Author: Yosha Gunasekera
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Format: Kindle ARC
No. of Pages: 336
Date of Publication: February 10, 2026
My Rating: 5 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
When the last fare of the night turns up dead in her backseat, a Sri Lankan American taxi driver works off the clock to clear her name in this mystery novel by debut author Yosha Gunasekera.
Siriwathi Perera doesn’t quite know where she’s going in life. She never expected to be a taxicab driver in New York City, struggling to make ends meet and still living with her parents at twenty-eight. The true-crime podcasts that keep Siri company as she drives don’t do much to make up for the legal career she imagined for herself, or the brother she’s grieving.
When public defender Amaya Fernando gets into her cab, they make a quick connection through their shared Sri Lankan roots. Siri, whose social circle is limited to her grade-school best friend, Alex, thinks things might finally be looking up with this new potential friendship. But she’s suddenly dropped into her own true crime when she discovers her next passenger murdered in the backseat, and she has to call Amaya sooner than she’d expected.
Pinned as the obvious and only suspect, and desperate to clear her name, Siri chases down leads across the boroughs of New York City with Amaya’s help. But with her court date looming, they have just five days to find out who really killed the midnight passenger—or Siri’s life will be over before she can even truly live it.
MY THOUGHTS:
From her love of true-crime podcasts to becoming the subject of one herself, Siriwathi Perera’s life takes a terrifying turn in The Midnight Taxi. Siri is a Sri Lankan New York City taxi driver whose routine late-night shift ends in shock when her final fare is discovered murdered in the back seat of her cab. In an instant, Siri goes from observer of crime stories to the center of one—and the consequences are swift and devastating.
Culture and family are central to Siri’s identity, grounding her even as her world begins to unravel. When she is arrested and charged with the murder, the odds feel overwhelmingly stacked against her. A small but meaningful stroke of luck comes in the form of Amaya Fernando, a previous passenger and fellow Sri Lankan woman. The two women had immediately connected during their brief ride. This is an unbelievable blessing to Siri, as Amaya happens to be a public defender and had given Siri her card before stepping out of the taxi. That chance encounter couldn’t have come at a more critical moment.
Black and Brown wariness and outright prejudice are stumbling blocks as Amaya helps Siri face those challenges, and what looks like irrefutable evidence that Siri is responsible for the murder. The two make a fine pair as Siri is desperate to clear her name, forming an unlikely partnership. However, time is of the essence so they must dig deep to uncover the truth before time runs out for Siri.
The Midnight Taxi is a strong and confident debut by Yosha Gunasekera, delivering a gripping, fast-paced mystery that keeps the tension high as the clock ticks down. I especially appreciated the rich cultural references and the way the novel highlights racial inequities within the justice system. Despite the heavy subject matter, the story maintains a wonderful balance. Siri’s sharp wit and well-timed humor provide moments of levity, rounding out the narrative and making her an engaging, memorable protagonist. This is a suspenseful, thoughtful read that lingers long after the final page.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this free ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
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