Member Reviews

A superb legal thriller from a writer who's quickly established himself as a master of the genre. Cavanagh combines courtroom intrigue with out-of-court action in tales that tickle the mind and the heart. A very fine series that continues to grow and deepen.

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I found Steve Cavanagh's books when I was given a copy of Thirteen to review and following reading that book I had to go back to the beginning and read the whole series so far and I am so glad I did.

Cavanagh has written a brilliant series. The series is based around Eddie Flynn, a conman turned lawyer, who is involved in cases in which his history as a conman gives him an insight into cracking the cases.

I really enjoy legal thrillers and The Liar is such a book where the reader is led on a journey of discovery as the case unfolds. It is gritty and enthralling and keeps the reader encaptured in the tale to the very end.

Well worth a read.

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This is the 3rd book in the lawyer series featuring Eddie Flynn, and it was quite an, edge of the seat, courtroom drama reminiscent of the king of lawyer dramas - John Grisham! Leonard Howell's daughter has been kidnapped and he gets Eddie to help him to get her back. But not everything is as it seems, and this made the book seriously entertaining! I just had to finish it to see what happens to the girl and how Eddie saves the day (again).
Highly recommended.

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the liar by Steve Cavanagh.
an absolutely fantastic read. hooked from page one. Leonard Howell daughter has gone missing. the Fed's and cops are involved but Leonard can only rely on one man to help him. Eddie Flynn. this was a shocking twister of a read that keeps you reading until the last page. and what a twist. 5*.a must read.

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I’ve been on an Eddie Flynn binge read this week as his latest book Thirteen is coming out soon and being the OCD person I am I have to read books in order, and boy have I enjoyed myself. If you haven’t met Eddie yet – then trust me when I say you need to make his acquaintance and read The Defence first. Eddie Flynn is an ex-con/hustler and now a hot shot New York lawyer. Each book gets better in my opinion and The Liar is FANTASTIC.

The Liar is a gripping, fast paced legal thriller with an edge. Full of twists and turns this latest book sees Eddie defending an old family friend Leonard (Lenny) Howell on the charges of kidnap and murder and what follows is an adrenaline fuelled action thriller that literally kept me reading all night.

If you are looking for a new series which has fascinating characters, intelligent plot lines, twists, turns with a main character who is always prepared to go that extra mile and bend a few rules to protect his client then I 100% recommend you start reading this series NOW.

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Eddie Flynn gets a call in the middle of the night from a former friend, his daughter has been kidnapped and Howell needs a lawyer. Whilst waiting for the car to pick him up Flynn is subpoenaed regarding a case he was not involved in but his partner was. When he meets Howell he finds a man on the edge and ready to do a desperate act, the FBI are involved and Flynn's skills as a former con-man are needed. However when the bag drop goes wrong and Howell's house is blown up Flynn finds himself having to defend his former friend from serious charges. As evidence mounts up against Howell a twist causes all involved to rethink the motives and the potential outcome.

I was surprised to find that this book had such rave reviews as it has, not having read any of Cavanagh's work before I came to this book cold and was pleasantly surprised. If you like that particular form of American thriller with lots of car chases and gun fights then this works well, unfortunately that's not really my preferred genre. Looking beneath that superficial surface though there is a really cleverly plotted storyline which, although the solution is highlighted from the start, is twisty and satisfying enough. Therefore I am rating this book fairly highly because it did engage and as a pacy, non-demanding read it really satisfies.

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Fascinating and enthralling tale that kept you entranced to the end. Definitely recommended.

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So who wouldn't like Eddie Flynn and want him on your side if your daughter had been kidnapped? This is a good story with a very exciting and intricate plot and enough action to keep anyone happy.
The author tells an intelligent and well planned story which wasn't spoiled by my guessing the ending ( well almost)

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This is the best legal thriller I have read in a long time .The plot is brilliant and the book races along with lots of action ,this is so much more than just another courtroom drama .Eddie Flynn is an ex con man as well as a lawyer and you can't help but like him .The story twists and turns and just when you think you know what is going to happen you are taken off racing in another direction just fabulous !!!

