TH1RTE3N by Steve Cavanagh
Eddie Flynn #4

Suspend belief here and there while enjoying the twists and turns provided in this legal thriller as you watch Eddie Flynn, once conman now lawyer, defend an innocent man while the true killer sits on the jury.

Told from the viewpoint of both Eddie Flynn and Joshua Kane, the serial killer, this story gives you insight into the thinking of both men as they play a deadly game. Kane’s game is always lethal and one should NEVER trust him while Eddie is a man with a moral compass that points true north.

As a person who often reads the end of the book before the middle I was still surprised a few times in this book. I kind of liked that aspect although I couldn’t quite believe that a serial killer would be quite as highly evolved and capable as Kane was in this book...even an intelligent killer would not be able to accomplish all he did in his twisted killing, maneuvering and all the rest. That said, the story was well written and kept me reading as I waited to see what would happen next.

Not having read the first three books in the series wasn’t a huge problem but I did wonder at times what had happened to separate Eddie from his wife and daughter, what his conman past was and whether or not he would end up in a relationship with someone in the future.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series/by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Flat Iron Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

Are you kidding me with this book? I absolutely LOVED it! I am a HUGE fan of Michael Connelly and Lee Child and now I can say Steve Cavanagh! The plot? Come on! Amazing! Twists and turns, this read kept me intrigued and I found myself dying for a break in the day to sneak in a few pages. Arghhhh it was a good one. I think what I enjoyed the most was the thought of this actually happening. Can you imagine!

Pick it up, add it to your shelf and read it!

This book had me intrigued from the small description I read and it didn’t disappoint. This book was quite graphic in the details of how killings were done and i could picture the gory crime scenes so vividly that I felt myself cringing at the horror of it on multiple occasions but that is how good the book was.
Eddie Flynn is a con man turned lawyer who wants to defendant the innocent. He is given an enormous opportunity to be in a high profile case with a large paycheck but he is only willing to do it if he believes that Bobby, the defendant is innocent of the murder of his wife and bodyguard. After reading the file and meeting a Bobby, he believes in his innocence. He feels that the best way to secure Bobby’s freedom is to find the real killer. He hires his friend Harper who is a private detective with a lot of connections. They soon find connections to other cases that could help Bobby go free.
Kane has had a rough life. His mom couldn’t hold down a job or a stable place to live. Despite the fact that Kane was exceptionally smart, he knew that college wasn’t for him and he made other plans. Kane was very good at mimicking people from the way they talked, wrote and he even knew how to use makeup to look like someone else. Kane doesn’t want to take any chances in Bobby getting released. He murders one of the jurors and takes their place
so he can ensure that he will sway the jury to a guilty verdict. Just how far will Kane go to make that happen? How many people will lose their lives in order for Kane to complete his plan?

I absolutely loved the fast paced adventure of Thirteen! This has been a summer of many thrillers and this is one that will really stand out for me.

Eddie Flynn is a former con man turned defense attorney. While this is the fourth book about him, it’s the first I read but I will certainly be going back for the others. I don’t think you need to have read the others to enjoy this. If you like shows like Suits or White Collar or ever wondered what Jack Reacher would be like as an attorney - I highly recommend checking out this book.

Eddie is asked to be the second chair in a trial that’s getting a lot of buzz. A famous actor has been accused of killing his wife and their head security man. The evidence seems stacked against him but Eddie believes in his innocence.

From the start - we alternate between Eddie’s perspective and the killer’s. I was intrigued from the very start but by the ending I couldn’t put this book down. Highly recommend if you are looking for a great legal thriller!!

Thank you to Flatiron Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review an advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron for the book for review. I can totally see this book as a suspenseful jury movie. Kane has to be one of the most evil villains out there. I had to keep reading to see what he would do next. The description of this book is what drew me to it, a killer who ends up on the murder jury?! I had to know how he got on the jury and why the murder was done. I def found out! The only negative I found with this book was that it was slow to start, but once it started I couldn't put it down and read it in one weekend. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Fantastic book. Normally, a legal thriller can be filled with rather boring proceedings, but not this one. There are twists and turns all along and not a dull moment. The plot is intricate, but the story is still very easy to follow, and the characters are just great. Five and a half stars.

