THE SERIAL KILLER ISN’T ON TRIAL.HE’S ON THE JURY…****************‘Books this ingenious don’t come along very often.’ Michael Connelly‘THIRTEEN is my favourite read of the year.’ Sarah Pinborough‘Outstanding.’ Lee Child‘Smart and original. This is a belter of a book.’ Clare Mackintosh****************‘To your knowledge, is there anything that would preclude you from serving on this jury?’Murder … Mackintosh
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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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THIRTEEN REASONS WHY … YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK:
‘An oh so clever hook for an oh so clever, gripping book. THIRTEEN is courtroom drama at its finest, blended with page-turning twists and characters you can’t get enough of. Steve Cavanagh is the John Grisham for a new generation. Slick, thrilling and unique, THIRTEEN is my favourite read of the year.’
Sarah Pinborough
‘Outstanding – an intriguing premise, a tense, gripping build-up, and a spectacular climax. This guy is the real deal. Trust me.’
Lee Child
‘Smart and original. This is a belter of a book.’
Clare Mackintosh
‘Great hook. Great plot. Great book. Thirteen is a real page turner and one you won’t want to put down.’
Simon Kernick
‘A brilliant, twisty, ingeniously constructed puzzle of a book. Steve Cavanagh pulls off an enviable premise with panache.’
Ruth Ware
‘I’ve been tracking Steve Cavanagh for a few years now and Thirteen is his best, a dead bang beast of a book that expertly combining his authority on the law with an absolutely great thrill ride. Books this ingenious don’t come along very often.’
Michael Connelly
‘Quite simply deserves to be HUGE. If you read a thriller as good this year, it’s only because you’ve read this one twice.’
Mark Billingham
‘Tore through this between dusk and dawn. Absolute 5-star cracker from Steve Cavanagh, who’s gotta be among top legal thriller writers out there nowadays. A powerhouse of a book that’s much more than its high-concept hook.’
Craig Sisterson
‘Wow! This book is friggin’ awesome! Utterly immersive.’
Emma Kavanagh
‘Fantastically gripping? Guilty as charged!’
Angela Clarke
‘An absolute cracker.’
Susi Holliday
‘Guilty of thrills, twists, and expertly manipulating the reader.’
Mason Cross
‘An absolute rollercoaster of a read. Thrilling.’
Cass Green
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It kept me guessing, and the ending was quite a surprise!
I picked up this paperback on a voyage aboard a ship and could not put it down. The premise is original and gripping. While it is very graphic with violence in parts it kept me turning the pages. I will read more by this author. What a lucky find!
So I had NO idea that this book was part of a series when I started it. I had noticed quite a few advertisements for this book and the synopsis really intrigued me so I thought I’d give it a go. So glad I did because this is a page turner without a doubt.
Eddie Flynn is a defense attorney trying to get his act together. His wife has left him and he feels inadequate as a father. When a high profile actor is accused of murdering his wife, Flynn truly believes the man is innocent and decides to assist with the case. The evidence couldn’t be more damning against his client however. DNA, video footage, an eye witness and more all stand to put the actor behind bars for life. One thing seems out of place to Eddie however. A dollar bill folded in the shape of a butterfly is found inside the victim’s wife. Why? As Eddie begins to investigate, the answers just get more twisted and the case gets more complicated.
Just WOW! (Although if you can’t suspend some belief you may not love this book…) I was so impressed by the imagination and attention to detail that the author displayed in this work! Any time my brain wanted to shout out that something was impossible, Eddie or someone on his team had an answer to shoot down said impossibility.
A roller coaster ride of a read in which I couldn’t turn the ending pages fast enough!
Highly recommended!
Smart and original. This is a belter of a book.
“TH1RT3EN” By Steve Cavanagh is a mystery that starts on the cover. The title is not the number thirteen, but a cryptic representation of that number, suggesting a password, a code, or a hidden meaning, and readers soon find out that this is exactly what it is.
