3.5 STARS - This was my first book by Steve Cavanagh, and I warmed quickly to the main character Eddie Flynn and his crew because they gave off vibes of Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar series with its humour and strong secondary characters.

The main plot was about a nefarious nanny named Ruby, but as more and more perspectives and subplots are added, this plot became overshadowed. With almost double digit POVs the pacing slowed, and the tension wasn't quite as high as I had anticipated, but there are some good red herrings and a final twist for a decent, if predictable, wrap up.

Some readers mention this can be read as a standalone book but this 8th book in the Eddie Flynn series had me feeling like I should have read at least a couple of the earlier books beforehand to understand the relationships between Eddie and his crew.

Overall, I enjoyed this story that has a lot going on. It could have benefitted from more courtroom drama and dangerous takedowns, but the strength of this book is in Eddie's dark past and the secondary cast who worked well together. I especially loved Bloch who I pictured as a blend of Kalinda Sharma from The Good Wife and Win from Harlan Coben's books - small in stature but tough and a little unhinged. I plan to go back and read some of the backlist in this series.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Atria Books for the complimentary digital copy of this book which was given in exchange for my honest review.

***** This review was posted on my blog and socials - March 6, 2025. It was also posted to Indigo.ca.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC
.

I will read any book written by Steve Cavanagh. This was a fast paced edge of my seat legal thriller. I enjoy reading about Eddie Flynn and his

associates and I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.
I

I really wanted to enjoy this. The description left me very interested. However I just didn't love the different POVs. I found myself drifting and I couldn't stay focused while reading. Sadly I had to DNF.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy. I love these legal thrillers by Steve Cavanagh, and especially this one with the tie to organized crime, which is fascinating. I love following Eddie through these books, to see what case he has now. Great legal thriller.

So, funny story—months ago, I picked up *Th1RT3EN* because someone on TikTok raved about it. I had no idea it was book three (or four? Still not sure) in a series until I finished and went looking for what I *thought* would be book two. That’s how you know an author is *good*—when you can jump in mid-series and still be completely hooked. Steve Cavanagh has this incredible ability to keep each story fresh, giving you just enough background without making you feel lost.

Now, onto *Witness 8*…

This time, Eddie Flynn is taking on a case in an upscale Manhattan neighborhood where Ruby Johnson—a former socialite turned housekeeper—witnesses a murder. But instead of calling the police, she sees an *opportunity* and decides to play her own game. Meanwhile, Eddie, a former con artist turned defense lawyer, is fighting to clear his client, John Jackson, who’s in deep trouble. With the murder weapon covered in Jackson’s DNA and conveniently stashed in his closet, the case seems open-and-shut. But nothing is ever that simple, especially when deadly criminals are gunning for Eddie, determined to silence him for good.

Like *Th1RT3EN*, I found this book super easy to jump into without reading the previous ones (though now that I know it’s a series, I totally recommend reading them all!). Cavanagh’s storytelling is gripping and full of twists—some I saw coming, but others caught me completely off guard. The multiple POVs were easy to follow, and the mix of crime, deception, and high-stakes legal drama made this an absolute page-turner.

The beginning was a little slow, but once it picked up, I could not put it down. If you love legal thrillers packed with action, *Witness 8* is for you. A messy web of unlikeable characters, shocking twists, and nonstop tension—what more could you ask for?

Did not realize this book was in a series and was very confused from the start. I loved "Kill for me, Kill for You" so was excited to pick this one up. However, was too lost throughout! Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc.

For Fans Of: Peter Swanson, John Grisham
Title: Witness 8
Author: Steve Cavanagh
Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
Genre: 🔪 Thriller
Violence: 🪓🪓🪓
Triggers: Police corruption, domestic abuse, deportation, weapons

Premise: Author of Kill for Me, Kill for You returns with 8th Eddie Flynn novel. Flynn’s client is innocent. But the murder weapon covered in his DNA is found in his house & a witness claims to have seen him kill the victim. Why would she lie?

