No spoilers, but I might as well have just flipped a coin to decide whether Sofia or Alexandra killed their father, Frank. Actually, I started leaning towards they both did it, and they pulled off this rather ingenious plan together. You will have to read Fifty Fifty to discover the answer.
Two 911 calls from two sisters stating that their father is dead, and their sister killed him. The district attorney would like to convict both of them but will settle for either one. Eddie Flynn represents Sofia, the sister with a laundry list of mental problems. Kate Brooks is defending Alexandra, a woman with everything and no history of violence.
We follow the trial from the opening statements to the jury verdict (and beyond). Lots of twists and turns and surprises along the way. Of course, the question that was always on my mind was which of them did it?
The author in my humble opinion is a genius at writing twisty thrillers Every time I pick up one of his books, just one more chapter, always leads to at least 10 more.

This one was great!
I didn’t see the ending coming, I seriously couldn’t figure out which sister did it.
I loved this read and will 100% be looking for more by this author!

It took 5 long years for this book to make it over to the United States.

I had emailed Steve 4 years ago asking him why his books weren’t available in kindle format. He said that’s just the way it was.

I waited. And it so SOOO worth it!

This is my favorite Eddie Flynn book in the series. So far.

Highly recommend

Steve Cavanagh really draws you in and keeps you in the edge of your seat. I was looking forward to this and couldn’t put it down!! Another great book from him

Mysterious and spooky at times. This book had my attention from the start. I was intrigued by the storyline and the main characters. Well-written and easy to get lost in. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I LOVED this book. It was typical smart and fast paced Steve Cavanaugh! I love his twists and turns and I had to read it in one sitting.

I absolutely LOVED this book. I was guessing until the very end. I loved the multiple points of view. I did not know I was starting in the middle of a series. I have nothing negative to say. In my opinion the book was pretty much perfect. It kept my attention from the first to last page. I will be running to get the rest of the Eddie Flynn series.

If you enjoy legal thrillers, this book was pure fun! I’d read Kill for Me Kill for You by the same author and enjoyed it, so I had hopes for this book at it delivered. The story centers around 2 sisters who are accusing each other of murdering their wealthy father. One is a serial killer, and the other is innocent. Who is telling the truth? Told mainly from the viewpoints of the 2 defense lawyers and the killer herself, this was a fast-paced, twisty read. I enjoyed the characters even if they were sometimes a bit stereotypical- Eddie Flynn is a con man turned good guy lawyer- and went back and forth on which sister was the killer until the end. Will definitely check out more of the Eddie Flynn books!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

This was my favorite Eddie Flynn book to date and Steve Cavanagh is an exceptional legal thriller writer.

Two sisters accused of savagely killing their father, one innocent and one a monster. Con man turned lawyer must figure out who is who. I kept changing my mind as new details emerged at a pace that gave me whiplash.

Each book has been fantastic- I recommend them all but can also be read as a standalone. Fifty-Fifty is a great place to start.

Two sisters call 911 to report the death of their father within minutes of each other, but they are both pointing the finger at each other. Eddie Flynn takes on the case for Sophia, who he believes is innocent and the case unfolds as we watch Eddie fight for her freedom as they build as case against her estranged sister.
The book starts off with a bang, we've got these two very different sisters both accusing each other and alternating points of view in chapters showing the un-named killer, Eddie, and Kate, the other sister's lawyer. I loved the alternating chapters and the point of view of the killer. It chronologically took you through the whole trial and legal process while still keeping you on your toes trying to guess the killer. The author did an amazing job of building suspense right off the bat and putting that doubt in our heads that whoever we suspect, there will be more to it. This made the suspense so much better, and I could not put this down. I especially loved that both lawyers really had a strong sense of justice and fought hard to have the innocent free and the guilty to pay for their crimes.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this uncorrected reader's proof ARC of 'Fifty Fifty" by Steve Cavanagh - expected release date in the US on 06/03/2025.

ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cavanagh's Eddie Flynn series is being released in the US, years after being published worldwide. The fact that they're being released out of order is weird but I read book #8 a few months ago and didn't feel like I missed anything. Fifty Fifty is book #5 in the series and it was just as entertaining as book #8 and the relationship between Flynn and Brooks was established in this book. His writing is solid and there's always a few twists and turns. I would like to read more in the series!

I was immediately intrigued when I read the synopsis of this book. A man dead, two sisters accusing each other of the murder and claiming innocence and the lawyers working to defend who they each believe is the innocent sister. The story was fast paced and exciting, keeping me absorbed the whole time. I kept going back and forth on who I thought the killer was, between who seemed the most obvious and what I thought would be more of a twist and then back thinking the most obvious (which would be too obvious) would be a twist as well. Safe to say I was entertained and enjoyed the slow reveal, seeing all the pieces come together. Overall this was a fun thriller and all the twists and turns played out well.

