The Defense

by Steve Cavanagh

Part of Eddie Flynn, book 1

First published 2016

Eddie Flynn thought his courtroom days were over. The former con artist turned lawyer swore off trials more than a year ago. Now Russian mafia boss Olek Volchek has other plans. Volchek straps a bomb to Eddie's back and kidnaps his ten-year-old daughter Amy. The deal is simple but deadly: Eddie has 48 hours to defend Volchek in a murder trial he cannot possibly win. If he loses, Amy dies. If he tries to escape, the bomb kills him. Eddie must use every trick from his con artist past to manipulate evidence, outwit prosecutors, and convince a jury that his client is innocent. The FBI watches his every move. The media scrutinizes each word. The timer counts down. Eddie knows the truth means nothing in court. Only what the prosecution can prove matters. With Amy's life hanging in the balance, Eddie discovers that being a lawyer and being a con man require the same skills. He just never had to use them with explosives attached.

Genres: crime, action, mystery-thriller, legal-thriller

Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful

Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, high-stakes

Setting: Russia, Courtroom

Period: Contemporary

308 pages · Hardcover · Flatiron Books

Content warnings: kidnapping, violence

More by Steve Cavanagh

Readers who liked The Defense also liked

View on Siftivo