We were invited to read this book for a Blog Tour - but unfortunately, due to events transpiring on Twitter, the blog tour has been canceled and we have chosen NOT to review this book. Although we have previously loved this authors books, we would prefer not to comment on this book at the moment given current circumstances.
We will be marking this as a DNF.

Apologies.

Wow, what a book!
I found Steve Cavanagh’s books about 6 months ago and have since worked my way through the entire Eddie Flynn series! This latest instalment has not disappointed! A fab mix of action, suspense and real-life events, Cavanagh is able to draw you into the story and keep you there. Never have I ever read books so quickly, I literally can’t put them down!

The level of courtroom detail is amazing, I have learnt so much about the criminal justice system in the last few months, but Cavanagh keeps you guessing. The chapters are short enough to pick up for a few minutes but long enough to push the story forwards.

The last couple of Eddie Flynn’s I have read have been fairly graphic so this one was slightly different in that it was quite subtle this time. This was surprising but just wasn’t needed this time. The story told itself. I also found this book interesting as it covers the topic of the death penalty which is very controversial, and Cavanagh covers it in a really clever way.

You don’t have to have read any of the other books before this, you can pick each one up and read on its own although some events and people you will find are mentioned in other books which is great if you have read a few as it ties them all in together!

Absolutely brilliant and could not put it down! I can’t wait for the next one!

#TheDevilsAdvocate #NetGalley

What they say: A DEADLY PROSECUTOR They call him the King of Death Row. Randal Korn has sent more men to their deaths than any district attorney in the history of the United States. A TWISTED RITUALISTIC KILLING
When a young woman, Skylar Edwards, is found murdered in Buckstown, Alabama, a corrupt sheriff arrests the last person to see her alive, Andy Dubois. It doesn't seem to matter to anyone that Andy is innocent. A SMALL TOWN BOILING WITH RAGE Everyone in Buckstown believes Andy is guilty. He has no hope of a fair trial. And the local defense attorney assigned to represent him has disappeared. A FORMER CON-ARTIST Hot shot New York lawyer Eddie Flynn travels south to fight fire with fire. He plans to destroy the prosecutors case, find the real killer and save Andy from the electric chair. But the murders are just beginning. Is Eddie Flynn next?

My thoughts: Brilliant! An excellent crime thriller, gripping from the start and so well plotted, this was a fabulous read! Even if you haven't read any Eddie Flynn stories before, this is such a good thriller, you will however get a much better character appreciation if you read the earlier books, all of which are also excellent. It's such a pleasure as a reader to really enjoy a series, be looking forward to the next one and then be blown away by it! Eddie and his team need to prove that Andy Dubois is innocent and save him from death row and the clutches of twisted attorney, Randal Korn. The lengths Korn will go to are deadly, racism from past and present America shows its ugly face. The sheer amount of research put into this book really adds some weight to the story. The team of Eddie, Harry, Kate and Bloch work so well together, they are vibrant and well drawn. It's pacy, every time you think they are getting somewhere, there's another twist and it all flows along perfectly. I really enjoyed it and would certainly recommend it as an excellent crime thriller.

Can this series get much better?
I am a HUGE legal thriller fan, and am slightly obsessed with novels about Death Row, so when I heard my favourite author Steve Cavanagh was writing a new Eddie Flynn book about a client in a capital punishment case, I could barely contain my excitement.
This was FANTASTIC.
I could not stop reading, and had several late nights racing through this, and some of the clues were utter genius. There were some scenes that made me gasp in shock.
The characters, as ever, were strong, likeable (on Flynn's team anyway! Korn made me recoil!) and I rooted for them on every page.
I LOVED this book and I am so sad it is now over!

Thank you to Steve Cavanagh, the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

This is the latest case and probably his toughest so far for Eddie Flynn one-time con artist and now Defence lawyer, you want when everything is against you. And everything is against the defendant in this case. In small town Alabama, a young African American is framed for the murder of a young white girl, with DNA evidence, 2 confessions and a DA, and sheriff who will do anything to get the conviction and extend the DA’s record-breaking execution legacy. If that wasn’t enough there is a group of white supremacists led by The Pastor with a deadly agenda.

As you may have guessed it has elements that draw parallels between the 1930s Alabama depicted in To Kill a Mockingbird, and modern America. The District Attorney Randal Korn doesn’t care if the defendant is innocent or guilty, he goes for the death penalty in every case. With no moral scruples as to how he gets there.

Another fantastic addition to the series. As always Eddie Flynn stories are fast paced, full of tension, thrills, suspense and twists. Even Eddie himself doubts he can come out of this one ahead, or even alive at times. But the principles he lives by will not let him give up. Highly recommended whether you are new to this series or are a long-standing fan. Just don’t plan to go anywhere until you have finished it.

