As always, huge thanks to NetGalley & Headline Publishing Group for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review, this was a fun read! I hadn't read any of the previous seven Eddie Flynn books by Steve Cavanagh before this, but thankfully, this book reads very easily as a stand-alone (any crucial backstory was explained very smoothly without interrupting the flow). I would characterise this more as a thriller than a mystery novel; there wasn't really much to solve, more just being along for the ride, like watching Columbo if that's not too dated a reference nowadays.

I don't know if this book is typical of Eddie Flynn novels, but it required an incredible amount of suspension of disbelief - far more than I'm used to, and my incredulity at the more far-fetched plot points did take me out of the story quite a few times. It's a fun ride if you just go with it, but quite a lot of the plot and the 'Deus Ex Machina' moments are a bit ridiculous.

Most of the characters felt a little 2-dimensional (verging on tropey) with little development or character arcs - though I assume that is because the MCs have already been explored in much more detail in the preceding seven books in the series. The deductive skills of the MCs were impressive, along the lines of the BBC depiction of Sherlock (so, again, pushing credulity but in a fun way), and I enjoyed the characterisation of the female characters in particular.

The main issue I had with this book was the harmful way it portrays & handles mental ill-health. I can't say more than that without giving major spoilers, and it doesn't feature a huge amount in this overall story - but it would be nice if more writers considered the damage they can do by portraying people who experience hallucinations or psychosis as dangerous or harmful, when evidence shows that they are far more likely to harm themselves or be harmed by others.

This was a ridiculous and entertaining book overall - if you're looking for an action-packed story of a conman-lawyer battling corrupt police forces, child traffickers, neo-nazis, hitmen and the 1%, and you don't mind just going along with some increasingly implausible scenarios, then this is a really great read!

For those who find them helpful, I will also list some Content Warnings below - so TO AVOID SPOILERS, STOP READING NOW!!!!
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Content Warnings:
- Bereavement, including loss of a parent
- Cancer, terminal illness, coma and hospitalisation (particularly in a parent)
- Child abduction & trafficking
- Classism
- Domestic violence, incl physical violence witnessed by a child
- Hallucinations involving violent outburst
- Manipulation & gaslighting, incl non-consensual drugging
- Murder & violence
- Police corruption, incl racial profiling
- Racism, incl antisemitism and nazism
- Torture (alluded to, not actually depicted)
- War, incl military personnel killing innocent child bystanders

This is a fast paced thriller. With twists and turns aplenty, court action with hit men seemingly coming out of the wood work, this really kept me engrossed and reluctant to put this book down. I would really recommend this book. The detective team are second to none and total characters. I loved it.

Ruby is a maid and nanny in a wealthy neighbourhood where she used to live before her family lost all their money, on the way home one night she see`s a murder but she tells the police it`s someone else that lives in the street the one person she nanny's for.
Eddy Flynn is a conman turned Lawyer who has to fight to save John Jackson and the twists start as he has unusual ways to find his client innocent.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review.

Another great Eddie Flynn book ..
One of my favourite series ,
A fast paced book, where we see Eddie at his best!!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book with no obligation to review.

This is a very exciting book, with a great plot and great characters. There is a lot (but not too much) going on and I kept pausing to think about what was happening and to see if I could work out motives etc., it was only nearly at the end that one major thing (no spoilers!) came to me.

Eddie Flynn is just the type of main character I like, a hard boiled, world weary man with his own shady past. I now know that there is a whole series of books about Eddie but you can easily read this as a stand alone without feeling that you have missed anything. I also liked Mr Christmas, another favourite type of mine - the courtly, polite cold as ice protagonist. Mr Christmas reminds me of Mr Teatime (pronounced teh ah tim eh) in The Hogfather. And what can we say about Ruby? Read the book and find out!

If the Red Priest painting is real, I would have liked its name so that I could look it up.

Soo, all good - good plot, good pace, good characters, good ending, a very enjoyable read.

Fantastically entertaining yarn from Mr Cavanagh and as good an Eddie Flynn book as we’ve had.

Ruby is a nanny in a very posh part of Manhattan in a house on 74th street. As an ex resident of the area and a good observer, Ruby knows all the gossip and people on the street.

On the way home one evening she witnesses a murder in one of the neighbours house and sees the murderer flee. She knows instantly who the murderer is.

There’s one issue with Ruby. She’s not normal. She calls the police to report the murder but she doesn’t tell the truth and points the finger at someone closer to home.

Eddie and his team are hired to defend the innocent man but with overwhelming evidence against him they are fighting an uphill battle.

As Eddie tries to unravel the web of lies, he gets more than he’s bargained for as he finds himself not only trying to defend an innocent life but his own life is in danger as he pokes his nose in places it shouldn’t be.

What a fantastically enjoyable read this was. Loads of fun. Loads of twists and turns and a fantastic character by the name of Mr Christmas.

The twists and turns here, unlike many other books, serve a purpose to the story and aren’t there just to be red herrings. The plotting and pacing here is top notch.

If you’ve enjoyed the other Flynn books then you will love this one. An utter joy to read.

An easy five stars from me.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.

Wow! This is an absolute belter of a book. I was hooked from the first chapter. Really clever plot. Highly recommended.

