Steve Cavanagh’s Fifty Fifty is a masterfully crafted legal thriller packed with twists and turns that kept me hooked from start to finish. This was my first time reading a book by Cavanagh, and I was blown away by the unpredictable plot and gripping courtroom drama.

Even though Fifty Fifty is part of the Eddie Flynn series, I didn’t feel lost at all. It works perfectly as a standalone novel, and now I’m eager to go back and read more of Cavanagh’s books. His writing style is sharp, fast-paced, and packed with tension—everything I love in a thriller.

If you enjoy legal thrillers with unpredictable twists, Fifty Fifty is a must-read. I can’t wait to dive into more of Steve Cavanagh’s work!

A multimillionaire is murdered in his NYC apartment. Both of his daughters call the police accusing the other of the crime. Eddie Flynn takes on the case of the one he thinks is innocent but is the really?? I enjoyed this Steve Cavanagh book told from multiple POVs. I was kept guessing until the end of the book as to who the killer was (though there were really only two possibilities). This is a good, quick thriller and I recommend it. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This one had such a compelling setup—two sisters, one brutal murder, and a legal showdown where only one can be telling the truth. The dual-accusation premise is brilliant and immediately pulled me in. I loved trying to guess who was lying and watching the case unfold in court, especially through the eyes of defense attorney Eddie Flynn. The twists are definitely there, and while I didn’t figure it out completely, the final reveal was satisfying enough to make the ride worth it.

That said, the pacing took a while to get going. The first third of the book dragged for me, with a lot of procedural buildup and background that slowed the momentum. Things finally clicked around the halfway point, and from there I flew through it. If you're a fan of courtroom drama and don’t mind a slow burn with a big finish, this one’s worth picking up. But for me, the uneven pacing knocked it down a star.

Another great one, I love Eddie Flynn probably my favorite legal thriller series. This book keeps you on edge the whole time. I needed to know what was going to happen next and how Eddie was going to argue things in court. I really enjoyed the “She” chapters and that you kept thinking you knew who the killer was. There was sadness but also loved the ending and can’t wait for more!

Steve Cavanagh’s Fifty Fifty is a thrilling legal crime novel that combines suspense, sharp wit, and an intricate plot that keeps readers hooked until the very last page. Part of the Eddie Flynn series, this book introduces an intense and gripping courtroom drama, with high stakes and emotional turmoil.
The story centers around two sisters, who are both accused of brutally murdering their father, but only one of them can be guilty. The catch? Both sisters claim to be innocent, and their lawyer, Eddie Flynn, must figure out the truth. As Flynn navigates the case, we witness his sharp legal mind, moral dilemmas, and personal stakes in a battle of wits against a cunning adversary.
Cavanagh’s writing is tight, fast-paced, and full of twists that keep the tension palpable. He does an excellent job of balancing character development with plot progression, allowing us to invest emotionally in Eddie Flynn and the sisters' conflicting stories. The courtroom drama is skillfully depicted, and the pacing is unrelenting, with each chapter adding new layers to the mystery.
What sets Fifty Fifty apart from other legal thrillers is Cavanagh’s ability to present moral complexity. It’s not just about finding the truth but also about what justice really means when faced with flawed characters and difficult decisions. Eddie Flynn is a fantastic protagonist—flawed, relatable, and yet incredibly sharp. His personal struggles and unwavering commitment to his clients make him someone readers can root for.
If you’re a fan of legal thrillers or crime novels with complex characters and unpredictable plots, Fifty Fifty is a must-read. With its brilliant narrative and thrilling courtroom sequences, it’s no surprise that Steve Cavanagh has earned a reputation as one of the best in the genre. You won’t want to put this one down.
Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

This book was incredible! I was completely gripped from the very beginning. I can’t wait to read the rest of his books in this series!

Wow, this book was great!
5th in the series, but definitely can be read as a stand alone. Loved the different point of views and the clues throughout the storylines was amazing.
The attachment you get to these characters is crazy- anyone else have a crush on Eddie Fly?


When two sisters are blaming eachother for their wealthy former mayor fathers murder can evil win and the innocent be blamed ? Or will ex con turned lawyer Eddie Flynn figure it all out?

