⭐️⭐️⭐️.5–Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh
•
Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for a free copy!
•
Eddie Flynn is defending Bobby Solomon in the murder of his wife and body guard. But what no one knows is that the killer is on the jury!
•
What I loved: the premise of this book was original and wrote really well. The way the dots were connected in the case with the serial killer was well done. It was not so out there that you couldn’t believe it happened but it made you think about what if it happened. The court room scenes were well written— especially the actions/dialogue of the prosecutor.
•
What I didn’t: I thought the ending was a little sloppy. I can’t say why without spoiling but it could’ve been tightened up a bit. I may go back and read the over novels in this series, but I’m not sold on Flynn as a leading guy yet.
•
I recommend for anyone who wants a different spin on crime thrillers!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this fabulous ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Flynn: a defense lawyer that is struggle in his work as well as home life.

Kane: an unknown serial killer, but Kane is not who he truly is.

Delaney: an FBI agent who helped Flynn identify the killer.

Pryor: a ruthless lawyer who is on the opposing team.

It was captivating from beginning until the end. Flynn was written as an underdog. As a reader, I root for him to win at everything life and an a defense lawyer. He just needed something to go his way. As for Kane, his character was kept in the dark until the end. Even at the very end, there was still a surprise that I did not see coming. The ending of the story did not feel like it was rush in any form. Absolutely love it!

I received an eArc of this from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book was good don't get me wrong but it just wasn't my cup of tea.

I loved the way the author chose to have two perspectives. One from the killer & one from the lawyer.

The plot is very confusing & the book starts off really confusing. I have to admit I did get super creeped out & had chill bumps while reading this book.

The characters are done fairly well. The one that seems to have the most growth is Eddie.

The middle & ending seemed to drag but at the same time wrap up too quickly for my liking. Especially the part where they discover who Kanes partner is. I felt like that wasn't explored or done very well.

All in all this is perfect for those who like legal thrillers & crime books.

The description of this book caught my mind and thank goodness! What an excellent legal thriller. A fast paces read with so many twists and turns it may make your head spin. This was my first read by this author and I can guarantee you it will not be my last! I highly recommend this book. Thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first book I have read by this author and hands down I can say it will not be my last!

This story is fast paced and has so many twists you will be guessing throughout who the killer is, and just a tip, you will still be wrong in the end.. And since I mentioned the end, I should also mention once you start this book, you will not stop reading until the end.

Overall, one of the best murder mysteries I’ve read in a long time.

Once in a while you come across a book that captivates you. Thirteen is such a book. You find out in the beginning that a killer has managed to get himself seated on the jury for the person accused of his crime. Will they find out? Who will figure it out? The prosecutor that wants to win at any cost? Or the con artist defense attorney? Hmmm....
Such a good book that will change how you think a plot should unfold.

Thanks to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review.

Well, thank you to all of the beautiful people that talked about this courtroom drama here on Goodreads. It's been awhile since I read such an edge of your seat thriller. But it was damn good!

Defense lawyer Eddie Flynn is the type of person I love to read about in a book. Radiating confidence in a courtroom, ruffling the feathers of many especially the NYPD and a screwed up personal life. I have no idea what it says about me as a person that I gravitate to these types of characters but I lap it up like a kitten with milk.

The tagline "the serial killer isn't on trial, he's on the jury" is really all you need to know going in because it's a real cat and mouse game. I was so into this book that even when my body was telling me to go to sleep , I just had to stay up and finish it. That hasn't happened to me in quite awhile and definitely earns this book a spot on my favorites of 2019.

Goodreads Review published 28/06/19
Expected Publication Date 13/08/19

This takes jury selection to another level. It's an interesting story, fairly well paced (can feel slow at times, but not terribly so), and the main bad guy is vicious! An enjoyable read.

I've had Steve Cavanagh's books on my radar for quite some time now, so I was stoked when I discovered that my request for an ARC of Thirteen was approved a while back. I've heard a lot of great things about the Eddie Flynn series in general, and even though this is already book four in the series, it has been promised to me and I can now confirm that the story works really well as a stand-alone as well. Although I can garantuee you that you will want to add the other three books to your wishlist straight away, as there is just something about the main character that makes you want to have more and more and more. Oh yes, this book was without doubt highly addictive, delightfully twisted and one hell of a ride!

