Themes/Triggers:
Murder mystery, crime, thriller, violence, emotional abuse, drug and alcohol misuse.
Synopsis:
Alexandra Avellino has found her father's mutilated body in his home. She dials 911 and calls for help telling the police her sister has killed him and she's still in the house with a knife.
A minute late the same call is made from Sophia Avellino, stating she's just found her father's mutilated body and needs help. She believes her sister killed him and she's still in the house, locked in the bathroom.
Two sisters, a joint trial and one jury. Which sister is the killer? Or is somebody else entirely?
Review:
After seeing all the rave reviews online I went to the bookshop to buy Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh. Why didn't I just order it? Because I was impatient and didn't want to wait for a delivery. I wanted to read Thirteen ASAP. But to my dismay it wasn't in stock so I settled for Fifty Fifty instead. This is the first book I have read in the Eddie Flynn series, I think he's my new favourite fictional lawyer. An ex-con turned lawyer, Eddie is an extraordinary character -clever and cunning. Although this is the fifth book in the series, it's a perfectly satisfying read as a standalone.
The book is written from three character perspectives, Eddie Flynn (defence attorney), Kate Brooks (co-defendant), and She (killer). I always enjoy reading from different viewpoints as it gives better character insight, reading from the killer's perspective was particularly intense and creepy but addictive. The details were very graphic but I felt compelled to keep reading out of shock and curiosity. With solid evidence pointing to both suspects and the two sisters having a good motive to kill their father, I couldn't figure out who was guilty. Even Eddie was starting to question his well-reputed gut instinct of only defending the innocent - doubting his decision in choosing to work this case!
The dysfunctional and toxic relationship between the sisters is bizarre yet addictive to read. But as we learn more about their troubled childhood, things start to make more sense. I thought the contrast between the sisters was fascinating, Sophia with a history of struggles and mental health issues and Alexandra being a well-known socialite. It was hard to believe they were blood sisters at times.
I appreciated the look into the character's personal lives, in particular Eddie's obvious feelings for his investigator Harper. It made for lighter reading when the case got quite heavy. There was one particular moment in this book that I wish didn't happen, but it added more climax to the story and urgency in uncovering the killer. (If you've read this, you'll know what I mean!) I also really enjoyed the inclusion of Frank Avellino's diary entries, it was interesting to look into his last days unfiltered. Not to forget the incredible growth and courage of young Kate Brooks throughout the case was very satisfying to see.
With the constant twists and turns in this book I gave up trying to guess the killer and went along with the flow of things. In the end, the astonishing teamwork between Eddie and Kate pays off and the guilty person is charged. I definitely did not see the final piece of the puzzle and was stunned at the outcome. Pacey and suspenseful with an entertaining plot, this book had me page-turning from the very beginning. If you enjoy being transported into an intense courtroom drama, you will be thriller with this one! I can't wait to read more in this series.
Rating:
4.5/5
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