The 9th Witness

Witness #9

by Rebecca Forster

No good deed goes this time it's going to be brutal.Christmas is coming and the world is joyful for everyone but Josie Bates. A devastating miscarriage, her employer’s pending retirement, and her husband’s overseas job have left her alone and adrift—until Lily Daye dies and names Josie executor of her estate. Josie has no idea who this woman is, but her will is simple and her possessions meager. In the spirit of the season, Josie accepts the job. Yet behind Lily’s seemingly modest existence lies a complex, mysterious life. When an eccentric tech mogul turns up to contest the will, the only spirit Josie is channeling is one of outrage that her life is being upended and Lily’s last wishes disrespected. Up against a high-powered, ruthless attorney, a court on a schedule, and an entitled man with more money than God, Josie is determined to protect her client’s interests or die trying.

356 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 15, 2024

About the author

Rebecca Forster began writing on a crazy dare and found her passion.

Now with over 40 books to her name, she is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling thriller author. Rebecca likes hands-on research and is a graduate of the DEA and ATF Citizens Academies. She is an avid court watcher, has taken numerous weapons courses, and even landed by tail hook on the USS Nimitz to make sure she has lived what she writes.

Rebecca is married to a Superior Court judge and is the mother of two grown sons. She resides in Southern California

Reviews

[Penny J Vidler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the Witness series, the characters and the story of this book is such a great ending sadly to this series .
I have so enjoyed all your books so far and look forward to reading more .
Thank you
PJV

[Russell Thiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It had been a long time since I had read a Josie Bates story. So picking up The 9th Witness was like picking up an old friend. I love Josie Bates!!! Ireaalized I Had to go back and read the 8th episodes. I also want to read her Finn o'Brian/Cori Anderson Series.

If you are looking for a new series check out Rebecca Forster's Josie Bates Series...

[Angela Przybranowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the final (?) book of the Josie Bates series. I have read them all over the years. This is, imo, by far, Rebecca Forster's best. I felt the emotions described for all the characters in this book. Their sadness, their arrogance, their devotion. All of Rebecca's stories weave a tale that grabs your curiosity to keep reading to learn more. While each of the 9 books in the series could be read independently of each other, I strongly encourage you to start with Hostile Witness and end with The 9th Witness. Each book can be read easily within a weeks' time, if not less. You won't want to stop reading until you know the rest of the story.

[Naomi Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 9th Witness by Rebecca Forster is book 9 of The Witness series. Josie Bates and I go way back. She is a resourceful and clever defense attorney who has a heart that knows no bounds. From her early days defending a 16-year-old runaway, and her ex-cop lover against murder charges, she has been proving herself to be fearless and righteous. She has taken on foreign mob goons, a cultish commune, a Senate Select Committee and her own personal tragedies. Throughout each trial, she has been a beacon of hope and strength for her patchwork family and community. In this latest tale, Josie does what she does bets, takes on Goliath to defend a woman that she has never met. Josie was named executor to the estate of Lily Daye. Knowing nothing about her, Josie unravels the mystery of her life, her guilt and ultimately her death. Always tenacious, Josie gets to the bottom of things and holds the guilty accountable. This is a fast paced read that weaves together mystery, corporate greed, family dynamics and a hero named Dax with just the right amount of magic to keep you fascinated, page after page. I sure hope this is not the last we hear of Josie bates!

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read and loved lots of Rebecca Forster’s books over the years, in multiple series. If forced to pick a favorite The Witness Series with Josie Bates would probably be my pick. This one had a lot of elements that kept me engaged with a tendency to reveal something at the end of the chapter that made me want to immediately start reading the next chapter. Josie spends some time in court and experiences some tense situations that make the legal thriller classification a good fit for this. There is a lot of mystery to it (with her client, Lily Daye, being deceased, Josie has to figure out what Lily’s estate consists of, where the person who is supposed to inherit it is, and as the story unfolds lots of other mysteries pop up). We’ve also got some other twists dealing with new technology and Lily’s past that only complicate matters more. It makes for an engaging, fun read that kept me guessing as to where things were headed right to the end.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **

[Angelina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m naming my next cat Josie Bates!

I’ve read all of the Josie Bates books, and I was thrilled that Forster wrote another after close to five years without my hero!

I love this character because she is both powerful and compassionate. In fact, her power comes about because of her compassion.

Forster’s narrative is intense. She crafts a detailed and suspenseful mystery that readers won’t want to put down until the last page. More so, her writing is truly clever and creative.

I strongly recommend reading the whole series, but this book could also be read as a stand alone. Yet, if readers chose to do that, they would miss out on the details explaining why Josie’s people (chosen family) love her so much and how she fights for each of them like a warrior.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was not supposed to be a 9th novel in this series I'm told, but wow, am I glad this fine author decided in the end, to write one. Superbly written, staying true to the characters from the previous novels, this book continues the story of Josie, with plenty of twists to a wonderfully crafted tale.
Easy-flowing prose makes for effortless reading, while dialogue and great descriptive work, brings scenes to life, and enertains the whole way through.
No hesitation in awarding five stars here!!

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually leave reviews as I am not a great writer. I have to prefice that I have read all the Josie Bates books. This book kep my interest from the moment I read the first couple of chapters. As the story evolved it lead me deeper and deeper into wanting it to end as it should. The characters were well described and I could picture them in my head. The story was laid out for the reader but the suspense was in Josie discovering what we knew she needed to know. I thoroughly enjoyed this read.
And I always like a book with a smart, determined woman as the lead.

[Vicki Mabbitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read!

The story of Josie, Archer, Hannah and Billy is wrapped in a beautiful Christmas gift. If you haven't read the Witness Series, what are you waiting for!

Another masterpiece Rebecca.

[john cella · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 9th Witness

I usually give Rebecca Forever Witness books 5 stars. I enjoyed this book after the first part . The timeframe went back and forth so many times, it took me a while to get into all the characters. I'm looking forward to the 10th book.

[Cpg119 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been on this journey with Josie Bates for a very long time now! I think this was one of my favorite books! The pace was just right and left me guessing until the very end! I really enjoyed this book and will wait patiently for another book around Josie’s new venture.

[Joy M · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting story and well worth reading.

[Anthony W. Incristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Revisiting w/Josie

I loved going on another adventure with Josie, its been far too long to be away from her and Archer. Loved the addition of Dax.

[Suzanne Mailes-Dineff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

I loved this book. It had heart as well as suspense. Rebecca Forster did it again. A relevant storyline with twists and turns and a fantastic ending.

[Patricia Proudman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting Storyline

This story was intriguing from the start. Found it hard to put down. I found myself visualizing the characters as if I was watching it live in front of me.

[Bruce Raterink · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything about The Josie Bates Thriller series including the fully developed, compelling characters, the fast paced plot, and the unpredictable twists. This is the 9th book in the Josie Bates series and it is every bit as suspenseful and engaging as the first eight. This character driven thriller can easily be read as a stand alone but you owe it to yourself to download the entire series beginning with "Hostile Witness." These books are written with such a vivid eye for detail that the scenes seem to jump off the page and even the tertiary characters come alive for the reader. Highly recommended