Witness 8 is my third book by Steve Cavanagh and yet again, I am so impressed by him!!! I loved his books Thirteen and Kill For Me, Kill For You, and now I can add this one to list!

If you are a fan of courtroom drama and psychological thrillers, this book is for you. Steve has a talent for writing flawed but lovable characters. Eddie Flynn is one of my favorites and I know I need to read the others in the series (this is book number 8). The tag line on the cover summarizes the premise of the book perfectly: what if the witness was more twisted than the killer? 🗡🔨

Witness 8 is a perfect fall read. I highly recommend this one and his others! ❤
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I had a hard time with this one! This book switched POV depending on the chapter. This can be really well done but there were too many character POV’s! I think I counted 9 different ones for this novel. In general, I think there were so many names and characters in this book it almost felt like too much was going on and confusing to keep track of. Overall, the pacing was really slow and took me a while to get through. I found the courtroom scenes repetitive and long. There were some action moments but still nothing that blew me away. I was able to guess one or two of the major twists but really enjoyed a twist at the end that I didn’t see coming at all. If it weren’t for that twist, I think this would have been a 2 star read for me. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!

Steve Cavanagh does it again! Witness 8 is a captivating thriller that expertly blends suspense and mystery, keeping readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. The plot is meticulously crafted, with a series of twists that escalate the tension and intrigue. The story will leave you wanting more!

Love this author. Love his writing style. I couldn't put this book down. So looking forward to more of his books.

When I saw Steve Cavanagh has a new book hitting shelves in 2025, I knew it would be a must-read for me since his previous thriller has been my favorite of the genre this year. 

The first thing I noticed about Witness 8 upon starting it is the fact that it's part of a series I haven't read. I feel like I should make it clear straight away, therefore, that this can easily be enjoyed as a stand-alone. Witness 8 is a clever mystery with well-developed characters I loved and others who I loved to hate. Filled with cunning, deceit, and twists and turns, it was such a fun ride!  I particularly liked that it is part courtroom thriller, part murder mystery, and features a cat-and-mouse trope. It made for a juicy read that kept me on my toes and left me wondering what would happen next. And as a little unexpected element? It was peppered with perfectly timed humor that took me by surprise each time and made me laugh out loud. After thoroughly enjoying my second Steve Cavanagh read, I'm excited to see what he releases in the future!

This is my second Cavanagh novel, first being Kill For Me, Kill For You, which blew my socks off. The bar was set high when I started Witness 8, my first foray into the Eddy Flynn series.

As a newbie to the series, there are a lot of characters that had past history with Eddy Flynn but I was able to catch up pretty quickly. The chapters fly by as well. Two plot lines intersect with Eddy being a target of a hit due to his public humiliation of a New York City policeman in court (Eddy now being an attorney/conman). The second revolves around a witness to a crime that wants to remain anonymous in their testimony. Quite frankly, I was most interested in the witness plot and could have happily stayed in that storyline for the entire book.

What didn't work for me was the amount of pages dedicated to the hit on Eddy and introduction to a Mr. Christmas. It was just too outrageous for me. Maybe I am alone in this opinion but it did impact my star rating.

What I really enjoyed was Eddy's relationships with his people. I also loved Eddy's quick wit and dialogue.

This one ended at 3.5 stars for me (see above for Mr. Christmas).

Thank you to Atria Books for an early electronic copy via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This book was an interesting experience for me. The character development was a strong point, and I particularly enjoyed the dynamic between the private investigator and the ex-con turned attorney. The setting of crime in NYC was classic and provided an enjoyable backdrop for the story. However, while the rival gangs and hitmen added intrigue, their actions felt somewhat predictable.

One aspect that left me slightly wanting was the feeling of missing a backstory. It turned out that this book is part of a series, and this realization explained some of the gaps I felt. Additionally, while shocking, the ending didn't quite deliver the twists and chills I had hoped for. I also thought there might be a love interest subplot, but it didn't materialize as expected.

Despite these aspects, I still found the book enjoyable. It wasn't the most gripping or page-turning read, but it offered a good dose of mystery and PI fun. This was my first time reading a book by Steve Cavanagh, and while it may not have been a perfect fit for my preferences, I appreciated the author's style and storytelling.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!!

This book was very fun, shocking and twisty.

I’ll definitely be picking up more from this author in the future.

Another great legal thriller with con man turned legal eagle, Eddie Flynn. Even though these books are part of a series, you can read any or all books in no particular order. My favorite book is #4 but this book rocked me. Made my eyes widen and I definitely wasn’t expecting that!