The book opens with Joshua Kane sitting, waiting, disguised as a homeless person, and readers learn a little about him. He is not like other people; his mother told him that. He is special; he is different. Readers soon learn how correct his mother was; there was no one like him. He collected names and addresses, and then he killed the mail carrier.
The narrative changes to a first person account by Eddie Flynn, lawyer in Manhattan Criminal Courts. Hotshot lawyer Rudy Carp offers him the opportunity to take the second chair in the biggest murder trial the city has ever seen; Robert Solomon, the movie star, is on trial for murdering his wife and an associate. Carp declares that Flynn is the one person who can prove that Solomon is innocent.
“See, Bobby Solomon is innocent. The NYPD framed him for the murders,” said Rudy. “Really? Can you prove that?” I said. Rudy paused. “No,” he said, “But I think you can.”
Despite Flynn’s misgivings about the defendant, he agrees to look at the case. The story continues with the point of view changing in alternating chapters. Readers see what Flynn sees; “We both looked at the bloodstain on the bed.” Hear what he says; “How do I believe anything you say, now?” Know how he feels; “I felt sick. Like I’d swallowed a fully inflated balloon that I couldn’t bring back up.” Discover the clues as he finds them; “This hadn’t been in the papers.” And, follow his thinking “What’s the best way to get away with murder? Make sure the cops aren’t looking for you.”
Kane, meanwhile, continues on his path of murder, destruction, and deception. Readers know what lawyers do not know ….yet. While Flynn struggles to put together his case, Kane prepares to be part of the jury; the living breathing beast that he is preparing to tame. The tension is palpable as the trial continues. Readers know what the defense has learned and what it has planned, but readers also know about Kane, the unidentified factor, cryptic code, the enigmatic message…for a while at least. Just as readers approach insight and information, the narrative changes to the alternate point of view, leaving questions, and only hinting at answers.
“TH1RTE3N” is fast-paced and intense. Chapters identify the day and heighten the apprehension. Cavanagh takes readers down unexpected paths, cultivates tension, and brings danger bubbling to the surface. He expertly creates a sense of urgency through methodical planning. Readers know something is coming but are not sure exactly what it will be until the shocking and unexpected finish.
I received a review copy of” TH1RT3EN” from Steve Cavanagh, Flatiron Books, and Macmillan Publishing. It is powerful, compelling, and exciting. The structure of alternating chapters increases the tension page by page. This is a book that readers will find hard to put down.
This book is exactly what you would expect and so much more! This story is about a serial killer who ends up on a jury and an attorney who used to be a con man. However, this story also gives you a deep dive into the psyche of a serial killer. It’s disturbing and fascinating. I loved following both POVs without anything really being given away. Sure, you know essentially the story from the beginning because it isn’t an immediate reveal that a serial killer is on the jury, it still has the build up you would expect from a thriller. I was very satisfied and enjoyed this book a lot!
I wasn’t sure what I was going to get when I selected this book but within the first couple of pages I was invested and didn’t want to stop. I loved the build up of the story as it took me to the place where I finally learned exactly what was going on. However, there are more than just a few of these moments in the book which made me love this even more. With all the twist and turns, I never knew what was going to happen next or what the next mystery was going to be.
These characters also surprised me on every level. While I was cheering the “hero” onwards, I actually found myself drawn to the “villain”. I didn’t like him, but I was intrigued by him. What was his background? How did he become like this? Why did he do this? The unveiling of these questions often left more behind.
So glad I picked this one up!
From the moment I saw the tag line on the cover of this book, I was hooked. As a fan of anything true crime, this book was right up my alley with the serial killer in plain sight elements. The plot itself is so crazy off the wall that it seems completely plausible! I told 3 friends the basic one sentence premise while I was reading and all 3 said it sounded amazing, absurd snd added it to their TBR. I was hyping this book to them before I even hit the halfway mark snd the rest definitely lived up to the promise of what had already been set in motion. There’s a ton of suspense, lots of twists and turns and at the heart of the novel, the story told both through the eyes of the psycho serial killer so smart he’s been getting away with murder undetected for years and also the attorney who just might have enough street smarts to figure out what nobody else could have. If you bother reading my reviews you know I won’t go into details or risk spoilers so all I’m going to say is that if the tag line or the blurb pique your interest, grab the book and read it. You won’t regret the decision.