When I read what this book was about I knew I had to read it. I love legal thrillers and books about police investigations (such as books by Michael Connelly, and Tana French) so this book was right up my alley. This book is told by two characters, Eddie Flynn, a con-man turned defense attorney, and a diabolical serial killer who will do what it takes to make sure someone else is convicted of the crimes he commits.

From the very first page I was completely hooked on this book. Other readers have said it took some time to get into, but I honestly felt like it was a white-knuckle ride from page 1. The pacing was excellent and I couldn't stop reading, I had to find out what happened next.

Also, sometimes books that have so much happening in the plot are light on character development and dialogue. This book did not have that problem. Eddie Flynn is a fascinating, well-developed character who I could not help but root for. The other characters are also well-developed, realistic, and interesting to read about. The villain is one of the more fascinating I have ever read. There are many layers to his evil deeds and motivations. He is definitely not a one-dimensional "bad guy".

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am excited to read Steve Cavanagh's back list to learn more about Eddie Flynn. I heartily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys legal thrillers and courtroom mysteries, and to anyone who enjoys fast paced thrillers in general!

**Thanks to Flatiron Books and to NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review!**

“Whatever good things you’ve heard about me probably aren’t true. Whatever bad things you’ve heard are probably just the tip of the iceberg.” ⠀⠀
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When a young movie star, Bobby Solomon, is charged with murder, ex-con and defense attorney Eddie Flynn begins to believe in Bobby’s innocence and suspect that the real murderer may actually be an elusive serial killer...who just so happens to be on the jury. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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THIS is a legal thriller, my friends. While “Miracle Creek” was billed as a legal thriller earlier this year, it really wasn’t - even though it was another 5 ⭐️ read and amazing in its own right. But this is a true legal thriller. It’s got tense courtroom scenes, thorough and complete character development, and seriously shocking twists and turns. Although this was my first Steve Cavanaugh novel, I can promise you it won’t be the last. He has totally mastered the legal thriller.
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“Thirteen” (or “Th1rt3en”) is the best legal thriller I’ve ever read and I will be recommending it to fellow thriller/crime fiends forever! I wholeheartedly give it 5/5 💫. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for my e-ARC of “Thirteen” - it comes out 08/13/2019.

The book’s cover teaser is “The serial killer isn’t on trial, he’s on the jury” was what attracted me to this book.

Eddie Flynn is a defense attorney representing Bobby Solomon who is on trial for murder. The key piece of evidence a folded up dollar bill with Bobby’s DNA.

Joshua Kane has the rare ability to feel no pain and the talent to change not just his looks but his mannerisms and speech to steal the identity of others.

Joshua has killed people to get onto the jury for Bobby’s trial, and picked the identity of one of the potential jurors and has become this person.

The legal procedures and the jury memos dropped between chapters added another dimension to this book. The ending seemed to wrap everything up a little too quickly for me, but maybe I just didn’t want the book to end.

I finished this book in two sittings, because I NEEDED to find out why it was so important for Joshua to be on Bobby’s jury. Although this was the #4 book in the series, the author explained Eddie and his background well in the opening chapters that I never felt like I was missing anything. I’m definitely going to look for other books in this series.

TH1RT3EN releases on August 13th… I’d wait outside the bookstore to grab this one on Tuesday morning!

📚📚📚📚/5

What a great premise! What if the murderer is on the jury? You’ve got dual story lines here, both equally engaging. In the first, a serial murderer is determined to get on the jury of a murder trial so he can get the defendant convicted. Flip side, a lawyer is picked to be second chair on the defense side of the same murder trial.

I hadn’t realized this was the fourth in a series. Cavanagh gives you enough background that it’s easy to read this as a stand alone.

This isn't believable but it’s fun as hell. Eddie Flynn was a con artist before he was a lawyer. He’s a great main character, full of observant remarks about everyone else, sharp as hell, able to see connections that others miss. And Kane is one creepy villain. He can’t feel, in either the real or figurative sense.

This moves at a quick pace. I had sussed out one of the big reveals but several others caught me off guard, especially the ending. As I said, this is a fun read and I recommend it to everyone who likes legal and police procedural.

