☆RE-RELEASE ARC REVIEW☆
Publication date: Out now.

Honestly, despite absolutely loving Kill For Me, Kill For you by Steve Cavanagh, I think the Eddie Flynn series is just not my cup of tea.

While I absolutely loved the plot of this book, I found during the Eddie & Kate POVs it just moved too slowly for me.

I do think perhaps reading the series in order might work a bit better for someone looking for a legal thriller.

Thank you NetGalley, Steve Cavanagh and Atria Books for an advanced re-release copy in exchange for a review.

And he does it again! Steve Cavanagh is a mastermind and just keeps outdoing himself! The Eddie Flynn series is not one to miss! Thank NetGalley for the ARC!

Steve Cavanagh did it again with an amazing book! Fifty Fifty had a great story line about two sisters who accuse each other of brutally murdering their father. The POV's in this book were great and included a POV of the killer titles "she" so you get the killers view without giving away who committed the crime until the very end. I definitely recommend this book especially to anyone who loves a court case/law plot.

Unputdownable, Amazing, deprived me of much needed sleep, dark, twisted and dislikable people. Who to believe, who did it, and which one created a near perfect frame. I thought I had it all figured out, and then I knew I didn’t and then I was sure but maybe not completely. Steve Cavanagh is that good a crime drama, legal thriller writer that I put aside my sleuthing skills and inhaled the mystery.

Eddie Flynn, a former con man turned defense attorney, a recently retired judge and his newly adopted stray dog, a young bright attorney working for the worst kind of misogynist, a politically motivated DA, a sitting Judge with a god complex and two sisters indicted and being tried for their father’s murder, comprise the major characters who inhabit this story. Smartly crafted dialog, dark settings and heart pounding drama - perfect. The most perfect ploy is the comeuppance dispensed upon the deserving. The very interesting peripheral characters promise to make future appearances and I can’t wait for the next installment in this series.

Steve Cavanagh has become a “must read” author for me and I want to thank Atria Books and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to become reacquainted.

I absolutely love the Eddie Flynn series, and Fifty Fifty might just be my favorite one yet. This legal thriller is fast-paced, addictive, and packed with insane twists that are timed to perfection.

The good sister vs. evil sister plot had me hooked, absorbed, and fully obsessed; I couldn’t put it down. The multiple POVs worked seamlessly, keeping the tension high and the guessing game alive until the very end.

Steve Cavanagh’s character work is top-tier, with well-developed voices that bring the courtroom drama and moral dilemmas to life. If you love smart thrillers with high stakes and clever twists, this is a must-read.

>>>>> for some story-related illustrations, check out my blog! <<<<<<
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this!

Holy heckin shit. Everything about this book was incredible. The ending was so mind blow and so satisfying.

If I’m being honest I was pretty hesitant to even reading this book because I’m typically not a fan of court room dramas or lawyer-perspective books but this story was something I never could’ve imagined.

We get the story told in the perspective of each of the defense attorney’s and also the killer. So we know who the killer is without knowing their identity. I thought this was an awesome approach and tactic.

We’re also given the story from the perspectives of each of defense attorneys which made me seriously fall in love with them both.

Super impressed at Cavanagh’s the ability to write an incredibly likable male character and the world’s most hated male character. There were multiple moments in the story when I had my stomach filled with butterflies or was clenching my jaw so intensely that I nearly gave myself a headache.

I cannot get enough of Eddie Flynn stories! Loved this story, I binged it so fast because I just HAD to know how this would resolve!

The author's writing style really works for me. I love the different POV aspect since there are multiple sides to this mystery.
The opening pulls the reader in with the two main characters making separate 911 calls claiming their sister murdered their father.

Chapters are told from both main lawyer's perspectives during their respective investigations for each of the sisters. There are also chapters from the killer's perspective and there is enough doubt provided that the reader doesn't know which sister could be the killer right away. This added a great sense of mysteriousness and tension for me while reading this. It made me want to rush through reading this so that I could figure out what would happen, would the right sister get convicted or not?

Tense, quick paced, mysterious, all the things I love in a story with added courtroom proceedings and the lawyer's investigations which I LOVE to read!