It’s unusual to read a crime novel where you’re introduced to the killer right from the start, but this formula works well for Cavanagh’s second Eddie Flynn novel & it sweeps the reader along at a fast pace. Flynn has a reputation, which has cost him his marriage, but in the courtroom he’s the best chance that celebrity Bobby Solomon has of being acquitted. The writing is superb, edgy and descriptive, and the plot full of twists. It’s been a true rollercoaster of a read, but one that I would happily climb back into. Five stars.
WOW! This is the first Steve Cavanagh book that I have read and although I dislike reading series out of order, I loved this book. The concept, a murder becomes part of the jury to convict the man who was arrested for the crime. I didn’t know which one of the jurors was the murderer nor do I know the extent of this crimes. It didn’t bother my to read this one first even though it was the 4th in the series. I will happily go back and read the first 3 and look forward to more.
I’m not generally crazy about courtroom drama, but this one totally pulled me in. New York City criminal defense attorney Eddie Flynn, a former con man, has been recruited by Rudy Carp as second chair for the defense team of movie star Bobby Soloman, accused of murdering his wife and her lover. Eddie is tempted to join what Karp calls “the murder trial of the century” but never defends anyone he believes is guilty, and the evidence against Bobby Solomon is solid. Bobby insists the NYPD framed him for the murders, and Eddie agrees to a meeting. His ability to read people, honed by years as a con man, persuades Eddie that Bobby is innocent, and he joins the defense team. This novel is fourth in the series featuring this likable defense attorney, and I’ll probably go back and read the others now.
“The serial killer isn’t on trial. He’s on the jury”
With that, Cavanagh begins this tale of the Eddie Flynn series.
For those not familiar with Cavanagh’s work, Eddie Flynn series is a con-man turned attorney. While this book is part of a series, it can act as a standalone read. However, it might be best to browse through the previous three books to get an idea of Eddie’s Flynn’s personal life and history to this point.
T1RT3EEN (as it is stylized) is told from two points of view (POV) –
Eddie Flynn
Joshua Kane (the serial killer)
Kane is a ruthless serial killer who has literally killed to be on the jury of a famous actor, Robert “Bobby” Soloman, who is being tried for the murder of his security officer and wife. Bobby insists he is innocent.
Flynn has been hired as a consultant to Bobby’s legal team. It’s not just a job – it is a new beginning for Flynn who is hoping to reconnect with his wife.
But, as new evidence comes out, Bobby’s legal team (which has been hired by the movie company) bails on him. Flynn has a choice – stay with Bobby and risk the job he covets or leave Bobby on his own.
Flynn has already been targeted by the police for his work on another case.
The evidence against Bobby is damning despite his claims of innocence.
Then there is Joshua Kane – he has killed to be on the jury. But, why? What is his motive?
With that, Cavanagh, in short chapters, weaves the tale, alternating the POV. Kane is precise and methodical, carefully covering his tracks and assuming identities. But, Kane isn’t done – he begins to target the jurors as well.
The FBI is busy investigating “Dollar Bill” for the folded dollar bills he leaves with his victim – and one of Bobby’s victims has a folded dollar bill with parts of the bill – the olive branch, the spears, and the stars colored in. But, there is no connection between the victims – they’re from most of the thirteen states of the “colonies” though. The information is helpful in proving Bobby’s innocence – but why is someone working so hard to make sure he’s convicted?
At times it felt the plot was moving far too fast to keep up, and at times it plodded along. It is clear from about midway who the serial killer was.
The only problem I had was motive – what was the Kane’s motive for killing the people and why did he select the targets he did? That was one thing that wasn’t explained. It would’ve worked better for me had I known why he did it.
This was my first title by the author and I would be interested to read the other novels to see Eddie Flynn’s past up to this novel. It is worth noting that the goal Eddie is working to isn’t successful at the end of this novel.
