I’m a sucker for a good police/law procedural novel, even if it’s not entirely realistic. In this story, two sisters are on trial for the 🔪 of their father. They were both at the scene. They were both covered in his blood. They both left trace evidence on the body. They both called 911 and accused the other sister. Who is telling the truth?

I’m usually pretty good at figuring out the twist and the final reveal in these books, but this one kept me guessing the whole time. There was a fifty-fifty shot that the jury, and the reader, would identify the guilty sister. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

-Two sisters. One murdered father.

-Each sister calls 911 and blames the other.

-One of them is lying. One of them is a killer.

-Eddie Flynn, con-man-turned-lawyer, defends Sofia. Kate Brooks, a first-time solo attorney, defends Alexandra.

-Both attorneys are sure their client is innocent, but only one of them is right.

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-Classic Cavanagh: twisty, smart, and impossible to put down.

-This is book 5 in the Eddie Flynn series, but you can totally read it as a standalone.

-The courtroom drama here is top tier, and I loved the trial portion. 

-It’s told in multiple POVs, including Eddie, Kate, and the anonymous killer’s POV listed only as “she, which added a layer of suspense.

-I changed my mind like five times about who the guilty sister was.

-If you’re into legal thrillers with morally messy characters, you’ll fly through this.

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TL;DR ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Super satisfying legal thriller with dual murder suspects, shady family secrets, and two smart attorneys going head to head. Fast-paced, cleverly plotted, and full of courtroom tension. Great entry in the Eddie Flynn series, but totally works on its own.

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THANKS: Thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on June 3, 2025.

If there's one thing to know about me, it's that Steve Cavanagh is one of my favorite thriller/suspense authors. When I found out that a new Eddie Flynn novel was being released, I jumped at the chance to be able to review it. I love Eddie Flynn and his non-traditional ways of defending his clients. I was kept guessing the whole time as to which sister did it, and anytime I had an idea, I'd be thrown off the scent and back to debating who did it. 

This one started a little slow but as we reached the climax of the story I could not put this one down. I highly recommend this one for anybody interested in a good suspense and legal drama. 

Although you can read these as stand alones, I highly recommend reading the Eddie Flynn series in order.

Thank you to Atria for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Fifty Fifty" is a gripping and addictive legal thriller. This is the fifth book in the Eddie Flynn series, but it worked very well as a standalone. I devoured this book and stayed up way too late to finish it. The story is mainly told from the perspectives of Eddie, Sofia's attorney, and Kate, Alexandra's attorney. We also have the POV of one of the sisters, but we don't know which one until the end. The plot of this story is brilliant. You know one of the sisters is the murderer, but you will go back and forth trying to guess who the real killer is. As a former prosecutor, it was so much fun to dive back into the tense and exciting world of courtroom drama. My heart was racing as the jury foreperson read the verdicts. I really enjoyed this one, and now I need to read the rest of the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

this book felt kinda heavy and I felt like i was reading a Netflix movie at some point haha. Throughout the book, I thought i knew who the killer was but always second guessing as I thought it would have been too simple a plot to have the killer revealed early on. So it was a constant guessing game. It’s interesting to read different POVs - the killer’s, eddie’s and Kate’s (Eddie and Kate are both defense lawyers for the 2 sisters). It was also quite emotional reading eddie’s feelings dealing with grief and i felt quite angry and emotional as more people got killed…
there were a few law jargons used here and there which I couldn’t understand but it’s a small issue bc the court hearings and dialogues were all compelling to read 
Not perfect bc towards the end it was pretty obvious who the killer was since it was either one or the other 
would be interesting to read the book again now that I know who is the killer

Sisters, Alexandra and Sofia Avellino, call 911 simultaneously to report the death of their father, but they accuse each other of the brutal murder. An investigation unfolds as the two lawyers, one desperate to prove herself and one with a notorious reputation, defending different sisters attempt to convince the jury of the guilt of the opposite sister.

Have you ever read a book that you were mostly enjoying, but then the ending was so flat that it ruined most of the reading experience??? That's how I felt about this one. What a giant let down at the end. I felt like the tension and the character dynamics were building in such an intense and interesting way, and I was waiting for a big bang to blow up everything I thought I knew.... But it never came. It is one of the most anticlimactic endings I have ever read. Major disappointment here, for what could've been a really great crime thriller. I've seen a lot of love for this book, so maybe I missed something, but idk..... This ending was horrible.

Two sisters each call 911 to report that the other has murdered their father. Both have motives, both seem guilty — but only one is telling the truth. Defense attorney Eddie Flynn takes on one sister’s case, while his rival represents the other. As the trial unfolds, it becomes a deadly game of strategy and deceit, with Eddie racing to uncover the real killer before the wrong woman is convicted.

FIFTY FIFTY is a legal thriller that had me from the first page and didnt let go. With a fast-paced plot, short chapters, and (un)likable characters you’ll love to second-guess, this one kept me fully engaged. The story is told through multiple points of view — but don’t let that scare you. Each POV is clear and adds to the tension, especially the chapters narrated by “She,” our mysterious killer.

Did I guess who did it? Yes.

Did it ruin anything? Absolutely not.

The suspense, misdirection, and courtroom drama made every page worth it.

Originally published in 2020 as book 5 in the Eddie Flynn series, FIFTY FIFTY is finally being released in the U.S. on June 3, 2025.  Eddie Flynn, the ex-con  turned defense attorney, is smart, scrappy, and just the kind of hero you want leading the charge for justice.

Thank you Atria Books via NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Be sure to pick up your copy on June 3!