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When an old school friend asks for help and the issue: the kidnapping of his daughter .. which he'd experienced too and resolved as investigator in past .. you run to help. Things expand and suddenly figures in your past and true friends from another case entirely impinge .. it all becomes very intense and changes people's lives .. the twists and turns are complex. but kept on knife edge by adept author, really recommend this intelligent and heartfelt crime novel.

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I love a good legal thriller and I have been seeing Steve Cavanagh around at crome conferences for a while, as well as being a huge fan of his podcast with Luca Veste, under the name of Two Crime writers and a microphone.
But while I had read Luca’s books and really liked them, I had never read any of Steve’s, though I’ve had them all on my kindle for far too long.
So I thought it would be a good idea to review Steve’s latest novel in time to celebrate the paperback publication of The Liar.
So why did no-one ever tell me how brilliant these books are?! Eddie Flynn, the protagonist, is a character you just want to hear more and more of. A top notch con man turned criminal attorney, Eddie is the kind of character that makes a great legal series. Always sailing very close to the wind; never quite trusting anyone, ready to go to extreme lengths to keep an innocent client out of jail, Eddie Flynn is a joy.
Combine this terrific character with a plot that twists, turns, rotates and spins, and you have a real cracker of a book that not only keeps you guessing but also has great one liners, loads of thrills and a whole heap of tension.
I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this book. I now have to read everything Steve Cavanagh has ever published. Eddie Flynn is just sheer deliciousness on toast. The Liar is intelligent, accomplished and such a great read.

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One of the best current series around in my humble opinion. Eddie Flynn is a character you can't help but want more of. This latest instalment sees him representing a client with a predicament a little close for comfort - his daughter has been kidnapped, just like Eddie's was not too long ago. As usual, nothing is straightforward for Eddie though, and he has to employ his legal skills & street smarts in equal measures if he's going to get through this one intact.

Steve Cavanagh has the whole "page-turner" thing off to perfection, every scene ending at just the right point to leave you wanting more. Love the premise of hustler turned lawyer, and very much looking forward to seeing the next instalment - it's a shoo-in on my TBR list.

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Steve Cavanagh writes some of the best legal thrillers I have ever read, and this is his best one yet. We are back with ex-con man, hustler, lawyer, and all round good guy, Eddie Flynn, facing his most challenging case yet. He is going to have to fully utilise his sleights of hand and draw on his ability to con. In the hours of darkness, Eddie gets a call from a man he knew in his younger days, Leonard Howell, asking Eddie to be his lawyer. Howell's 17 year old daughter, Caroline, has been abducted and a ransom payment has been organised. Howell has other plans afoot which do not involve the FBI, are illegal, and wants Eddie to cover his back. Amy, Eddie's daughter was kidnapped in the past, and feeling Howell's pain, he agrees in a heartbeat. It all goes to hell in a handcart as the ransom drops spectacularly misfire resulting in Howell being charged with the murder of Caroline.

Eddie has no intention in letting Howell, an innocent man in his view, be convicted. At the same time, he has been served to release the casework on the trial of the now deceased Julie Rosen to the notorious lawyer, Max Copeland, who plans to appeal and ruin the career of Judge Harry Ford, to whom Eddie owes everything. Eddie is not going to stand idly by and let that occur. At White Plains, New York, Howell's trial opens, a gripping court drama ensues, packed with twist after twist. Continually facing the unexpected, Eddie is forced to think on his feet, aided by Agent Harper, whilst his client lies in a coma. In an effort to prevent a tragedy, Eddie is pushed to pull one of the biggest cons of his life, will he succeed?. As a dangerous finale takes place in a cemetery, connections with the Julie Rosen case come together.

This is a thrill ride of a novel that is so hard to put down, with its outstanding plotting and a charismatic central character in Eddie Flynn, a lawyer extraordinaire. The supporting cast is terrific, from the broken man that is Howell, to the smart and courageous Agent Harper. Cavanagh is a gifted thriller writer who knows exactly how to write stunning and tense stories full of suspense. If you have never read the Eddie Flynn series, I highly recommend that you do so. Thanks to Orion for an ARC.

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