Steve Cavanagh Books

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Steven Cavanagh is an Irish author that writes legal mysteries and thrillers. He was born in Belfast but he eventually moved to Dublin to pursue his law degree. Cavanagh participated in several high-profile cases, going so far as to secure his client the largest award of damages for a racial discrimination case in Northern Ireland’s history.

Cavanagh was in the middle of a court case when he got the inspiration to create Eddie Flynn. The author was cross-examining a witness via Skype. But things were not going his way. After 20 minutes, it was clear that the witness was losing patience and Cavanagh was not making any progress.

So the lawyer tried a different tactic. He acted like he was trying to retrieve something from his bag whilst simultaneously asking the witness a vital question. He asked the question very casually like it wasn’t all that important. The author’s demeanor forced the witness to lower his guard. He gave an immediate answer that Cavanagh used to corner him.

The event changed the author’s perspective on the legal field. He realized that lawyers could coerce answers out of witnesses by simply changing the delivery of the questions. He also realized that con artists and lawyers had a lot in common. The work that both parties did depended heavily on their ability to predict and control a person’s reactions.

This was the foundation from which Eddie Flynn emerged. From what the author had seen, many legal thrillers followed high-powered lawyers that had to use the considerable resources of their firms to prevent injustices from going unpunished.

But Eddie Flynn was different. He was just one man, the underdog, the sort of attorney that others might dismiss. But Eddie was special. Because of his history as a con man, he had a bevy of skills that conventional lawyers could only dream of.

A master at misdirection and sleight of hand, Eddie understood the criminal mind. He could also read people. He was not afraid to use the subtle details he routinely observed to overcome impossible odds.

Cavanagh used his experience as a lawyer to inform the decisions that Eddie made. The author appreciates stories that entertain their target audience whilst also providing a clear understanding of the workings of a field that is completely alien to them. As such, he enjoys using Eddie to show his readers what lawyers do and how they maneuver courtroom trials.

Where Eddie’s skills as a con man are concerned, Cavanagh did a lot of research. Though, he was also fortunate to have a grandfather who was somewhat of a con man. The author used some of what he saw as a child to shape the character of Eddie.

While Cavanagh doesn’t use real cases in his novels, he poured some of his personality into Eddie, which is why their courtroom techniques are so similar.

Steve Cavanagh Awards

Cavanagh won the Dagger Award. He has also received a Barry Award nomination.

Best Steve Cavanagh Books

The author has a wife and children. He also hosts a comedy podcast (Two Crime Writers And A Microphone). Cavanagh’s best novels include:

The Defense: Eddie Flynn, a former con man, was done with courtrooms. From what he had seen, lawyers were no different from con men. But when the Russian Mafia gave him a bomb and took his daughter, Eddie was forced to ignore his vow.

He had to enter the courtroom once more to defend Olek Volchek, a mob boss, in a murder trial. More importantly, he had to win. Otherwise, he would lose his daughter. On its own, the murder trial was already an impossible undertaking. The threat against his daughter, and the attention of the FBI, had made things even worse.

Thirteen: Robert Solomon had murdered his wife, or so everyone thought. For a time, Robert and his wife were Hollywood’s most powerful couple. But now, Robert’s life had crumbled and Eddie Flynn was his only hope.

Eddie was not sure what to make of the trial. On the one hand, Robert’s accusers had a lot of evidence. By most standards, Robert was guilty. On the other hand, something sinister was happening in the courtroom. Eddie could not ignore the fact that there was more going on than the evidence suggested.

When Does The Next Steve Cavanagh book come out?

Steve Cavanagh doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is Two Kinds of Stranger and was released on July, 31st 2025. It is the newest book in the Eddie Flynn Series.

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