate, and I’m really looking forward to reading more about them in future books. The courtroom drama became gripping, and I genuinely couldn’t figure out who was guilty, which made the final reveal all the more satisfying.

While the twist wasn’t my favorite of all time, it was clever and well-executed. I appreciated how the story circled back to earlier clues—it made the ending feel earned, even if it didn’t totally shock me.

Overall, this was a solid and entertaining legal thriller. A slower burn, but worth it in the end. I’m giving it 4 stars!

This novel is being republished through Atria Books next month. I’ve had Steve Cavanagh’s books on my TBR list for a long time, but usually find my ARC titles taking priority. So I was happy to be approved for the republished ARC of Fifty Fifty and dip my toes into the Eddie Flynn series. Safe to say, I’ll be diving into the rest now that I’m hooked.

Fifty fifty is a story of a brutally murdered father whose killer is one of his daughters. Is it the ‘odd’ black sheep of the family, or the New York socialite that everyone is drawn to? One thing is for sure, any/all potential witnesses are dying before they can share their information.

The characters are well written and relatable.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date Jun 03 2025

I love Eddie Flynn. He’s a bad-ass lawyer with impeccable street smarts! &&& in Fifty-Fifty he does it again ♟️

Two sisters on the scene of their VERY rich father’s murder…&&& they’re accusing each other!!! While this book took a hot minute for me to get invested &&& it didn’t find it to be super-twisty…still LOVED the antics of Mr. Flynn & his crew. &&& as a Grisham fan at heart, I absolutely loved Cavanaughs courtroom drama.

I love courtroom & police procedure…& this book brought it! Fifty-Fifty is a super fun thriller! Out next week in. Rand new paperback! 🔪👨🏻‍⚖️