Thirteen (Eddie Flynn #4) by Steve Cavanagh Book Review. #BookReview #BookReviews #Thirteen #BookBlogger #BookBloggers #BookBlog #ThatBookThatHook @SSCav @orion_crime

• Thirteen (Eddie Flynn #4).
• Steve Cavanagh.
• 368 pages.
• Thriller / Crime / Mystery / Legal / Fiction.
• My Rating: Hell Yeah Book Review.

Book Blurb.

THE SERIAL KILLER ISN’T ON TRIAL.

HE’S ON THE JURY…

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‘To your knowledge, is there anything that would preclude you from serving on this jury?’

Murder wasn’t the hard part. It was just the start of the game.

Joshua Kane has been preparing for this moment his whole life. He’s done it before. But this is the big one.

This is the murder trial of the century. And Kane has killed to get the best seat in the house.

But there’s someone on his tail. Someone who suspects that the killer isn’t the man on trial.

Kane knows time is running out – he just needs to get to the conviction without being discovered.

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Book Review.

Thirteen is the fourth book in the Eddie Flynn series by Cavanagh, I didn’t know that. I read some thrillers (they aren’t my main genre, that is fantasy) but I’m not up on all the authors and series that are out there and I picked this up solely after seeing all of my fellow bloggers praising how fantastic the book is. No, that’s not a typo on my part, I mean ‘all‘ the bloggers as I can’t recollect seeing anything but unanimous praise and hype for the book.

With so much praise and hype, you can’t help but be slightly wary over whether or not a book regardless of its genre will actually live up to all of the plaudits that it has been receiving. Well, for me, Thirteen did and it is definitely a case of believing the hype for Thirteen as it is thoroughly deserving of it all.

Although Thirteen is the fourth book in the series it can easily be read as a standalone, the fact that I haven’t read the previous books didn’t detract from my enjoyment or hinder my reading experience at all. Cavanagh offers enough that even without the prior knowledge of the character you feel like you know the con man turned defence attorney that is Eddie Flynn and his history.

Eddie Flynn is asked to be the second chair in the latest high profile celebrity trial. After initially being reluctant to accept the offer he changes his mind, accepts and takes to the courtroom to defend his client, the Hollywood star Robert Solomon who is accused of killing his wife, Ariella Bloom and his chief of security, Carl Tozer. With prosecuting hotshot Art Pryor gunning for a conviction and all evidence pointing towards his guilt it doesn’t look good for Solomon. But Flynn has seen something in Solomon, a look in his eyes that can’t be faked and he believes that Solomon didn’t commit the crime. Flynn will give it his all to prove the innocence of his client.

And then you have the hook of the book ‘the serial killer isn’t on trial, he’s on the jury‘ step forward Joshua Kane. This is no mere coincidence, Kane has manoeuvred himself onto the jury and as the trial takes place he continues his behind the scenes manipulation to ensure a guilty verdict is achieved for Solomon.

Cavanagh has a writing style that lures you in and makes you want to continue reading. Thirteen itself is full of misdirection and is a fast-paced and dark read that really ramps up towards the end. The pacing is aided by Cavanagh expertly swapping the story between Eddie Flynn and Joshua Kane. Written in the first person perspective when dealing with Flynn and then swaps to the third person perspective when dealing with Kane which could be confusing but it isn’t and instead works well for dealing with the two characters.

Flynn is a deep, engaging and likeable lead who you can really get behind and Kane, well Kane is a cold and methodical individual, a high functioning sociopath and a master of deception who thinks he is untouchable. There’s so much to Kane and getting to find out about him and his motivation is absolutely fascinating. One thing is for sure, Kane is certainly dedicated to his line of work!😱

The secondary characters all have a role to play in Thirteen, both adding too and feeling like they are integral to the story being told. For me, Art Pryor was the perfect foil for Flynn, the constant duking it out between the two attorney’s as they manipulate the jury with one gaining the advantage in the proceedings and then the other is scintillating, the witnesses, the cross-examinations, the truths, the lies and the revelations, everything about the courtroom and what goes on within its confines is compelling. As the trial unfolds it is full of drama and you are left guessing what will happen and which way the jury will choose to vote.

There is also plenty of action, investigative action and murder (well, it does feature a serial killer, duh) that takes place outside of the courtroom throughout Thirteen and from the beginning to the end it is all outstanding storytelling by Cavanagh.

The hook for Thirteen is ‘the serial killer isn’t on trial, he’s on the jury‘ it’s a tantalising statement that makes you want to find out how the story will play out, one could even say that the hook is killer, get it, it’s a book with a serial killer, groan!😱😂😝

Thirteen is clever, ingenious and totally gripping. If you doubt that thrillers are a genre that you will enjoy then read Thirteen, it won’t only change your mind, it’ll blow it!

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Purchase Thirteen (Eddie Flynn #4).

Amazon UK  /  Amazon US  /  Book Depository

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