Now THIS is a thriller!

Absolutely loved this book. The perspective switches from the trial to the POV of the murdering sister were so captivating and kept me picking up little threads and hints of who it might be based on little personal elements revealed about each sister. I especially loved that it wasn’t just about solving a who done it murder, but that we got the perspective and insight of the murderer herself to help understand everything.

The slow reveal of information and backstory and character pieces allowed things to feel like they were slowly sliding into place, but whenever I thought I knew which sister it was, a new reveal had me second guessing and switching sides yet again. This book kept me second guessing up until the very last pages! It could have easily been either of them or both of them, and the book made sure you knew it.

Well written, captivating story, and had me invested from start to finish.

Thank you to @netgalley and @simonandschuster for the ARC of this e-book! This book was originally published in the UK in 2020 and is being released in the US soon. I LOVED it! I am a big fan of a good, twisty, court room thriller and this one was just that. It is part of the Eddie Flynn series, but can totally be read as a stand-alone (although I do recommend you read them all!!). My first 5-star read of 2025!

Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this as an ARC. I’m giving this book 3.75 stars. This is the second book from this author I have read. The first was an instant hit for me. This one was so close to being that as well. The premise of this book caught my attention. It sounded like it had great potential. All throughout the book I was constantly changing my mind on who was guilty. I would think one way and then change my mind thinking it was too obvious. I loved all the twists and turns throughout this book. However I was bored during a lot of it. This book took me a long time to finish because I had to force myself to finish a bit of it. The 60% mark is when I finally wasn’t able to put it down.

Two sisters on trial for their father's murder. Each daughter is represented by a lawyer who goes in thinking theirs is the innocent one. Then the trial begins and doubt sets in. As the plot rolls out, little clues line up with one or the other. The reader is pulled one way and then another, as is the jury. Eddie and the opposing counsel, Kate, begin to realize that there is evil in the courtroom. One of these lawyers will find themselves on the losing side. Will the right sister be convicted? Top notch courtroom drama and a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

I have not yet read a Steve Cavanagh book where I know what’s gonna happen next and Fifty Fifty was no different. This book had me gripping my seat in anticipation the entire time. This family murder drama had me gasping and i was flip flopping back and forth until the very end on who I believed committed the crime. Steve Cavanagh is a genius with these courtroom thrillers!

Loved it!
The back and forth POV of Kate and Eddie were great, but the 'She' POV added so much to the mystery and suspense of this story. I went back and forth constantly trying to figure out if it was Sophia or if it was Alexandra, I was obsessed.
Chapter 24 was pure stress, I eyes couldn't read it fast enough!
Chapter 41 & 47 had the courtroom vibe of My Cousin Vinny or A Few Good Men. I could see it playing out in my head and hope they turn this into a movie so I can watch these scenes.
I need to go back and start the Eddie Flynn series from the beginning.

I am quickly becoming a big fan of Steve Cavanagh's books! This is my third one by him and he has not let me down yet! I love the cast of characters in his stories and I have been flying through them all!

I will never forget about this book as every time I drive by a pharmacy I will forever picture a killer swinging an axe. I don’t think I’ve ever felt an actual sense of fear reading a killing in this nature than I did when I read this part of the book.

All that to say this book was GREAT!!! I just love this authors writing. He constantly has you guessing who the killer really is all the way up to very end of this book.

Special thanks to this author and Netgalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my opinion.

4 stars

Oooh what an intense little family homicide. This had me gripped the entire time. Cavanagh is one of my favorites in the genre and I will always recommend him. This one is definitely a top contender amongst his books.

This was such an intense and wild ride! I found it impossible to put this gruesome read down. I love the characters and how they all mingled together but especially the chapters where 'she' was influencing the story heavily. This is such an amazing series and I'm so thankful to continue to read it!

This didn't have the same suspense because the killer was only one of two people and the twist was fairly obvious (or at least not unpredictable/out of left field).
It wasn't a bad read, but not the first Cavanagh book I would recommend.

