Should I be writing it Thirteen or Th1rt3en? Either way, I devoured this courtroom thriller over the weekend. Eddie Flynn is a con artist turned defense lawyer who is hired by a famous movie star after he is accused of murdering his wife and security guard. Joshua Kane is a serial killer who infiltrates the jury for the trial. This book is told from both Eddie Flynn and Joshua Kane’s points of view and I couldn’t wait to see the outcome of the story. There are many unexpected twists along the way and the fast-paced storyline keeps you interested the whole time. If you like courtroom thrillers then you will love this one!

The description alone is enough to draw you in to Thirteen, however it does get a little hard going the more you read.
The characters aren't particularly likeable, and i found myself eager to get this one off my reading list.
A great idea, but not an amazing execution.

Who will I kill today? Joshua Kane is a born killer that hides in plain sight and he has no fear of being caught. But is that about to change? Eddie knows that this case is going to be huge but he knows that if anything goes wrong that he could lose his family forever. But he knows that he has to at least look over the case before he turns it down. Eddie just knows that this could be huge as the accuser is a well-known actor who is accused of murdering his wife & bodyguard and Eddie knows that it is going to take a lot to convince the jury that he is innocent. But things start going wrong during the jury selection as juries land up dead and Eddie just knows that the killer is involved somehow but how can he prove it.
Joshua knows that Eddie is getting too close to finding out the truth but he can't allow that. So Eddie might just have to disappear for good. But can Eddie figure out who he really is?
A good interesting read. I was lucky enough to receive a copy via Netgalley & the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.

This is my first Eddie Flynn thriller and I feel that I would have enjoyed this more if I had read the other ones first. . All in all this was a fast paced thriller with twists throughout. Definitely a first for me where the killer is on the jury, his enjoyment of seeing someone else tried for his crimes.

Let me start out by saying that I haven't read a book this good in a while. If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would. I loved that this book was different than the average thriller, that I've seemed to be reading a lot of lately. I'm going to start adjusting my rating a bit because all the books I've read lately seemed to be the same old thing.
This book starts out good and just gets better as it goes. Bobby Solomon is accused of two brutal murders. And is going to trial as one of biggest celebrity trials of all time. Eddie is a defense lawyer who is asked to sit second chair. The story is told from Eddie pov and the killers pov. Which I felt kept the story moving at steady pace.
Jurors start dying and Eddie gets left to defend Bobby on his own. Could the killer be on the Jury instead of on trial? This legal thriller was twisty, thought provoking, and had me sitting at the edge of my seat for a better part of this book. If your looking for something a little different than the average thriller this book is a must read! I loved it.
Many thanks to #netgalley and the publisher #flatironbooks for an advanced readers copy for and honest review of #thirteen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐+
Release date August 13 2019

When I read the serial killer isn't on trial...he's on the jury, I knew this book was something I had to read. I have never read anything by Steve Cavanagh. I did not feel like I had to read any of his other books in the series to get an understanding of what was going on.

Huge Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for this opportunity!!!

Up and coming movie star Robert “Bobby” Solomon has been accused of murder, and his lawyer, Rudy Carp, convinced Eddie Flynn that Bobby was innocent. Unable to walk away, Eddie joined the defense team. Unbeknownst to him, the real killer, Joshua Kane, was feet away in the jury box willing to do anything to make sure the jury convicted Bobby for his crimes. When Kane realizes what a keen adversary Flynn represents, the moralistic lawyer becomes another of his targets.

Thirteen, told in alternating points of view from Eddie Flynn and Kane, was one of those thrillers that I couldn’t put down. I liked that the action took place during the trial, and the true identity of the killer kept me guessing. A parallel plot about crooked police officers also hooked me. Also, precis of each juror in the form of reports by the juror consultant were interspersed throughout the book which entertained and intrigued me. By the end of the book, my expectations had been completely subverted.

