Review: Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh
Author: Steve Cavanagh
Edition: eBook
Publisher: Orion (January 25, 2018)
Genre: Adult Thriller
Synopsis
THE SERIAL KILLER ISN’T ON TRIAL.
HE’S ON THE JURY.
‘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.
My Review of Thirteen
Thirteen is a gripping legal thriller that delivers on its unique premise and captures readers with compelling characters and non-stop action.
Delivering What It Promises
Thirteen is technically book four in the Eddie Flynn series, but it works incredibly well as a standalone! So spoken as someone who hasn’t read any of the other books: Thirteen is a perfectly good book to jump into without any prior knowledge.
I picked Thirteen up as an eBook up on a total whim. The premise intrigued me, I’ve been meaning to dip my toe into more adult thrillers and yes, it was on sale. Who can say no to a good bargain?
I’m not particularly interested in real life serial killers and true crime, but I do enjoy a good mystery. And the premise of a serial killer infiltrating a jury to watch and influence the trial of a man he framed? Too good to pass up! The victim being a rising Hollywood star accused of murdering his wife and bodyguard just added a delicious layer of drama.
Full disclosure, I don’t think I’ve read enough adult thrillers (particularly of the legal/courtroom variety) to have much to compare this to. However, I think Thirteen absolutely delivers on its premise! It’s engaging, the twists are thrilling and I flew through the book in only two days.
Twists and Turns
Thirteen is delightfully fast paced. The plot happens (with the exclusion of a few memories and flashbacks) over the course of a week, with the book being split into parts according to the weekdays. This means that Thirteen never falls into a lull, every chapter pushes the story forward and felt engaging.
Overall, I really enjoyed the way Steve Cavanagh handled the different threads of the case. Information was revealed at just the right pace for me to guess along and still be surprised. And of course, Cavanagh saves a few twists for the very end. Some I did see coming and some that truly surprised me. I love a twist in the final few chapters.
Dual Perspective and a Likeable Main Character
Eddie Flynn is a con-man turned lawyer, a character concept that immediately caught my attention. He’s street-smart and smooth, has a strong moral compass and is just the right level of burdened by past mistakes to be compelling. In short, I immediately found myself rooting for Flynn.
This is intensified by the fact that from the beginning, we know who our antagonist is. Joshua Kane, the serial killer turned jury member. I love dual perspectives in a thriller and reading from both the protagonist and the antagonist was incredibly gripping. In particular, because we don’t know which of the jury members Kane has impersonated until very late in the book.
Unfortunately, I felt like the characters weren’t quite as complex and developed as I had hoped. Maybe this is just a feature of the genre but as someone who loves character-driven stories, I just wanted a little more depth.
However, I am incredibly fond of Harper and Delaney and really hope they make more appearances in the rest of this series!
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Overall…
..Thirteen was a very fun read, even though I would’ve loved a bit more character depth. It was fun and engaging and I’m really happy with the way it delivered on the premise. I’ll definitely be checking out the other Eddie Flynn books!
This book is for you if…
…you like street-smart main characters who aren’t afraid to follow a strong moral compass
…you are looking for a courtroom thriller that still delivers plenty of action
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