Awwwwwe. How many fast-paced, thrilling & suspenseful reads leave you with a warm heart?? It’s a rarity for sure but I bet 50/50 definitely will. And if you’re able to spread this read over 72hrs (I’m disbelieving if you say so) but… who are you?? When in receipt of a book of this caliber, how can you put the words down?? Everyone needs some Eddie Flynn. If only he existed….😆🥰😔

How many twist and turns can a book have? This book took me on a wild ride! I didn’t know how it was going to end did the very end. Well written and great characters!!

I couldn’t get into this at all. The tone of the book was too stiff and it was not nearly as clever as it thought it was. I got the feeling it was going for Matlock vibes but it lacked the necessary charm. Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

I will be posting this review closer to the publication date on my Instagram page which is linked in my profile and on my Goodreads account.
It will read:

Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh is a twisted, high-stakes crime thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seat from start to finish. This gripping novel follows Eddie Flynn, a lawyer tasked with defending Sofia, a woman accused of murdering her father. The twist? Sofia claims that her sister, Alexandra, is the real killer. So who is telling the truth? The story unravels like a dangerous game of cat and mouse, keeping you guessing at every turn.

Cavanagh masterfully creates two characters—Sofia and Alexandra—who are polar opposites. Both are incredibly smart, but one of them is utterly ruthless. The emotional tension between them is palpable, and I was so invested in the outcome that I literally threw my book down at one point, utterly furious by the twists that were unfolding. That’s how deeply Cavanagh pulls you into this world—he crafts a narrative that makes you feel every emotion, from shock to anger, as the truth comes to light.

The courtroom drama is intense, and the pacing is perfect. The characters are all so well-developed, with Eddie Flynn’s sharp wit and moral compass providing a solid anchor in the chaotic legal storm. The prosecutor is detestable, but it’s a character named Levy who will leave readers steaming with anger—he’s pure scum, and that’s all I’ll say about him!

Cavanagh’s ability to create a sense of emotional attachment to the characters is nothing short of remarkable. From the complicated sister dynamic to the morally gray choices Flynn faces, Fifty Fifty will have you on a rollercoaster of emotions. If you’re a fan of courtroom dramas, thrillers, and crime novels that leave you questioning everything, this book is for you. It's a 10/10 and an absolute must-read for anyone who loves a story that will have their mind blown.

This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Eddie Flynn is back, taking no prisoners and refusing to defend anyone he thinks is guilty. His friend, Judge Harry Ford, just retired, so Eddie has a consultant at the ready. Harry's thrilled, of course lol.

"It was surprisingly difficult being friends with Eddie Flynn and staying on the straight and narrow. Sooner or later Eddie led everyone astray - for the right reasons, of course."

Eddie may have friends in low places, but he's on the right side of justice. (Henry Cavill has my vote to play Eddie - why hasn't this series been auctioned for movie rights? I'm not a big movie watcher, but I'd be the first one in the theater.)

This time, Eddie takes on the case of Sofia Avellino, one of the sisters accused of butchering her father. Sofia claims her sister Alexandra is the perp, while Alexandra points the finger at Sofia. There is forensic evidence stacked up against both women, so who's telling the true and who's lying?

I honestly couldn't make up my mind. The chapters narrated by "she" (the killer) were chilling and creepy.

Like all five of the Eddie Flynn novels I've read (I'm reading them in order), Fifty-Fifty is fast-paced and exciting.

We're introduced to a couple new characters whom I think will play a bigger role going forward: Kate Brooks, the defense for Alexandra (the other sister), and her friend/enforcer Bloch (Bloch's first name is Melissa, but Bloch suits her better, trust me - this is not a woman you want to mess with).

My only niggle is that a secondary character dies, a character I really liked. This person is clearly murdered, but there doesn't even appear to be an investigation into their death; if there had been, Eddy would have surely been a suspect.

I feel this book is a slow burning thriller. I feel like it drags on at some points and take a while to get to the point. I do think it goes into a lot of details about the storyline which makes it interesting. I like how it has two sisters pitted against each other and one is really pure evil.

I don’t know why, but I had a hard time reading this book. I like the story, I liked the way it was written, but it took me longer to finish it then it typically takes me with this kind of books. That being said, I enjoyed the book a lot. I changed my mind about who the killer was a few times from the book and I thought I read some details where I was sure who the guilty sister was. I also thought that the book might end up, leaving us in mystery and guessing, but it didn’t end this way. The guilty part was revealed at the end. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and I would recommend it. I’ll definitely read more from this author.

These Eddie Flynn stories are just SO MUCH FUN! The twists in this one were so good and the author did a great job building up tension and keeping you guessing. I was locked in from the start and tore through this one in one day. I liked getting new background on characters that I had seen before since I have read some of Eddie Flynn books out of order. But that’s one of my favorite parts about these books is that you can read them as standalones and still have all the relevant information to enjoy the story. So good!! Now to go back and read the rest of them in order lol

Thanks NetGally for the e-arc, all opinions are my own