4.8/5 Stars - Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC of ‘Fifty Fifty’, the fifth installment in the Eddie Flynn series. Once again, Steve Cavanagh delivers an absolutely gripping story. Although part of a series, each Eddie Flynn book works perfectly as a standalone, with a fresh, self-contained case each time.

In ‘Fifty Fifty’, two sisters each accuse the other of murdering their father, and what unfolds is a courtroom thriller packed with twists. Cavanagh masterfully keeps you guessing, weaving in chilling, anonymous chapters from the killer’s point of view. No one writes despicable characters quite like he does — you will genuinely loathe some of them!

There were moments that left my jaw on the floor (I must look completely unhinged while reading his books — or maybe that’s just my taste in thrillers! 🤣). The ending was incredibly satisfying, tied up perfectly with a touch of humor that had me laughing out loud. Have I mentioned how much of a badass Eddie Flynn is?!

The only reason I couldn’t give this a full 5 stars is that, at times, there was a bit of repetition that made me feel like I’d accidentally reread the same paragraph — though I hadn’t.

Overall, an outstanding read! Steve Cavanagh remains one of the best in the genre, and I loved reading the acknowledgements to learn that he was still practicing law when he wrote this one! So impressive!

Synopsis:
Alexandra Avellino has just found her father's mutilated body, and needs the police right away. She believes her sister killed him, and that she is still in the house with a knife.
Sofia Avellino has just found her father's mutilated body and needs the police right away. She believes her sister, Alexandra did it, and that she is still in the house, locked in the bathroom.
Both women are to go on trial at the same time. A joint trial in front of one jury.

Thoughts:
This book caught me off guard in the best way! I thought I knew who the killer was until I got to the end. This mystery was so well crafted that I reread again a couple days later! I can’t recommend this book enough!

FIFTY FIFTY – Book Five In The Eddie Flynn Series – by Steve Cavanagh

‘When I was a kid growing up in a small, cold house in Brooklyn, my mom told me there was no such thing as monsters. The stories I’d read as a kid about monsters and witches and taking children away from their parents, into the forest, well, she said they were just fairy tales. There are no monsters, she said. She was wrong.

‘Evil is real. It lives in dark places, and it can consume a human being like a cancer.’

In a word, WOW!! Also, . . .

NNNOOOOOOOOOOO!

I will not go down Spoilerville Lane, but I will say that when you are one hundred percent vested in the narrative, the hard parts hit really hard.

If you are interested in an intense, well-paced whodunit, I can not recommend this book—and the series—Highly enough.

Love the characters and the storyline—More, Please!

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books (Simon & Schuster Publishing), for providing me with an eBook ARC of FIFTY FIFTY at the request of an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fifty Fifty was a really suspenseful and intense read! Two sisters on trial for the murder of their father?! I was second guessing my own theories the entire book. It’s definitely worth reading!

great read! from the very beginning this book has me interested. Two sisters up for trial, one of them did it.. which one was it?

The ultra wealthy former mayor of New York was just murdered, his two adult daughters were both in his home at the time, and they each accuse each other… so one is a murderer, and one is being framed. When the sisters are put on trial together, the jury has to figure which sister is telling the truth.

50/50 is the just-reissued thriller from Steve Cavanagh, author of one of my favourite books from last year, ‘Kill For Me, Kill For You’.

The plot has lots of leads, fake leads, bluffs, and yes more murders, as things get more complicated and more crazy.

50/50 features Cavanagh’s recurring con man turned lawyer Eddie Flynn, but can easily be read as a standalone novel.

This is a fast-paced, tense legal thriller with lots of twists from one of the best crime writers today. Perfect summer reading.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book. It is available now.

This book will pull you in from the first page! It will keep you on the edge of your seat and have you sneaking just one more page before bed. When you think you have it figured out, you come to realize all is not how it seems. If you like a fast paced thriller with twists, say no more.

Yet another 5 star read by Steve Cavanagh! If you haven't added this to your library yet, what are you waiting for! :)

Fifty Fifty hy Steve Cavanagh
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Book five in the Eddie Flynn series but they can all be read as standalones.