I wish that some of the characters, such as Bobby, had been more developed, and that some, like Rudy, had acted more consistently. Also, the actions of the FBI and the extent of their cooperation with Flynn and his investigation team seemed far-fetched. Finally, I didn’t always like the writing style. I found some of the dialogue, especially between Flynn and his estranged wife, awkward, and Cavanagh tends to overuse short incomplete descriptive sentences for effect. Only after I was quite into the book did I realize this was part of a series. I don’t think it’s at all necessary to read the other books to appreciate Thirteen.

Fans of thrillers, courtroom dramas, and mysteries, though, will, I’m sure, like me, devour this book despite its minor flaws—and probably never think about juries the same way again!

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

This whole series is just outstanding and Thirteen is no exception. Reminiscent of early Grisham I just can’t think of a better court room drama/ private eye thriller series currently out there. Eddie Flynn is a fantastic main protagonist, the plots are clever and well-crafted with plenty of action and surprises on the way and the whole thing is just waiting to be turned into a series of blockbuster movies.
If you’ve only read Thirteen so far go and get the others - you can thank me later!

I did not love this book. It was pretty fast-paced but I didn't feel like I connected with the characters. The people seemed shallow and some of the plot points seemed rushed. Maybe if I had read books 1-3 I would have enjoyed it more? I don't think it worked as a stand-alone novel.

I requested this ARC on a total impulse. I saw one review of it that made it sound amazing, headed over to NetGalley, and “click,” MINE. And THEN I realized that it is the fourth book in Steve Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn series. D’oh! After a moment of panic, I did a little more digging into reviews and saw several that assured me it could easily be read as a stand-alone novel. Whew. Luckily, those reviewers were all spot on; Thirteen is a stand-out thriller that works on its own…but rest assured, I will be getting my hands on the other Eddie Flynn books ASAP. As always, thanks so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for early access to this book in exchange for my honest review!

The premise of Thirteen is simple: Eddie Flynn, a former con-man-turned-defense-attorney, is hired to represent a young movie-star charged with murdering his wife and her maybe lover. Flynn doesn’t think his client did it, but he is certain the killer is close to the case. And he couldn’t be more right – the real killer isn’t on trial. He’s on the jury. (dun dun dun)

I mean, come ON. What a set-up, right?!?! Thirteen was such a roller coaster of a book in the best way possible. It’s out on August 13 and even if you haven’t read any other Eddie Flynn books, you need to read this one. And then you’ll be like me and run to your nearest library to get the others.

RATING BREAKDOWN

Writing – 2/2: Cavanagh tells this story at break-neck speed. I truly kept telling myself, just one more chapter, just one more, over and over again because I couldn’t get enough of it. The writing grabbed me and put me right in the middle of all the action in and out of the courtroom – and don’t worry if you hear “courtroom drama” and think, “really??” YES, really. Flynn is the best kind of attorney – I couldn’t get enough of him because the way Cavanagh told the story was so addicting.

Plot – 2/2: Right, I already gave you a taste, but seriously, this plot was so unique. I can’t think of any other thriller I’ve read that put the bad guy on the jury. Such an awesome premise for a thriller.

Thrills/Twists – 2/2: SO MANY THRILLS! Who’s the killer going to murder next? Is Eddie going to win the trial and figure out who the real killer is? Which jury member is actually the killer?? This is what made this book so unputdownable. The thrills just kept on coming!

Characters – 2/2: Okay, Eddie is my new book crush. He’s brilliant, cunning, moral, ethical (mostly), and, I imagine, very sexy. 😉 I actually sort of had Matthew McConaughey’s character from The Lincoln Lawyer in my head as a similar comparison to Eddie. So…yeah. Also, the bad guy is my favorite kind of bad guy. The kind that gives you chills because of how matter-of-fact he is; no emotion, void of all empathy, etc…you know, a real psychopath. He’s written so well, giving the book all its thrills.

Feel – 2/2: I did not want to stop reading this book for anything. Every chance I got, I had my kindle in hand, cruising through the story. I was so totally wrapped up in the characters and the plot, I didn’t want it to ever end. It’s definitely one of my favorite thrillers of the year because it kept me so involved from the first to the last word.

