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There are currently 33 member reviews
for The Midnight Taxi
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Ellen B. (Parkland, FL)
Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera
In Midnight Taxi, Yosha Gunasekera creates a twist on the locked room mystery concept. The crime in this novel occurs in a taxi driven by a Sri Lankan woman named Siriwathi, who narrates the book. Siri's descriptions of New York City, the unique personalities of true New Yorkers and the many local (i.e. non-touristy) eateries gave what could have been a dry mystery, an added layer of color and depth. As a former New Yorker, her commentary was both humorous and accurate.
The other main characters, Amaya, a Sri Lankan public defender and Alex, Siri's childhood friend are all believable and likable. There are also numerous other characters to keep track of, at times too many!
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to a sequel.
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Norma R. (Secaucus, NJ)
Taxi ride
The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera is humorous mystery novel but with a serious plot element. Siriwatha(Siri)is a Sri Lankan American taxi driver in New York City. She discovers a dead body in her cab and is immediately arrested and charged with murder. Luckily a previous passenger was Amaya a legal aid society lawyer. The two women set off to prove Siri's innocence. There are many funny moments, the city is a character too. The legal system has automatically decided her guilt. Siri's love of true crime podcasts gives her an idealized view of detective work. Also her ethic heritage makes her feel "other" at times. The novel is fast paced and is avoid choice for a book club since it is more than just a traditional mystery.
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Jessica Prescott
Solid Murder Mystery with Contemporary Elements
Enjoyed: Classic murder mystery elements with contemporary adjustments. Siri uses her knowledge from true crime podcasts and the neighborhoods of NYC to aid her public defender in the investigation. Relatable characters. Focus on immigrant experience and cultural variety of New York. Includes timely issues including how accused people experience the criminal justice system and environmentalism in corporations. Believable twist at the climax. Solid read.
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Mountain lover Colorado
The Midnight Taxi
The Midnight Taxi, by Yosha Gunasekera, for me was a "I didn't love it/I didn't hate it." The book was well written. The plot has been described as "cozy", I might call it "cute" but it seemed more like young adult fiction to me. I did not find the characters to have much depth. I kept reading because I was curious but not intrigued. I would recommend to someone who wanted a light, quick read, not to someone who enjoys intriguing mysteries.
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April C. (Rochester, MN)
Interesting premise
While the idea behind this murder mystery was interesting, I difficulty staying engaged. It was frustrating to see exactly how the crime unfolded while the main character remained clueless. The story felt sluggish until the very end, when everything suddenly was resolved too conveniently.
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Samantha H. (Golden, CO)
Mediocre
Midnight Taxi was an okay read. I found the plot devices far-fetched and did not ever really connect or development much sympathy with the main character.
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Linda S. (Waycross, GA)
A Perfect YA Novel - Almost
Suspense! Murder! Culture! Hope! Love (even if it is fraternal)! The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera has most of the ingredients of the perfect YA novel. While the plot is somewhat plausible and the characters (mostly) likable, I found the vocabulary and the prose juvenile and the narrative often repetitive. A take on the locked room narrative device, it is even apparent when the murder occurred, so no mystery there for the reader! I enjoyed, however, the bits about NYC (who knew there were so many bodegas?) and found the cultural observations often enlightening, but it still felt like the book would have benefitted from a more judicious editor.
Younger readers looking for a light read might find Taxi to be fun; it is not a book for readers looking for literary enjoyment, however.