This is my first Eddie Flynn book by Steve Cavanagh and I am mightily impressed. Eddie is a lawyer but was a conman in a former life, so let's just say he takes a very different stance from the average 'straight up' lawyer. I think it's that element which makes the story such a fun read. The story has so many twists and turns I'm sure others could do a better précis than me. What I can say though is that I found it hugely entertaining and very hard to put down.

This is my first Eddie Flynn book but won’t be my last! Very entertaining story with so much going on.
I dropped a star because I don’t like bad language.

I love the Eddie Flynn novels. This is another fabulous thriller with a wonderful ending! Five stars from me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the early copy.

Another fantastic Eddie Flynn novel by Steve Cavanagh. As a fan of the Eddie Flynn series I was not disappointed. So many twists and turns to keep it exciting, you won't want to put it down. One of my 5 ⭐ reads this year, of which there have been few.

Don't hesitate to read this one, you'll love it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge mystery / thriller fan and was very excited to read this book and it really didn’t disappoint me. The twists and turns in this book keep you on the edge of your seat. I really did not expect the ending. Go and read this book I devoured it in an afternoon.

Ruby Johnson is the hired help to the ludicrously rich families on West 74th Street, which effectively makes her invisible.

On her way home from work one night, she sees one of the neighbours being murdered.

She knows both killer and victim.

But she doesn't tell the truth to the police...

Which is why Eddie Flynn needs to defend the innocent man accused of the crime - and find out why Ruby lied.

Utterly, utterly brilliant

This was my first time reading the Eddie Flynn series – and now I'm feeling excited, because now I have a whole series to read! I love it when that happens. I read this just after reading Helen Garner's real-life courtroom drama, This House of Grief. So I was certainly in the right headspace. Witness 8 presents an original twist on a case, as the eponymous witness isn't everything she seems – and is quite a match for our Saul Goodman here. There's heaps of tenterhook moments, and insights into rich people's lives (the super-rich). All building to a meaty reveal!

Somehow each Eddie Flynn novel is better than the - utterly brilliant- predecessor, and I'm running out of superlatives to describe how incredible this series is!!
The Eddie Flynn series is npt a simple legal thriller, but instead combines a mix of incredible legal elements with a gripping psychological narrative where a very dangerous young woman, is playing a dangerous game with the legal system.

This eight Eddie Flynn novel has a very and high octane storyline, where Flynn is not just trying to prove his client innocent - against some tremendous odds, but also negate a 'price on his head' that plunges the whole team into trouble.
As always, we meet some memorable characters and through their slow introduction to Flynn, the various elements of the storyline are neatly weaved and tied together. The pacing is fantastic and while these slower moments, such as meeting Mr. Christmas for the first time, add to the tension and ramps up the pace as we k ow this character will be influential throughout the story.
Despite the dark subject matter of the storyline, there are plenty of lighter moments due to the awesome grandstanding and his skills as a con artist.
Do yourself a favour and read Witness 8 now!

Firstly thank you so much to the publisher for an w-arc of this book. The Eddie Flynn series in my favourite series of all time. I adore Steve Cavanagh’s writing and the stories he crafts. Witness 8 was no exception, a wonderfully intricate plot with so many side stories going on that all came together so well in the end. I couldn’t put this book down! A fantastic read!

Steve Cavanagh is new author to me but having read/heard such wonderful reviews both online and via my book club I was keen to get my hands on his latest offering. The book is part of the Eddie Flynn series, but luckily for me, it reads well as a standalone as the author gives enough back story details for the reader to fully engage.

Eddie Flynn has a colourful background – a conman turned New York lawyer, and at times, I found I had to just get on board with the pretence of the situation (it is a work of fiction after all), and I found that I enjoyed the courtroom drama elements very much. However, I did find the constant shift between the multiple viewpoints distracting, and this also made it hard for me to become invested in any of the characters. In addition to this, the plot is repetitive, and the pacing is slow. I have no doubt this book will be a huge success – but sadly, it’s not for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Headline for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Eddie Flynn is back defending a brain surgeon against murder charges. We know that his son's nanny, Ruby, who is not the murderer, set him up to take the fall, but we don't know why, who really did it, or how Eddie will get him off. Meanwhile, Eddie angered some crooked cops in a previous case and now there is a hit out on him.

As usual, lots going on in this Eddie Flynn novel. These novels are never really about who actually committed the crime, but how Eddie and the gang will unravel the whole mystery. This is fast paced, clever and tough to put down. I so look forward to a new installment in this series every year and I am never disappointed. I love Eddie and the whole cast of characters. Another great read from Steve Cavanagh.

Fantastic book. Had me hooked from page one. Highly recommend. Another classic Steve Cavanagh, you have no idea what is round the corner.

As I started this book I felt doubtful. The chapters are focussed on different characters and i found it difficult to engage with any of them.
As I worked through the story I became more involved and really wanted to know what happened next.
In common with many American novels there are some very American comments and facts which a British reader may not understand eg “black top” which i think refers to the road! On occasion, the reader has to assume the meaning as suggested in the context.
As I approached halfway I was very engaged with the characters and really wanted the lawyer to win the case. His background was interesting too. I loved the past conman idea!
There are good character sketches describing the very different members of the team. Very enjoyable.
Recommended