Fifty Fifty is the latest book in the Eddie Flynn series, and although it’s the fifth book in the series it can easily be read as a stand-alone.The book description for Fifty Fifty immediately piqued my interest, Two sisters accusing each other of their fathers murder! There’s nothing I enjoy more than a legal thriller that keeps you guessing. Fifty Fifty has to be the most gripping court room drama I’ve read since Thirteen, it’s tense, fast paced, and so deliciously twisted.

Two sisters, Sofia and Alexandra, one is guilty of murdering their father, but which one? And Why? It’s a guessing game which moves back and fourth between the two sisters, Steve Cavanagh doesn’t give anything away, I found my own opinion of which sister was guilty constantly changing. It doesn’t help that there are sporadic chapters told from the POV of ‘she’ that misdirect the reader at every turn. These are the chapters I enjoyed they most as they reveal chilling details of the mindset of the killer.

Eddie Flynn has his work cut out in Fifty Fifty, he’s convinced he’s defending the innocent sister, but then so is new comer Kate who believes shes defending the innocent sister, but someone’s instincts are skewed is it Eddie or Kate? The complexities of the case heighten the suspense, and there’s so much drama I had to remember to take a breath! The clues are subtle but skilfully plotted throughout the book, the author plants the seeds, and it’s up to the reader to decipher the truth from the lies!

My senses went on high alert as I listened and evaluated the evidence during the trial, I really felt like I was part of the jury and that’s testament the authors ability to create living, breathing scenes. As usual would expect in a well written crime thriller we experience some fabulous defence arguments and cross examinations during the trial, as well as drama. These scenes are so realistic they spring to life, you actually feel like you are a member of the jury searching for the truth.

The tension as the trial reached its climax was almost unbearable, I’m sure I held my breath as I waited for the verdict, and I still wasn’t sure which of the sisters was the killer! I loved every twist and turn in this legal thriller, it’s sharp, with a plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and the twists take this plot to another level. I had a couple of those ‘OMFG’ moments. Steve Cavanagh has written a belter of a book, and it’s not often I’m not able to work out the killer, but in this case I was truly hoodwinked, which made this book all the more exciting to read. I’m sure Fifty Fifty will be one of this years big hits, and deservedly so. Highly recommended.

This review maybe altered slightly and edited prior to publication on my blog

Honestly I would give this book 10 stars of I could. Steve Cavanagh is a fantastic story teller and his books are second to none. Eddie Flynn returns in this new outing and again he not only defends his clients but tries to establish the real truth along the way, with a few red herrings thrown in for good measure. I believe that Steve Cavanagh is fast becoming one of my favourite authors of recent times and I am eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Please read this book I promise you will not be disappointed.

Eddie Flynn makes his fifth appearance as Steve Cavanagh's erstwhile conman-turned-lawyer. I thoroughly enjoyed Fifty-Fifty, which was filled with Flynn's usual heart-pumping, high-stakes legal thriller mixed with a ruthless killer running around bumping off anyone who took her fancy. I wouldn't like to have been Avellino's friend, or enemy, given how quickly key players in this murder mystery were dropping.
I really, really like Eddie Flynn. His ex-trickster ways make him a compelling protagonist as he lawyers his way through his cases, and then slips in some pickpocketing and the odd punch in the face. I've read all four of his earlier adventures, and this is a worthy successor to his story.
There are three main POV characters here - Eddie, junior lawyer Kate, who's on the team for the other Avellino sister, and 'she', the killer, who's deliberately obscured until near the end. This delicious uncertainty makes the narratives of both lawyers more ironic, as both are firmly convinced of their client's innocence, but we know that one of them is sorely mistaken, and has been taken in by a cold-blooded killer.
Flynn's fifth outing is a rollercoaster ride, with characters dropping like flies on every other page. As Eddie assembles a legal team for the case of a lifetime, we see a host of old favourites - like Judge Harry Ford, Jimmy 'the Hat' Fellini, and investigator Harper, as well as getting a crossover character from Twisted, Cavanagh's last (standalone) novel. A mixture of tense thriller and unexpected gut-punch, the narrative here keeps you guessing throughout.
This is an excellent book, and were it anyone else, I'd probably give it five stars. It's missing just a shred of that Eddie Flynn magic, though. Eddie does no punching of bad guys, very little pickpocketing, and no hoodwinking of rival lawyers. There's still some instances of Eddie making the most of his backdoor connections - he palms a wallet which has ripple effects, and there's some breaking and entering, and Jimmy The Hat is still lurking around, but I felt like Eddie might be going straight. Which, honestly, I just don't want. It's more fun when Eddie plays all his lawyer tricks and then straight up punches someone in the face.
Still though. A really fun book, a worthy entry into Eddie Flynn's history, and there's a promise of more to come from the author note at the end!

