Time for another round of Yvo’s Shorties! This time around a special Eddie Flynn edition as I decided to binge-read the whole series this month in preparation for the release of book number five… Below a shorties review of the first three books of the series: The Defence, The Plea and The Liar. I can say that these books have only reconfirmed my love for this series! I won’t be reviewing Thirteen this time around, as I already read and reviewed it last year here.
Title: The Defence
(Eddie Flynn #1)
Author: Steve Cavanagh
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime
First published: May 12th 2015
Publisher: Orion
Finished reading: May 12th 2020
Pages: 321
“I felt like I’d just dipped my fingers into a black pool, that there was a good deal more about this murder and this whole situation hidden below the surface. What I didn’t realize then was how deep those waters ran.”
Last year, I somehow ended up with an ARC of Thirteen before I realized it was actually book four of the Eddie Flynn series. Whoops indeed! I absolutely loved my time with the fourth book and Eddie Flynn’s character made a huge impact; I’ve been looking forward to spend more time with him ever since. It took me way longer than expected to finally return to where things started with Eddie, but better late than never right? The Defence has definitely reconfirmed my love for this series. I think this is the most exhilarating legal thriller I’ve read in a long long time! The Defence basically feels like an action movie: think Jack Reacher, think Die Hard, and you will have an idea what vibe this book and series gives off. The Defence is lightning fast, explosive and basically one life-threatening moment after the other… You will feel breathless by the time you reach that final page; running a marathon is nothing compared to reading this story.
Key in the success of this book is not only the sharp writing, the constant threat of danger and the plot development, but also Eddie Flynn himself. I took to him almost instantly, his former con artist status and general kickassness reminding me of what would be a mix of Saul Goodman and John McClane (Die Hard)… A very interesting character cocktail indeed! You will find yourself rooting for him from the start as you wonder how on earth he will get himself out of all this mess. A huge trial, kidnapping, two rival mafia families, bribes, violence, bombs, improbable escapes, gunfire and a bucketload of action… The Defence somehow manages to juggle it all and more. Brace yourself for an explosive and exhilarating ride, as you won’t be given time to breathe until you reach the final page. This was exactly the dose of action thriller I was craving… Eddie Flynn to the win!
Title: The Plea
(Eddie Flynn #2)
Author: Steve Cavanagh
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime
First published: May 19th 2016
Publisher: Orion
Finished reading: May 14th 2020
Pages: 400
“I heard old-timers call it a bullet con because it’s launched so quickly – like pulling the trigger. In reality, the name derives from the fact that if the con fails, the hustler can expect to eat a bullet.”
Eddie Flynn series binge-read, round two… After an excellent experience with The Defence, I was more than ready for more Eddie Flynn with The Plea. And while I do have to say that I might have enjoyed my second round a tiny bit less, there is also no doubt that The Plea is still a more than excellent read. We are in for another action-packed and thrilling ride, and I’m not joking when I say that this series is hands down one of the most exhilarating legal thriller series I’ve read to this date. Oh yes, this is not your average legal thriller, and while most of the story evolves around a court case and legal proceedings, you won’t find a boring minute in The Plea. This series basically reads like an action movie; think Jack Reacher or Die Hard and you will get an idea of the vibe of these books. Action, guns, murder, a conspiracy plot, billions of dollars and Eddie Flynn once again in a very tight spot: The Plea will leave you breathless all over again while also wondering how on earth Eddie will find a way out of this mess this time around. Especially since the very first chapter reveals that Eddie’s newest case might just be his last… Like I said before, I might have enjoyed this one a tiny bit less than book one and four, but it is still a more than solid mix of action and legal thriller I can recommend to anyone who enjoys a fast, action-packed and thrilling ride.
Title: The Liar
(Eddie Flynn #3)
Author: Steve Cavanagh
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime
First published: May 18th 2017
Publisher: Orion
Finished reading: May 16th 2020
Pages: 336
“The ugliness which lies at the heart of some people is their most closely guarded secret – they don’t like others knowing about the beast that lies inside.”
Eddie Flynn; round number three… And without doubt another successful and thrilling ride! While I think book number one and four are my absolute favorites of the series so far, The Liar by no means disappoints. Once again I can repeat that The Liar is hands down one of the most exhilarating legal thrillers I’ve read to this date! And it’s all on Eddie Flynn. He is such a powerful character and his charms won me over as soon as I first met him last year. He’s not your average lawyer: as a former con artist he understands both sides of the coin perfectly. While he doesn’t exactly tend to follow the rules, he does have a high moral compass and he’s always willing to fight for those on his side. We have yet again a fascinating and highly dangerous plot in The Liar. What seems like two separate cases will blur as events occur and things are spinning out of control… Danger, kidnapping, conspiracy, murder trial, wrongly accused, explosions, guns: oh yes, this is another action movie worthy plot indeed. The flashbacks to Julie’s past were an interesting touch and helped slowly reveal more of the ultimate truth… Although it is Eddie who has to step in to save teh day and try to solve the puzzle before it’s too late. The Liar (and the whole series for that matter) will appeal to legal and action thriller fans alike.
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