Eddie Flynn, the fictional conman turned lawyer, is back. Prizewinning author, Steve Cavanagh has added an eighth book to this popular series and, coincidence or not, the title is Witness 8. This time, Eddie agrees to defend John Jackson, a paediatric brain surgeon who has been charged with murder. John insists he’s innocent and Eddie and his team believe him.
Although we know that John has been set up by Ruby Johnson, his babysitter, we have no idea what is driving Ruby to falsely accuse him. She witnessed the actual murder.
Much of the action in Witness 8 occurs in a posh neighbourhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Ruby lived on West 74th Street many years ago, however there has been a significant change in her family’s financial situation. She and her mother are now in a rundown apartment. Ruby feels comfortable in the area and doesn’t mind walking home late in the evening after babysitting.
Ruby is all but invisible to the people who reside on the street. Although they welcome her into their homes to take care of their children or clean their houses, very few of the wealthy home owners actually know her. One of the few clients to show her any kindness is Maggs Blackmore. After Ruby cleans her house, she will make Ruby a coffee and chat with her.
When Ruby walks home one evening, she notices that most of the neighbours are at the Schwartzmans’ party and the lights are on at Maggs’s house. When Ruby looks in the window, she sees someone kill her client, and recognises who it is.
Given that Maggs was kind to Ruby, you would expect her to contact the police. Instead, she retrieves the murder weapon and takes it home with her. Knowledge is power and she intends to use what she knows – which is far more about her employers than any of them would believe. Cavanagh explores how devastating a false accusation can be for an innocent individual.
In addition to the murder, there is a subplot related to a case where the police stop and search a car. It is a joy to read courtroom scenes with Eddie tapping into his experience as a con artist. Eddie’s line of defence has financial consequences for some of the men tied to the case. They decide that Eddie is in their way and must be removed so they start looking for a contract killer. This subplot weaves in and out of the murder case storyline.
This is a lot for Eddie to take on by himself, but Cavanagh has created a team with diverse skills to support him. His mentor Harry Ford, a retired New York Judge; Kate Brooks, a brilliant lawyer and law partner; Bloch, a tough investigator; and Denise, his assistant and secretary, all return in book eight. They are joined by Gabriel Lake, a former FBI specialist, and Tony Lombardi, a driver for Eddie’s childhood friend Jimmy the Hat, who is now leads a powerful crime family.
A $50,000 price tag on Eddie’s head attracts all kinds of contract killers. The most interesting is the quirky Mr Christmas. Between the attempts to kill Eddie and Ruby’s plan unfolding, the tension in the book will have you burning through the pages.
Witness 8 is set in New York, a city that has been a backdrop for many TV shows and movies. Although Cavanagh lives in Belfast, he grew up watching American TV shows like Kojak and Cagney and Lacey and perhaps this has made him feel comfortable writing in an American voice.
Cavanagh consistently writes fast paced entertaining legal thrillers. His plots have unexpected unique plot twists that will leave you totally gobsmacked. There may be times when a little suspension of disbelief is required but you will do this quite willingly. Even if you have no idea where Eddie and his team are taking you, you know that it is going to be memorable.
Click here for an interview and reviews of other books by Steve Cavanagh.
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CFL Rating: 5 Stars