My thanks to netgalley and Flatiron Books for an advance copy of this book.

If you love courtroom intrigue filled with false leads and "whodunnit" drama, this is the book for you!

My first Steve Cavanagh read, it certainly won't be my last. Eddie Flynn and his fellow characters are well-developed. Although Flynn has been featured in previous Cavanagh novels, Thirteen carries its weight as a standalone. Honestly, there is nothing more disappointing than buying a novel and then feeling as if you are missing a significant part of the plot because it is so contingent upon previous novels. Please do not hesitate to read Thirteen, even if you have not read the others. Kudos to Cavanaugh for striking this balance!

The story hinges on a high profile murder trial. Remember, everything is not always as it first appears. This page-turner is rampant with twists and turns. Red herrings abound. It will keep you guessing until the satisfying end. More suspense than thriller, a satisfying read nonetheless!

Mystery. Legal Thriller. Police Procedural. Page Turner. Yup, my new favorite series! How has America not thoroughly discovered and embraced Irish writer Steve Cavanaugh?? His Eddie Flynn series (quite popular in the UK) is highly entertaining. Flynn is a conman turned lawyer, whose personal life is a hot mess, who has an intriguing collection of friends, who only defends the innocent, and who will literally do anything, legal and otherwise, to get his client free (in this case, a famous movie star entangled with a serial killer and a little jury tampering just to make life interesting). Cavanaugh wraps his story in intelligent, thoughtful prose with a snappy sense of humor thrown in just when it is needed. Both my husband and I are obsessed with Eddie Flynn and are waiting breathlessly for Book #5. Seriously, get this entire series.

Wow! What a ride this book is. Actor Robert Solomon has been accused if murdering his wife and bodyguard, who appear to have been having an affair. Pretty straightforward, right? For some reason, Eddie Flynn doesn't think so. He thinks Solomon is innocent - and he's going to do his best to prove it. As the reader, we also know Solomon is innocent - because the real killer is on the jury. A true chameleon, Joshua Kane has been killing and getting away worth it for years. But has he finally met his match in Flynn??
While this is a book you can't think about too hard because it feels so unbelievable, it made for good reading - I had a hard time putting it down. I enjoyed the ride because the story was different from most thrillers I've read and hit the spot just right. I'll definitely be checking out the other books in the series (though this can easily be read as a stand-alone) and I'm looking forward to my buddy read chat!

It’s one of the biggest murder trials New York has seen for some time and all the country is waiting for actor Robert „Bobby“ Solomon to be convicted for the double murder of his girlfriend and her lover. Chances for Bobby are low, all the evidence is clearly against him: he was at the crime scene, blood all over, he left a finger print on a dollar note which was found on the victims, the murder weapon, a baseball bat, belongs to him and has his prints and blood of the victims all over. And he does not have an alibi for the time of the deed. Yet, there is another factor which will make sure that Bobby goes to jail: the murderer is on the jury. But, the killer didn’t anticipate Eddie Flynn, Bobby’s defence attorney, who looked his client in the eyes and saw that this man is innocent. So there must be someone else to blame. Let the game begin.

Steve Cavanagh’s legal crime novel has a rather slow start, but then it takes up pace and suddenly you can only wonder what unfolds in front of you. A brilliant puzzle and fight between two highly intelligent combatants who quickly combine facts and spectacularly try to outplay the enemy. “TH1RT3EN” is the fourth novel of the Eddie Flynn series which can also be read without knowledge of the preceding books. For the third of the series, “The Liar”, Steve Cavanagh was awarded the Crime Writers Association Gold Dagger in 2018.

The novel clearly lives on the fight between the killer and the lawyer. Both are highly interesting characters and certainly equal in many respects. On the one hand, Joshua Kane who seems to have perfected crime and taken killing to a higher level. It is brilliant how he proceeds and does not only care about the murder itself but also about what follows after. On the other hand, it seems as if nothing can stop Eddie Flynn, his sharp intellect guarantees clever tactical manoeuvres and seeing things that other might overlook.

