Steve Cavanagh is one of those book authors I have heard of, just like colleen hoover but I haven’t read any of his books— I just haven’t been prompted to. A few days ago, I was with some of my friends; after talking about random things and we ended up talking about books, I expressed my love for thriller, crime and mystery, and a friend of mine recommended that I check out Steve Cavanagh’s books. Since I have heard of him, I was easily open to trying.
I wasn’t so sure which of his books to pick but I decided to got with “Fifty Fifty”. The title was intriguing to me. Of course, I checked the ratings and reviews online and it was pretty good. One thing about me is that I love to predict a book before I read them and while I am reading, and from the title it seems pretty easy to predict but I was also very excited to see what Steve had to offer.
ABOUT THE BOOKS
“Fifty Fifty” by Steve Cavanagh is a legal thriller published in 2020. This book is part of the Eddie Flynn series (although it stands on its own). It a suspense and crime thriller that focuses on deception, family secrets, trauma and justice.
The story centers on two sisters, Sofia Avellino and Alexandra Avellino both trying to their prove innocence on their father’s, Frank Avellino, the former mayor of New York City, brutal murder. It started with both sisters placing an emergency call reporting their father’s murder at the same time, both blaming each other and have to face a murder trial. The beginning of the book gives off a twisted murder vibe and it quickly draws me in.
We are left to piece things together and decide who we think the killer is. Apparently, Alexandra is seen as the “perfect and successful” sister, and known for her elegant lifestyle and thriving business while Sofia is seen as the “flawed and unstable” sister, with past history of mental health issues. What makes things interesting is that all evidences point to both sisters.
Eddie Flynn, a criminal lawyer and a large firm, represented Sofia and Alexandra respectively. As both brilliant lawyers worked towards proving their clients innocence, more secrets and mystery began to unravel. The story is seen through different narratives: Eddie Flynn, the main protagonist; Kate Brooks, one of the lawyers in the large firm; and a ‘She’—an intriguing perspective of the murderer.
As the trial unfolds, the courtroom drama becomes more chaotic, and no one -not even the lawyers- is sure who to believe. As you read this, you constantly question whom to trust. Is Sofia the victim or the manipulator? Is Alexandra really the perfect daughter? Who killed their father? who will get away with it? And more importantly- will justice prevail?
MY THOUGHTS
When I realized that this book is more of a courtroom thriller than a detective thriller, I was a little skeptical if I was going to like it. As much as I love crime and mystery thriller, I am not a big fan of lawyers and courtrooms, but to be honest, this book gave me a new appreciation for it.
The plot? Great. I love the storyline and enjoyed not knowing who to believe— the back-and-forth the plot offered. The writing style is something to be commended, it is direct, and engaging. It gives each characters their personalities and voice. Personally, I love Eddie’s character— he is interesting and smart, Kate’s character development is also something I appreciate.
I also admired the quiet commentary the book gives on how women are treated differently in public and legal settings. It doesn’t shove it in your face, but it is there. It also touches a bit on justice system—it isn’t solely about the truth but how well one can manipulate the narrative and shape the story in their favour
The book is a good read, well-paced. Although, I do wish we get more of each sister’s point of view, to get enough backstory and depth on their struggles. I also initially didn’t find it easy to understand the court terms and ways but I am glad I learned along the way. The ending was a solid one, but not just a “wow” moment for me.
Overall, Fifty Fifty is a legal thriller that digs into the intricacies of family, manipulation of truth with commentary on justice. It is thrilling, quite thought provoking and well-written. If you love legal thriller and courtroom drama, it is definitely a nice read.
Personally, I would rate it a solid 4.2 out of 5.
I am certainly opened to read more of Steve Cavanagh books
𝑰𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒏𝒂𝒊𝒍 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒗𝒂.
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