I received a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review thanks to NetGalley and Orion Books.

This is book 6 in the Eddie Flynn series.

I was fortunate enough to be one of the first 100 to be approved for this e-arc and I cannot tell you how excited I was to be able to read this!

I loved the previous books in the series - ‘Thirteen’ being my favourite so far.

This book is based on real life situations, with the drama obviously amped up. There’s a paragraph of facts and statistics at the end of the book which shows how realistic this book is for some people in the US.

This is another brilliant addition to the series! I was hooked from the start!

It’s the kind of book where you think you know what’s going on and then another twist is thrown into the mix.

I never guessed who the murderer was! The fact that it was realistic for the US was even more shocking!

I have enjoyed the books from the Eddie Flynn series that I have read and after reading this I know that I need to read the couple that I have missed. The Devil’s Advocate could be read as a standalone but I would recommend reading the earlier books if you want to know more about the characters, in particular, Eddie.

I knew that this book was going to be a favourite from the prologue, it isn’t often that just a few pages can leave me feeling horror and fear over the actions of one of the characters. Even more so, because they were totally unexpected. This feeling didn’t diminish throughout the entire novel. I can imagine that there are communities that exist like the one here in parts of America.

There are a few nice people in the novel but nearly all of them are forced into being little help to Eddie and his team. There are threats and also promises. Offers of help which had a high price to pay. What was evident throughout this novel is how easy it was to manipulate somebody who was grieving. There was no compassion and no remorse. There was guilt from some, but only when it was too late. I also noticed that the ones who saw through the act of kindness were on the whole female.

It is difficult to review without revealing the plot but this novel is extremely powerful, especially with recent events around the world. I felt horror at some of it but this was offset by the way Eddie worked. All of his team made me want to smile and clap.

A brilliant addition to a well established series

This is probably one of my favorite thriller series and I've been highly anticipating the sixth book ever since I finished binge reading the first five books last year. There is just something about main character Eddie Flynn that made me an instant fan of his unorthodox methods and his adventures are turned into what is without doubt one of the most exhilarating and action packed legal thriller series I've read to this date. Book number six The Devil's Advocate is no exception, and without doubt more than lived up to expectations! It's another fantastic, twisted, dark and highly entertaining read fellow Eddie Flynn fans will most likely devour like there is no tomorrow.

I always love my time with Eddie Flynn and the rest of the gang, and it's been good to return after that shocking plot twist in the previous book (those who have read it will know what I'm talking about). This is one of those series where it's best to read the books in order, or at least the previous two before you start reading The Devil's Advocate. You will be missing out on both character background and developments in the previous books otherwise... And they are all brilliant reads in the first place. In this sixth book, Eddie Flynn and the rest have another dangerous and twisted case on their hands, and it's been interesting to see the new dynamics with Kate and Bloch. They first appeared in the previous book and are key in this new story too, and I like the new balance.

The Devil's Advocate isn't afraid to go dark and touch some heavy topics including racial discrimination, white nationalism, terrorism, violence, death row, innocent men being condemned to death... Oh yes, this is not an easy read, and disturbing, shocking and twisted is an accurate description for this story. I liked how the elements were incorporated into the story though and how they helped shine a light just how biased a trial in a small town in the South could be. The plot itself is well developed, highly entertaining and multi-layered thanks to the multiple POVs; there are so many twists and turns to keep you busy along the way that you won't even realize you keep turning those pages and suddenly arrive at the end.

The Devil's Advocate is another action-packed, pitch black, exhilarating and entertaining ride that fans of the Eddie Flynn series will love. Nail-bitingly good and without doubt one of my favorite books so far this year!

An impossible case for Eddie Flynn, with difficult themes of racism and white supremacy. An innocent Negro victim on death row in the Deep South. It’s a fast moving story set in Alabama - way out of Eddie’s comfort zone, the heat and humidity playing its part. As much as I wanted to keep reading, I had to take breaks because the writing is so full on. Hard to believe that all these years after the Klu Klux Klan things are still fundamentally the same, but it is domestic terrorism that is worse than foreign terrorism.
Beautifully written as always, with great characters both good and evil. Eddie now has a team to help him as well as his mentor Harry, which is imperative in this case.
I found the book both breathtaking and memorable. Thank you Steve for writing such a clever, amazing book!
Thanks to Orion and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest opinion.

Yet another exceptional Eddie Flynn book by Steve Cavanagh in what has become a wonderful body of work. Eddie is an incorrigible as ever aided and abetted by his regular gang of helpers as they seek to prevent an injustice in the deep south of the states where racism and indeed, far worse, still prevails.

