#BookReview | #FiftyFifty by Steve Cavanagh | @SSCav

An Eddie Flynn novel
– Fifty Fifty

[ About the Book ]

Two sisters on trial for murder. They accuse each other.
Who do YOU believe?

‘911 what’s your emergency?’

‘My dad’s dead. My sister Sofia killed him. She’s still in the house. Please send help.’

‘My dad’s dead. My sister Alexandra killed him. She’s still in the house. Please send help.’

One of them is a liar and a killer.
But which one?

[ My Review ]

Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh was published in ebook and TPB (Ireland) format April 2nd with Orion (general PB release date is September 3rd 2020) It is the latest book in the series featuring trial lawyer Eddie Flynn and is an edge-of-your seat courtroom drama with the reader constantly undecided as to ‘whodunnit’

Alexandra and Sofia Avellino are both on trial for killing their father, former mayor of New York City, Frank Avellino. But this is no straight-forward case. Frank Avellino was found stabbed fifty-three times on the floor of his bedroom in his palatial city residence by his daughter. The emergency services receive two independent calls from each of his daughters claiming the other as the killer. The only sure fact of this case is that his death was barbaric in it’s execution, his body mutilated beyond recognition. Both sisters are claiming their innocence. Both have lots to gain and lots to lose. Eddie Flynn is called in to possibly represent Sofia as the high-brow city lawyers fight it out to represent Alexandra.

Alexandra is the more polished of the sisters. She is known in social circles and is a glamorous business woman with her own personal successes. Sofia is the black sheep, having suffered mental health issues over the years. The general consensus is it’s an open and shut case. The DA want a combined case of The State v’s Alexandra and Sofia Avellino. At least that way one or both will go down. There is a dead body and one of them is guilty but which one? The answer – Fifty Fifty.

Now here’s the thing, to discuss the storyline would be to give away something so I’m staying shtum. What I can and will say is that this is a fabulously written courtroom drama that keeps the suspense levels up until the very end. The chapters are interwoven with those of the killer but we have no clue as to who that it is, with the chapter told from the perspective of ‘She’. We are given snippets that send us one way…and then we retract that ending as too convenient and hold out until we read another chapter. And this goes on, believe me. As one fellow blogger mentioned, she almost had herself convinced that the dog did it!!

The characterisation is very well portrayed with our empathy and sympathy constantly shifting. Eddie Flynn is a hard-nosed lawyer used to dealing with the tougher elements of society but even he struggles at times during this case, as he suffers some great personal pains and gets frustrated trying to identify what is right, trying to see the wood for the trees.

Having studied Law in college in Dublin and working in civil rights law involved in many high-profile cases, Steve Cavanagh knows what he’s writing about. His experience and knowledge of the workings of the courts adds an extra layer of authenticity to the plot and helps to bring the story alive for the readers. The anger, fear and frustrations are all very palpable. The tense and crackling atmosphere is tangible as the evidence is discovered and produced in court.

Eddie Flynn is a great main protagonist. His rawness makes him more appealing. His vulnerability more attractive, adding a very human touch to the disturbing nature of this tale. Fifty Fifty is a compelling and addictive read. It is a very astute legal drama, full of suspense and intrigue. It is a dark and mysterious tale

Another best-seller on the cards for Mr Cavanagh!

[ Bio ]

Steve Cavanagh was born and raised in Belfast before leaving for Dublin at the age of eighteen to study Law. He practiced civil rights law and was involved in several high-profile cases; in 2010 he represented a factory worker who suffered racial abuse in the workplace and won the largest award of damages for race discrimination in Northern Ireland legal history. He holds a certificate in Advanced Advocacy and lectures on various legal subjects (but really he just likes to tell jokes).

His novel The Liar won the CWA Gold Dagger award while his follow-up novel Thirteen won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award in 2019. Twisted was a Sunday Times Top 10 Bestseller. He is married with two young children.

Twitter ~ @SSCav