The Defense

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Starred Review. Irish author Cavanagh's stellar debut provides everything a reader could ask for in a thriller - nail-biting suspense, a Russian nesting doll of a plot, and an original and compelling lead." - Publishers Weekly At the age of 18, he moved to Dublin to go to university to study business and marketing at Portobello College. He tried for two different majors: law, and business & marketing. But after a mishap that happened during a particular night of binge drinking, he realized that he registered for law, which means he joined the wrong queue. He would have changed it, however, the fees were already paid. About reading his first thriller book, he says, “That changed everything and I read Red Dragon straight after and fell in love with crime and thriller novels. I also always had an interest in the law, so I read John Mortimer’s Rumpole of the Bailey series and, of course, John Grisham.” Legal thrillers are my blind spot, but I’ll always make an exception for Steve Cavanagh. (John Connolly) Don’t get me wrong,” he says, “there are a number of writers working today that nail courtroom scenes and how the art of advocacy really works.

Moving the action to the US solved those problems, as attorneys perform the role of the lawyer and advocate. Setting it in New York fitted with the pace of the story and the character.”Yes absolutely! I thought it was just fantastic! I am sure most thriller fans will enjoy this one! Especially if they love a bit of courtroom drama and crazy twists. But, I am looking forward to continuing the series and reading about how Eddie Flynn manages to defend criminals with OTHER PROFESSIONS…. I liked that Flynn, the protagonist, is not just a lawyer but has a controversial past and let's say... A bit shady. There is a certain dichotomy in his actions and he can be defined as morally gray. Access-restricted-item true Addeddate 2022-01-01 14:29:05 Boxid IA40250203 Camera Sony Alpha-A6300 (Control) Collection_set printdisabled External-identifier In addition to being a civil-rights lawyer and writing books, Steve Cavanagh is also the host of the Two Crime Writers and a Microphone podcast with Luca Veste. In this online show, they interview writers, agents, editors, publishers, as well as bring the latest in the book world. Although the interviews are not standard, as the discussions can go pretty much anywhere the thread takes them. So it’s more like a discussion than anything else.

I wanted a slight separation from my professional life as lawyer,” he says of the pseudonym. “I started writing the book after my Mum passed away, and in many ways my pen name is a tribute to her, as Cavanagh was her maiden name. It’s also handy to have a name that appears fairly early in the alphabet – it helps with book browsing.” Cavanagh’s stellar debut provides everything a reader could ask for in a thriller—nail-biting suspense, a Russian nesting doll of a plot, and an original and compelling lead.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review A terrified Eddie must employ every skill he learned in law school, the court and as a former con-man. He gradually learns that there are many cons, deceptions, double-crosses and twists, and he is the victim of one of the biggest cons of all. He has been set up to take the blame when the bomb he is forced to carry is detonated, and the mob has no intention of letting himself or his daughter live, regardless of the outcome of the trial. It was like reading an action movie. It literally did not stop. And I just LOVED the courtroom stuff. I mean sure, you have to suspend your beliefs slightly, but that’s what books are for DAMMIT!If you like John Grisham, Lee Child and Michael Connelly, you will LOVE the gripping and twisty Eddie Flynn series:

Without pressure on the faucet, the patter of water falling on porcelain faded. I felt my fingers shaking as I raised my wet hands in surrender. Then, about halfway through, I felt we were off and running again. The story took on those twists and turns I’d been waiting for and I was gripped. I needed to know what happened next. I’d say this series got off to a very solid start. Flynn has brains and street smarts, which gives him an added edge in this intense drama. But he also has a lot of heart, which made me want to cheer him on, even more. I enjoyed learning about Eddie's past and how his history of cons and those he had relationships during that time helped him when he found himself in an impossible situation.This could be the start of a beautiful friendship between me, Eddie Flynn, and Steve Cavanagh. I can’t wait to read the next installment! Get ready for a legal thriller that'll grab you by the throat . . . Eddie Flynn makes his explosive debut -- Gerard Brennan Ted’s Diner was my favorite place to think. I don’t know how many trial strategies I had worked through in those booths, covering the tables with medical records, gunshot wound photos, and coffee-stained legal briefs. In the old days, I wouldn’t have eaten breakfast at the same place every day. Way too risky. In my new life, I enjoyed the routine of breakfast at Ted’s. I’d relaxed and stopped looking over my shoulder. Too bad. I could’ve used being on edge that morning: I might have seen him coming. If I had set the book in the UK or Ireland I would have had an immediate problem because we have a dual system of representation – barristers and solicitors. So why the name Steve Cavanagh? While he was born as Steven Mearns, he took his mother’s maiden name, Cavanagh, as a tribute to her, as well as to separate his two identities: that of a legal thriller author and that of a lawyer. He writes under the name Steve Cavanagh and practices law under the name Steve Mearns.