It reads at times like an early John Grisham such as "A Time to Kill" when describing the prejudice faced by a hapless and innocent Black defendant false charged with murder and facing the death penalty eagerly sought by a ghoulish prosecutor.

Wonderful entertainment throughout and a great read. Highly recommended.

Yet another cracker from this best-selling author.
Eddie Flynn, one time con man and hot-shot lawyer, is persuaded to take, what appears to be, a hopeless case in Buckstown, Sunville County, Alabama. A young black man, Andy Dubois, has confessed to the murder of a teenage white girl. His original lawyer has disappeared and almost everyone believes Andy guilty. A blood-thirsty D.A., Randal Korn, known as having an unsurpassed record for getting death sentences in such cases, enjoys watching his successes try in the electric chair and will stop at nothing to achieve this
end. Add in a corrupt police force, a biased judge, white supremacists and a strange man known only as The Pastor whose goal is to return the South to pre-Civil War days.
The defence team is treated with suspicion and contempt on arrival from New York and any investigations are seemingly thwarted by whatever helpful evidence going missing.
Flynn, however, is an astute player and his cohorts work, despite the odds, in Andy’s defence.
Some current events in America could suggest not all this novel may be fiction.
The book is beautifully written. All the characters are credibly drawn and the story moves apace. I read it in one go and thoroughly enjoyed it. Absolutely unputdownable.

This is why Steve Cavanagh is an auto-buy author for me. His Eddie Flynn series just keeps getting better and better and The Devil’s Advocate did not disappoint.

Eddie and his team find themselves well and truly out of their comfort zone in a small town in Alabama, where the justice system and law enforcement work to their own set of rules. Brought in to try and save a defendant from the death penalty, everything is stacked against them and their innocent client. Can the team work their magic and save the client’s life or will they lose theirs in the process?

This book was action packed and kept me guessing until the very end. I genuinely wasn’t sure how the team were going to come out of this case in one piece and it was so shocking at times. At one point I had to stop reading to catch my breath and recover!

Steve just has this brilliant way of crafting the story so that even though you kind of know what’s happening, because you read some chapters from the ‘villains’ point of view, you don’t actually know what’s going on and what’s going to happen next. I love how he builds the case and reveals more and more as the story unfolds.

Eddie, Harry, Kate and Bloch. I adore these characters and I’m fully invested in them and their well-being. But Steve also writes amazing villains. They are truly despicable and I love that!

What more can I say other than I’m a huge fan and cannot wait for the next one!

Definitely one I highly recommend -
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher (Orion Publishing Group) for providing a copy of the book for review. All opinions are my own and provided willingly.

The latest in Steve Cavanagh's legal thriller series featuring ex-con New York lawyer, Eddie Flynn, draws parallels between contemporary American realities with its echoes of the 1930s Alabama depicted in To Kill a Mockingbird with the entrenched racism of Maycomb, and the iconic lawyer, Atticus Finch, defending a black man falsely accused of rape. Eddie, and his team of Harry Ford, his law firm partner, Kate Brooks, and the tough Melissa Bloch leave the security of their New York office to travel to Buckstown, Alabama, to defend an innocent young black man, Andy Dubois, from being put on death row for the brutally vicious and ritualistic murder of student Skylar Edwards. The odds are against them, the evidence against Andy seems insurmountable, including 2 confessions and if that was not enough, there are well organised white supremacists led by The Pastor with deadly plans.

In what is Eddie's toughest case, he faces a formidably foe in the shape of the powerful District Attorney Randal Korn, a man who goes for the death penalty in all his cases, and his success rate is unsurpassed in the country, he has never lost. The sinister Korn, reeking of death and decay, doesn't care how he wins his cases, by fair means or foul, nor whether the defendant is innocent and he is aided and abetted by the corrupt local law enforcement department, run by Sheriff Colt Lomax. Eddie doesn't go in blind to the dangers he is walking into, Andy's previous lawyer, Cody Warren has gone missing, along with critical evidence that would have proved his client's innocence. Eddie and his team face hostility from locals convinced of Andy's guilt, but there are greater threats, a greater evil and malevolence at play that lies at the heart of why Skylar was murdered.