A strong 5 star read, and I can’t WAIT to get more Eddie Flynn in my life! Happy reading, friends!

Former conman turned lawyer vs brazen serial killer! Heck yes, you can't go with that combo. I was hooked right from the start. I would have to say that this is one of the best legal thrillers that I have read in quite some time.

The serial killer isn't on trial... He's on the jury!

Say what?! This is the murder trial of the century. Joshua Kane has done everything he could to get the best seat on the jury - and he wants to make sure the wrong man gets punished for the crime. For some crazy reason, the killer isn't on trial... he's on the jury.

Former conman turned defense attorney, Eddie Flynn, doesn't believe that his famous movie star client killed his own wife and security guard. Eddie Flynn suspects the real killer is watching every move his client makes and is now closer than he thinks - but will he guess just how close?

This is a brilliant, twisted, legal thriller that I couldn't get enough of. This was my first Steve Cavanagh book, and I can definitely tell you that it won't be my last. This is the perfect read for all crime and legal thriller fans. Highly Recommend!

*Many thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Eddie Flynn is a con-man turned defense attorney who has been offered the opportunity of a life-time. He's been offered second chair in a trial attracting media attention around the globe. Bobby Solomon has been charged with the murders of his actress-wife and her head-of-security turned lover, Carl Tozer. The evidence appears to be strongly in the prosecution's favour.

But, in any good thriller nothing is what it appears. Eddie is soon leading the trial against a formdiable prosecutorial opponent in Art Pryor. Eddie believes Bobby Solomon did not kill his wife and her lover, even if he is still witholding information about his whereabouts on the night of the murder.

Eddie must rely on his contacts to assist him, all the while staying two steps in front of crooked cops in order to find the real killer.

Eddie is unaware that the real killer has infiltrated the jury of Bobby Solomon's trial. And he is not just any killer, but someone who is practiced and has a point to prove against the world. He lacks empathy and will stop at nothing to achieve his end goal. Soon Flynn is in his sights.

This book has alternating point of views of the killer Joshua Kane and the attorney Eddie Flynn. It's fast paced, has heaps of action, police and criminal trial detail, and looks deeply into both character's personalities and motivations. Flynn is a bit of a disaster when it comes to his own life, and he has a colourful history but he comes across as a strong advocate and likeable character who you just know is going to attract trouble with his unapologetic and direct approach. When the end seemed close, I was unable to put it down and was silently willing both Bobby and Eddie Flynn would see the end of the story [no spoilers].

I think any police, crime or thriller lover will appreciate the character that is Eddie Flynn, and thus this book.

LOVED IT!

This book is published on 13 August 2019.

Thank you to Steve Cavanagh, Flatiron Books and Netgalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I will also post a review on my instagram page @aplace_inthesun prior to the publication date.

What a legal thriller this is, one of those hard to put down books that just keeps getting better and better the farther you get into it. Eddie Flynn is quite the character; the story grabs you in the first few chapters and doesn’t let you go until the fat lady sings at the end.
The story has it all, humor, suspense, mystery, good storyline, likeable characters, and lots of action. A fast read, even when I set it down to actually do something else, I was still thinking about it. What a concept, the killer sitting on the jury and the author pulled it off with charm. So well done.
Mr. Kane was quite the spooky sort of fellow, quite calculating and fully evil. This wasn’t the first Steve Cavanagh book I’ve read, and it certainly will not be the last. Well done. Easy 5****** stars.
I thank Flatiron Books and Net Galley for allowing me the privilege of reading this book for my honest review. High five stars on this one.

Oh my goodness, this was so good. Vote Eddie Flynn for lawyer of the decade! Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to grab a copy of this book.

I kept seeing this book everywhere, but didn't know much going into it. I definitely did not know that this was part of a series. I don't think it took much away not having read the previous books. Everything is pretty well explained and nothing overly important to the plot was carried over from a previous book, at least it didn't seem this way.

