Thirteen: The serial killer isn’t on trial. He’s on the jury #GuestReview @nholten40 @bookaddictshaun @SSCav @orion_crime

I’m thrilled to share #BookAddictShaun’s thoughts on the EPIC read – THIRTEEN by the ever-so-awesome, Steve Cavanagh! The Eddie Flynn series is one of my firm favourites, so if I can’t convince you to #buythisbook with my review (HERE) then I hope Shaun can …it’s a MUST READ!

About the Book

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.

Where to start with Thirteen? What I will say first of all is that books rarely get much better than this one. A truly incredible and exhilarating read from start to finish with one of my (if this is the right word to use) favourite fictional serial killers that I have ever read about. I have read 120+ books this year and Thirteen might just be the best one so far.

I remember way back at the end of 2014 I saw exciting proof copies for a debut novel called The Defence. I managed to obtain one for myself and remember thinking how brilliant and unique the idea for it was. Well, look at Steve Cavanagh, the author of that book now. Each one of his books has been original and has had a plot that takes it beyond being another typical thriller. How Steve is going to top Thirteen I have no idea.

To talk about the plot would certainly ruin the reading experience but I imagine most people have seen that eye catching tag line of ‘the serial killer isn’t on trial, he’s on the jury’. If that doesn’t immediately make you want to stop reading this review and pick the book up then I don’t know what will. It’s been a while since I have been this excited to read a story and it did not disappoint in the slightest. The serial killer that Steve has created here is endlessly fascinating, terrifying in their ability to remain ‘normal’ and undetectable and oh so addictive to read about. The scenes following the killer were some of my favourites in the story. I just could not get enough of Steve’s writing and following along with the killer as he so effortlessly obtains a place on the jury and begins to manipulate the trial to go how he wants it to. It really is just incredible stuff and the story was over far too quickly for my liking.

Defence attorney Eddie Flynn is as charismatic as ever. His way with words just has me glued to the page and he’s one of the best characters I’ve read about in this genre. I have long been fascinated with courtroom dramas, even more so when I was on a jury myself and, despite this being a thriller centred around US law, it wasn’t difficult for me to picture a jury room or for me to imagine myself in this situation, being manipulated by a fellow juror or worse. The scenes in the court are always some of my favourites in Steve’s books and once again he delivered and then some. The ending was not a disappointment either and I don’t hate Steve too much for ending things on a small but significant enough to have me wanting the next book right now cliffhanger. I’ve said it before and it’s time to say it again, if you haven’t read this series and call yourself a thriller fan, you need to read them as soon as possible. Similarly if this series is on your radar and is on your TBR, I’d recommend moving it right to the top of the list. Thrillers rarely get much better than this one and Thirteen is a book I will be recommending to anyone who will listen.

You heard the man….BUY THIS BOOK…READ THIS SERIES! Huge thanks to Shaun for this cracking review of Steve Cavanagh’s THIRTEEN!