Thoughts: I came to Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn via Thirteen, 3rd in the series. The author’s take on the legal thriller—not usually my thing—so engrossed me that I started from the beginning & have been hooked since. Why? This con-man turned lawyer approaches the courtroom with a unique mindset, problem-solving witnesses & evidence not through legal procedure but a keen understanding of human nature. I ❤️ Flynn’s cross-examination scenes. The result: twists I never see coming. But Witness 8 proves the books are more than clever trial banter. The suspense comes from not only discovering how Flynn will win an impossible case but unraveling the complex machinations that landed his client in peril. And the stakes are often life & death as Flynn’s prowess earns him powerful adversaries. Ingenious plotting is complemented by rich character development, creating heroes more than a shade morally gray & compelling villains. Witness 8 in particular has 2 antagonists I can’t get enough of: the maid orchestrating the client’s predicament for ambiguous reasons & the debonair killer hired to end Eddie. These elements add up to a book that might be my favorite in the series. So far.

Thanks to Atria & NetGalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.

“Witness 8” by Steve Cavanagh is the latest novel in the Eddie Flynn series. This particular cases focuses in on a high class neighborhood when a woman witnesses a murder. This woman, Ruby Johnson, used to live on the street before her father lost all their money- now she babysits and cleans for the people she once called neighbors. It quickly becomes clear Ruby isn’t interested in helping the police, Ruby is interested in manipulating the situation for her own gain.
Okay, as far as endings go, this book had a great one. I probably should have guessed it, but I enjoyed just being along for the ride this time. Watching Ruby and Eddie circle around each other building to that final reveal was nothing short of entertaining.
This book definitely took a minute to warm up. The Ruby sections of the book flew for me, but the Eddie half with lawyering and bending legal strategies took me a bit to get into. I don’t read many lawyer or cop thrillers, so the vibes are just different.
In the end, this book was a solid 4 star read for me. I definitely need to go back and start this series from the beginning!
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC! This book publishes on March 25th!

Let me preface by saying I LOVED Kill For Me, Kill For You but felt very meh about the Eddie Flynn series. This follows the same pattern. I just can't into Eddie's unorthodox ways that always seem to work in his favor. There were also so many characters/POVs to keep track of. I liked Mr. Christmas and hopefully they will use him more. But I was pretty bored the first half. It started to pick up and I wanted to find out what was going to happen but ultimately felt unsatisfied. I don't think I will request any more from the Flynn series.

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph on March 5th, 2025. Links provided.

Ruby Johnson, once a member of Manhattan’s high-society, now scrubs the floors and is a nanny for the families in the luxurious brownstones she once called home. Quietly going about her business, Ruby acts as a fly on the wall, silently uncovering the sordid truths behind the polished facades. When she witnesses a murder in the seemingly perfect neighborhood, Ruby devises a cunning plan to exploit the truth, choosing not to tell the police but rather use the situation for her own benefit. Meanwhile, Eddie Flynn, former con artist turned defense attorney, is known for taking on difficult cases, and John Jackson’s is no exception. With the murder weapon found with Jackson’s DNA on it and in his closet, Flynn and his team must outsmart everyone to save an innocent man, all while trying to stay alive as deadly criminals target Eddie to silence him for good.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It offered a perfect blend of suspense, wit, and complex characters. I didn’t realize this was a part of the Eddie Flynn detective series but thankfully it reads very well as a stand-alone so I wasn’t confused or felt like I was missing out on different character developments or backgrounds. I loved the pacing of this story and how it constantly kept me guessing what was going on behind the scenes. I also really enjoyed having multiple points of view throughout book and I felt like it kept me on edge for most of the story. Ruby’s story really pulled me in and kept me guessing what her true motives were. I also really loved Eddie Flynn. There are a lot of books out there about lawyers and defense attorneys, but Eddie’s background as a con artist makes his personality and antics so much more fun to read. While it was my first Eddie Flynn book (as well as my first book from Steve Cavanagh!) it most definitely will not be my last.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of Witness 8 in return for my honest review.

𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑵𝑬𝑺𝑺 𝟖 𝒃𝒚 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝑪𝒂𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒉 is a suspense that had me in its grip from the first pages until the last, thanks to @atriabooks & @netgalley!

I know this doesn't come out until March 25th, but I couldn't wait any longer and even though I am entering into the Eddie Flynn series at, well, the 8th volume, I still found the story thrilling and creepy and everything I needed just now.