It’s the classic fight of good versus evil integrated in a complex story. When the actual trial starts, the plot accelerates and suspense rises enormously. It is fascinating to follow the story line and see how all pieces finally fall into places. Even though there are some blunt and brutal murders, “TH1RT3EN” is a rather demanding and intellectual thriller that demands all your attention and concentration, something I highly appreciate.

The book cover of Steve Cavanagh’s thriller novel, Thirteen, features the blurb, The serial killer isn’t on trial, HE’S ON THE JURY. I’ve never seen that before. This will be one of several firsts for me in reading this novel.
The setting of Thirteen is a murder trial. Not just a murder trial, but a murder trial of a t.v. reality star accused of killing his wife and his security guard. The trial is important to serial killer Joshua Kane. He has selected the defendant Bobby Solomon as his next victim. We don’t know why. Just that it is so important to Kane that he will take extreme measures to insinuate himself into the jury pool for the trial, get himself onto the jury and take more extreme measures to insure a guilty verdict.
Newly hired defense attorney Eddie Flynn believes Bobby is innocent and sets out to help the lead attorney get Bobby acquitted.
Kane is not pleased. He will have to make adjustments but will not give up his plan to have Bobby convicted. He wants Bobby dead. It is central to his plans. Bobby will do anything to get Bobby convicted. As an astute planner and a master of deception and disguise, Kane is able to counter Flynns work and stay a step ahead.
Slowly Flynn unravels the clues and in this mystery forensic evidence reveals anomalies. Little issues pile up. Flynn calls his friends for help. These former FBI agents reach out to their contacts. But the leads are difficult to accept. Their findings point to hard to believe conclusions. And Kane stays a step ahead of them.
When Flynn finally concludes that Kane must be stopped, the major question becomes can Kane be stopped before he kills again.
The ending is a stunner. You will be shocked by this dramatic action packed twist. Hopefully you will be able to issue a sigh of relief. Relief that it is over and relief that indicates your satisfaction.
This is a novel of good versus evil. Kane is an evil damaged man who draws you in. You want to know why he does what he does. Flynn is a lawyer who gives his all to his client. He is willing to risk his well being as well as his reputation is on the line. While there are difficult to believe courtroom rulings, that flaw is no reason to avoid this book. You will miss out on engrossing novel that you hope cannot happen in real life. I received an advance copy of this book from Flatiron books. #Thirteen #Flatiron #NetGalley

This book gripped me completely; it was so well-written and suspenseful.
We meet the killer Kane straight away, but we aren’t aware of what his plans or goals are. It is clear he has them as he is putting a lot of effort into whatever he’s doing. We have no idea what is going on, but we know that Kane is a complete sociopath.
The chapters interchange between Kane and a lawyer Eddie Flynn. At first, I wasn’t sure who’s chapter it was, but the lawyer is written in the first person, but Kane’s sections are narrated in the third person. We still know what he is thinking and feeling, but we are a little more removed from him that we are with Flynn. So once you understand the rhythm of the book, you know who’s chapter you are reading.
As Flynn starts to uncover why the killer is doing what he is doing, we are also watching Kane’s plan unfold. Mini cliff hangers are happening throughout, but if Kane leaves you wondering what is going on, Flynn discovers it in the next chapter. It’s a lovely trail of bread combs being left by both characters.
It was very cleverly written. 
I was a little disappointed with the ending; it felt a little bit too neat and tidy. I would have rather have had a more gritty finish. However, this did not distract from it being, overall, a fantastic book. I am certainly going to be back-reading the first three books of the Eddie Flynn series. Even though this is book four, you don’t really feel as if you have missed out any vital information. It can be read as a standalone without even realising it is part of a series.

"The serial killer is not on trail. He's in the jury." Those two sentences alone caught my attention immediately.
I normally like reading a series from the beginning but I felt I couldn’t wait to read it. It’s different from any book out there.
This story is being told in alternate perspective from Flynn and Kane. I think this book would have been better with just Flynn perspective. I think that would have created the shock value. Many of the scenes were dramatic and not realistic.
Overall I don’t hate this book but I don’t love it either.
I am grateful to have gotten the opportunity to read it. Thank you FlatIron and NetGalley for ARCS

Steve Cavanagh writes a high pulsed thriller about an ex-con turned lawyer, on the way to fame and a highly intelligent killer who ensures a guilty plea by sitting on the jury.

