The Plea by Steve Cavanagh

The Plea
By Steve Cavanagh
Published by Orion (19 May 2016)
ISBN: 978-1409152347

Publisher's description

When David Child, a major client of a corrupt New York law firm, is arrested for murder, the FBI ask con-artist-turned-lawyer Eddie Flynn to secure Child as his client and force him to testify against the firm.

Eddie's not a man to be coerced into representing a guilty client, but the FBI have incriminating files on Eddie's wife, and if Eddie won't play ball, she'll pay the price.

When Eddie meets Child he's convinced the man is innocent, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. With the FBI putting pressure on him to secure the plea, Eddie must find a way to prove Child's innocence while keeping his wife out of danger - not just from the FBI, but from the firm itself.

My verdict
I loved the first Eddie Flynn book, The Defence, so was very excited about reading The Plea. And it certainly lived up to my expectations.

The Plea is a page-turning legal thriller, a mixture of an intelligent court room drama and tense non-stop action. This is crime fiction at its best and I struggled to put the book down from chapter one - when you first come across Eddie at the wrong end of a gun. The writing is fast-paced and entertaining. Cliffhangers at the end of each chapter enticed me to keep reading until the end.

Eddie Flynn is a loveable rogue, a con man turned lawyer (although some people would say there's not much difference!). He has a good sense of morality, a big heart and plenty of determination to seek the truth and justice for those in the wrong. There are many surprises along the way, as he seeks to prove his client David Child is innocent of his girlfriend's murder, exposes corruption at the centre of a major New York law firm and is forced to protect his own family from the FBI and the firm itself.

Steve Cavanagh is a talented writer and his books are highly addictive. I'm looking forward to the next Eddie Flynn instalment.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.