It was a fairly engaging, quick read. I finished it in three (3) days, which is about average for me. The novel was interesting, but not worth the “hype” that led up to the debut.
In the courtroom drama THIRTEEN by Steve Cavanagh, the author builds a storyline where a serial killer frames another then wrangles his way onto the jury. It’s evil at its finest and will have you glued to the pages. 5-star must read.
Th1rt3en is the fourth installment in author Steve Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn series but each book may be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone volume.
Th1rt3en kicks off with an exploration of Joshua Kane’s inner thoughts. On a cold December afternoon, he’s on a cardboard bed outside the Criminal Courts Building in Manhattan, thinking about killing a man. Not just any man — although he has killed “a nameless, random New Yorker who happened to fall into his line of vision” in the past. But on this particular day, he has a target in mind. And a plan. An elaborate, detailed plan.
Joshua Kane’s background, rationale, and the details of his scheme are revealed in detail through chapters drafted in the third person that alternate with Flynn’s first-person description of the state of his life. He is separated from the wife he loves, Christine, who is also a lawyer, and unable to see their twelve-year-old daughter, Amy, as often as he’d like. His drinking, the complicated emotions he feels as a criminal defense attorney, and a series of cases that put the family’s safety in jeopardy caused the marriage to falter. Eddie wants to be with his wife and child, but not until he is “finished with the law.” He thinks about doing something other than practice law, but just can’t bring himself to walk away. He carries the guilt of knowing that he helped ensure that a guilty client was exonerated. And that client “went on to hurt somebody real bad.” Eddie feels that he must help people in order to atone for his role in that tragedy.
Eddie is not just a troubled attorney. He’s a skilled one with a strong sense of right and wrong, and the innate ability to discern “when someone is telling the truth and when someone is lying. The liars don’t have the look.” ]Eddie is convinced to defend Bobby Solomon — even though he knows he is being set up for potentially catastrophic failure by Bobby’s lead defense counsel, whose fees are being paid by the studio that wants to salvage the big-budget blockbuster movie it is about to release starring Bobby and his late wife. Eddie has seen “that look before” and it is impossible to forget. “It’s rare to see that look.” And after meeting with Bobby Solomon, Eddie he has to help him. Because “Bobby Solomon wore that look.”
But Eddie has no idea what kind of formidable foe Joshua Kane will prove to be. Or why. Kane has set an elaborate, intricately-planned series of killings into motion but law enforcement investigators have not yet discovered the connections, much less the motive. Kane overlooks no details and his methodology is unique and unmistakable. He is highly intelligent and was born with congenital analgesia, a condition which causes the pain receptors in his brain to malfunction. Thus, in addition to being in top physical form, he can withstand pain that no normal person could possible tolerate. As the book progresses, he is shown by Cavanagh to be driven, ruthless, and a sociopath who will stop at nothing and spare no one in order to fulfill his goal and send his message.
Cavanagh is a former attorney putting his knowledge of the law to good use. His descriptions of the procedural aspects of criminal law and police procedure, as well as his characters’ thought processes and dialogue are technically correct and believable. Eddie Flynn is a compelling, sympathetic character despite his flaws. He is committed to the law and wants to be a family man. But he is self-aware enough to realize that his passion for the law and justice cannot be subjugated to his passion for his family, and the the two cannot successfully coexist. His story is a heartbreaking one. Is is marriage to Christine really over? Hopefully, Cavanagh will explore their relationship further in the next installment.
Th1rt3en is a nonstop adventure that alternates, without pause, between the mind of a determined killer and a driven attorney who, with the help of some savvy and dedicated associates, is committed to discovering the killer’s motive and saving his next targets. The nuances of the ways in which Kane is able to maneuver and function strain credulity at times, but Cavanagh’s story is so original, clever, and meticulously plotted that those issues never detract from the enjoyment of how skillfully Cavanagh reveals critical information at expertly-timed junctions. The story is a masterfully constructed puzzle, full of unexpected, jaw-dropping twists and surprising plot developments. Th1rte3n includes violence, but it is neither needlessly gory nor gratuitous. Rather, it is an inherent part of the story. Cavanagh can also be forgiven for taking some liberties with the ethical duties and responsibilities implicated when a judge has a close friendship with one of the criminal defense attorneys who tries a case in his courtroom because the relationship he portrays is touching and feels otherwise genuine.
