Steve Cavanagh can do no wrong for me and has become an auto buy/read author to me. I have not read the entire Eddie Flynn series yet, but I am obsessed and am making my way through them. Eddie is a lovable character and I enjoyed reading about how he tricks corrupt police officers into admitting wrongdoing in court in this book specifically. I also loved reading about Ruby and enjoyed her POV more than the other characters and the ending - *chef’s kiss*. Even Mr. Christmas has become someone I loved in this story, even given his profession. I loved this book and gave it 4.25 stars, only because the beginning (other than Ruby’s POV) dragged a little for me and it gets a bit repetitive that Eddie is constantly talking about being an ex-conman. Other than that, this book was perfect.

This one was so twisty I really couldn’t guess what was happening. It really kept me engaged throughout, and I was eager to find out what happened. There’s a lot of things to keep track of so as long as you pay attention, you’ll know what’s going on. It’s definitely more crime and police procedural. The ending twist was something I definitely didn’t see coming. There seem to be a bit of a lag in the middle but I still think overall it was a good story.

A murder happens right out of the gate—witnessed not just by us readers, but by Ruby Johnson, a nanny and cleaner on a posh New York street. Ruby sees everything, even where the killer dumps the weapon. So she reports it and justice is served by chapter two, right?

Yeah… no.

Ruby doesn’t come clean. And because of that, someone else ends up accused—and defended by none other than Eddie Flynn. What follows is a high-stakes, fast-paced legal thriller full of secrets, tension, and emotional punches.

We also meet Mr. Christmas, a hitman with a code (and honestly, weirdly likable). Eddie and the gang are all back—Gabriel Lake and Bloch’s chaotic dynamic made me smile more than once.

This book kept me up way past my bedtime. The mystery, the misdirection, the looming sense that Eddie’s luck might finally run out—it’s everything I love in this series.

If you’re a fan of courtroom drama with serious bite, you’ll tear through this one.

Steve Cavanagh does it again—with razor-sharp tension, gasp-worthy twists, and courtroom scenes that are as addictive as they are smart. Witness 8 takes the classic unreliable narrator trope and flips it inside out, blending legal drama with psychological suspense in a way only Cavanagh can.

My first “Eddie Flynn” book… thoroughly enjoyed it. I was afraid it would be too heavy on legal/police procedural, but the Ruby chapters were a nice look from the other side.

This story was very entertaining. I will say, the ending could have used some tightening up. It got a bit too explain-y. However, the build up of the story was fantastic and kept me turning the page. I haven’t read an advanced copy so fast in a while. I don’t want to spoil the read but I will say if you are considering this book, just read it.

I received an advance ebook copy of Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh from netgalley.

This is my first time reading this author, and I'm blown away!

The storyline and characters are so well written.

I was barely focused on the main 'who done it' mystery, because there are twists after twists.

Definitely recommend.

📚 Title: Witness 8
Author: Steve Cavanagh
Genre: Crime Thriller / Legal Procedural

“There’s something wrong with Ruby Johnson” Opening line of the prologue — chilling, atmospheric, and perfectly mysterious!
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Dark, twisty, and relentless — a psychological legal thriller that flips witness credibility on its head and keeps you guessing to the end. When Ruby Johnson, a maid with a hidden past, witnesses a murder in an upscale Manhattan brownstone, she tips off the police—but not the whole truth. Defense attorney Eddie Flynn must unravel deceit, forensic twists, and underworld threats to prove his client’s innocence while protecting his own life.

Mood: 🕵️‍♂️⚖️🧬⏳
🕵️‍♂️: Fierce detective work and courtroom drama
⚖️: Moral complexity and justice on the line
🧬: DNA evidence, twisty forensics, and hidden clues
⏳: Old wounds reopened and time running out

If you crave smart legal thrillers with morally complex characters, jaw-dropping twists, and a haunting unreliable narrator, this thriller is a propulsive, tension-packed ride from first to last page.

After reading Cavanaugh’s Kill for Me, Kill for You, I was expecting to be excited about this one… but then I realized this was part of a detective series and this is more of a legal drama than physiologically thriller imo, so I was a bit let down

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC!

I love the Eddie Flynn series and this book was fast paced and action packed. Loved the story line and characters.