This story had me at the cover. I mean, the whole the serial killer isn't on trial, he's on the jury alone instantly makes the heart of any thriller fan skip a beat, or am I wrong? Reading that kind of phrase on the cover gives you a lot of expectations, and those expectations were without doubt met in Thirteen. What a ride! This fourth book can be seen as a mix of a legal and serial killer thriller where we get the best of both worlds and a LOT of action and disturbing twists at that. It's clear from the beginning that the main character Eddie Flynn isn't exactly the type of guy to follow the rules, his past as a con artist confirming that, and he is without doubt a much more interesting character because of this. The story is told with a dual POV, switching between Eddie Flynn and Joshua Kane, and giving us an insight in both sides of the law. Joshua Kane is without doubt one of the most fascinating and disturbing serial killers I've read about in a while, and even though the cover gives away part of the twist, his undercover identity won't be revealed until later and trust me, it will be hard to see that twist coming.

The plot is complex, cleverly constructed and hides the right key elements and information to keep you on your toes as you try to figure out if Bobby is really innocent and if so, how on earth the real killer was able to set him up so thoroughly. And what about the significance of the dollar bill? And the "accidents" that keep happening around those involved in the case? I loved seeing this story slowly unravel and show its secrets, and I bow to Steve Cavanagh for creating such a fascinating serial killer as well as giving us a healthy dose of legal thriller, plain old investigation work and action. There are lots of different elements involved, all mixed together to create the perfect and addictive thriller cocktail you will be wanting to drink in one sitting. Thirteen is a fast, disturbing an shocking legal thriller with a serial killer twist... Oh yes, I'm definitely a Steve Cavanagh fan now.

Thank you to NetGalley and FlatIron Publishing for gifting me an ARC of Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh. In exchange for the ARC, I offer my honest review.
This was one very clever courtroom procedural with plenty of good twists and surprises. Was it plausible?! Not really, but that didn’t take away from this thrilling cat and mouse game between an ex-con turned attorney and a serial killer. What I didn’t realize was this book is number 4 in a series ( Eddie Flynn) and while this works fine as a stand alone, I think prior background knowledge of Eddie and his antics would have made this read even better. I felt there were certain references that I did not fully comprehend based on my lack of previous reading. I will definitely be going back to the beginning of this series to catch up on all that I missed.
In a market that seems to be over saturated with thrillers and mystery’s this book by Steve Cavanagh was really stellar and a clear front runner for most memorable read. I highly recommend adding this book to your summer 2019 book binge!!!!

Wow! What a dark, wild, twisted ride that was! I had never read this author, but after reading this one, I want to read more. I really loved Eddie Flynn’s character. He is a man of strength and conviction, but sill has heart. I also loved that I did not see the final twist coming. I love when I don’t figure it out ahead of time. This is a book I will definitely recommend to my book loving friends!

This book was absolutely riveting! I could not put it down! I had no idea that this was a series but it’s so well written that I did not feel like I was missing anything, although I loved it so much that I am going to immediately start reading the first book next. I wanted to read this book because of the great plot of the bad guy on the jury but I really ended up loving Eddie the defense attorney. The book is written so that the POV shifts mostly chapter by chapter between Eddie and the actual murderer Kane.

This book has great characters. Eddie is a great protagonist. Apparently he has a shady past but is now very noble and feels that it is his calling to keep innocent people out of prison so he does not represent guilty suspects. Kane is a really well written bad guy. He’s a very bad person but also very smart and cunning which makes for great reading. Some of my favorite suspense writers almost write their bad guys too well, with a lot of pages spent on the awful crimes that can be too intense for my liking. I like that this author does not spend a lot of time on the graphic violence or Kane’s desire to do harm. Really most of his page time is spent on his craft of blending in and orchestrating his schemes. There are also really well defined secondary characters to round out the cast.

Eddie finds himself on the defense team for a famous actor accused of a double murder of his wife and a friend. The author does a great job with the plotting. On top of the trial strategies we have Eddie trying to work the case and add an element of who done it and how to the story. I’m usually pretty good at staying ahead of twists and turns but this story still managed to surprise me a couple of times which I loved. I also really liked that these surprises were well done and not done just to surprise which seems to be a new trend in the genre that annoys me. I am absolutely delighted with this book and its characters and so excited to see what happens in the next one!