Th1rt3en is sure to end up on multiple lists of 2019’s best thrillers.
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader’s Copy of the book.
Read this while in Ireland. Hard to compete with the scenery but this book kept me coming back. Original and page-turning thriller.
4.5 exciting stars!! I really love getting the opportunity to discover new authors and this case is a great example of why. I may never have given myself the chance to read this book under normal circumstances. I’m really looking forward to checking out his other books now.
Thirteen was incredibly entertaining and full of suspense. Just when I thought I had everything figured out….BOOM…..another twist was thrown at me. It kept me guessing from beginning to end. It was a real page turner.
What a twisted story. I love it. From the first page I was caught in a great writing style that made me forget everything around me and I didn’t stopped until I finished the last page. So worth every single second of it. The author is a story teller and he created a world that you just vision every single word or description that comes out of the pages of this great mysterious story. Can’t recommend it enough.
“THIRTEEN” is the 4th of the Eddie Flynn series following ‘The Defence’ (February 2016), ‘The Plea’ (April 2017) and ‘The Liar’ (November 2017).
This is an amazing book that is a hybrid of a murder and court room drama which I absolutely enjoyed. The chapters alternate from Eddie Flynn (first person narrative) the lawyer and Joshua Kane (third person narrative) the murderer. It works amazingly well and you get a great sense of the characters’ thoughts, actions and behaviors. The story is split up into days as the story is told over a weeks’ time.
Flynn is an exceptional lawyer who cares nothing about ego but instead the drive to protect the innocent, and risking his family and life in the process. He is the ideal in moral and character. I find myself rooting for him and feel every bit of his pain and agony as he goes through this trial of the century. The opposite goes for Joshua Kane who feels no pain whatsoever and is one of the scariest character I have ever read and you will be amazed how this character was written with absolute brilliance!! A true psychopath, cold killer, meticulous, cunning and an expert impersonator!
Overall, I highly recommend this novel to those of you who enjoy reading thrillers and legal/courtroom drama. It’s a fast-paced, high-energy novel, with a really unique storyline and characters. This book is one-of-a-kind and original, and I was hooked from the start. I will definitely be reading all the other Eddie Flynn series.
Eddie Flynn must prove his client innocent as the actual serial killer hides his identity as a jury member. If you like legal thrillers, don’t miss this one!
THIRTEEN by Steve Cavanagh is an intense read from beginning to end. The unique concept of a serial killer who manipulates his way onto the jury for a murder he committed. The book is written from two points of view, Kane, whose identity is masked from the reader as well as the other characters in the book; and Flynn, the defense attorney who becomes a member of the defense team.
The book has an excellent, tight plot with more twists and turns than the reader can imagine when beginning the novel. Almost at every point where the reader begins to breathe a little easier the page turns, an unexpected twist is written, and the roller coaster ride begins again. This, coupled with some gory, grim details suggests it is a book that readers might want to approach with some caution.
It goes without saying that this is not a cozy novel, and readers who prefer that subgenre might have difficulty enjoying, and in some cases, finishing this novel. Readers who like heart pounding suspense and unexpected twists and turns at a rapid pace will find this one a perfect read.
Flynn,the defense attorney, is easy to root for, being an attorney who has genuine concern for his fellow human beings. Before he became an attorney he was a con artist and no stranger to the mean streets. His past makes him uniquely qualified to take on the murder trial of Bobby Solomon, a young man who is gentle and down to earth dispite the fact he is a hollywood star on the verge of mega fame and fortune.
The suspense builds throughout the book to an explosive conclusion. A reader’s enjoyment of the book is most likely heightened by experiencing this tension and building suspense as it unfolds, therefore no spoilers are included in this review.
My thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advance digital read copy of this novel in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.