4 stars!

I loved this story. I liked the former elite who is now a housekeeper for those she used to be like. I liked the twists that came into play. This book was very well written and flowed along so well I couldn't put it down.

Woah. Just… woah.

At first, when I started reading this book about a conman turned lawyer, I was pretty intrigued. That’s a pretty interesting plot line alone, but then the added murder was really interesting.

Near the beginning, I was struggling. There was a lot going on and I was really lost on how it all connected. Hitmen? Framed for murder? A babysitter who somehow fit in? I was, admittedly, lost.

However, I’m very glad I finished this book. The story worked itself out, and Eddie Flynn is quite the interesting guy who knows how to use his resources. It’s nice to have a protagonist who’s morally gray in some areas, it makes things much more interesting. I was also very interested in the side characters, because they had stories and were more than just helpful sidekicks. Mr. Christmas was a very interesting addition, but helped to make the story even better.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It was a great blend of funny, thriller, and law drama. Very enjoyable.


Rating: 4.5/5

Recommend? Yes

Attempted both the ebook and audio version of this book a few times and just could not get into the story. It did not hold my attention or pull me in from the start. This may be one I go back to in the future but for now it is going on my DNF shelf.

So, this is a book with Eddie Flynn: he is the main character in the Eddie Flynn "series". I have not read any other books with him in it, but I do not feel like I missed much. I have been told this can be read as a standalone and I agree! Murder mystery with some community drama?? Sign me up.

This was super fast paced and dramatic! This is a legal thriller with courtroom drama, with lots of characters, layers, and pulls at the heart strings. I liked how everything was weaved together and really told a story. I did think the beginning was a bit slow. I had a hard time getting into it but after a bit of a push, I was enjoying the story more. 🤷🏻 I liked some of the twists but I also pieced some things together. Overall, I liked this one and would recommend!

Thank you for the #ARC in return for an honest review!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fast-Paced and Clever With a Killer Hook

Witness 8 is everything I’ve come to expect from Steve Cavanagh—sharp writing, smart twists, and a plot that grabs you right away. The concept was instantly intriguing, and I was hooked from the first few chapters. Cavanagh really knows how to build tension and keep the reader guessing.

The courtroom drama, the mind games, and the shifting perspectives all worked together to create a fast-paced, high-stakes thriller. I loved how the story kept unfolding in unexpected ways, with enough twists to keep me on my toes without feeling overdone.

I’m giving it four stars only because there were a few moments that stretched believability or felt slightly rushed, especially toward the end. But overall, this was a gripping, well-crafted thriller that kept me turning pages late into the night. Definitely recommended for fans of legal thrillers with a psychological twist!

4.5⭐

I really enjoyed the way that Adam Sims narrated it. I liked the voices that they did and they were super engaging. I also liked that it didn't take me out of the story.

I will read any Eddie Flynn thrillers written by Steve Cavanagh. The entire concept of each book seems like a fun plot twist.

This one had all the ingredients for a solid legal thriller - a maid with secrets, a wrongly accused man, and a defense attorney with a shady past - but it just didn’t come together for me. The twists were over-the-top, and Ruby, who started off as a really interesting character, kind of lost all believability by the end. I kept hoping it would pick up, but it never quite delivered the tension or payoff I was looking for. I have read other books in the Eddie Flynn series that I enjoyed, but Witness 8 was just not for me.

Thank you to Steve Cavanaugh, Atria Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Witness 8 is a legal thriller with a compelling central hook—an unreliable, manipulative witness setting the stage for Eddie Flynn's brilliance! Read this is you like courtroom drama and just enjoy the ride.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a great thriller read. Read it over a weekend but for sure could have finished in a day if I had more free time!

DNF -- I really loved Steve Cavanagh's standalone novel KILL FOR ME KILL FOR YOU, so I was really excited to pick this one up! While this is #8 in the Eddie Flynn series, it is marketed as a standalone. I do think you could read this one on it's own, but I got about 30% through before I decided I just didn't really care.... Eddie was kind of an annoying character and nothing about this book was interesting me. I am intrigued by the premise of some other Eddie Flynns that I've been approved for, so I think I will give this series another try with a different book. This one just didn't hook me.