After loving Witness 8 earlier this year, I was excited to return to Eddie Flynn’s world—and Fifty Fifty did not disappoint. This might be Flynn’s most jaw-dropping case yet.

When former NYC mayor Frank Avellino is brutally murdered, both of his daughters call 911—each accusing the other. Now Alexandra and Sofia Avellino are going to trial together—but only one is guilty. One’s lying. One’s a killer.

Eddie Flynn defends Sofia, the more volatile and obvious suspect. Kate Brooks represents Alexandra, and both lawyers believe they’re defending the innocent sister. But can they be sure?

The courtroom drama in Fifty Fifty is electric. Cavanagh’s legal experience shines through in every twist and argument, but it’s the razor-sharp pacing and deeply drawn characters that make it unputdownable. I was right there in the courtroom—heart pounding, breath held.

I also loved the anonymous chapters from the killer’s perspective. They’re unsettling, brilliantly written, and full of subtle clues that kept me guessing. Every time I thought I knew which sister did it, Cavanagh dropped another twist to shake my confidence.

The standout scene—when someone on the legal team is targeted—is one of the most tense, perfectly crafted thriller sequences I’ve ever read. I’m still thinking about it.

Cavanagh makes you feel something about every character—whether you’re cheering for Flynn, Ford, Bloch, and Brooks, or seething at Dreyer and Judge Stone.

If you love twisty, high-stakes legal thrillers, Fifty Fifty is a must-read. I’m already eyeing Devil’s Advocate for my next summer binge… or I might bump it straight to the top of the pile.

Two sisters are accused of murdering their father. They each said the other did it, which one do you believe?

This is my third Eddie Flynn book and I have really grown to love this character and Harry! I haven’t read them in order, which you don’t technically have to, but I suggest you do. You get a lot more character info, background, and depth when you read it that way. But that’s my fault.

This book had me constantly going back and forth the whole book. Even when I really knew who it was, in the back of my mind I was second guessing myself. I know this won’t be my last Flynn book and definitely not my last Steve Cavanagh book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for a copy of this book!

Can you ever get enough of Eddie Flynn?? Nope. Another banger. Not to be missed. Which sister did it?? Did Eddie's gut steer him right?? Hmmm....

This was my first novel by Cavanagh and I was captivated by this story. 2 sisters accused of murdering their father, and a murder trail full of twist, makes for the perfect summer read. This was a layered story was a so many well written characters I could not put it down. I will def check out the rest of the Eddie Flynn series. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This isn’t the kind of book I typically reach for, but I’m glad I did. It’s a legal crime thriller with plenty of courtroom drama, steady suspense, and just enough twists to keep things interesting. The plot unfolds in a clear, linear way. Its courtroom reveals, ongoing investigations, and sharp dialogue built into something I didn’t want to put down. I was eager to see how it would resolve. My only real complaint is that the characters felt a bit thin. Despite the shifting perspectives and time spent in their heads, none of them came alive for me. Their motivations worked for the plot, but I wasn’t convinced any of them had a life beyond this single case. If you’re looking for a thriller with legal drama, this hits just right.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing access to this book.

This was a great addition to this legal series. Two sisters, one father dead. Who killed him? I could not put this book down. It was fast-paced and the tension was high! Cannot wait to read the next one. Highly recommend!

I enjoy a good legal thriller and when I saw it was Steve Cavanagh I knew it would be a good one. He writes in a way that keeps you interested entertained and wanting to keep turning the page. While this is a series you can honestly read these as stand alone books, there is enough background to support the characters and set it up in such a nice way.

Two 911 calls from the same location on the same night. 2 sisters, Sofia and Alexandra find their father, a former New York City mayor brutally murdered in his home. Each one blames the other and by no means do they get along in the least. Now they must fight for their freedom in a joint trial.

This is a very interesting and clever thriller, leaving you in suspense and having a twist at the end that wasn't clear but just makes it all the better.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC for the release of this book.

Major thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for blessing me with this fantastic ARC!! Out now!!!

We all know that I am a die hard Eddie Flynn fan and this book delivered all the things I enjoy about him! The fun twists, the unreliable witnesses, the never ending problems. Steve Cavanagh truly knows how to keep a reader engaged and wanting more with his stories. If he wrote an instruction manual I'd read it!!