If I could give this book 10 stars I would. Eddie Flynn, ex conman, now a defense attorney, finds himself called in to choose which sister he believes innocent to represent. Both sisters Alexandra and Sofia have been charged with the murder of their father, a former mayor of NY. She is hard to choose. I so want to say more about the story, I just don’t want to say too much. I laughed, cried and well…squealed out loud while reading this book. This book is fast paced and does not leave you hanging, there is no stopping once you get hooked on page one. Steve Cavanagh has become one of my favorite authors and this is definitely in the running for my favorite book this year. Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and Steve Cavanagh for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Do yourself a favor and buy this one, Pub Date June 3, 2025, you won’t be sorry.

Steve Cavanagh is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine! I'm typically a stand alone book lover, as series, in my opinion can become a little drug out. But Steve Cavanagh is a great storyteller!
The book starts out with a 911 call transcript from caller Alexandra Avellino. She reports her father has been stabbed there's blood everywhere. Alexandra hides in the bathroom, she's tells the 911 dispatcher she's coming up the stairs. I think she has a knife....It's my sister Sofia, but wait less than a minute later another 911 call comes in from the same house. Its Sofia on the phone, she's found her father brutally murdered.
She tells the dispatcher it was Alexandra she's in the bathroom. Sofia is frightened and pleads for help, hurry she will kill me too.
Frank Avellino was brutally murdered that night....
Who do YOU Believe?
Enter Eddie Flynn. Both Sofia and Alexandra are on trial for murder in a joint trial. Which one is guilty, and which one is innocent? Eddie will represent one sister..... this book has so many twists and turns we have come to expect from Steve Cavanagh. I kept going back and forth on who the guilty party was.
It's a game of cat and mouse, clever, captivating and seriously addictive. I can highly recommend this book and can't wait for the next book. This is the third book I have read from Steve, he has quickly become a new favorite author.
Thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster, and Steve Cavanagh for the ARC of this re-release!

I found this to be another great crime story, with twists I've come to appreciate from Cavanaugh's books. Eddie Flynn has matured a bit in this one, making the story less about him and more about the sister's trial for murder of their father. I think it did a superb job tying in early evidence to bring it all together in the end.

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏. 𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒊𝒕. 𝑾𝒉𝒚, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏, 𝒄𝒂𝒏'𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆? 𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝒄𝒂𝒏'𝒕 𝒂 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒍 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒊𝒕?

This series featuring lawyer Eddie Flynn is quickly becoming one of my favorites, and I'm so glad the author's backlist is being re-released in the US so it will reach more readers! In addition to being a twisty, nail-biting thriller, this installment marks a big change in Eddie's personal and professional life.

Sisters Alexandria and Sofia are accusing the other of being responsible for their father's death. Their father was brutalized and mutilated, and it's clear that the person responsible harbored a lot of hatred towards this man. On the surface, it seems easy--Sofia is the one with a history of mental illness and self-harm, so to the untrained eye, the culprit appears clear. But in Eddie's world, nothing is ever as it seems.

I absolutely loved the POV called "She" who is clearly one of the sisters, but good luck figuring out which one it is. Being inside her mind was quite uncomfortable, but of course, that was the whole point. My heart was in my throat the entire time I was reading, and I constantly changed my theory about which sister was the monster. If you're a fan of legal thrillers with engaging characters, a fast-moving plot with no filler, and engrossing cases with each installment, then this is the series for you! Thank you to Atria Books for my early copy. This title is expected to publish June 3, 2025.

This is my third book from the author, and probably my favorite. His writing style is a little slow for me, and I really like heart racing books that I cant put down, but this one had my interest from the start and I tried really had to figure out who the killer was. I had a couple theories but was wrong. I would recommend this book.

I love a good thriller and love finding republished boo editions of older ones that have stood the test of time. Fifty Fifty will not waver in holding your rapt attention,, and the ending blew me away.

You think you have this figured out but trust me you don’t!!
I have read a couple of other Eddie Flynn books and enjoyed them. However, this one was excellent and kept me hooked throughout the book. There were many times in the book that my jaw dropped with the twists. Two sisters are on trial for the murder of their father and it’s up to their respective lawyers to prove their client innocent. It’s not as simple of a task even with the evidence presented because there’s always more to the story than what meets the eye. I really enjoyed the book switching between the different characters in the book so that you could get all sides of the story. Even then the other sides of the story just left more questions that made me want to keep reading. I highly recommend this book especially if you are in to solving cases.