A unique twist on legal fiction that really earns it's designation as a COURTROOM THRILLER. It doesn't skimp on either aspect as our reading perspective vacillates between lawyer Eddie and serial killer/juror Joshua. Written as part of a series, this books stands alone well. I felt neither left out for not having read the prior novels, nor did I feel like I HAVE to read consequent ones unless the plotline tickles my fancy. I can absolutely picture this one hitting the big screen as a summer chiller! 3.5 rounded to four

I'm a big fan of the Eddie Flynn series of legal thrillers by Steve Cavanagh. He's an Irish writer whose books are published much earlier in the UK than in the US. I've been waiting impatiently for what seems like forever for THIRTEEN to be available in the US because I know Mr. Cavanagh is an original thinker and the premise of this book fascinates me. I just received a free e-book copy of this book from Netgalley (in exchange for my honest review) and THIRTEEN is terrific! The book opens with a murder in the prologue and keeps up the momentum all the way to the end. It's a twisty read, with the originality I expect from this writer. Highly recommended!

I absolutely loved this book, having been drawn to it by its intriguing and compelling strapline: The serial killer isn't on trial. He's on the jury...
I adored both main characters, the inimitable former con artist and now defence lawyer, Eddie Flynn, and the devious, clever and utterly evil serial killer Joshua Kane. I also enjoyed Cavanagh’s great writing style, the wit, the punchy dialogue and the roller coaster of a story.
Thirteen made for utterly compulsive reading and is a book I’ll recommend to friends again and again.

Amazing book!! I was truly riveted from the start to the finish. Court drama is not always my cup of tea - I sometimes find the dialog boring and slow - but this covered so many other categories! Lots of mystery, thrilling moments and, surprisingly, action.

I had not read the earlier books in the Eddie Flynn series but I was so captivated by his character I will definitely look for them. Without those prior books, I still had no trouble following the story or becoming attached to his rogue persona. He is one of the few attorneys who seems to be practicing for all the right reasons - to put away the criminals and make sure innocent people remain safe. When the odds are hugely stacked against his client, Eddie became even more diligent and determined to find the truth.

If you are looking for a thrill ride this summer, I highly recommend this book!

*Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers for the copy of Thirteen in exchange for my honest review.

In less than three years, Irish author Steve Cavanagh has gone from promising new-kid-on-the-legal-thriller-block to an absolute standout, "read whatever he puts out" crime writer. In baseball parlance (Cavanagh's books are set in the States, after all), he's developed from talented rookie to a perennial All-Star, delivering at a high level year after year.

His fourth legal thriller, THIRTEEN, has a compulsive hook: a serial killer finagles himself onto the jury for a high-profile celebrity murder trial. But why, to what end? It's a delicious set-up, but the fantastic thing about Cavanagh's latest Eddie Flynn tale is that THIRTEEN delivers so much more than just a high-concept premise that makes for a cool hashtag or marketing campaign.

There's a propulsive narrative drive (I read it in one sitting), plenty of action and intrigue inside and outside of the courtroom, and further development of the character of Eddie Flynn. A hustler and con man turned lawyer who's apt to use a few tricks, Eddie still retains a sense of honour and justice - even if it gets battered at times, ground down by the road roller of the criminal justice system.

In THIRTEEN, Eddie is faced with every defense lawyer's worst nightmare: a client his gut tells him is innocent of the brutal crime, even if the facts all point to guilt. Is Eddie good enough to overcome the odds? Or has his celebrity client used his Hollywood skills to pull the wool over Eddie's eyes?

Cavanagh takes the reader on a merry dance, switching between Eddie's perspective and that of the killer on the jury. It's a chess match that Eddie doesn't even know he's playing, even as he battles against the prosecution's very strong case while juggling the ways his own life outside the courtroom is teetering on a precipice. Eddie knows his life needs to change, and puts it all on the line for a shot at reclaiming his family, but is it enough? Has he unwittingly put himself in the firing line again, the very thing that's stopped his previous attempts at reconciliation with his wife and daughter?

