A former member of the Manhattan upper class, Ruby Johnson now works as a maid and a nanny to the people in the types of houses she used to live in. She knows everyone's dirty secrets, and when she witnesses a murder, she has plans in mind that do not involve telling the authorities the truth.
Eddie Flynn is the only lawyer in New York City willing to take on hopeless cases, and none is more hopeless than John Jackson's: the gun that killed his neighbor was found-- with Jackson's DNA on it-- in his own home. Flynn and his team will need all their expertise to keep an innocent man from being sent to prison. However, while Eddie is trying to save his client's life, he must also protect his own loved ones. The scariest organized criminals in the city are out for his head.
~
Few authors can write absorbing legal thrillers like Steve Cavanagh. Witness 8 has it all: humor, a sympathetic yet scary witness to murder, life-and-death situations, and a roller coaster ride of a courtroom drama.
I love watching the way Eddie Flynn's mind works. He's not your usual lawyer. He's a streetwise ex-con-artist-turned-defense-attorney, and he knows all sorts of people from all walks of life. The team he has assembled is top-notch, so much so that it seems that there is nothing they cannot do.
As a witness to murder, Ruby Johnson is scary yet sympathetic. I felt for her circumstances, but she was so skilled in her manipulations that I wanted her stopped ASAP. Ruby also made me realize just how much the "hired help" knows about the families they work for. My advice to the rich? Pay your servants well, be nice, and don't anger them. They always know much more than you think.
To add to Eddie's worries, there's the danger for those near and dear to him-- not just from corrupt police officers but also from an assassin named Mr. Christmas. (Don't you love his name?)
If you love legal thrillers, by all means, acquaint yourself with Eddie Flynn. I would definitely want him defending me if I were on trial.
Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh
eISBN: 9781668049396
Atria Books © 2025
eBook, 416 pages
Legal Thriller, #8 Eddie Flynn
Rating: A
Source: Net Galley
This does really sound absorbing, Cathy. Eddie Flynn sounds like a great character, and probably more complex than he seems on the surface. And Ruby interests me, too. You're right - always, always treat people you hire with dignity and respect. You should anyway, just on principle. But if you don't, it can come back and bite you in the a**.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly can--- and almost always should!
DeleteI have only read two Eddie Flynn books, but I agree with Steve Cavanagh's writing skills and the main character's personality and eccentricities, plus his dedication to his clients and talents in the courtroom. And humor, lots of it. Cavanagh is also very clever and creative.
ReplyDeleteYes, he is. I enjoyed meeting him at The Poisoned Pen, although he was melting in our summer heat!
DeleteI saw on Zoom an event at the PP with him and Adrian McKinty. I was laughing so hard tears were rolling down my cheeks. What a pair and good Irish wit.
DeleteI haven't seen that one. I'll have to look for it.
DeleteIt's been awhile since I've read a really good legal thriller. And Eddie Flynn sounds like a character I would really like. :D
ReplyDeleteYes, I do think you would like him, Lark.
Delete