Two Kinds of Stranger

Two Kinds of Stranger (Eddie Flynn #9) by Steve Cavanagh
Published by Atria Books
Publication date: March 24, 2026
Genres: Fiction, Suspense

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Plot has been my friend for months now so turning to a thriller in a series I’ve loved is no big surprise. Yes, Eddie Flynn, the former grifter turned lawyer is back in Steve Cavanagh’s book, Two Kinds of Stranger. This time he’s representing an Instagram influencer accused of murdering her husband and his mistress, but who claims that the same person was trying to kill her as well.

One problematic client isn’t enough for legal savant and con man Eddie. In addition to the Instagrammer he also finds himself in the awkward position of trying to protect his ex’s new husband from a vicious drug dealer. Thankfully, he’s got his law partner, Kate, former judge and best friend Harry, and a private investigating team that can dig up any secret as well as shut down threats of violence when necessary. Mostly by inflicting violence of their own. But in Two Kinds of Stranger can they win against a district attorney with a vendetta and a killer who’s left no evidence anywhere near or around the crime scene?

For as crooked as his past was Eddie now only works with clients he thinks are telling the truth. Elly, the Instagrammer, not only falls into this category, she goes beyond it by being genuinely kind. Yes, she makes her living off showcasing an aspirational lifestyle, but in addition she lives by the belief of helping one stranger a day. Her shock and terror at being thrust into the criminal justice system vibrates off the page.

While Elly’s altruism is admirable, Cavanagh is all about equal time for his characters. Logan is the other narrator in Two Kinds of Stranger, Elly’s dark counterpoint. His worldview is the polar opposite, making him the stranger we’ve all been warned about. Not a random serial killer, his victims are all carefully targeted for his own convoluted reasons. He’s disturbing, disturbed, and fascinating. If Elly’s emotions evoke compassion the inside of Logan’s mind is chilling and his presence on the page ratchets up the tension exponentially.

Through both of these characters Cavanagh creates a fiendish glue that binds the reader to the page. At the same time, amidst the drama, he provides trenchant commentary about social media and how constantly updating the private details of one’s life can have repercussions far beyond clicks and likes. Two Kinds of Stranger is diabolically clever and hypnotic reading, another success in the Eddie Flynn series.

If this sounds like your kind of thriller, you’re in luck. There are eight more Eddie Flynn books in the series. I’d suggest starting with the first book, The Defense.

 

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*I received a free copy of this book from Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.*

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