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.

Thirteen is a fast-paced thriller that follows a clever con artist turned defense attorney as he struggles to prove his client’s innocence in spite of the all the evidence. Unbeknownst to him, the real killer has his own agenda for everyone involved, and he’s on the jury.

This is the fourth book in the series but it was easy to read without any prior knowledge from the other books. I never felt lost or confused about anything.

The main character is Eddie Flynn, and the book is told mainly from his perspective. He’s a recovering alcoholic with some regrets who believes in the law, in giving his clients the best defense possible and in doing what is right. I really liked him as a main character. He had a dark past and issues that he struggled with constantly but he stayed strong and worked hard.

The other characters were also neatly fleshed out and realistic – all but the killer. The killer, Kane, was stereotypical in personality and characteristics. He is a psychopath/sociopath(?) type that feels little to no emotion other pride and delight in killing. He’s highly intelligent and social adept to the point that he’s lived most of his life in normal society without a hitch. His motives are weak and his “mission” and “beliefs” just didn’t seem plausible enough to me. I didn’t like reading from his perspective and I didn’t like him as a villain. Overall, he was too predictable as a character type, unrealistic and honestly, a bit boring.

Cavanagh’s writing style clearly reveals a good knowledge of the law and court proceedings, perhaps with a fictional dramatical flair. He manages to keep it simple, matter-of-fact and yet engaging and very clever, with just the right pace. The action and court scenes, in particular, were very well written in my opinion.

Overall, this book is thoroughly interesting and I was glued to the pages, even as I believed the story was headed one way and then it didn’t. Plot twists! It was surprisingly unpredictable and fun and I really enjoyed reading it!

A police/legal thriller with a complicated hero and a unique villain. Great character development and a satisfying ending.

Great, fast-moving plot, and well-constructed characters. This was my first in the Eddie Flynn series and I definitely want to start at the beginning and read them all.

Thirteen's been on my To Be Read list since last fall - the synopsis sold me on this one, so I was really excited to have the chance to read it early. From the very beginning, I was pulled into this story. It kept me engaged throughout. The choice to feature both Flynn and Kane's perspectives isn't a unique one, and while I felt it necessary in places, I do wonder if perhaps we could have done with a little less from Kane.

I especially appreciated that there was a full cast of characters - not only the hero and the villain, but all the people required to mount a high-profile court case. I felt like I got a good handle on all of them except perhaps the jury. At times, it was difficult for me to distinguish between jury members (though I recognize that that may have been purposeful. And I was tickled to read their bios as constructed by Arnold. Their voter status felt so true to life!).

I highly recommend Thirteen if you like fast-paced mysteries and/or legal thrillers. This one worked well for me without having read others in the series.

Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for a free e-arc of this title for review.

This was like the ultimate law student dream book and as an almost-law-student, I can say that it was indeed really, really good. I enjoyed it very much.

The tag line immediately gripped my attention. Thoroughly interesting read that kept me glued to the pages, It was surprisingly unpredictable . This is my first book by the author and I plan to read more. Thanks Netgally for the ARC

Many of us have a secret desire to be that lawyer who captivates the courtroom and flushes out the pure and evil facts, protecting the lives of the humans around us that we respect and love; to be instinctive, intuitive, working from the heart. Steve Cavanagh taps into that desire and allows us to step into that role, wade through the deceit, sense the misconceptions and expose the true evil that lives among us.
This is a captivating yet dangerously evil read about a repulsive and heartless being who, by deception and sheer cunning continues to reign for years, until he meets his match: a rogue lawyer. The battleground is the courtroom; the pressure and risks are palpable. You can’t help but relate to Eddie Flynn; his heart is in the right place but his social skills are severely lacking. I must read more of Eddie and live vicariously through his antics. What an entertaining yet tense and unpredictable read!
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks so much to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for making it available.)

Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh is a fast and furious book about a super-smart serial killer who infiltrates a jury. He has an objective and he will do anything to carry out that objective. ANYTHING.

This book is also about a con-man turned defense attorney and his client, an up and coming Hollywood superstar, who has been charged with murdering his wife and bodyguard.

Why does the serial killer need to be on the jury? Is the movie star guilty of the murders? Why do the cops hate Eddie Flynn, the lawyer? Whose going to die next? Looking for the answers to these questions meant I didn't want to put this down once I started reading!

The only criticism I have about this book is that I felt the need to suspend belief more and more as the book went on and the stakes and craziness got higher. Is there really a serial killer out there that is this smart and crazy and where everything always goes their way? Man, I hope not.

This is the 4th in a series about Eddie Flynn but I had no problem jumping in without having read any of the others. And, I am definitely planning on checking out what Flynn gets up to next.

There is hardly anyone out there (or so I would have to believe) who has not aalready heard of this book. It has the most fascinating tagline which gives the plot of the story away while still not taking the thrill away from the book.

It is not my usual fare, legal thrillers are hardly my cup of tea (usually) but I was still impressed with the frantic pace where something meaningful was constantly happening. It is the fourth book of Eddie Flynn but it does not take long for anyone to get to know Mr. Flynn, a man who changed the side of the law that he worked in for his conscience's sake. This conscience is a millstone around his neck because when he sees someone being unfairly taken advantage of, he has to drop his personal comfort to assist. The first couple of chapters where we are not getting to know the evil villain of the piece, we are given a crash course in the working of the mind of Eddie Flynn. It is entertaining and helps set up Eddie as a champion in our minds before we venture further into the murky case. 

There is something for all kinds of thriller readers in this tale, Eddie is trying to keep a hold on the only family life he knows, and his friends while simultaneously trying to prove a man innocent of the crime he has been accused of. I think I might just go back and pick up another of the previous books if and when I get the chance. I recommend this to anyone on the lookout for something different to give this a shot (if you haven't already read it)

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is completely based on my own reading experience.

ARC from NETGALLEY

I am a huge #NOTAFAN of legal so-0cale thrillers but Joshua and "con-man" Eddie made me stay connected. I love the way Eddie's courtroom maneuvering seemed all to real. I am still #NOTAFAN but this one is good, and different.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh


“Here was a man who’d murdered for pleasure. It was a game. Only this wasn’t a man. This was one of the monsters.”

Thank you to Orion and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book!

This was a wonderful court room thriller that does not let up! Robert Solomon and Ariella Bloom are the latest Hollywood hot couple. When Ariella is found brutally murdered in bed next to their security guard, all evidence points to Robert being responsible for their deaths. Eddie Flynn ends up as the primary defence attorney for Robert and as he investigates, he links these murders to several other case and realizes that they may actually be dealing with a serial killer. He believes the killer is in the courtroom, but he’s not the one on trial.

This was such a fast paced book with lots of moving parts and many important characters but Steve Cavanagh manages to introduce them all wonderfully. I loved flipping between the detective and the killers view and watching the trial unfold from their perspectives. The way that Cavanagh wrote this serial killer story is mind blowing and bone chilling! Joshua Kane is truly a brilliant and terrifying character. Although this is the fourth instalment of the Eddie Flynn stories, I still felt that as a reader you get to learn a lot about his backstory and he is a very likeable detective. Thirteen works well as a stand-alone book but I still look forward to going back and reading the other Eddie Flynn novels! This one certainly kept me up past my bedtime!