Cavanagh's fast paced and twisty storytelling is full of thrills and spills galore, packed with sky high levels of suspense and tension, so much so that I was turning the pages as fast as I could until I reached the end. The majority of the book has Eddie uncertain as to whether justice will prevail, but his principles will not allow him to give up, despite knowing his life and those of his team are at stake. This is a wonderfully dark and intense legal thriller, where once again Eddie falls back on a skill set acquired from his past as a con man. Flynn is one of my favourite fictional lawyers, and I am hugely anticipating his next outing. Highly recommended to all crime and thriller fans. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

3.5 stars maybe. I’ve been a big fan of the Eddie Flynn series since I first read The Defense, so I was definitely looking forward to reading The Devil’s Advocate as the premise sounded highly intriguing. While I did enjoy the book, I didn’t love it. Which I hate saying, because I love Eddie, but I found this one just didn’t hit me the same way the earlier books in the series did. Still though, I reckon that fans of the previous books will devour it, On the whole, I enjoyed it for sure, but if I was to go a little bit deeper it just fell a bit flat for me this time round.

This author really knows how to hit his mark. After the shocks and about turns of the previous book in the series, you kind of had to wonder how he could top it. Quite easily as it turns out with a story that is scarily plausible, really on topic and about as closely aligned to recent socio-political commentary as you could hope to get without losing any of the tension, thrills and dark humour you expect from Eddie Flynn and co. Set in Alabama, the case pulls Eddie Flynn as far from his native New York as you could ever imagine, not just physically, but also politically and sees him do what he does best - fight for the underdog, in this case a young man who stands accused of the murder of a popular local woman. Nothing unusual there - it's really a signature case for Eddie - but this time the stakes are as high as they come. Alabama is a death penalty state and the DA is a record breaker. If Eddie loses, then it could mean his client's life.

What I like about these books is that there is never any doubt in anyone's mind over the client's innocence or guilt. Eddie only defends people he believes are innocent and worth fighting for, and he knows from experience the personal costs of getting things wrong. In the case of this book, we know pretty early on that there is far more than meets the eye about Skylar's murder, we are present right up to the moment her fate is sealed. I was confident who the guilty party wasn't but had no idea as to who they were, the clues being drop fed throughout the story, but still being warped and twisted due to the fact that it feels like nobody in Buckstown can be trusted. The lines are drawn early on, the stink of corruption and a kind of resident evil, permeating the action and the tension, and anger, are off the charts. If felt like nobody could be trusted, and whilst the circumstance may have seemed extreme, they had an almost depressing sense of realism. We've all witness the escalating racial tensions in America, seen the racist factions growing in number and in voice, and that is exactly what is brought to the fore here, in scarily believable drama.

This could be a very dark story with a very dark ending, but character really is key and when it comes to bringing a trial to life, Eddie flynn really is in a class of his own. He never plays things completely straight, always acting in the best interest of his clients, of course, but willing to push the boundaries of professionalism on occasion, especially if it gets him the result he wants, even better if it unsettles his opponents. He is straight talking, sarcastic, the king of sleight of hand, and very astute. His moral code is unshakable, and he feels the weight of responsibility for his friends and, especially this time, his client. He's a fantastic character, and with a good portion of the story told in his voice, it's just as well it's a pleasure to spend time in his company.

But great as he is, Eddie doesn't work alone and the whole team join him on his excursion. Whilst Harry and Kate are great characters who really hold their own in very testing circumstances, for me Bloch was a bit of a revelation in this book. She might be quiet but she's still commands attention and her stillness is almost unnerving. It's nice to see a really strong, but still slightly emotional, female character portrayed so well, and her no-nonsense nature adds a layer of quiet strength to the team. Definitely someone you want on your side.

Taking Eddie out of the city adds a new dimension to the story. The setting of Alabama adds a level of tension that's hard to explain - a god fearing, gun loving, historically, very racially divided state. I'm not sure there could have been a better place to set the story. That is not to say that all of the locals have been painted in a negative light and there are many who are willing to step up and be counted when they see corruption in pay, no matter which side of the racial divide they stand on. But it is a kind of tinderbox situation, that small town vibe, the suspicion of big city outsiders, and that undercurrent of extremism that feeds throughout the story which stems from a point of some very thorough research and total authenticity.

Another memorable case which is sure to be a winner amongst fans of the series. It kept the tension, the outrage and the fear high from start to finish. Top stuff.

Another fantastic addition to the Eddie Flynn series. This one looks at death row with a DA called Randal Korn that is a near supernatural figure. Holding the record for sending men to the electric chair, Randal enjoys nothing more than seeing a man die. His innocence or guilt is of no consequence to him.

When a young woman is found murdered in Buckstown Alabama, the sheriff( and Korns right hand man in corruption) arrests the last person to see her alive before she disappears - Andy Dubois.
Although Andy is innocent, he has a confession beaten out of him and also some witnesses claiming he was seen arguing with the woman on the night she went missing. Hes being set up. The whole town believes he is guilty.