I am not usually a huge fan of courtroom dramas but I have to make an exception for Steve Cavanagh! This is another book featuring flawed lawyer Eddie Flynn and his various cohorts. I just love the characterisation in these books, each character has a brilliant backstory and I love getting to know them.
This one features a murder trial when Eddie has to defend one of two sisters accused of murdering their father. Both of them seem to have reason to to hate their father and we soon find out the guilty sister is no stranger to murder. My opinion of who was guilty changed frequently as more and more circumstances came to light and you are kept guessing till the very end.
Brilliant and very very cleverly written.

Two sisters on trial for murder. They accuse each other.
Who do YOU believe?

'911 what's your emergency?'

'My dad's dead. My sister Sofia killed him. She's still in the house. Please send help.'

'My dad's dead. My sister Alexandrakilled him. She's still in the house. Please send help.'

One of them is a liar and a killer.

But which one?
My thoughts of this brilliant powerful story was excellent loved how Eddie Flynn defends one of the sisters

I only discovered Steve Cavanagh books recently and I'm so very pleased I did.

Eddie is a fantastic, complex character who is totally fascinating.

The plot was well thought out and totally gripping.

The mini cliff hangers kept me hooked and I couldn't wait to get onto the next chapter.

This book was brilliant and i couldn't put it down.

Looking forward to reading the next Eddie Flynn escapade.

Frank Avellino has been murdered - both his daughters were in the house at the time and both called 911 and claimed the other was the killer. Eddie Flynn is defending Sofia Avellino and he’s convinced she’s innocent. Kate Brooks is representing the sister, Alexandra, and is convinced of her innocence.

Such a brilliant book to read - so many twist and turns. Best in the Eddie Flynn series so far imho and the best book I’ve read so far this year. Fantastic read.

Thanks to Netgalley, Orion Publishing and Steve Cavanagh for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Cavanagh has done it again. It's so good to be back reading his work. Eddie Flynn is a triumph of a character and it soars in this novel. Cavanagh creates an environment in which you are transported into the court room as the tensions rise and the drama unfolds.


This was so additive and I was completely torn, Cavanagh writes so intelligently it's near impossible to figure out who was the real murderer. I've only read Thirteen by Cavanagh but it is on my to do list to read the rest of the Eddie Flynn novels because it really is a pleasure.

An interesting book with two main suspects told from the point of view of their lawyers with the occasional chapter from one of the suspects, although nameless. It was an interesting storyline but perhaps a bit predictable which was a shame.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc. I was drawn to the exhilarating premise of Fifty-Fifty and a ride this was, absolutely top-notch plotting, suspense, thrills and characters to root for. This is my first time reading a Steve Cavanagh novel, but I’ll definitely be exploring his backlog of Eddie Flynn novels.
So what’s the story of this? This follows two sisters: tall, blonde Alexandra, who’s established herself as the socialite of New York City and small, brunette Sofia, who’s had a life of troubles and mental health problems. Both of them ring the police one night saying the other sister has killed their father. Who’s telling the truth? Who’s lying?
This is narrated from the POV of Eddie Flynn, a New York defence lawyer, who represents defendants he believes are innocent, and he’s representing Sofia and Kate, who’s a junior associate in a misogynistic firm, that is representing Alexandra. The third POV is from the killer. This was well-constricted story with reveals and twists. The characters are well sketched and you can’t help root for them. This was a fun, thrilling read. It’s like a locked-room mystery set in the courtroom. Top-notch stuff. A breath-taking read. A new series for me to dig my teeth into. 5/5/.

Fifty Fifty.
Fifty per cent of me wants to review this novel.
Fifty per cent of me wants to just send you a link to order it.
A hundred per cent of me is convinced you’re going to love it.

Dear Mr Cavanagh, although I admire your abilities to shut me up with a neck-cracking, nerve-wrecking legal thriller, I am cross with you for leaving me with such a book hangover I can’t actually write. My brain froze when my eyes left the last page with the same intense pleasure you get when your tongue hits the ice-cream you just bought on a scorching day. The only problem is – I can’t concentrate enough to build my case.