In Thirteen, a serial killer who framed an innocent man is on the jury at his trial. It's up to Eddie Flynn to not only prove his client's innocence but discover the identity of the true killer. In order to do so he's up against fake identities, corrupt cops and one of the best criminal prosecution lawyers around.

I can't rave enough about how great this book is. The characters are well done, the courtroom is full of sass and the twists come at dizzying speeds. This is one of the best books I've read this year. I highly recommend picking this one up.

Oh, I really like this Eddie Flynn character and want to get to know him better, so now I need to go read 1, 2, and 3. Legal dramas are some of my favorites and I enjoyed this one. New twist - the serial killer is on the jury it said in the description of the book. That drew me in immediately. I was hooked from the start of the book and I didn't figure out what happened until near the end. I recommend this highly to anyone who loves legal courtroom drama The scenario is complex and dastardly - I was surprised several times.

Thanks to Steve Cavanagh and Flatiron Books through Netgalley for an advance copy!

Oh heck yes!! Con man lawyer and serial killer!!! This book was written for me. I love jury stories. I need to go back and read the rest of the series.

I didn’t realize when I requested it that Thirteen is part of a series, but even read as a stand-alone, it is excellent. The book is told from the points of view of a conman-turned-lawyer and a serial killer who is sitting on the jury for a case he is trying. There are lots of twists and turns, some of which are a little hard to buy, but all exciting and fun. I will definitely go back and find earlier novels by Mr. Cavanagh.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had been seeing a lot on social media about this book and could not wait to read it! It certainly did not disappoint! This is my first book by this Author and won’t be my last! I work in the legal field and so I was fascinated by the plot and how this individual was able to plant himself on a jury! Great plot, great characters and some good twists and turns. Would totally recommend this book to friends! Thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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I wanted this posted a day ago, but just a couple hours after finishing it, I wasn't capable of discussing it in a meaningful way—unless you consider gibberish with intermittent "squee"s and a lot of exclamation points meaningful (and, I suppose it is, in a fashion). I think I'm a bit better now, but I'm still having a hard time organizing my thoughts. I've discussed each of the prior Eddie Flynn books in the last couple of years here—and each one has been a little better than its predecessor. This is no exception—but I'm not sure if Eddie Flynn #5 will be able to top this one (equalling it will prove difficult enough).

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Before he's had time to fully absorb—much less react to—some devastating personal news, Eddie Flynn is approached by one of the biggest, flashiest, best-known defense attorneys in New York to be his second chair in an upcoming murder trial. He's not interested, at all—even after the money on the table is mentioned. But he eventually agrees to meet with the accused to decide if he believes in the client's claims of innocence.

Robert (Bobby) Solomon is an actor on the verge of super-stardom. He's one-half of a Hollywood power-couple with a reality show and a couple of movies together that are responsible for this status. He also stands accused of killing his wife and their security chief after finding them in bed. Eddie believes him and signs on. The media (social and otherwise) is abuzz with the killings and is circulating plenty of rumors, innuendoes and speculation about Bobby and his wife at this time, as they cover "The Trial of the Century."

The prosecution's case is almost overwhelmingly strong, but with some creative thinking, Eddie and his investigator dive into the case, coming up with a strategy for his defense—including ways to attack the prosecution's case. His investigator is the FBI Agent Harper from The Liar, who has since quit the Bureau and is doing PI and security work with her former partner (this was a great move by Cavanagh, she's the best character from that book not named Flynn).

Still, that's a daunting target and an almost impossible feat. But what makes it worse? The actual killer—a serial killer, mind you—is on the jury and is committed to getting a guilty verdict. What a great hook, right?

It is hard, almost impossible, to give readers a serial killer as unique as this one. He's not as charming or intelligent as Dr. Lecter (but close on the latter), he's not as obviously sick and twisted as most fictional serial killers. There's not a trace of sexual sadism or anything like that to his modus operandi (which is not to say there's none in his past). He's smart, he's careful, he's strategic and committed to his vision. He's got some natural gifts that help him—and an ally that assists him (a non-lone wolf serial killer, I don't know if I've seen that before).

