Dnf @ 18% I expected to like this with how high the reviews are. But I think all of the reviews are just from heavy fans of the author and readers who aren’t actually into thrillers. Calling this a thriller just isn’t accurate. It’s a crime/legal novel. With far too many POVs for a small book. Zero adrenaline so far. There’s so many storylines going on that it’s just wildly confusing. The characters aren’t interesting except maybe Eddie, but he’s had one chapter so far. And it’s certainly not a stand alone. I’ve tried to keep pushing myself but I spent over a week forcing myself to read only a couple pages a day. It’s just not worth the severe reading slump this has put me in.
I think this could be the book for you if you’ve read the entire series and love it and you don’t like adrenaline and thrill.

Steve Cavanagh is literally the best. Everything he writes is top notch and this was not exception. Hands down a 5 star read and I honestly can't wait to re read it. I will be recommending this to everyone I know.

Another solid read from Steve Cavanaugh. Fast paced and enjoyable for those wanting a bit of justice.

There's nothing like a Steve Cavanagh legal thriller to keep me glued to the words on the page (or in my case, the screen on my iPad Kindle app). In Witness 8, Cavanagh continues to exert his wild imagination to come up with a tense, compelling story with some familiar characters.

Eddie Flynn, a con man-turned-defense attorney, faces particularly long odds in his 8th adventure, as the overwhelming evidence against his client seems unimpeachable. John Jackson is a greatly admired pediatric brain surgeon, living a privileged life with his supportive wife in a neighborhood that includes only the very wealthy. With no apparent motive to murder a woman who lives in the neighborhood but with damaging evidence against him, he relies on Eddie to determine what really happened and identify possible suspects.

Eddie is a street-smart lawyer with a unique, impressive team that takes on only clients they consider to be innocent. He isn't afraid to insinuate himself into potentially dangerous situations as he doggedly pursues the truth to exonerate the defendant. But the real star of the story is Ruby Johnson, who describes her painful early days and her current situation as nanny and housekeeper for the residents of this exclusive neighborhood. How does she figure in how the plot plays out? You have to read the book to find out, as it would be unforgivable to spoil it for you. It's a story full of crooked cops, killers-for-hire, social dynamics, mental health, and almost unbearable excitement. I will definitely keep on looking for new novels by Steve Cavanagh.

My thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

When applying to read this book through NetGalley I had no idea jt was apart of a series even though it said all could be read as a standalone. I think it would have made more sense and the many different POV's wouldn't have confused me so much. I think the book was very promising and I would like to start with the first book in the series and then read this book again. I think I would feel differently about it. It was super hard to keep up with all the different characters and did take me awhile to finish due to me going back trying to remember who every character was. I did however finish and I thought the ending was good so that made up for the rough start in the beginning. This was my first book by this author and I have heard a lot of great things so I was super excited when I got the chance for one of his books. Overall it was a good read and I will be reading more by this author and starting this series with book 1.

✨𝐑 𝐄 𝐕 𝐈 𝐄 𝐖✨

𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝟖 𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐡

Thanks so much to @atriabooks for the gifted copy of this book - it was the perfect book to wrap up October 👏🏼

👍🏼: I haven’t read many book by @sscav so I was pleasantly surprised by this one! I was super hooked from the beginning as Ruby, a maid in a rich neighborhood witnesses a murder on her walk home one night, however, doesn’t choose to tell the truth about what she saw. I enjoyed the detective side of the investigation while all of the other craziness unfolded behind the scenes!

👎🏼: There were lots of characters in this one, and was easier to read in bigger chunks! I found it difficult to pick up & put back down because of the many characters and forgetting who they were 😂🤷🏼‍♀️

Overall, I definitely recommend this one when it’s out on 3/25! I’m looking forward to reading more by this author too 😍

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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#witness8 #stevecavanagh #atriapartner #atriabooks #mysterybooks

This was a huge struggle and perhaps if I had read some of the series I would be more invested in Eddie Flynn. There were way too many characters to keep track of and numerous storylines. It dragged on and ended predictably. Felt like a cheesy detective show with the mob and hired killers.

