Steve Cavanagh at the BritCrime festival

Belfast writer Steve Cavanagh has been making waves with his debut novel The Defence (2015), the legal thriller set in New York City featuring former con-artist turned trial lawyer Eddie Flynn.

At the weekend Steve took part in the first BritCrime crime fiction festival on Facebook. Here are some edited highlights from the online session - including his plans for book two...

Steve Cavanagh on his Big Apple setting

Belfast writer Steve Cavanagh has been revealing some key reasons why he picked a New York setting rather than an Irish one for his new series of legal thrillers featuring former con artist turned trial lawyer Eddie Flynn.

As he explains to Matt Craig on his Reader Dad blog this month:

"One thing that stands out to me is that I’m mainly influenced by American crime writers and books set in the US. Michael Connelly is a major influence and I would’ve read mostly US based fiction – although in recent years there has been more of a balance between US, UK and Irish fiction.

"The other major factor was that I wanted to write a legal thriller and that creates its own difficulties if you set that book in Northern Ireland. Largely because we have a dual system of representation; if you find yourself in court you will have a solicitor and a barrister representing you. The solicitor does most of the early court appearances and prepares the case for trial and the barrister performs the role of the trial advocate.

"At the time I didn’t feel confident about creating two lead characters – particularly when one character, the barrister, would inevitably be the one doing all the cool courtroom scenes. It didn’t seem balanced to me.

"So I felt setting the book in the US solved that problem as attorneys in America perform both roles and I could concentrate on a single lead character to focus the story."

Steve Cavanagh's novel The Defence is published on 12 March 2015.

Author profile: Steve Cavanagh

Steve Cavanagh's debut novel The Defence (2015) is the first of his series of legal thrillers are set in New York City featuring Eddie Flynn, former con-artist turned trial lawyer.

"It's been over a year since Eddie vowed never to set foot in a courtroom again. But now he doesn't have a choice. Olek Volchek, the infamous head of the Russian mafia in New York, has strapped a bomb to Eddie's back and kidnapped his ten-year-old daughter, Amy.

"Eddie only has 48 hours to defend Volchek in an impossible murder trial - and win - if he wants to save his daughter."

The second book in the series has the working title of The Plea.

Cavanagh was born and raised in Belfast and is a practising solicitor in the city. He studied law in Dublin and Cardiff.

Official author website: Stevecavanagh.com

Author on Twitter: @SSCav

See also: Declan Burke's review of The Defence

Are you this author or their agent?  Contact us if you would like to add or update biography details.

Steve Cavanagh on lawyers and conmen

Steve Cavanagh has a dual career as a lawyer and legal thriller novelist, and has recently hit the headlines with his debut novel The Defence, the first of his series of legal thrillers.

Here he talks to Nottingham writer and blogger Rebecca Bradley about writing and research, how the law works in Northern Ireland and the US, artistic licence, John Mortimer (Rumpole) and what the difference is between lawyers and con artists.

Apologies for the sound quality.

Books 3 and 4 in 'Eddie Flynn' series

The Plea, Steve Cavanagh's follow-up to his debut novel - the best-selling legal thriller The Defence - goes on release in Ireland and the UK this May. Steve also reveals on his blog that he is putting the finishing touches to the third Eddie Flynn novel in the series, The Oath, and about to begin a fourth one too.

Irish authors at 'Bloody Scotland' festival

Irish author Liz Nugent explores Celtic and criminal connections with Scottish writer Denise Mina this Sunday as part of the Bloody Scotland festival. It takes place in Stirling from 8-10 September.

Upcoming crime fiction events for 2017

Here are some of the crime fiction related events taking place in Ireland and abroad in 2017. More details throughout the year...

Noir at the Bar, Belfast

The Noir at the Bar crime fiction evening in the Belfast Book Festival has a stellar line-up: Gerard Brennan - who has curated the evening - Steve Cavanagh, Kelly Creighton, Brian McGilloway and Stuart Neville.

It takes place on Wednesday, 15 June 2016, at 8.30 pm in the Errigle Inn on the Ormeau Road (the pub is also showing the Euro 2016 matches). Tickets via the Crescent Arts Centre.

• Find more upcoming crime fiction events.

Crime novelists at Edinburgh book festival

The 2016 Edinburgh International Book Festival, which runs from 13 to 29 August, features over 800 writers, poets, illustrators, politicians, journalists, historians, scientists, philosophers and playwrights from 55 countries.

Panels to die for at Bristol's Crimefest

The Irish contingent off to Bristol for this May's Crimefest will include authors Claire McGowan, Alan Glynn,  Ruth Dudley Edwards and the Karen Perry writing duo Karen Gillece and Paul Perry.

Books 2 and 3 in 'Eddie Flynn' series

The Plea, Steve Cavanagh's follow up to his acclaimed debut novel The Defence, is due to be published on 19 May 2016.

Best Irish crime fiction of 2015

2015 was a bumper year for Irish crime fiction. Among major releases were novels by - to name just ten - Alex Barclay, Louise Phillips, John Connolly, Ava McCarthy, Adrian McKinty, Benjamin Black, Sinéad Crowley, Mark O'Sullivan, Karen Perry and Anthony J Quinn.

There were also some dazzling debuts in the crime fiction department, such as novels by Steve Cavanagh, Jax Miller, Alan Walsh, Michael O'Higgins, Frankie Gaffney, Jo Spain and Kelly Creighton.

And it was a good year too for crime fiction on the small and big screen.

Here are some of our personal choices from the past year's Irish crime fiction novels, movies, TV shows and audio books...

Legal eagles turn to crime fiction

Belfast solicitor Steve Cavanagh, whose legal thriller The Defence is currently getting rave reviews, is not the only real-life lawyer to turn his hand to crime fiction lately.

Irish Noir at Theakston

This year's Theakston Festival in Harrogate features an "Irish Noir" session on Friday 17 July with Steve Cavanagh, Brian McGilloway, Adrian McKinty, Eoin McNamee and Stuart Neville.

Established in 2003, Theakstons claims to be the largest crime fiction festival in the world. This year it is programmed by crime writer Ann Cleeves. Other guest authors include Arnaldur Indridason, Val McDermid, Mark Billingham, Lee Child, MC Beaton and Sara Paretsky.

Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Festival
16-19 July 2015
Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate, England
Twitter: @TheakstonsCrime