Highly recommend this one (and the entire rest of the Eddie Flynn series, but in order!)

2.75⭐️. Thank you to Steve Cavanagh, NetGalley, and Atria Books for this free copy to read in exchange for my honest review.

Would I recommend this book? Maybe. If you like crime and courtroom drama and shows like SVU, you will love it. If that’s not your thing, then this book won’t hit as hard. The twist was good, and the author did a good job of making both sisters look guilty. I was just really bored through the entire book. It was only 384 pages on Kindle, and I felt like it was 500+. I was honestly glad it was over so I could just move on.

Content warnings: grief, murder, death, violence, poisoning, deceit, crime, courtroom setting
Spice: none
Tropes: courtroom drama, crime drama, murder mystery, suspense, thriller

I was hooked pretty early in this story. The premise of the lawyers both believing that their client, each representing one of the two sisters believed to have murdered their father. Was it one of them? Was it both of them? According to each sister, they are innocent, and it was the other sister who did it. I absolutely loved the idea of this book, and for the most part, the execution was well done. I loved the idea of both of them really doing all that they could to prove their innocence from the first step, including calling 911 at the time to blame each other, and the POV changes to show the murderer's thoughts really sold it as well. Every detail was so well thought out and really kept throwing me off and making me question who I believed was the one who did it. Granted, I guessed the truth early on, but the writing was so well done that I kept second guessing myself.

Thank you to Steve Cavanagh, Atria Books, and NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Ahh hello friend!

My second Eddie Flynn novel and just as good as the first. However, this one did remind me that I would be much smarter to go back to the beginning and read through in order. While It's not truly necessary and this could easily be a standalone novel, the back stories of the main characters will continue to carry on without you and I think those timelines are just as important as the story at hand.

So Fifty Fifty - Two sisters are accused of murdering their father and are set to stand trial together in front of a single jury. One of them is lying and is a murderer.

This book bounces back and forth between Eddie and the murderer. As the reader we KNOW it's one of the sisters but which one is extremely hard to pinpoint. This is definitely a fun, on-the-edge-of-your-seat read as you see the killer “taking care of business” while Eddie is trying to fight for his client and himself as he teeters back and forth on confirming he was right about her innocence.

It’s a fast paced thriller and definitely worth sinking some time into

This book was my first with this author and I found it to be cleverly written and engaging. However, I was able to correctly guess the real killer about 20 pages in, which sapped a bit of the suspense from the story as the story unfolded. There were definitely some very messy characters in this one...and while I knew who'd done it, there were a few surprises throughout. It was a bit too dark and a touch too violent for my tastes, but I'd recommend if you like an edgy legal thriller and are looking for a quick, although tense, read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is my 2nd Steve Cavanagh book and it did not disappoint. It’s about 2 sisters on trial for murdering their father. Just when I thought I figured out which one was the killer, he threw another curveball that made me question everything. This is a masterclass in tension, legal strategy, and shocking twists that kept me guessing right up until the very last page.

Two sisters on trial accusing each other of murder - what's not to love? This is one of my favorite authors. I love everything about him - his style of writing, love the Eddie Flynn series, and every other book I have read by him - definitely will read anything he writes!

“The verdict may as well come down to a coin toss. A fifty-fifty.”

Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh is a fast paced, addictive thriller that follows two sisters, who are both on trial for the murder of their father. They are both accusing one another, soooo who actually did it?! Was it Sofia or was it Alexandra?!


OBSESSED.
All the plot twists.

I know that I should give a more detailed review, but honestly, I was obsessed from the beginning. Even with me knowing that it had to be a sister, I was still shocked by how well the author was able to keep me guessing and on my toes and trying to figure out which sister. I actually think I would have been mad if it wasn’t one of the sisters!

I’ve never read a book by Steve Cavanagh before, but man will I be from now on. Funny enough, I wanted to read a few others by him so I’m grateful to have received this ARC.

I love that we alternated between the defenses attorneys perspectives, along with the killer’s and titling it “SHE’, allowing us to see into her mind and her process throughout. Like okay, so THIS is what we’re doing. Yes, obsessed the whole time.

And can we just talk about how he was subtle with the usage of “fifty/ fifty-fifty” and how I loved every second that I saw it popped up. I had to make sure that I highlighted it every time that it appeared!

