Eddie Flynn is back in action, defending Sofia Avellino, who's accused, along with her sister Alexandra, of murdering their father, ex-NYC Mayor Frank Avellino. The jury takes just 48 minutes to deliberate, which has Eddie feeling uneasy. The sisters both made frantic 911 calls on the night of the murder, each blaming the other, leaving everyone wondering who’s really telling the truth.

This courtroom thriller is gripping from start to finish. The pace is quick, the tension is palpable, and there are plenty of unexpected twists that keep you glued to the pages. The courtroom scenes are especially well-done; it feels like you’re right there, witnessing the drama unfold as Eddie and the fierce Kate Brooks dig deep to prove their clients’ innocence.

With both sisters living in the shadow of a manipulative mother, it's tough to discern who can be trusted. Eddie believes in defending the innocent, but this case challenges the black-and-white nature of justice. If you’re looking for a captivating read that will keep you guessing, this book is a must.

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me dive into this fantastic story!

4.5 ⭐️

Two sisters.
One murdered father.
They both say the other did it.
Only one is lying… but which one?

If you love twisty legal thrillers that mess with your head in the best way, Fifty Fifty is IT. The court scenes were so tense, the characters were layered and shady in all the right ways, and I couldn’t stop flipping pages. I absolutely love Eddie Flynn!

Wow! This book had me hooked from the beginning! I could never dream up such a malicious, conniving character. I was on edge as I waited to figure out which daughter was the killer. Even after I figured it out, I was still hit with curveballs that kept me interested until the very end

4.5 stars

This book had me at the edge of my seat the entire time. A truly gripping legal thriller! Fifty- Fifty is part of a series, although it can definitely be read as a standalone.

There was so much suspense. I truly had no idea who the killer was. Every time I thought it was one sister, the other would do something to make my suspicions turn back to them.

I loved that the author gave us multiple POVs. Not only did we get both lawyers’ POVs, but we also got the murderer’s pov. Known only as “SHE,” the pov gives a chilling inside look into every move the sister makes to hide all evidence pointing towards her.

This was my first book by Steve Cavanagh, but it will definitely not be my last!

Fifty Fifty is a, exciting and razor-sharp, mind-bending thriller that throws readers straight into the heart of a deadly sibling rivalry. When two sisters accuse each other of murdering their father in chillingly identical 911 calls, the line between truth and lies blurs with every twist. WHAT! Steve Cavanagh masterfully crafts a courtroom drama packed with tension, unreliable narrators, and shocking reveals that will keep you guessing until the final page. A gripping psychological puzzle where everyone’s a suspect and no one is safe—this is a must-read for fans of clever, high-stakes thrillers.

Thank you to Atria Books for a copy of this!

Not even sure where to begin. From the start of this book I was HOOKED. Each page and chapter had me second guessing my decision on who I thought the killer was. So much happened that made my jaw drop to the floor. Twists and turns that I never saw coming. The story line was amazing. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a great thriller/mystery book! I had a hard time putting this one down forsure! Great read! I have a feeling this will do great when it hits the shelves!

This is my first Eddie Flynn novel and honestly it was a mixed bag! The premise (sisters accusing each other of their father’s murder) was so good. It started with a bang; loved the conflicting 911 calls so much and I was hooked!
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But then it dragged. The whole first half of the book was a slog. The “She” chapters were the best as we got the killer’s perspective, but I didn’t like the Eddie or Kate chapters. About halfway, once we got to the trial, it picked up some, and I liked the ending.
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Overall it just wasn’t as thrilling as I was expecting. I settled on three stars. Thanks so much to Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review early!

When I read the excerpt I KNEW this book was going to keep me on my toes, but I underestimated just how much. The 911 calls in the beginning already had me looking at both sisters, because no way y’all call 911 at the same time and aren’t in cahoots. We find out veryyyy quickly that the sisters are in fact not in cahoots and literally haven’t spoken in years. As the book progresses, we learn more about Sophia and Alexandra and their … odd relationship with their dad. Everytime I thought I had the girls figured out, I did not. I’m one of those people who haaaaave to figure the plot twist out early. Very much never figured it out and I loved that. Who wants to figure out a whodunit before the last 10 pages??

I also loved that we got to hear about the lawyers, Eddie and Kate. Getting to know the defense teams also made it hard to pick a side because I liked them alllllll. Eddie is the laidback, defend-the-innocent type and Kate is actively being sexually harassed by her boss while she’s trying to make a name for herself. I enjoyed their POVs in the book; it made the murder mystery even more mysterious. Once we got to the actual courtroom trial, their POVs is what had me reallllly questioning who did it.

Having the additional ‘She’ POV threw EVERYTHING off. At one point I was questioning if I killed Frank Avellino 🤣 “She” was genius, it gave you an inside look at the killer’s mind without telling you who it was. Overall, this book was 5/5. The writing, the suspense, the character development, and the plot twists had me locked in until the literal last page.