I would ask for your help but I would probably do the same thing I did when I met you at Capital Crime… Blabber on about how I love your book and wish I could steal your brain to finally get the key to understand the law. (Sorry about that day!)

Okay, then, let’s here the fifty per cent of me who really, really, REALLY wants to tell you all about Fifty-Fifty.

Two sisters. Two different phone calls to the police. A dead father. Each of the woman claims the other killed dear daddy. Excited already??? It gets better.
Charming, well-presented, and clever Alexandra gets to be represented by a big law firm.
Shy, complicated, and troubled Sofia wins Eddie Flynn.
They say anything can happen when you have the right representation. They say that the truth doesn’t really matters. It is a fight to win. This feeling of two parties ready for battle like rugby men in suits always gets me high. I don’t need drugs, I need legal thrillers. And the best dealer for a beautifully crafted and crazily tense fix is Steve Cavanagh. You can feel the effects of his writing from the first line. It is sweet, inviting, and intriguing. You turn a page. Then another. And then BAM, you’re hooked.

Why did the father die? Who are those women? Why do they hate each other? Why do they accuse each other? The list of questions goes on and on, and I am glad all of them were in Eddie Flynn’s hands. Well, his and some very interesting other characters’.

One thing really fascinates me: how do you defend someone? How do you decide if they’re guilty or not? Does it actually matter? Everyone deserves a defence… But some lawyers actually have a soul and this little detail of culpability is a big deal. The thing is, you can’t really ever know. As Eddie Flynn is reminded of; evidence might point to your client, your gut might tell you you’re on the innocent’s side, in the end, it comes down to what we do with the cards we are dealt, and in court, you don’t choose your hand. You make do. I felt I was walking on an ice edge throughout the book. Even Eddie has a 1% doubt, and when the opposite side, after exciting legal twists, starts wondering where they stand, I was faced with the scary truth that you can’t really know if you’re a pawn or a player. Often, we are both. I couldn’t make my mind, and the author put me in the uncomfortable seat of uncertainty, submitting me to mental torture and emotional turmoil.

Suspenseful à souhait, Fifty-Fifty is like a ball in a squash room. It bounces, hits you in the head, makes you turn and turn until you think you’ve lost it. I couldn’t shake the foreboding that something was going wrong, so wrong, too wrong. And I was right. I hated to be right. I loved to be right. When do we get this series on TV? Forget most shows, Steve Cavanagh is a killer writer who knows how to fool the reader and his characters for the sake of a perfect legal thriller.

It's no secret that I absolutely ADORE Steve Cavanagh's Eddie Flynn books and have followed Eddie's career and journey with excitement and delight every since Steve Cavanagh sent me a signed copy of The Defence in 2016.

Fifty-Fifty is Steve's latest book in this incredible, fast paced, action packed series featuring one time Con Artist and now Lawyer Eddie Flynn.  A man who will defend his clients at any cost, has the ability and skill to find angles and opportunities in almost impossible situations and isn't afraid to bend the rules to ensure the innocent are protected.

This book can be read as a stand-alone novel, however the first 4 books in the series (listed below) are so good that I think the reader would miss out on Eddie's back story and past.  Having said that Fifty-Fifty is all about the two Avellino sisters.  Alexandra and Sofia - sisters who have just been arrested and charged with the very violent murder of their father.  Both girls deny murder, both girls were in the house when he was killed and both girls called 911 blaming each other.  One of them is definitely guilty and a brilliant liar - but which one?

This is an intriguing case for Eddie Flynn - he is defending one of the sisters, he believes she is innocent and as his instincts have never let him down before he finds himself embroiled in a complex cat and mouse game trying to prove his client's innocence whilst uncovering the truth about both sisters.

This is such a fast paced, page-turning gripper of a story and I think as much as I loved the previous books - Fifty-Fifty is my favourite in the series.  Throughout the book and the alternating narrators I was changing my mind on which of the sisters killed their father, I was absolutely convinced it was one and then by the end of the following chapter I had changed my mind.  I admit that as much as I read crime thrillers my armchair detective skills are crap and therefore I couldn't work out which of these two sisters was the killer.