What separates this killer from the rest is the motivation behind his killings and victim selection (and how he makes them a victim). Yes, he's clearly mentally ill—psychopathic/sociopathic tendencies (if he's not diagnosable with either), and he enjoys his work. But there's an ethos, an ideology behind his work. He's got a message for the world, a lesson he's trying to teach people. Everything he does is toward this goal, toward living out this ethos. I absolutely loved this, and the more Cavanagh showed this was behind the killing (and eventually, killings), the more we saw of the motivation, the more I liked it (and the more impressed I was with the creation of this killer).

I want to go on a few more paragraphs about him, but I can't without spoiling everything—so let me stress this is a great, and unique, serial killer.

While dealing with this case, Eddie also has some family problems he's trying to address, and there are some NYPD cops out for him after embarrassing a detective on the witness stand. Eddie spends more time in danger from members of the NYPD than he does from the killer.

Harry, of course, is back—which is great. He's more involved in this case than he has been since the first book, The Defense. He's a judge, Eddie's former mentor and current self-appointed guardian of Eddie's alcohol intake. He's a great friend and ally for Eddie. We also see the return of Arnold Novoselic, the jury consultant that caused so much trouble for Eddie in The Defense, this time, however, he's on Eddie's side. From a one-dimensional bad guy in book 1, he's transformed into someone Eddie has to—and then can—rely on. There's a new prosecuting attorney, and he's a great character and a worthy competitor for Eddie.

No matter who's writing the legal thriller, one of my favorite parts of the book is the narrator/protagonist giving the reader insight into how the judicial system functions—the nitty-gritty stuff about scheduling trials, deciding who to put on your witness list, the order you call the witnesses in, and so on. The reader gets plenty of that here—along with two (complementary) explanations why attorneys on either side of the case just don't want anything to drive a judge to sequester a jury. I'd never thought of that before, but it rings so true. Eddie also gives a very detailed explanation about how the skills that made him a successful con artist make him a successful trial lawyer. Because I enjoy it so much, I could've read a whole lot more of this "behind the scenes" material if it'd been possible for Cavanagh to work it in. Still, I think we get more of that here than we have before.

The pacing on this book is intense—Eddie being hired, investigating, the trial and the outcome all take place in a week. A business week, Monday - Friday, to be specific. That's just insane—and improbable. But you don't stop to doubt it while reading. Even after finishing the book, I can't be bothered to spend too much time wondering about that, because Cavanagh sold the timeline so well. It doesn't feel rushed at all, however, it just feels like an intense thriller.

While driving the pace that hard, no corners are cut in the intricacy of the story. There are surprises, twists and turns enough to satisfy every reader, and enough courtroom shenanigans to compete with Mason or Haller. The penultimate reveal got me calling Cavanagh some pretty terrible names—not because I didn't like the reveal, not because Cavanagh cheated in the way he told the story, but because he fooled me. It was all there, ready to be seen, but like a good magician, Cavanagh kept my eyes on what he was doing with one hand and ignoring the —he totally hoodwinked me. I admire that in an author but despise myself for falling victim.

Is Thirteen a decent jumping-on point to the series? Oh yeah, a great one—but you might find yourself a bit underwhelmed if you then go on to read the previous books (just a bit, that that's only in comparison to this). For those of us who've been with Eddie for a while? This is a noticeable progression in quality. Cavanagh's no longer a promising new author, he's a reliable established veteran. Cavanagh's been accumulating plenty of awards lately, and Thirteen demonstrates why and absolutely deserves the critical and award attention it's been receiving. But better than all of that? It's a riveting and rewarding read—entertaining, tense, and satisfying. Go get yourself a copy now and you can thank me later.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Flatiron Books via NetGalley in exchange for this post -- thanks to both for this.

Even though this is not the first book in a series I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters felt real and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.