Binge reading this book was a time. I was up until after 1am finishing it, so thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Steve Cavanagh for the ARC. I’m looking forward to staying up into the wee hours of the morning to read more!

"𝑰 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅'𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒅. 𝑭𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒖𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒂 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝒃𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒕. 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒂𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒅. 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔."

Special thanks to @atriabooks @atriathrillers @sscav & @netgalley for the #gifted eARC.

➡️ swipe for synopsis 👉🏼

𝙈𝙔 𝙍𝙀𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

This is my second @sscav book and I'm loving every second. These are the types of legal thrillers i love.
I love the multiple POVS and trying to figure out who SHE is is my top priority.

What happens when 2 sisters are accused of murder and swear the other one did it. The all the key players start dropping like flies. Again, who did it? This takes you on a rollercoaster til the very end.

The Eddie Flynn series is , so far, checking all the boxes for me. I can't wait to finish all the books. They can each be read as a standalone and I love that, seeing how I have the whole set but didn't start from the beginning.

𝙋𝙐𝘽 𝘿𝘼𝙔:


ℚ𝕆𝕋𝔻❓️⁉️❓️ What's your preferred genre to read, and why?

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#mysteryandthrills #thrillersandsuspense #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerlover #thrilleraddict #thrillerjunkie #thrillergirlie #bookbuzz #stevencavanagh #atriapartner #partner #fiftyfifty #eddieflynnseries #netgalley
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Two sisters point their fingers at each other when their father is murdered. They are both carted off to jail.

Eddie Flynn is back again defending one of the sisters. You will be speed reading to the end to see who really did it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc

This is one of those thrillers that makes you forget how late it’s getting. Fifty Fifty is a high-stakes, twist-heavy legal drama that moves fast and never lets you get too comfortable with what you think you know.

The premise is simple but brilliant—two sisters, one dead father, both pointing fingers at each other. What unfolds is a layered courtroom chess match with some of the best pacing I’ve seen in a legal thriller. The dual narratives keep things fresh, and the stakes escalate without ever losing grip on the central mystery.

Cavanagh’s writing is confident and tight. The courtroom scenes are just technical enough to feel legit without bogging down, and the characters have enough edge to keep them interesting without turning cartoonish. The defense attorney POV adds depth and even a little levity, which helps balance the darker material.

If there’s a flaw, it’s that the final twist may feel familiar to seasoned thriller readers, but the journey there is still wildly entertaining.

Perfect for fans of John Grisham, Lisa Scottoline, or anyone who loves a legal thriller that doesn't waste time—and knows how to land a punch.

Phewwww when I tell you that this book had me in a complete CHOKEHOLD from the very beginning! I was drawn in immediately by the premise: two sisters call 911 to report the other one for k*lling their father.

This was my first Steve Cavanagh book but most certainly will not be the last. Even though this book is book 5 of the Eddie Flynn series, there is no need to have read any others; plenty of context is provided when repeat characters from other books are brought in.

It was a NECESSITY to finish this book and find out what happened. I had some serious anxiety while reading this (this is meant to be high praise), and was thoroughly creeped out when the chapters were told from the k*ller’s perspective. Truly a super dark and twisted mind. And while I was certain the whole way through who the bad sister was—I was wrong 🤣 but I did successfully pick up on one of the twists at the end so there’s that redemption. However, there were twists upon twists at the end and just no way I could have guessed them all!

If you need a thriller that will get your heart racing, this will certainly do the trick! Highly recommend.

Defense attorney Eddie Flynn takes on a high-profile case where two sisters stand trial for killing their powerful father. Both claim innocence. Both say the other did it.

As the courtroom battle unfolds, it becomes a tense race to uncover who’s lying, and who’s capable of murder.

This is my second Steven Cavanagh book, and my second Eddie Flynn book. While I genuinely enjoyed both, I ran into the same issue with this one as I did with the first: it took me forever to finish.

When I was actively reading, I thought it was great. The writing is sharp, the plot is clever, and the courtroom drama is solid. But the moment I set it down, I completely forgot about it. There just wasn’t that pull, no burning urge to pick it back up or stay up late turning pages.


I can’t quite explain why, but it took me an entire month to finish this book.
Enjoyable? Yes. Unputdownable? Not quite.