What a thrill ride! I always anticipate the best from Steve Cavanagh, and this one more than lived up to that expectation. Don’t let your guard down with this one- just when you think you have it figured out, you get hit with another twist. Cavanagh knocks another one out of the park!

Two sisters on trial for murdering their father, who do you trust? Who is telling the truth? Who did it?

This was the first Steve Cavanagh book I have read and I have to admit, it was a page turner. I loved all the plot twists and I honestly couldn't figure out who did it until the very end. Loved the suspense from the start of the book and what made this book better was the courtroom drama! I felt like rather than reading the book, I was watching it from the side like a tv show. I will say that the only thing that might get confusing is that this book is told from multiple perspectives, but I still highly recommend reading this book if you get the chance!

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

3-Star Review

In this gripping tale of two sisters on trial for murder, the tension escalates as they turn against each other. Who do you trust? I found myself captivated by certain aspects of the book, yet felt a disconnect in the following chapters. I particularly enjoyed the narrative style of the "she" chapters, which had a more casual tone that resonated with me. I would have preferred to see this approach throughout, rather than the more formal, lawyer-like writing. Overall, while I didn't find the book to be a waste of time, it ultimately didn’t align with my personal taste. Thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC.

I absolutely adore Eddie Flynn. He’s a really fun character to follow in Steve’s books. This one had some jaw dropping moments that I didn’t see coming. I really enjoyed the trial and seeing the battle with the sisters. It really is family, am I right? 😂

Thanks to NetGallet and Atria for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

For the entire duration of this book, I had NO idea who the killer was. Another absolute masterpiece in the Eddie Flynn series from Cavanagh!

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review of it. This book has been released overseas but is new to us in the USA. I found this book to be just as good as his other books. You are left in the dark almost the whole way through about which sister murdered their dad and why. The whole time I was convinced based on clues it was one sister and then the twist came and of course I was WRONG!! Cant wait to read another one of this author's books.

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for this book! This is my second Steve Cavanagh book and did NOT realize there was an entire series based on Eddie Flynn. Now I'm going to have to go back and read them all because this one had me hooked from the first chapter. The book centers around two sisters who both call the police to report the murder of their father....and they blame each other. The entirety of the book I was back and forth on which sister was the actual murderer and really didn't put two and two together until the very end. Looking forward to reading the whole catalogue :)

This book is PHENOMENAL! I’m so glad that the publisher sent me this through NetGalley! Imagine you get home and see your father murdered and when you call 911 to report the crime and to accuse your sister as the murderer, they tell you she already call them and it’s accusing you of the crime!!! I was instantly hooked since page 1! It was my first legal thriller and will not be the last. This author is so clever and mixed with all my emotions. Can’t wait to read the other books in this series!

🎉 This is my first ARC. I am officially an ARC reader and reviewer!
So excited that it was a good book and easy to review.😏 Thank you so much to the team @atriabooks and @netgalley for the opportunity.

Steve Cavanagh has definitely made a fan with this one! I saw that there is a whole series, that can be read in ANY order or be stand alone. Well, I guess I have some back tracking to do! Fifty fifty kept me guessing who the real killer was and trying to piece together all the clues up until just before the reveal.

I did manage to put all the pieces together and guess the killer BUT I highly recommend it to someone that enjoys thrillers or a good legal drama.

Publication date is set for June 3, 2025 if you want to check it out for yourself.

This was an immersive psychological legal thriller that kept me second-guessing and questioning everything. I was hooked on the suspense from the start and I absolutely loved the courtroom drama (it felt like I was part of the gallery in the scenes where the defense were cross examining the experts and contesting their statements). The anticipation to find out what the verdict and who the real killer was kept growing with each chapter and the different POVs, and I loved every second of it.

I'm definitely going to be reading this series from the start! I loved Eddie Flynn's character, and I'm so curious about his past.

4.75

I figured this one out immediately because it pointed way too hard at the one sister so it became too obvious it wasn’t her

You know a book is good when you start playing detective, get overconfident, and then realize you’re terrible at solving crimes. Fifty Fifty is a rollercoaster of courtroom drama, unreliable narrators, and enough twists to make you question everything—including whether you should ever trust your own judgment again.

Things that kept me hooked:
📖 Short, quick chapters – Just one more chapter turned into half the book.
💡 A premise that messes with your head – Two suspects, one killer, and good luck figuring out which is which.
🔥 High-stakes legal drama – Lawyers pulling off moves that would make real attorneys weep.
🧠 A game of psychological chess – Trust no one. Suspect everyone. Question your own life choices.
🎭 Characters you love, hate, and don’t know what to do with – Because morally gray is the best color.

This book is proof that Steve Cavanagh plays mind games for a living. If you love courtroom thrillers with a side of I did NOT see that coming, this one’s for you!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.