Two Kinds of Stranger
- Judith D Collins
- 20 hours ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 3 minutes ago
By: Steve Cavanagh
Narrator: Adam Sims
Simon & Schuster Audio
ISBN: 9781668093399
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: 03/24/2026
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
Elly Parker helped a perfect stranger. She didn’t know he was the perfect killer…in another “unguessable and unputdownable” (Alex Michaelides, #1 New York Times bestselling author) psychological thriller from the author of Witness 8.
One offers a helping hand. The other is your worst nightmare...
Social media influencer, Elly Parker, had the perfect life, that is until she discovered her husband had been having an affair with her best friend.
But as hurt, betrayed, unmoored as Elly is, she has made it her mission to help others in need. Even strangers.
When Elly meets a man on the steps to the subway platform, crutches in one hand and a yellow suitcase by his feet, she can’t help but feel sorry for him.
Just as he planned.
This small act of kindness sets off a change of events more terrifying than anything she ever could imagine.
To survive, Elly will need to convince the world what happened to her was real. She needs a lawyer who can bend the rules to find the truth. Eddie Flynn and his team must find the stranger with the yellow suitcase. But little do they know this cunning killer is a master manipulator and is always one step ahead.
My Review
Electrifying!
In TWO KINDS OF STRANGER, the highly anticipated ninth installment of Steve Cavanagh's gripping EDDIE FLYNN series, readers are treated to a masterfully twisty plot that delves into the intriguing weaponization of kindness in our digital age.
Eddie Flynn, a cunning and resourceful protagonist, employs a unique blend of traditional "con-man" tactics and meticulously gathered scientific evidence to unravel the intricacies of a seemingly flawless frame-up. This thrilling narrative is rich with tension and intrigue, pulling readers into a world where deception and moral ambiguity reign.
While newcomers can fully enjoy this installment as a standalone story, they will also discover several significant connections to the preceding novel, WITNESS 8, enriching the experience for longtime fans of the series.
Highlights...
Elly Parker, a social media influencer famous for her "random acts of kindness" (#RAK), accidentally live-streams her husband, James, in bed with her best friend, Harriet. The video goes viral, destroying her "perfect" life.
While still reeling, Elly helps a stranger named Logan—who is on crutches and struggling with a yellow suitcase—at a subway station. Logan is actually a meticulous sociopath who has specifically targeted her.
Logan poisons Elly during this encounter, but she narrowly survives. Upon waking in the hospital, she discovers James and Harriet have been found dead from the same poison, and she is the prime suspect due to her clear motive and public profile.
While Eddie Flynn defends Elly, his team faces a second crisis: Eddie's ex-wife, Christine, and her new husband, Kevin, are framed for murder by a conman named Arthur Cross, who has ties to the larger conspiracy.
The narrative reveals that Logan is a behavioral consultant who views killing and framing others as a psychological game. He erases evidence and manipulates the investigation to ensure Elly appears guilty.
Eddie and his team use forensic evidence—including unusual entomology and security footage—to dismantle the frame-up in court and then at the final twist!
Key Characters
Eddie Flynn:
A former con artist turned trial lawyer who uses his "street smarts" to win impossible cases.
Elly Parker:
The influencer client whose empathy makes her the perfect target for Logan’s scheme.
Logan:
The main antagonist, a clinical sociopath who meticulously plans his crimes to frame others.
Kate Brooks:
Eddie’s legal partner, who struggles with the moral compromises required to save their clients.
My thoughts...
In TWO KINDS OF STRANGER, Eddie’s courtroom stunts—like the reveal of the invasive lanternfly—are designed for maximum dramatic impact. The defense team uses "street" tactics and forensic deep-dives that traditional lawyers wouldn't touch.
The story moves at breakneck speed with constant shifts between the two legal cases. Classic Cavanagh style—just when you think you’ve figured out the frame-up, a new layer of deception is revealed. The tension is personal this time around.
The Hunter Becomes the Hunted: The villain, a master manipulator, orchestrates elaborate psychological tactics to destroy his victims' reputations and approaches murder and framing with the cold precision of a scientist or consultant.
What is unique is that he specifically hunts for "good" people, viewing their empathy as a tactical flaw to be exploited. The novel brilliantly explores the psychological makeup of clinical sociopaths who view human interaction as a game
The novel takes a dark look at how social media "kindness" can be faked or used against people. Elly feels trapped by her own viral fame and the evidence Logan plants around her.
As always with Eddie, there is a sense that the legal system is broken and only a "con artist for good" can fix it. The book doesn't shy away from the physical violence and danger the team faces.
Steve Cavanagh brilliantly explores the dark side of contemporary altruism and digital visibility through several interconnected themes. He provides a sharp critique of social media narcissism and the dangers of a curated online life, and social media as a double-edged sword.
The central theme is how empathy can be used as a tactical flaw. The novel subverts the "Random Acts of Kindness" (#RAK) movement by showing how a predator can deliberately target an altruistic person.
The title reflects the duality of human nature: those who offer a helping hand and those who use that hand to pull their victims into a nightmare.
Series...
This gripping addition to the Eddie Flynn series delves deep into the complex themes of justice and the moral dilemmas that often arise within the legal system. With its intense narrative and richly drawn characters, the book navigates the murky waters of right and wrong, challenging readers to question their own perceptions of morality.
Longtime fans of Eddie Flynn are sure to be captivated by this latest installment, which promises not only thrilling twists and turns but also profound reflections on the nature of law and justice.
Can't wait for the next Eddie Flynn installment!
Recs...
If you enjoyed the high-octane legal maneuvering and the "social media influencer in peril" plot of TWO KINDS OF STRANGER, these recommendations capture a similar blend of courtroom drama, con-artist cleverness, and digital-age suspense.
~Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh
~The Lincoln Lawyer (Mickey Haller Series) by Michael Connelly
~The Judge's List by John Grisham
~Follow Me by Kathleen Barber
~First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
Special thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for providing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: March 24, 2026
Praise
“Cavanagh ratchets up the tension to the boiling point in his latest page-turner with a dynamite climax.”
—Library Journal
“There’s nary a dull moment in bestseller Cavanagh’s electrifying latest…With relentless surprises and surprisingly sharp commentary on social media narcissism, this is sure to win Cavanagh new fans.”
—Publisher’s Weekly (starred review)
About the Author
Steve Cavanagh is a critically acclaimed, Sunday Times best-selling author of the Eddie Flynn series which has sold a million copies in the UK. His third novel, The Liar, won the CWA Gold Dagger for Crime Novel of the year 2018. Thirteen won the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime novel of the year 2019. FIFTY FIFTY was a Richard and Judy Book club choice, and the BBC Between The Covers book club choice. All of his novels have been nominated for major awards. His last four novels have all been Sunday Times Bestsellers.
The Eddie Flynn series can be read in any order, but the list in full in order of publication is as follows:
The Defence
The Cross (ebook exclusive novella)
The Plea
The Liar
Thirteen
Fifty Fifty
The Devil's Advocate
The Accomplice
Standalone books - Twisted.
Find out more at www.stevecavanaghauthor.com or follow Steve on Twitter @SteveCavanagh_
