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.

This courtroom thriller had me questioning everything! Up until the very end, I really didn’t know who committed the crime. Cavanagh’s ability to captivate his audience up until the very last page is such a talent. I love how his writing is quick, to the point, and he doesn’t waste time with his words. It reflects the main character, Eddie Flynn, and his no B.S. attitude.

This is my second Eddie Flynn novel, and while Fifty-Fifty is fifth in the series, it can be read as a standalone. There are a few background stories that happened in previous books, but Cavanagh does a good job at quickly recapping (a paragraph or two). He weaves it into the overall story when the moment is right.

Fifty-Fifty takes two sisters both accusing each other of brutally murdering their father. They are put together on a joint trial and watching Eddie work his magic alongside new lawyer Kate was such a fun read.

Fifty-Fifty has several POVs, one being the killer’s. It’s labeled as “She,” and the readers have no idea who it is. Seeing the inner monologue of this serial killer is jarring but adds so much to the story. I loved how he sets the stage with these moments.

The courtroom drama is captivating as you watch the former “conman” try and sway the jury. Eddie Flynn only represents the innocent, but this case has him second guessing his client’s innocence.

As someone who doesn’t read a lot of courtrooms thrillers, Fifty-Fifty makes me want to pick up more of these stories! I binged this in a day; I could not put it down.

Thank you to Atria Books for the ARC and finished copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

LOVED LOVED LOVED!!! I cannot recommend this book enough!!! Do yourself a favor and pick this up immediately!

I loved this novel!

I jumped in from the middle of the series about Eddie Flynn which I think was totally doable. The novel starts off giving you multiple characters to root for. Kate Brooks who is a young attorney working for a man who is disrespectful. Eddie Flynn and his whole team that are the classic band of misfits who get things done and get results in maybe the more unconventional ways.

I was on my toes the whole book! I wanted both attorneys to be representing the innocent sister but that was obviously not possible. Each time I thought I had it right another curve was thrown my way.

Definitely would suggest this novel to anyone looking for a great book to keep you on the edge of your seat!

Steve Cavanagh's books are hit or miss for me. This one was good, but not great. While it says it can be read as a standalone, this book is part of a series. Given that it's the fifth book, I found some of the characters and their relationships to be confusing. The story and premise are super interesting, but not knowing the characters well threw me off.

Was hopeful that a juicy crime thriller would pull me out of a recent reading slump, but alas, this was NOT it!

The writing style was dry with a lot of telling, very little showing. The third person POV was extremely detached and I couldn’t get a sense of any of the characters - didn’t connect with any emotionally, very under developed, etc. Lots of stage direction with very little interiority.

I also did not love the structure of the novel and how the author revealed clues/evidence. Everything was shared at the end; the reader could not play detective and try to guess throughout the book, which is one of the main draws to reading a book in this genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

One murdered father and two estranged sisters are both arrested for it, each claiming that the other is the murderer. Eddie Flynn takes the job of defending one of the two sisters in a joint trial in which everyone is trying to pull a fast one. It’s a great trial and order story and I’m thankful that my family isn’t even close to this level of dysfunctional.

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I liked it. It’s very dark but I felt compelled to keep reading. The somewhat graphic descriptions might be triggering to some. You have a 50/50 chance of guessing which sister is the guilty one- the twists are numerous. (3.5/5)
I read this as a stand alone not realizing that it was #5 in the Eddy Flynn series.
Thank You to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I really enjoyed this twisty book. I have read a newer Flynn series book but then when this one went onto Netgalley, I figured why not.

The plot of this one was really well done. The twin sisters were both hard to trust and the chapters from “her” perspective made me constantly change my guess on which sister, or if both, committed the crime.

Highly recommend.

Steve Cavanagh knows how to hook a reader, and Fifty Fifty is no exception. Two sisters, one dead father, and a courtroom showdown where both point the finger—and neither backs down. It’s a classic case of she said, she said… but only one of them is a killer.

I loved the pacing—it kept me locked in and playing detective the whole way through. Every time I thought I had it figured out, Cavanagh would toss in just enough doubt to keep me second-guessing. (That said… I had a gut feeling and nailed it. Thank you, intuition!)

If you like fast-paced legal thrillers with clever twists, sharp dialogue, and just the right amount of psychological warfare, this one’s for you. A total binge-read that made me question everyone—including myself.

