The Devil's Advocate is the 2nd Steve Cavanagh book that I have read and it won't be the last. Th1rt3en was the first, about a serial killer being on the jury for the crimes he committed, and it was so preposterous in how outside the box the plot was and how the novel was so compulsively readable. Sometimes you need to read a book that is just fun and a page turner. The same goes for The Devil's Advocate, and I am sure ditto for Fifty-Fifty, my next Steve Cavanagh book to read. His Eddie Flynn series is my new obsession, to go alongside my old one for John Sandford's Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

In The Devil’s Advocate, a corrupt district attorney thrives on sending people—guilty or not—to death row. But things get interesting when Flynn arrives to town to defend Andy, a man wrongly accused of murder with fabricated evidence stacked against him. The story starts off slow, but once the courtroom drama kicked in, I was hooked. The book also dives into hot political and social issues, adding depth to the legal aspects. My main issue? The high body count—all that murdering felt like an easy way to tie up loose ends.

This book is also part of a series, but works well as a standalone.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for a honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

I am quickly becoming a fan. I am loving the Eddie Flynn series. A slick talking lawyer with a moral compass… GIVE IT TO MEEEEE!

This book struck a nerve with me forsure. Eddie is fighting against white southern beliefs and at every turn it seemed to be an up hill battle. Everyone in that town got on my last nerve 😭. Shout out to Avery for saving the day.

My only gripe with the story was how weak and docile Andy and Patricia seemed. I always love strong black characters but other than that the book was good.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book!

In this captivating read, Cavanagh draws readers into a suspenseful world filled with secrets where the most dangerous killer knows how to stay ahead of the law! A web of dangerous secrets and morally ambiguous choices will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Cavanagh skillfully crafts a cast of characters that embodies the duality of human nature, with ulterior motives often expertly masked. The interplay between desperation and ambition drives the plot forward, inviting readers to explore themes of trust, deception, and the lengths one will go for a chance at keeping secrets hidden. This book is perfect for fans of legal thrillers, "the killer is a legal authority" cat-and-mouse, and immersive settings. Readers won't be able to put this down!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Not a new title but new to me - Cavanagh is doing what he does best here. This was Grisham and S.A. Cosby blended together in the most interesting way. The Eddie Flynn books just keep me coming back for more.

Thank you to netgalley and Atria for sending me an ARC of this book! This was THE BEST Steve Cavanagh I have read!!! I read this is 2 days! I could not stop! If i was doing something else, I just wanted to be reading! Kept my interest the whole time! Would highly recommend!!

So good, so realistic

This was very well written and the fact that it is pretty realistic is scary and very depressing. A small Alabama town district attorney loves sending people to death row and watching them die. Even when he knows they are innocent. When a black man is headed for trial and his attorney disappears, a team of New York attorneys and investigators come down to give him the defense he needs. Racism is rampant and it is obvious that this was not just the case of a mistaken arrest.

I really liked reading this, but it is sobering to think tha this actually goes on. Not just the legal shenanigans, but the racism that small-minded people use to feel powerful. The book relates that our homeland Security says that white supremacy groups are the biggest threats to our national safety. As someone in an area (Florida) where confederate flags are proudly flown, I agree. This did show several people standing up to the racism and that always gives me hope.

In The Devil’s Advocate, Steve Cavanagh delivers a high-stakes legal thriller that goes well beyond the courtroom, challenging our assumptions about justice, power, and institutional corruption. The novel follows Eddie Flynn—a former con man turned defense attorney—as he and his team battle a deeply rigged system in a small Alabama town where a young man, Andy Dubois, faces the death penalty for a murder he clearly didn’t commit.

From a business perspective, the novel can be read as a study in systems failure and moral leadership. Buckstown is a community where those in power—like the sadistic District Attorney Randal Korn—have manipulated the structure of justice to serve their own ends. The institutions meant to protect and serve have instead become tools of vengeance and control. For students of business ethics and organizational behavior, this narrative is a disturbing but enlightening illustration of what can happen when accountability is absent and power goes unchecked.

Eddie Flynn represents a kind of entrepreneurial leadership—he’s resourceful, strategic, and willing to take calculated risks. His team—comprising lawyer Kate, investigator Bloch, and his mentor Harry—illustrates the importance of collaboration and leveraging complementary skill sets to achieve a shared mission. Each member plays a crucial role, reminding us that in any high-stakes venture, success hinges not just on individual talent, but on team dynamics and mutual trust.

Though this is the sixth installment in the Eddie Flynn series, the book works well as a standalone. While there are some important themes in this book: white supremacy, racism, corruption -the execution fell a little short for me. I had a hard time maintaining my focus on this one. The courtroom drama was a little lacking also, which I enjoyed in 50/50.