Fifty Fifty finds Eddie called to represent one of two sisters who were in the house the night their father was killed. They each called 911 to report the crime and they each accused the other.

This book was so fascinating because I legitimately could not figure out which girl was the murderer till over halfway through the book. I was held rapt by this story and didn’t want to put it down.

Honestly one of the best court drama thrillers I’ve ever read, if not THE best.
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5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you love court room dramas and smart lawyers who used to be thieves, but thieves with morals, then this book would make your next best read.

Steve Cavanagh's Fifty-Fifty is a masterclass in psychological thrillers, delivering a high-stakes courtroom drama that kept me guessing until the very end. With its razor-sharp twists, morally complex characters, and relentless pacing, this book is a feast for fans of legal thrillers.

The premise is irresistible: two sisters accuse each other of murder. One is lying. The other is innocent. But who? Eddie Flynn, the slick and scrappy defense lawyer, is caught in the middle of this tangled web, and watching him navigate the case is both thrilling and deeply satisfying. Cavanagh’s knack for creating clever, realistic legal battles shines here, blending tension and strategy into every courtroom scene.

What stood out most to me were the dual perspectives of the sisters. Both voices are chillingly distinct and manipulative, adding layers of doubt and complexity to the narrative. I found myself constantly reevaluating my theories as new pieces of evidence came to light. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, Cavanagh pulled the rug out from under me, leaving me audibly gasping.

I docked half a star, however, because some of the dialogue felt overly theatrical at times. While the intensity of the story demands dramatic exchanges, a few moments strayed into territory that felt more suited to a TV courtroom drama than the sharp realism Cavanagh usually excels at.

Nonetheless, Fifty-Fifty is an electrifying read that grips you from the first page and doesn’t let go. Cavanagh’s storytelling is razor-sharp, his characters unforgettable, and his twists devilishly clever. If you love courtroom dramas with a psychological edge, this is a must-read. Highly recommended!

4.5⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What do you get when two sisters accuse each other of murder—and only one of them is lying? A multiple POV twisted courtroom thriller that’ll keep you guessing until the final gavel drops.

In Fifty Fifty, defense attorney Eddie Flynn is back, and this time he's trying to save the life of a woman who might just be a killer... or might be the victim of the most diabolical setup ever. The case? One murdered father. Two daughters. And both swear the other one did it.

Cavanagh juggles high-stakes legal drama, razor-sharp dialogue, and cliffhangers like a magician with a law degree. If you love courtroom battles with a side of psychological warfare, this book is your jam.

I'm really starting to enjoy Cavanagh's style of thriller, with multiple characters and multiple mysteries, and you don't know who to believe. They are propulsive and fast-paced and will suck you in from the first chapter. Though Eddie Flynn exists is a universe where there are multiple books, this book can be read perfectly fine as a standalone, which I appreciated. Sometimes I do find it hard to keep track of the sheer number of characters (do we need a diagram?), but if you're looking for a dark and twisty thriller book to keep your attention, this is it.

Verdict: Guilty… of being completely addictive.

4.5/5 rounded up to 5!

This was my first Steve Cavanagh book and it’s safe to say it definitely won’t be my last. Fifty-Fifty had a lot of elements that I really enjoyed. The first couple of chapters were high octane and immediately hooked me.

I love books that have multiple POVs and this one was cleverly done with the POV of the killer. Calling her “She” and keeping her details ambiguous helped build the suspense. I especially enjoyed all of the courtroom proceedings scenes. It was like watching an episode of Law and Order. While the “twist” was pretty predictable (there are only two suspects), the story overall was interesting.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this book!

Thank you so much for this gifted arc in exchange for an honest review! This book was so good! My first Steve Savanah and it will not be my last!

This book had me second guessing everything! Just when I thought I had it figured out….nope! It’s fast paced, twisty, and packed with courtroom drama that actually kept me on the edge of my seat. Two sisters on trial for killing their dad and only one is guilty... but good luck figuring out who.

I loved Eddie Flynn! His whole “only defend the innocent” thing makes the stakes even higher. The multiple POVs (especially the creepy anonymous one) added so much tension. Even if you don’t usually read legal thrillers, this one’s such a ride. Definitely picking up more from this series.