I absolutely love Steve Cavanagh, this book was as good as the last one I read. He knows how to keep an audience captivated thru and thru. I loved this book! I can’t wait for my next one! The ending was just as satisfying as reading the book. Five ⭐️

Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh is another Eddie Flynn thriller - my best so far from this author. This book kept me engrossed right from the beginning - no slow buildup yet, and kept me guessing up to the last page. The writing style, with different points of view, the character buildup, the suspense and twists were all top-notch. I also enjoyed the courtroom scenes. A great read.
I got the a complimentary copy of this book from Atria Books via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are mine

I think this has been one of the best Eddie Flynn books! From the story line to the characters. Everything was perfect. I read the authors note and he said this was one of his most difficult stories to write because of he was still working full time as an attorney which makes it even more impressive. Great job Mr. Cavanagh. I can't wait to read Devils Advocate now!

911 receives two different calls from two sisters in the same house. Their father has been murdered and each one claimed that their sister did it. Who are we to believe?

As a teacher, I always had to remember that there are two sides to every story. Then it was my job to try to figure out who was telling the truth. Sometimes, I had to realize that there were just two different perspectives to the same event. Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh is fast-paced. It is an adventure ride of trying to figure out who is telling the truth.

My Thoughts on Fifty Fifty:

I like how this story is told through different points of view. You have Eddie's, Kate's, and then there is a "She." She is one of the sisters, but you don't know which one until the very end. I thought this was a great way to write the story because it added suspense. I kept changing my mind on who "She" really is; of course, I had a fifty-fifty chance on whether I was correct or not.

My favorite parts of the book happened in the courtroom. I like reading how lawyers try to outwit each other, especially while questioning the witnesses. The questions were strategic, and as a reader, you wanted to figure out where the lawyer was headed. You can tell that Cavanagh is a former lawyer, and he uses his expertise to profile legal maneuvering.

I gave this four out of five stars. While I wasn't totally blindsided by the plot twists, they were cleverly woven into the narrative and kept me engaged. The journey of uncovering the truth, especially in the last half of the book as the pieces started to fall into place, was thoroughly enjoyable, and I absolutely needed to know the identity of 'She' by the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Steve Cavanagh for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.

I really enjoyed the Eddie Flynn series so far. This book kept me guessing till the very end. This story follows two sisters, Sofia and Alexandra, who accuse each other of murdering their father. The court hearing begins and new secrets get revealed. I'm definitely going to continue reading more from this author.

Keeps you guessing till the very last page.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I requested the arc not knowing it was a part of the Eddie Flynn series, because I loved Kill for Me, Kill for You so much. But I think you can definitely still pick it up if you haven’t read any of the other books in that series.

Genuinely couldn’t have guessed the ending and I will definitely be reading more of Steve’s books. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the arc in exchange for my review.

a little predictable if you read a lot of this type of book, but still a fun read that i binged in one day. doesn’t matter that it’s book 5 in a series. i felt like this one did a really good job of being a standalone.

I’ll be right back…I need to go buy some more Steve Cavanagh books. How have I missed them?
Fifty Fifty kept me guessing right up until the end. Which sister was it? Did Alexandra kill her father? Or was it Sofia? Can Eddie trust his client? Or should he have picked the other sister to defend?

Two sisters. One dead father. Two frantic 911 calls made just minutes apart—each blaming the other for murder.

That’s how Fifty-Fifty grabs you—and trust me, it doesn’t let go.

This legal thriller from Steve Cavanagh, part of his brilliant Eddie Flynn series, is a masterclass in courtroom drama and psychological suspense. It centers around Alexandra and Sofia, estranged sisters from a wealthy, troubled family. One is polished and privileged, the other damaged and rebellious. And one of them is a killer. But which one?

Cavanagh weaves this story with expert precision. The alternating perspectives—both from within the courtroom and behind the scenes—create a gripping pace that constantly keeps you questioning everything. Every time I was sure I had it figured out, I’d turn a page and suddenly be 50/50 all over again. I finished the book still stunned.

Eddie Flynn is, as always, a highlight. His wit, banter, and sharp legal mind make him one of my all-time favorite fictional characters. I love how smart and scrappy he is—and how he never quite plays by the rules, but always with the right intentions.

Though Fifty-Fifty is technically a standalone, I’ve read parts of the series out of order and realized it’s even better when read sequentially. There are character reveals and developments that hit harder when you’ve followed Eddie’s journey from the beginning. That said, each book—including this one—completely hooks you on its own.