Fifty Fifty is another brilliant crime/legal thriller with the wonderful Eddie Flynn.
Two sisters are accused of having murdered their father who also happens to be the Mayor of New York, each says it is the other sister that committed the murder, one is completely innocent the other an evil manipulative psychopath.
With great characters and a twisting and turning story with shocking revels I spent the whole book vacillating between each sister, sure one minute it was Sofia the next it was Alexandra always that hint of uncertainty nagging away until the final shocking outcome.
There is one event that completely knocked me off my axis, I never saw it coming and had to actually stop reading and leave the story for a couple of hours to collect myself, Mr Cavanagh you are an evil man but a great author to cause such an emotional reaction!
As usual with Eddie we have great defence arguments and cross examination during the trial, all the characters Judge, jury, prosecutors, defence attorneys and expert witnesses are stellar in their delivery.
This author writes books that draw you in and leave you breathless and on reaching ‘The End’ you are dazzled by his skills.
My thanks to net galley and Orion publishing group for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

- [ ]

Fifty Fifty is another absolutely stellar addition to the Eddie Flynn series and is probably my favourite so far.

Eddie is back and straight into the thick of it when the previous Mayor of New York is found brutally murdered in his house. The police has already got two suspects in custody - his daughters, Alexandra and Sofia.

I couldn't stop turning the pages as I tried to predict what I thought was happening. Steve Cavanagh is such a good writer and incredibly clever in misdirection - I really didn't have a clue who I thought had done it. My mind kept changing after every chapter!

I really can't wait for the next Eddie Flynn installment along with his motley crue of investigators!

I absolutely adore this author. I’m never disappointed with any of the books. This one has been no different. I absolutely loved this book and devoured it in a matter of hours.

I bloody love Eddie Flynn having read all the books he appears in and this is to date my favourite encounter. He is the guy i want on retainer if ever i could not only afford him but need him. He pulls the rabbit out of the hat every time with such a flourish you wonder how did he know it was there to start with. Which sister you believe is left up to you , even I didn’t know who I wanted to be right and win the day..there were so many red herrings you could open a stall on the local fish market with them. There are ups and lots of downs in this book for Eddie which just cements his place as a top guy. All the upset in the world wont stop him though it just makes him more determined and tenacious. A fantastic read that delivers a top notch experience.

I have not read any of Steve Cavanagh's previous books so wasn't sure what to expect. Fifty-Fifty is right up there with the best of crime fiction. An original strory line, fast paced plot and grippng right to the end. Well worth a read, you wiĺl not be disappointed.

Well, I spent most of this read with my eyes out on stalks and my mouth opening and closing like window blinds. It’s a look, possibly not attractive. Eddie Flynn’s heart sinks. The jury in his latest trial defending Sofia Avellino has only taken 48 minutes to deliberate. It’s not long enough. Sofia is jointly charged with her sister Alexandra with the brutal murder of their father, ex NYC Mayor, Frank Avellino. Both sisters made separate dramatic 911 calls on the night of the murder blaming the other but which one is telling the truth? This explosive thriller is told principally by Eddie, ‘She’ who is one of the sisters who is an absolute monster and by Kate Brooks who defends Alexandra.

This is one of the most gripping court room drama investigations I’ve read in a long time. It’s slick, fast paced, exciting, tense and extremely twisty. It’s well written and keeps you on the edge of your seat in anticipation of the next jaw dropper. Some of the courtroom scenes are fantastic and you feel like you have a ringside seat as the experts are cross examined, you observe the sisters behaviour, see what the judge will do and what the antics of the prosecution lawyer will be. When the verdict comes in you almost hold your breathe! I love the characters especially Eddie and Kate is in the same mould as she won’t defend if it means the guilty go free. There are a couple of deeply unpleasant characters but I’m delighted to say one of those gets entirely the justice they deserve.

Overall, absolutely brilliant - I was all in from beginning to end. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and especially Orion for the ARC.

I love Cavanagh's style, I tend to get through his books in a record time. I think I'm always expecting a big twist in his books and the reveal in this one didn't shock me as much the one in Thirteen (good lord if you haven't read it!), but the book was enjoyable nevertheless.

Eddie Flynn is back in book #5 and as usual gets involved with a high profile case that is full of twists and turns. Poor Eddie gets caught up in an absolute mess again; a few times I wanted to reach into the story and give him a massive hug!

It was great to meet other familiar characters from the previous books in the series and overall it was a good one. I did feel like Eddie wasn't on his top form but I guess certain developments in the story may have contributed to it.

A solid strong 4 out of 5 from me.

Come rain or shine, I will forever follow Eddie's journey and hope Cavanagh never stops writing about him.

WOW! Absolute masterpiece! Couldn't put it down!
My thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.