Book Review: The Liar By Steve Cavanagh ( Eddie Flynn #3)

My Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐

The third installment of Steve Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn Series, The Liar has our conman-turned-lawyer helping an acquaintance from his old neighborhood. Wealthy businessman Leonard “Lenny” Howell’s seventeen-year-old daughter Caroline has been kidnapped and a ransom exchange is about to go down. Eddie, reverting to his old tricks, tries to chalk out a plan to best the kidnapper but unbeknownst to them they are being manipulated and playing right into the hands of the kidnapper. The kidnapper's agenda includes more than just kidnapping Lenny’s daughter and seems to be a step ahead. The tables are turned as Leonard Howell becomes the prime suspect in the disappearance and suspected murder of his daughter leaving it up to Eddie to prove his friend's innocence in court, find out what truly happened to Caroline and figure out who is behind it all.

Just before Eddie’s services are engaged by Howell, Eddie receives a subpoena for a cold case file that he inherited when he took over the firm of his friend and mentor Judge Harry Ford. The case is that of a woman by the name of Julia Rosen who was incarcerated for the murder of her infant daughter while high on drugs. She had insisted that the fire that caused the tragedy was started by a masked intruder but due to lack of evidence and the fact that she had drugs in her system resulted in a guilty verdict. Harry had been her lawyer and though he had believed in Julia’s innocence he had been unsuccessful in proving it. Even though Julia is now deceased, her case has been reopened with the intention of a posthumous exoneration. Max Copeland is a lawyer known for his success in similar cases and is responsible for ruining the careers of other criminal defense lawyers. Proving incompetent counsel and malpractice will surely end Harry’s career. Eddie will leave no stone unturned to help his mentor.

The narrative is shared by Eddie in the first –person with chapters detailing Julia Rosen’s case interspersed throughout the narrative. As the narrative progresses, it becomes evident that the timing of Julia’s case being reopened and Howell’s daughter’s kidnapping is no coincidence and there is more to the story than meets the eye. It is up to Eddie, who finds an unlikely ally in FBI Agent Harper, to find the truth behind Caroline’s kidnapping and how it is connected to the recently reopened murder case.

With its cast of interesting characters and multiple suspects, intricate plot, high-voltage courtroom drama, twists and action-packed suspense, The Liar is a thrilling read albeit somewhat predictable. For those who read a lot of thrillers, while it might not be too hard to connect the dots between the two cases I am sure you will enjoy the surprises along the way! I look forward to reading the remaining books in this series. Eddie Flynn is one of the most interesting protagonists I’ve come across recently and I’m eager to follow his story.