The Midnight Taxi, Yosha Gunasekera (Review by Skylar Wetzel)

The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera is an absolute delight and takes you on a journey with every twist and turn. New York City taxi driver, Siriwathi, is a relatable woman trying to navigate her slightly monotonous life and get people safely to their destinations while indulging in true crime podcasts. That all gets derailed when one of her passengers unexpectedly gets killed during one of her rides. Lucky for Siriwathi, she’s able to call a recent public defender rider, Amaya, to help her out of the mess. Together, they race around New York City looking for clues to exonerate Siriwathi.

I loved every single piece of this book, and Gunasekera had me feeling every single emotion throughout this story. The guilt Siriwathi feels for not living up to her older brother’s high standards and the perceived disappointment from her immigrant parents for not doing more with her life. The fear of being instantly stereotyped as a brown person in the criminal justice system and the realization that it’s not always just and fair, like the TV shows. And of course, a whole gamut of emotions while running around the city with her newfound friend and only advocate, Amaya, while dealing with the looming threat of jail time. The mystery of who killed the passenger took on so many directions and had me gasping. I was absolutely shocked by the reveal at the end, which immediately bumps this book up as a top read for me. While the underlying context was quite serious, there were moments of chaotic coziness comparable to the TV show Only Murders in the Building, and I was absolutely rooting for Siriwathi’s amateur investigating skills.

This is one of the best murder mysteries I’ve read, and if you’re in the mood to feel every emotion in the beautiful backdrop of New York City chasing a killer, then this is the book for you.