♟️♟️♟️1/2
Fifty Fifty
Steve Cavanagh
Publication Date: June 3rd, 2025
Atria Books
384 Pages
Amazon | Goodreads | Bookshop.org
Genre: General Fiction | Mystery & Thrillers
Sisters Sophia and Alexandra blame each other for the death of their father. Who are the police to believe? This is the fifth book in the Eddie Flynn series and can be read as a standalone. I have to admit a couple of things. One, these types of books aren’t usually my thing (legal thrillers/police procedurals) and two, this is my first by the author.
The best part of the book is the fast pace. Right from the start, the reader is thrown into the thick of things. I was furiously flipping pages to find out the who and what of it all. I loved how the author weaves each of the perspectives of the story. We have the point of view of both sisters, each of their lawyers and even the prosecution. The legal side is easy to follow, even though it is quite complex.
Even though there was a lot to like about the book, it faltered for me in some aspects. The character development was lacking emotional depth. The two sisters felt like caricatures. Here are two women who have just lost their father, and each believes the other is the murderer, yet I felt nothing for them. They were very one-dimensional. I didn’t really empathize with them at all.
Also, while there were plenty of twists, some felt a little over the top that required a suspension of disbelief that I just couldn’t accept, and it ruined some of the reading experience for me. Furthermore, the ending gave us a nice resolution, BUT I wish it were a little less straightforward and not as neat and tidy, especially compared to the rest of the book.
Overall, this was a decent read that was somewhat entertaining. It excelled in its pacing, so if you’re looking for a fast-paced legal drama that takes place in a courtroom setting, it will deliver for you. BUT if you like better character development and some emotional depth with all the legalese, you may find it a little lacking.
I’d also like to point out that starting the series with book five may have left me without the proper background of our main character, Mr. Flynn. I enjoyed this enough to look forward to book six that I also have from NetGalley, but not enough to want to read the others in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
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