I was delighted to receive this book for an early reading ! This is part of the of Eddie Flynn series, the con- artist turned Defense Attorney and next set of challenges he has to face.. This includes Ruby Johnson former resident of the elite neighborhood of west 74th St in New York City that now works as a maid/ Nanny to the residents of this neighborhood. She use to live among. But’ one night heading home she stubbles on witnessing a murder, but this doesn’t have her running to seek help from law enforcement. Ruby has something else in mind ! This book has plenty of twists and turns and kept me on the edge of seat ! Steve Cavanagh never disappoints! Highly recommend!

I screeched when I received this book to read and review. I love Steve Cavanagh and I love the Eddie Flynn series.

I read Kill For Me, Kill For You earlier this year and it was another banger. Steve is an auto buy author for me.

Witness 8 felt a little bit slower in the beginning than usual, but I was still invested in Eddie and his team and the tension definitely picked up. I was STRESSING through some parts of the book.. Eddie’s team is a perfect family dynamic and your feel that.

Already waiting for the next installment or next Cavanagh book!

My first Steve Cavanagh book and it did not disappoint. If you enjoy legal thrillers this book is for you! Enjoyed so much I am starting back at book 1 with defense attorney Eddie Flynn.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC.

Ruby Johnson once called Manhattan's West 74th Street home, living there with her parents in a prestigious neighborhood. However, their lives took a downturn when her father's gambling addiction stripped them of everything, including their house. After he vanished, Ruby and her mother were left to pick up the pieces.

Now, Ruby finds herself working as a maid for some of the affluent families in the area, feeling the sting of not belonging. She knows their deepest secrets, and when she witnesses a murder in one of the mansions, she seizes the chance to make some money and improve their lives.

Having a connection to both the victim and the murderer, Ruby anonymously tips off the police, falsely naming the killer. As the story unfolds, we learn that her reasons for this deception are far from simple.

Eddie Flynn, a conman-turned-lawyer, is assigned to defend the innocent man Ruby implicated. But Ruby is cunning and determined; she plans to manipulate the situation to ensure his conviction and secure her future.

Eddie is anything but a conventional lawyer—reckless and willing to play dirty, he’s a formidable ally to have. The plot is filled with unexpected twists, featuring a chilling character known as Mr. Christmas, a name that contrasts sharply with his true nature. This gripping tale comes highly recommended!

I have read a few Steve Cavanagh books previously and loved them so I was excited to be chosen to read Witness 8. This book was just not my favorite.

Ruby Johnson used to live on Manhattan's uber rich West 74th street with her parents; however, her family lost everything due to her father's gambling. She now works as a Nanny/Housekeeper for her former neighbors on the street and she does not like being treated as the help. One night, Ruby witnesses a murder and sees an opportunity to change her life. Eddy Flynn, attorney and former con man is desperate to solve the murder and save his client who he believes is innocent.

Witness 8 starts off with an interesting premise but the book is told from multiple perspectives (I believe I counted nine different perspectives). After the premise is set up, the story really drags on through the middle and there are some side plots that really aren't interesting. It took me a couple of weeks to get through the book. Ultimately, I did like the ending but I was lucky to have made it to the end at all. This is a series but I read as a stand alone novel. I may have liked this story better with the context of the recurring characters from prior books. If you are a fan of the series, this is a must read. If not, I would recommend skipping Witness 8.

Witness 8 will be available to read on March 25, 2025. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the advanced copy!

