Witness 8 (Eddie Flynn, #8) by Steve Cavanagh
Published by Atria Books
Publication date: March 25, 2025
Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Vacation Reading
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I’m switching gears from heart-warming to heart-pounding with Witness 8 the latest in the Eddie Flynn mystery series. When the body of a wealthy woman is found dead in her home in an exclusive Manhattan neighborhood it leaves the rest of the neighbors stunned that such a thing could happen. That the murderer turns out to be one of their own, a renowned pediatric surgeon, is shocking. But author Steve Cavanagh is not finished with this premise yet. Another woman, standing outside the victim’s home witnesses the murder and sees the murderer.
Her name is Ruby Johnson, she’s in her early 20s, and she works in a number of the neighborhood’s homes as a cleaner and nanny. She’s always sunny and upbeat even if inside she’s seething because she lived in one of these houses until a huge family scandal left them penniless. Now she wonders if she can leverage her knowledge into revenge.
The accused murderer turns to Eddie for his defense, but it’s a long shot as his fingerprints and DNA were found on the murder weapon. A gun he claims he’s never seen before that’s found in his home. Eddie’s work is cut out for him so he assembles his team who, while they may be great at what they do, often make people angry. Much like Eddie himself. Which is why, in addition to representing this client, Eddie is also trying to avoid being killed by one of the city’s most dangerous crime bosses. No one local has taken the contract on his life, but hit men from around the country are arriving in NYC and looking for him. In other words, it’s a normal day for Eddie.
Witness 8 is made even more enjoyable by Cavanagh’s decides to make one of the assassins a narrator. His name is Mr. Christmas and he’s a fascinating bundle of idiosyncrasies. He’s also the best at his job while remaining a gentleman. He’s still alive at the end of the book so there’s hope he’ll be a recurring character. That his narrative is running right alongside Eddie’s frantic efforts to keep his client out of prison is just one more reason this is addictive reading.
There are so many things spinning in the story’s plot it’s almost impossible to keep track of everything and yet, Cavanagh never drops a plate. There’s surprise after surprise, none outlandish—just carefully thought out and incredibly clever. Even the circumstances that don’t quite add up are easy to overlook as the writing is so immersive and humorous. I burst out laughing when I finished Witness 8. With happiness. This was easily the most fun reading I’ve had this winter.
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*I received a free copy of this book from Atria in exchange for an honest review.*
After reading your review, I requested this book from the library. I finished it yesterday. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even though it is a series it works fine as a stand alone.
I agree. It helps to get to know Flynn in the earlier books, but each book stands on its own.