Eddie and his team fly down to defend Andy and fight the DA. Eddie soon realizes all is not what it seems with Korn and knows he will have to fight dirty to clear Andys name, but as he begins his work, the murders are just beginning and as the web of deceit unfolds, involving not only a corrupt and evil DA with his sheriff, but also a right wing extremist group with a plot yet unknown, Eddie soon realizes his life may be in danger as well as his teams!

This is yet another fantastic page turner in this series. Dealing with capitol punishment, racism and right wing extremism, its very current with its themes, yet is wrapped up in a thoroughly entertaining package.

Mr Cavanagh is one of those writers that makes you want the page constantly and "read one more chapter".

A brilliant addition to the series and highly recommended.

Thanks to the publishers for the ARC through Netgalley.

Oh my god, what an absolutely riveting read by Steve Cavanagh.

Book#6 in the Eddie Flynn series, which is fine to be read as stand-alone, the Devil’s Advocate is gonna grab you by your throat and never let go! The opening chapter is chilling but that is just the beginning, as Eddie becomes involved in a murder case in the small town of Buckstown in Alabama. Steve Cavanagh captures the small town so brilliantly that the reader is made to sweat in rivulets reaching this highly antagonistic place. The pacing of the story in the first few chapters is so intense that I did forcefully take a break from reading and walked around to keep my galloping heart at a steady rhythm.

The case is gonna be the toughest in Eddie’s career, the town as a whole has already condemned Andy Dubois to a guilty verdict, the DA is an overzealous murderer hell-bent on getting the death row for Andy, there are 2 confessions, DNA evidence linking Andy to the crime and Eddie has come into the scene after the representing lawyer goes missing. On the face of such irreversible stacks piled up like a tower, Eddie and Harry arrive to find themselves with no rooms to stay and no diners ready to serve food. With the sweltering heat ready to take the skin off their backs, Eddie with Harry, Kate, and Bloch has no choice but to be as cunning and wily as the prosecutor’s team.

This is my second book by Steve Cavanagh and Eddie Flynn has become one of my favorite characters. His quirky ways to get things done, the sleight of hand tricks he conjures to overcome the odds against him are so crafty that one can’t help but cheer him on from the stands. And it is just not Eddie, I loved how the author gives Kate to shine in the courtroom too, one of the scenes where she cross-examines the medical examiner is simply pure gold. The complex story does take a turn with white supremacism and bigotry coming into play and honestly, it was a relief to breathe a little easier with scenes shifting from the courtroom to the hidden motive behind the murder of Skylar Edwards.

Engrossing 🌪️ 🌪️ 🌪️ 🌪️ 🌪️

Highly recommended legal thriller.

Many thanks to Net Galley, Orion Publishing Group, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.

This review is published in my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India, Medium.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

This is definitely my favourite Eddie Flynn book yet — I could not put it down. It’s an edge-of-your-seat kind of read and my head was spinning by the end of it, trying to keep up with all the twists and turns.

The Eddie Flynn adventures just keep getting better and better and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Once more the genius writer Steve Cavanagh has written a book that I cannot fault in any way it was an amazing read. I have read every book by this author and never been disappointed, the Eddie Flynn series is outstanding each and every book a five star read but this one was the best yet and goes straight to the top of my best reads ever list!
I don’t rehash plots as you can read them in the overview of the book but what I want to say is that this book and the others in the series are more than special, the character of Eddie Flynn is so well written I mean he really cares about people and you can feel that when reading the book. Then we have Harry, Kate and Bloch all brilliant in their own way these are believable characters that I love they feel real to me and when I picked up this book it was like being back with dear friends who I had missed.
Tho plot line was a disturbing one and Eddie was very much up against some very nasty opponents and I was riveted to my kindle to see just what the outcome would be and I loved every page and was sad when I finished it because I shall miss being in the company of these very special characters.
So this was more than a five star read and highly recommended, if you haven’t read any of the previous books that’s ok but I would say they are not to be missed either.
Many thanks to Steve Cavanagh you are an amazing writer and more please asap.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Once again Eddie Flynn to the rescue! He is approached to investigate institutional corruption with the law enforcement agencies as it becomes apparent that the number of death row killings taking place in one state us extraordinarily high. With bribery and corruption the norm in town, Eddie and his new partner Kate find the going tough as they attempt to expose the evil which is apparent from the start.
Menace and threat hang over them and the stench of death and decay follows them. Will they succeed against the systemic racism they encounter? A 'must read' to find out - block outa day or two out of your diary. You won't want to put this down! #pageturner #edgeofseat