4.5 Stars - Eddie Flynn is BA CK, oh how I enjoyed the legal thriller ride! Cavanagh had me from the very beginning - start with a murder, neighborhood and family secrets, then into the courtroom. The tension was high, the mystery was a roller coaster of a ride, full of hit men, con-men, car chases, and surprise witnesses. I adore the chosen family of Eddie Flynn and the love and loyalty they have towards one another. Cavanagh treats his female characters with great respect, and in Eddie Flynn, has a male lead who does what is right for the sake of what is right. I’ve read every Eddie Flynn book and this is one of his best.

First book I’ve read by Steve Cavanagh, thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC copy. I couldn’t believe the twists and turns. I couldn’t stand ruby.

I was very excited to read this after absolutely loving kill for me, kill for you and it did not disappoint! A great legal thriller, with suspense & twists.

Fast paced thriller featuring con man turned defense attorney Eddie Flynn. He's called to defend a surgeon who is accused of murdering his neighbor. Engossing story that I thoroughly enjoyed

Oh my goodness! This was such a good murder mystery. Ruby Johnson is the star and she is witness 8. She was a nanny and a cleaner for several families on 74th Street, a very affluent street where she and her mother and father
once lived. She was a nanny for Tomas who was the son of John and Alison.

Margaret had been murdered by Brett and Ruby witnessed the murder. She saw him dispose of the gun in a garbage bag and she retrieved it. She snuck the gun into John and Alison's house and called in an anonymous tip. She was somehow able to get John's DNA on it.

Eddie was a con man-turned attorney. He'd had a case where dirty cop, Detective Gray, had laid bogus charges against his client. Eddie humiliated him in court and won his case. As a result, Detective Gray put a hit on Eddie. In the meantime, John hired Eddie to be his defense attorney. The prosecutor had tons of evidence against John and it looked like an open and shut case. All the while, an assassin going by the name of Mr. Christmas was determined to kill Eddie. In the meantime, a hit was put on Ruby because she had blackmailed two men, Brett and Dale, for a quarter of a million dollars each. She had told each man that she knew he had killed. Margaret. It was one of them that put the hit on her. Mr. Christmas had taken on this hit too.

So the story was about Eddie avoiding being killed and him defending John. At one point, someone attempted to kill Eddie and they ended up shooting his mentor and best friend, Harry. He was in critical condition.

The author, Steven Cavanagh, did a stellar job weaving this mystery into one that I will not soon forget. The characters were so believable they nearly came off the page. The book satisfied my appetite for an intriguing whodunit and I gave it five stars. I would have given it more if it was possible. I would very much like to read more books by Mr. Cavanagh.

And he does it again!!! This is a mixture between crime fiction and a thriller with some mystery mixed between. What I love most about Cavanahgh’s books is that they read like a movie script and the characters are always perfectly fleshed out. This one was no exception.

In this book you will meet Ruby, who is a nanny (former housekeeper) for the Jackson family (Tomas, Alison and John), Athena, who is the current housekeeper for the Jackson family. A murder takes place across the street from their house. What/who does Ruby see? What will she do to protect her mom, who needs better health care? Find out reading this book!

Witness 8 - Steve Cavanagh
Pub Date - 3/25/25
Pages - 416
Rating - 3.5/5

Summary - Ruby, a former resident of the street she now works on as a maid, witnesses a murder happen as she finishes up one night babysitting for a couple. Instead of calling the police to report what she saw, she sets a plan in motion to expose the dirty secrets hiding behind all the homes on the street, while getting herself out of financial turmoil.

Thoughts - Thank you to Netgalley and Atria books for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion. This author came on my radar earlier this year when Kill for Me, Kill for You released. That book was an EASY five star for me, so I knew I had to request this one! I really liked the premise and how action packed the story was. It definitely kept me reading and wanting to know more.

I will say, I wish there weren't so many POVs - it gets a little difficult after a while to remember and follow. Also, I felt like the actual "killer" wasn't a surprise at all -- maybe that was the intent? There was a twist in there that I didn't expect that was very well done.

Overall, really great story, and great writing! Loved reading this one and I will definitely be going back to the other 7 books in the series!