Fifty Fifty is the third novel of Steve Cavanaugh's I have been lucky enough to read. I have enjoyed all of his books, but this one had me on the edge of my seat. I was constantly torn between the twins and did not know who to believe. I stayed up until 1 AM just to get some answers.

Thank you to Atria books, Steve Cavanagh, and Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

Before I read this one, I didn't realize it was book number 5!! in the series! I felt like I would have rated it higher had I know that and had read the previous books. I felt like the characters did not seem as developed and I could not quite connect with them and I attribute that to the characters being built up earlier in the previous books.

I felt like I called the story was very well-thought out and that it truly did have me guessing the entire time. I did ultimately guess wrong - truly was a fifty-fifty split.

This book was great! I read it with in a few days and thought I had it figured out from the beginning! But I was wrong! Such a good book!

Thank you, Net Galley, for this ARC. This was a great thriller as it was fast paced and full of twists and turns. The story starts off with two sisters, Sofia and Alexandra, each accused of murdering their father, Frank. Both sisters need lawyers to represent them to prove their innocence. In come the lawyers with Eddie Flynn representing Sofia and Kate Brooks representing Alexandra. The story is told from Eddie, Kate, and the killer's point of view which keeps you on your toes and constantly second guessing who actually killed Frank. This was a gripping courtroom story filled with family drama, secrets, and heart that kept me wanting to read more to solve who did it. I loved it and will need to read more thrillers from Steve Cavanagh. :)

I would like to start off by saying, I do not frivolously throw out 5 star ratings. In fact, this book has made me think back on other books I considered to be "5 stars" and reevaluate my thought process. As someone who had worked in law enforcement for over a decade, i tend to shy away from "true crime" like books. I always dwell on things "not being the way its done", but not one time during this book did I think that. This book was absolutely brilliant in my opinion. The amount of research that Mr. Cavanagh had done in all aspects of this book gave me such respect for him as an author. It was unbelievably well written and you can tell that it is something that he poured his entire heart into. I would recommend this book to anyone. "Oh you like Fantasy? I don't care, read Fifty Fifty" "Romance? Cool, have you read Fifty Fifty?" "Historical Fiction? No, you should read Fifty Fifty." I am actually not even sure what I am going to read now since it will be very hard for anything else to live up to my new expectations. I cant even comprehend how someone could come up with a crime concept this amazing.

Two wealthy sisters. Both blaming each other for the horrific murder of their father, a former mayor of New York City. Both sisters are being assisted by defense attorney who both believe that their client is the one who is innocent, only to finally figure out the truth when its almost too late. You think you may have an idea of where this book is going or who in fact carried out the crime, however, I promise you don't. Anyone who is a fan of Crime or Thriller books will love every minute of this book. I was hooked from the first chapter and can't wait to see what else is in store for their attorneys, Eddie Flynn and Kate Brooks.

Steve Cavanagh's Fifty-Fifty is a masterclass in suspense and plot twists, leaving readers breathless and constantly on the edge of their seats. From start to finish, this thrilling legal drama feels like a human hot potato — every time you think you’ve got a firm grip on the truth, you’re thrown in a new direction. Cavanagh’s pacing is relentless, and his ability to make you waver between believing Sofia and Alexandra is nothing short of brilliant.

The story revolves around two sisters, both accused of the brutal murder of their father. The narrative pulls you back and forth between their stories, and just when you think you know who is guilty and who is innocent, the rug gets pulled out from under you. Every revelation makes you question your assumptions, forcing you to reassess everything. One moment, you’re convinced Sofia is the victim, and the next, Alexandra’s case makes you second guess it all.

Cavanagh’s writing is incredibly tight, keeping the suspense high and the tension palpable. The courtroom drama is engaging, with twists that feel fresh and unpredictable. The stakes are constantly raised, and you can’t help but be sucked deeper into the mystery. It’s a truly gripping read that kept me glued to the pages long into the night.

What I loved most about Fifty-Fifty is how the story keeps you on your toes, never allowing you to settle into one theory for too long. It’s a skillful blend of legal drama, family dynamics, and psychological suspense. And the ending? It’s just perfect. It ties up the entire story in a way that’s both satisfying and thought-provoking, leaving you reflecting on the twists and turns long after you finish.

This is the kind of book I live for—unpredictable, clever, and expertly written. Steve Cavanagh has delivered a top-tier thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. Highly recommend for fans of gripping, twisty mysteries!