The lawyer, Eddie keeps a low profile in his life. He lost his relationship with his wife and daughter due to the high risk factor of enemies that come along with his job. After struggling with his past and his alcoholism, he remains to be a straight edged lawyer. Especially when Rudy asks him to be co-chair on the biggest murder case Manhattan will ever see. Eddie is the kind of man who won't represent someone if the evidence points to the defendant being guilty. Turns out that the high profile case is about a hugely famous actor, Bobby. He's accused of murdering his wife and head of security in a crime of passion. Eddie decides something isn't sitting right and decides to come on board and fight for Bobby's innocence.

The murderer, Kane is a soulless man who feels no pain. Literally. He's diagnosed with a condition where he cannot feel any pain whatsoever. Growing up was tough with an alcoholic mother but he found solace by murdering neighborhood pets. Typical murderer tendencies right? Sure, except Kane has gotten away with murder for over two decades and is nowhere being caught until he entangles with Eddie and Bobby's case. Kane's MO is about a dollar bill with strange markings and infiltrating the jury to ensure that his victim is labeled the guilty sentence. It is a wild, high intelligent ride.

Thirteen should be an episode on Criminal Minds and Law & Order because that is exactly the vibe I was getting. When I read the summary that Steve had written, I was hooked; an ex-con who becomes a lawyer? No way. The killer sitting on the jury? Double no way. The entire time I thought I knew exactly what was going on and whose role was whose but then the ending hits and you cannot read fast enough! I have to give major major kudos to this book because the 5 stars was solidified by the endings plot twist. Without that twist, this book would not have been made one of my all time favorites. I can't wait for it to come out so I can purchase a copy.

4 stars ⭐


This book is about:

The murder of the wife of one of Hollywood's power couples, the prime suspect being her husband, Robort Solomon.

This is the celebrity muder trial of the centure and the defense wants one particular man on their side: con artist turned lawyer, Eddie Flynn.

Although every evidence seems to point that Solomon is guilty, Flynn believes in his innocence and as suspicious and sinister incidents begin to happen in the court room when the trial starts, everything turns out not be as simple and obvious as most thought.


Pros:

This book includes two POVs, one written in 1st person and the other in 3rd person which I appreciated because it helps differenciate the character's voices and it makes the reader perceive them in distinct ways.

I really liked both of the main characters: Kane, because of how creepy he is as a result of his psychopathic personality and his inability to feel pain, a very unusual but fascinating characteristic; and Eddie, due to his clever way of thinking and how determined he is to find the real killer as it shows his deep devotion to his job and the duty that comes with it.

Towards the ending is when the plot becomes particularly thrilling and fast-paced, in other words, when the trial starts.

Also, I was very shocked by a plot twist at the very end of the novel as I was not expecting it whatsoever.


Cons:

Firstly, it took me a while to finally get into the story. I'm not sure how long since I didn't keep track, but I remember feeling slightly bored, especially at the beggining when I had no idea what was going on as I went into this thriller novel without knowing anything about it.

In addition, I didn't care about Flynn's personal storyline, to put it simply, his relationship with his wife. For this reason, I'm glad that it doesn't play a major role in the book at all.


Final thoughts:

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed Thirteen and it has definitely made me interested in reading the other books in this series. I would highly recommend it if you are in the mood for a legal thriller which will leave you breathless due to its unpredictability.

I liked Thirteen and found it to be a quick, thrilling book with some great twists and turns. There were two things however that brought down my rating. The first is that the synopsis gives away that Robert is not guilty and that the killer is on the jury. While I understand that's a unique storyline and a great way to sell/market the book, but it also gives away the most important and intriguing twist of the story. The second issue I had was how early the serial killer was revealed. I think the author should have built a little more suspense before revealing the killer and sharing his narrative. The killer's narrative was fascinating but I think it would have been more impactful if the reveal had come a little later in the book. I do think that Thirteen worked excellent as a standalone book, even though it is part of a series. There was also one twist in particular that made me gasp out loud because it was so unexpected!