THIRTEEN is the kind of book where Cavanagh keeps the needle high and his foot to the floor, while delivering plenty of oomph throughout the ride. He brings the New York courtroom setting to vivid life, taking readers into the inner workings of the jury system while keeping a nice balance and never overwhelming with legal details. There's a host of strong characters, returning and new, conflicts that feel authentic and organic rather than author-hand-forced, and plenty of action to get the heart racing as our brains wonder just how things might unfold. A terrific read that delivers on multiple levels.

Steve Cavanagh and Eddie Flynn just might be the best tandem to hit the courtroom crime scene since Michael Connelly introduced 'Lincoln lawyer' Mickey Haller to the world over a decade ago.

I was super surprised with Thirteen. I’m a big fan for anything crime related, so who wouldn’t be drawn in by “He’s on the jury”? The beginning dragged just a bit for me, but the second half more than made up for it! I’ve already recommended it to my dad, and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in crime or suspense.

A big thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book, and for introducing me to an author and character that I will surely be following. This is the fourth book in the Eddie Flynn series, based on the character of the same name who is a con artist turned defense lawyer. It's completely readable as a standalone and although it does mention a bit about Eddie's life and character journey, nothing leaves you feeling lost.

Genre: Thriller, Suspense

Length: 368 pages

Blurb:

Eddie Flynn protects the innocent. When a high profile case involving an incredibly popular actor comes his way through one of the biggest law firms in the city, Eddie refuses. The actor is on trial for the murder of his actress wife and bodyguard. Eddie has no reason to believe his innocence, nor does he know why the reputed firm wants him on the case. Until Eddie meets the accused. Willing to go to any length to protect an innocent man, Eddie takes the case up under overwhelming evidence against his client. Eddie is confident that the real killer is out there - he just has to convince the jury of that. But the killer is closer than even Eddie can imagine. And convincing a jury may not be so easy when the killer is part of it.

Overall Rating: 8 out of 10

Plot: 9 out of 10

Characterization: 9 out of 10

Primary Element: 9 out of 10 for its suspense

Writing Style: 8 out of 10

Part of a Series: Yes. This is #4, but can be read as a standalone without any problem.

Highlighted Takeaway:

The plot twist. It's very rare that the killer-reveal takes you by real surprise, but Steve Cavanagh manages to do just that.

What I Liked:

Eddie Flynn's character is one of the most rounded, yet realistic, I've read. There are a few fictional characters who I absolutely love because of their complexity and human-ness, with David Baldacci's Amos Decker being one such character. Eddie Flynn makes it to that list and as one of the top ones for sure. Cavanagh has created a very relatable character in Flynn, one who keeps you hooked from the first page.

What I Didn’t Like:

Not a thing!

Who Should Read It:

Anyone who enjoyed watching The Mentalist, and anyone who enjoys reading fast-paced courtroom-action-suspense novels. Also anyone who enjoys a good serial killer mystery and legal thrillers.

Who Should Avoid:

Anyone who is put off very quickly by violence. There isn't too much gore in this book, but there is some violence which may not sit too well with those not too used to it.

Read It For:

The suspense, the intricate storyline, and Eddie Flynn.

In a criminal case, thirteen jurors are selected and sworn to inquire into matters of fact and reach a verdict on the basis of the evidence provided to them. It is their duty to be objective and fair. After all, each person is innocent until proven guilty, right? What if a rogue juror has his own agenda? With the skills and persuasion to push it?

Thirteen is an unrealistic beach read from the start. However, I will take that over a narrative that thinks it’s implausible conclusion has any place in reality.

A celebrity’s wife and her presumed lover are found dead in her bed. The famous actor’s DNA is found on the weapon, and he is seen entering the house on the security feed. Open and shut case correct?

The plot oscillates from the perspective of the defense lawyer and a villainous man who reminded me of Bruce Willis character in Unbreakable. While Kane isn’t a super hero, a cognitive disease causes him to never feel pain - therefore, he has no fear and doesn’t slow down. He mixes this with a sinister genius forming a perfect cocktail of mayhem.

Despite the absurd premise, this was a creative, outrageous and fun beach read - one perfect for a cross-country flight or weekend at the beach. Don’t pick up the James Patterson in the airport, instead download this one today.