A murder happens in an affluent community, and one woman sees who pulled the trigger. Unfortunately, she is just as dangerous and unreliable as any murderer. While Flynn is investigating this wild story, he is also keeping low as there are multiple people out to see him dead as well.

I did really enjoy the fast-paced nature of this story and stayed up too late finishing it, but I regret nothing. The fresh nature of this plot made it riveting. I did not feel like entering into the series here was at all confusing or difficult to catch up, so I recommend it to fans of the series as well as standalone fans.

I was fascinated to ponder what makes a witness reliable and what our standards are to provide credible testimony.

For a really fun read later this spring, pre-order or Mark your calendars for this wild ride!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This is my third book by Cavanagh (and my second from the Eddie Flynn series....I didn't realize when I started reading that this is book 8 in a series), but it won't be the last. Cavanagh is great at writing engaging thrillers that keep you guessing. Although this one had many POVs, it was easy to keep track of who each character was and what was going on. Some twists I could see coming, but there were some that I did not predict at all. The character development and plot were all well done, and I look forward to catching up on Cavanagh's backlist!

i did not realize this was part of a series when i requested, so i was a bit lost at times but it was still okay as a stand alone. giving 4 stars because i think this could have only been better with more context and background.

As I was reading this book I realized that I was late to the show so to speak as this is #8 in the Eddie Flynn series. That being said, I had no problem following the story and getting to know the characters. If anything, it makes me want to go back and read those earlier books and get to know more details about so many of the people in Eddie's world. For a book that was gritty and had a toughness to it, I found that it wasn't so much to be off-putting for me who does not love reading violence. I feel like I could see this playing out in my head in a way that I don't always see. I believe this was because of Cavanagh's writing style.
Thank you to #netgalley and #atriabooks for an arc of this book. I was really excited when I was given this ARC and I was not disappointed.

This was my first Steve Cavanagh book and it won't be my last! I know this book is technically part of a series but I didn't read the others. I don't think it took away from the book at all! I loved the short chapters and I was hooked from the start. There were multiple twists that left me SHOCKED. I am horrible at guessing the plot twists in thriller mysteries and this book was no different. I love a thriller mystery that can keep me on my toes and this book did just that! I'm definitely gonna be recommending this book to everyone!

I really enjoyed this book, the beginning was somewhat slow but once I got going I could not put it down. The storyline was very well written and kept me engaged and not wanting to stop reading.

Although I was able to figure out the ending somewhat it didn’t stop me from finishing the book. I really appreciated the epilogue as well. I am thinking maybe there will fe another book? I can’t wait to read more books by this author.

If you love legal thrillers with A LOT of action, this is the book for you! A host of unlikeable characters, crime, deception…this has it all!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh

Steve Cavanagh delivers another twisty, high-stakes legal thriller with Witness 8, and once again, Eddie Flynn proves why he’s one of the most entertaining lawyers in the game. The mystery is intricate and keeps you guessing, packed with deception, double-crosses, and a cast of gloriously unlikable characters you’ll love to hate. While some twists stretched believability a bit, the ride was too fun to complain. If you enjoy courtroom drama with razor-sharp dialogue and a protagonist who’s always ten steps ahead, this one’s worth picking up!

Is there every going to be a time when I give one of Steve Cavanagh's Eddie Flynn books anything less than 4-5 (usually 5) stars? No, probably not. Cavanagh is easily one of my favorite writers, and continually comes up with twists that keeps us on our toes. This time around, Eddie has to contend with a witness who is actively manipulating the trial for her own benefit. We get everything we want from Cavanagh: a mystery to solve (with enough clues along the way that we actually have a chance to figure it out, a key part of a good mystery IMO); suspense; a threat to our beloved Harry's life; found-family hijinks; and those classic, wiley, con-man tricks. Cavanagh has a formula that works, but so far it hasn't felt stale for me. You can jump into the series without having read the previous books, although that's getting harder and harder to do, or start from the beginning. We're getting more and more characters that stay with us, and I'll probably reach a point a few books from now when I'll need to re-read everything to be able to keep track of it all... and what a genuine joy that will be. I'm so glad to see Cavanagh reaching more and more success - he deserves it. Can't wait to see where things go from here.

Sometimes you need a good, reliable thriller and Steve Cavanagh delivers every time. I love Eddie and his crew and this twisty story kept me guessing until the last page.