Thank you #netgalley, #stevecavanaugh and #atriabooks for the Advanced Reader Copy

This book was fun! I had not read any of the Eddie Flynn series before and enjoyed this book as my introduction to the cast of characters. Overall it was a fast paced story with lots of twists and turns. I found all of the characters, even some of the not so savory ones, well written and easy to like. Some of the plot points were predictable, much of the foreshadowing was a bit too obvious so I wasn't always surprised by things but there were a couple instances! One downside is that there were a lot of side characters whose stories were mildly weaved in and it was a bit distracting. I would've preferred to limit some of those but eventually most of the storylines were tied together. There was humor, drama, and lots of thrills. This book is a good beach/vacation read. Enjoy!

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC!

When Ruby Johnson, a maid to an elite Manhattan family, witnesses a murder, she decides to take the knowledge she has and play with it in a way that benefits her and devastates others. It falls to former conman turned defense attorney Eddie Flynn to figure out what happened, as well as what Ruby is planning.

Ruby is a complicated character. She is partly sympathetic, a hard worker experiencing a fall from grace due to her father abandoning her family, but Ruby is also completely diabolical, framing someone for murder when she knows the truth. As a result, she is quite fascinating, and her steeliness is a fun counterpart to Flynn.

While this is part of a series, this book can be read as a standalone, as Cavanagh does a good job explaining any important details. However, it would be recommended to read the preceding books to gain more insight into Flynn, as he is a minor character in this installment.

Steve Cavanaugh is FANTASTIC. He is truly a master of his craft. I know th13teen is a lot of people's favorite, but I think Witness 8 is even better!

Steve cavanagh has written another outstanding Eddie Flynn novel! Just like the predecessors of witness 8, this is a standout, fast paced read with fantastic attention to detail. This books keeps you hooked on Eddie Flynn, beginning to end! I highly recommend this series and this book to everyone!

Witness 8
by Steve Cavanagh
Pub Date: Mar 11, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This riveting psychological thriller from master of twists Steve Cavanagh, author of the “unguessable and unputdownable” (Alex Michaelides, #1 New York Times bestselling author) Kill For Me, Kill for You, asks: What if the witness was more twisted than the killer?
I always look forward to a reunion with Eddie Flynn and his associates, but I have to admit that I did miss having Eddie in court, as Kate is more of a straight shooter and not quite as much fun-But Ruby and Christmas were GREAT new characters!

I do recommend that you read the series in order so you can meet the characters who become part of his ever growing team, but note, that the first may seem a bit cliche but Cavanagh’s writing has really grown since his debut!

I have heard great things about Steve Cavanagh's "Kill For Me, Kill For You." I jumped at the chance to read this novel without doing much research- which is my own fault, but likely why I cannot rate this very high. I am generally not one for police procedurals or novels written from a lawyer's perspective, and that is what about 80% of the book was based on. I struggled through it. The only parts I really found remotely interesting were Ruby's chapters and her story. I found myself wanting more of that and would have been much happier with a book told solely from her perspective. I can usually get on board with multiple POVs, but it really didn't work for me in this novel. I am sure some people will really enjoy the story, but if you are more a fan of thrillers like I am, this probably isn't the book for you. 2.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an e-ARC of this novel.

Another good read from the master of courtroom drama . His stories are always fast paced and engaging and like watching an episode of law and order . They are gritty and real but you can’t look away .
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read the book

If you haven’t stepped into a courtroom with Eddie Flynn yet, what are you waiting for, honestly??

Eddie is an ex conman turned lawyer. He likes to play the game and he likes to win. In this installment Eddie is representing John Jackson, who seems to be up a creek without a paddle. There is a witness to the murder, Ruby, and she’s got more skin in the game than how it first appears.

Another absolute banger by Steve Cavanagh.

Another great Eddie Flynn/Steve Cavanagh novel. Even if you don't know Eddie Flynn, you will still enjoy the book and then go looking for the other books in the series. I tore through this one in two days because there was no waiting to find out what would happen with Mr. Christmas (the most interesting character) and the fate of Harry (my favorite character). The twists and turns will leave you biting your fingernails, when you're not screaming NO! at a turn of events. I hate that I read it so quickly (not that I could stop) but now it's over and I have to wait for the next installment. I need to know more about Mr. Christmas.
I am truly indebted to NetGalley and the publisher for ARC.

Another Steve Cavanagh masterpiece! I expect nothing less from this author and was so thankful to be able to read this in advance, thank you. The plot and characters of this book were engaging and I enjoyed the multiple perspectives and twists. Everything a reader could ask for in a psychological thriller!

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this advance readers copy in exchange for my honest feedback! Lots of twists and turns in this one. I have a hard time with multi points of view. This one regardless was still
fantastic!