Fifty fifty An Eddie Flynn novel

The fifth Eddie Flynn mystery (since Th1rt3en, 2018), originally published in the UK in 2020, is the series' most gripping. That's mostly because of the setup: the former mayor of New York City is dead, and his two daughters are each accusing the other of murdering him. But it's also because of the characters. Eddie, obviously, the con man turned defense attorney, who takes on one of the sisters as a client. Harper, Eddie's investigator, with whom he's not-so-secretly in love. Kate Brooks, the lawyer for the other sister. The thoroughly unlikable prosecutor, Wesley Dreyer, who insists on trying both sisters at once on the theory that one of them must be guilty. Readers will spend so much time watching this wide cast of characters, liking some of them and hating others, that they won't notice it when Cavanagh gets them looking in the wrong direction just in time for a plot twist. Each Flynn novel builds on the ones that came before, ramping up the complexity of the story.

Cavanagh's suspenseful latest case for con man--turned--defense attorney Eddie Flynn (after Witness 8) centers on two sisters who accuse each other of murder. One night, Alexandra and Sofia Avellino separately call 911 to report that their father, former New York City mayor Frank Avellino, has been stabbed in their Manhattan apartment--and that the other sister was the assailant. Frank dies from his wounds, and both women are arrested. Sofia retains Flynn to represent her, and he sets out to determine whether her accusation against Alexandra is true. He quickly finds that both Sofia and Alexandra were abused by their mother, Jane Marsden, as children, and comes to suspect that Frank's murder may be the work of a serial killer. Cavanagh maximizes suspense throughout, alternating chapters from Flynn's perspective and that of the unidentified murderer, until the proceedings culminate in the jury's verdict and a knockout final reveal. This satisfying legal thriller will keep readers guessing to the very end. Agent: Jon Wood, RCW. (June)

Excerpted from Fifty Fifty: A Novel by Steve Cavanagh All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.