From start to finish, this was such a great adrenaline rush. I was kept on a high the entire time and couldn't wait to go back to go to the next chapter and the next. Already so invested in the world of Eddie Flynn, this just heightened it to a whole other level. The mystery was so well plotted, the characters were fun to read, and it was also emotionally charged. I devoured this book.

This was more of a courtroom drama with a delicious crime to seep it all through. The mysterious parts with both sisters were balanced so well, and the small itches to be scratched of guessing which sister was the guilty one had me swaying back and forth so much. Just as I thought this series couldn't get any better, Fifty Fifty had set the bar so high. I loved this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

His books are just next level. All of them just suck you in! I loved and devoured this one just like the others. Can’t recommend enough.

Steve Cavanaugh knows how to write stories that grip you quickly and don’t let go! Sisters Sophia and Alexandra are both being tried for the murder of their father. Eddie and Kate represent the defendants respectively and know something is off about one of the girls. But which one - it’s almost impossible to tell. This is a fast paced and exciting read!

I have now completed several Eddie Flynn novels and I have enjoyed each one! This was no exception. This book introduces us to a pair of sisters who have had a cold relationship over the years since their mother's passing. They each have a relationship with their father, who was previously the mayor. The book starts with them each calling 911 from their father's home, one on each side of a door, reporting that the other sister has attacked their father. The police arrest both for murder and one of the sisters hires Eddie as her attorney.
This is a twisty story that keeps you guessing as to which sister is guilty and which is innocent. Another cool plot twist is that the sisters are each represented by different attorneys but the trial is not separated. This leaves the prosecutor with the job of convincing the jury that one or both of the sisters committed the crime, while the defense lawyers can either throw the blame of the opposite sister, helping the prosecution, or both defending against any witnesses. This plot device elevates the story in my opinion.
Highly recommend this, especially for those that enjoy legal thrillers. This one is fun!
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There is so much I want to say on this review but I don’t even know where to start… First of all as soon as this book comes out June 3rd yall better buy it!!! My head was spinning from all the turns and twists he gives us during the WHOLE book! I don’t think I have EVER read a book where there was a twist in every chapter and it didn’t come out as too much… this book had me on my toes and I could not stop reading it! You will second guess yourself! Definitely recommend to everyone!!!!

Fifty Fifty, author Steve Cavanagh's recent release is the fifth book in his Eddie Flynn series, and definitely my favorite to date. Eddie, former conman, now a defense lawyer is hiredfor a very unusual case. The police receive calls minutes apart reporting a brutal stabbing death, both callers insist that the killer is still in the house. The victim is former NYC Mayor Frank Avellino; the callers and immediately arrested suspects are his daughters Alexandra and Sofia Avellino. Alexandra is a beautiful and successful young woman, while Sofia has a history of addiction, violence and mental health issues. Of course this was destined to be a high power case, and many attorneys were vying to represent the girls. Eddie was chosen by Sophia, and after hearing her tell what happened had a good feel that she might ultimately be innocent. Much to his dismay the District Attorney petioned the Court to try the sisters together, Eddie appealed that decision, however the judge denied his request. Fifty Fifty is a gripping psychological thriller with more twists and turns than a winding road. I was on the edge of my seat as the story unfolded and constantly surprised- it is a definite page turner with an ending that blew me away.. Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and Steve Cavanagh for the opportunity to read an ARC of Fifty Fifty; my review reflects my candid opinion. 4.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Unfortunately this one was a miss for me. I felt confused with all the different characters. Even the main girls were similar and I kept getting them mixed up. I’m clearly the minority here so maybe this one just wasn’t for me.
If you love legal thrillers look for fifty fifty out now!

Fifty Fifty is a continuation of the Eddie Flynn series (which I love). I love Eddie as a lawyer, but Cavanagh writes great legal suspense. In this case you have one dead father and 2 possible killers, who both blame the other.

So, you have multiple POV's: Eddie, his new junior lawyer Kate, and the killer. You don't know who the killer is, just that it's a she. I must say, I could believe either of the sisters as the killer. They were both not great humans. You get to see how both Eddie and Kate handle the 2 cases, as the sisters are tried in separate trials at the same time. Cavanagh always does great legal drama and courtroom shenanigans! My biggest issue is the treatment of Kate for the first part of the book. Casual misogyny and degrading happen to Kate. Even after if stopped, no one said "Oh hey, that was really wrong". It just sort of stopped and everyone moved on. I feel like this is common, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating.

This story is a standalone, but to really understand all the characters, it helps to read this in order. Harry and Clarance are favorites of mine! 4.5 stars!