Tell us about your new work and how it came about – the story behind the story.
Fifty Fifty is the story of two sisters. Their father has been murdered, both sisters are put on trial for that murder and they are accusing each other of the crime. I wanted to write a novel which had the reader's head spinning in every chapter, challenging and changing what and who they believed the whole way through the book. My ex-conman turned trial attorney, Eddie Flynn, represents one sister and a new character, Kate Brooks, is representing the other. There's a lot of good greasy twists in this book.
What was your favourite book as a child?
The Lord Of The Rings by Tolkien. He was an incredible writer with a total mastery of language. Loved those books.
Who is your favourite fictional character?
Maybe Harry Bosch or Jack Reacher. I love them both. Bosch for his heart and determination and Reacher because he is unfettered by laws of any kind. With Bosch you know he's going to bring the villain to justice, and arrest them for their crimes; with Reacher there's a good chance he'll simply shoot the villain in the head and have done with it.
Which Irish author should everyone read?
Adrian McKinty. He's conquering the world with The Chain – one of the very finest thrillers I've ever read – but his Sean Duffy books about a Catholic cop in a Protestant RUC station in Belfast during the Troubles are just superb.
What is the most beautiful book you own?
A Library Of America collected edition of three of Ross MacDonald's Lew Archer novels from the Sixties. There's The Zebra-Striped Hearse, The Chill and The Far Side Of the Dollar. It's a gorgeous edition, and the pages are like silk.
Where and how do you write?
I write in my home office now. Before that I was sat at my kitchen table or taking up valuable space in a coffee shop. How I write? I just make it all up as I go along.
What book influenced you the most?
Stephen King's On Writing. It's the best book on how the craft really works. I re-read it often, but I also love listening to it on Audible as King narrates it himself.
What advice would you give to an aspiring author?
Read a lot, and write a lot. There is no other way of doing it.
What weight do you give reviews?
It depends who the reviewer is. I have had a number of reviews from American and Irish publications which say "He's good, but he's not as good as Elmore Leonard," which sort of goes without saying. To me, that's like saying – well, he can paint, but he's not Leonardo da Vinci. I also tend to ignore any reviews which begin with rubbishing the entire genre of legal thrillers before they even get started.
What writing trends have struck you lately?
There's a big trend toward high-concept, standalone psychological thrillers. Long may it continue – they're usually great.
Which writers, living or dead, would you invite to your dream dinner party?
Thomas Harris, Lee Child, Patricia Highsmith and Bill Bryson.
What is the funniest scene you've read?
Spike Milligan's description of The Murphy's eyebrows in Puckoon.
Do you have a favourite poem?
The Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert Service. Language that you can chew on.
Where is your favourite place in Ireland, and in the world?
Belfast. The people are worth their weight in gold.
What is your life motto?
It will all probably be alright in the end.
Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh is published by Orion
