“It's the ideal starting point” - Crime author Steve Cavanagh discusses his new novel and love for Sheffield
Ahead of the release of his tenth book in the multi-million selling and critically acclaimed Eddie Flynn crime series, author Steve Cavanagh speaks about his latest book and his upcoming Sheffield visit
It’s not often you get to speak to a multi-award winning and multi-million selling author, however when the chance does arrive you have to make sure to take full advantage of the moment.
Steve Cavanagh spent 20 years working as a civil rights and criminal lawyer before pivoting to writing full-time in 2019.
“I got my first book published in 2015 and in 2019 I retired from the law. So now I’m a recovering law,” Steve said.
“I started tinkering around 2011 and got serious a couple of years after that. Then wrote my first book ‘The Defense’ which is an Eddie Flynn novel.”
This marked the first time the audience was introduced to the former con man, now turned lawyer as Flynn is blackmailed into representing the Russian mob after his daughter is kidnapped.
The rest you could say is history, since the publishing of his first novel, Cavanagh has been releasing a novel on an annual cadence.
“I write a series about a former con artist, who now works as a trial lawyer in New York City. The series explores that there’s not a great deal of difference between the professions.”
Cavanagh explains that the skills required for a successful con artist are essentially the same as those needed for a trial lawyer, such as persuasion, misdirection and manipulation.
“My books sort of look at the US justice system as being very imbalanced and unfair, and it takes a dishonest man to play a few tricks and cons to balance those scales a little bit.”
Cavanagh’s latest novel, One of Us Is Guilty, is the tenth book in the series with a premise that could sound familiar.
A wealthy would-be politician (and media dynasty heir) cheats on his wife with a staffer, but when the staffer turns up dead, which of them is to blame?
But, as ever with a Steve Cavanagh book, there are twists, turns and quirks galore turning this into something brilliantly original and engaging – tackling themes of corruption, the influence of the media on politics, power and the law and much more.
Sheffield is a city that Cavanagh retains a fondness for in not just a literary sense, but for its unbreakable bond with the World Snooker Championships.
“I go to Sheffield every year, me and my dad, we go and watch the snooker. It’s always a great time.
“I love Sheffield, we spend a few days there and enjoy our time. Every time I come back, I always try to go to Meadowhall and do a book signing as well.
“The Crucible is just fantastic. That theatre is perfect for that sport and it’s such an integral part of it. It would be awful to move it somewhere else. It is the perfect venue.
“You hear the players talk about it. The Crucible is the one place that they love to be in.”
Steve Cavanagh will be making an appearance at 12pm on Sunday July 26, 2026 at Waterstones in Meadowhall, where he will be signing copies of his book and speaking to some of his fans. It is open to the general public.