This book fueled my inner rage and set my blood on fire! It starts out with a double bang and left me feeling disturbed with a heavy sense of dread hanging over me throughout the story. Cavanagh offers up a few despicable antagonists with some very sinister agendas that made me absolutely sick to my stomach. I'm not a religious person, but the idea that God would be amenable to killing anyone because of their skin color is ludicrous and delusional. Thankfully, Flynn and his team step in to put a stop to this nonsense and to save an innocent man's life. This book was one wild ride of non-stop action, nail-biting suspense, and pure terror. The author did an amazing job keeping me on my toes and delivering pulse-pounding scenarios. I could NOT put this one down! I simply had to get to the end to ensure that justice was served for these a-holes.

The Devils' Advocate is book six in the Eddie Flynn series, and I highly recommend it!

Thank you to Atria Books for granting me a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

4.5 stars
Each book in the Eddie Flynn series keeps getting better! I love the recurring supportive characters as well. Legal thrillers are so much fun, especially when a death row appeal is on the docket. The twists in this one were so well played. I didn’t see them coming!!
I’m excited for the next installment and have it on preorder already. Adam Sims is one of my favorite narrators!
*Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley

This was dark, and any moments where I thought "No, certainly that couldn't happen in real life", I was left thinking of what feels like an increase in white supremacist groups and people being elected to positions of power that they do not necessarily deserve, nor will they respect. As with Cavanagh's previous books in the Eddie Flynn series, you could read this as a stand-alone, but reading at least one prior book will help you understand character dynamics and motivation much more. The author's note at the end was a solid way to tie up the book, and I hope readers take the time to reflect on Cavanagh's research. I would recommend this for fans of David Baldacci and S.A. Cosby.

Fantastic book! I would highly recommend both this book and previous books by this author. Be sure to read this book!

Quick and easy read. Much like other Cavanagh novels in past. Great for a summer beach read.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

The Devil’s Advocate is another wild, fast-paced ride in the Eddie Flynn series—and it might just be one of my favorites yet. While it’s technically part of a series, you can easily dive into this one without having read the others (though if you’re like me, you’ll want to circle back and read them all after).
I’ve read a few books in the series already and have really enjoyed each one—this one just solidifies that the rest are definitely staying on my TBR. If you love legal thrillers with morally complex plots and a protagonist who knows how to outsmart the system, The Devil’s Advocate delivers in a big way.

Steve Cavanagh is slowly becoming one of my favorite authors to read and I really enjoyed the latest in the Eddie Flynn series.

Randal Korn has sent more people to death row than almost anyone else in the United States, his record seemingly impeccable. Skylar Edwards is found brutally murdered and Andy Dubois is suspected of doing it. A local boy who keeps to himself, is just the wrong color of skin but never murdered anyone or stepped out of line. Now, he’s being sent to Death Row.

Eddie Flynn comes across the case and the happenings of Randal Korn and knows he needs to intervene. Will he be able to get Andy off death row and find the real killer?

I really enjoyed this book.

What a riveting, twisty legal thriller! Eddie Flynn is such a great character, sharp as a tack, even out of his NYC element, and always goes above and beyond for his client. There's plenty of tension throughout the story, and lots of courtroom drama as an innocent man faces a potential death sentence, plus the multiple POV gives an interesting perspective! After reading Fifty Fifty and The Devil's Advocate, I will definitely be going back to read the rest of the Eddie Flynn series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Another five star read from Steve Cavanagh, I love this series. This is a crime psychological thriller that features Eddie Flynn, a lawyer, ex conman and hustler. This is book number six, no worries you do not have to read them in order. Eddie finds himself in the Deep South defending an innocent young man, Andy, from a corrupt judicial system. Accused of killing Skylar, a young woman he works with. Eddie and company are racing against time to fight a local DA who gets off on murdering defendants through legal means. With racism throughout the state and county, Eddie and Company have to find a way to save his client and find the real killer. All my emotions engaged with this read, I found myself talking out loud about one scenes happenings. I don’t want to spoil it. Highly recommend this, Pub Date August 5, 2025 Buy it…Read It…Thank me later. Thank you to @netgalley @atriabooks @sscav for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review. Ps Thank you to Tracy as well.

I have only just discovered Steve Cavanagh’s books, but his novels are so fantastic that I am deliberately trying not to rush through, so I can savor the writing, even though I’m dying to read everything at once!!

"The Devil's Advocate" offers a relevant and unsettling look into a small Alabama community deeply entrenched in hate and white supremacist ideologies. Cavanaugh masterfully creates detestable characters and weaves together intricate plot threads that maintain suspense until the very last moment.

Initially drawn in by the intriguing premise suggesting a protagonist who orchestrates murders, reminiscent of Dexter, I found "The Devil's Advocate" to be a more profound and disturbing examination of how a corrupt individual within the legal system can manipulate others to cause death. The narrative centers on the trial of Andy Dubois, a young Black man accused of murdering a local prom queen, Skyler Edwards. Former con artist and New York attorney Eddie Flynn steps in to defend Andy against the prejudiced prosecutor, Randall Korn.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

This author is a master at the genre . His books are like watching a courtroom drama unfold and they are always a wild ride .
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review his books

Another solid hit in the Eddie Flynn series. I love how there is always something to keep you and Eddie on their toes and I am so happy to go on this ride. Law and Order SVU fans will love!