Not Yet Published Mystery Novels Read
The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera
Feb. 10, 2026, Berkley, NetGalley Not yet published
Genre: mystery and thrillers, multicultural interest
Sri Lankan-American taxi driver Siriwathi is one of the few NYC female taxi drivers, but she is determined to help her struggling family by driving at all hours of the night. Her love of true crime podcasts, which she listens to in her taxi, helps her when a midnight passenger in her locked cab is stabbed and killed while she is driving him to his destination. She meets another Sri Lankan in NYC, public defender Amaya Fernando, who offers to represent Siri pro bono. Together they set out to solve the crime themselves.
As there is no obvious reason, method, or culprit for the murder, the dead man's past and his acquaintances probably hold the key to the solution of his murder.
This is the first in a mystery series featuring Siri. I am looking forward to reading more adventures with her and Amaya. These two characters are realistic and likeable, and Siri in particular is a sympathetic and gutsy personality. Her descriptions of NYC and its areas are an interesting part of the novel, as she narrates the book.
Sri Lankan-American taxi driver Siriwathi is one of the few NYC female taxi drivers, but she is determined to help her struggling family by driving at all hours of the night. Her love of true crime podcasts, which she listens to in her taxi, helps her when a midnight passenger in her locked cab is stabbed and killed while she is driving him to his destination. She meets another Sri Lankan in NYC, public defender Amaya Fernando, who offers to represent Siri pro bono. Together they set out to solve the crime themselves.
As there is no obvious reason, method, or culprit for the murder, the dead man's past and his acquaintances probably hold the key to the solution of his murder.
This is the first in a mystery series featuring Siri. I am looking forward to reading more adventures with her and Amaya. These two characters are realistic and likeable, and Siri in particular is a sympathetic and gutsy personality. Her descriptions of NYC and its areas are an interesting part of the novel, as she narrates the book.
How to Survive in the Woods by Kat Rosenfield
March 10, 2026; Harper, NetGalley Not yet published
genre: thriller, mystery
I was intrigued by the story of hunter turned prey turned hunter again in this novel set in the Maine wilderness of the Appalachian Trail. Emma and her friend Taylor gang up on Emma's tyrannical and abusive husband Logan and plan to get their revenge on this trip. The story of the three, the women against the lone man, has a lot of twists and turns that make it interesting. Getting lost, trying to survive each other and the harsh wilderness, makes for suspenseful reading.
Even though the ordeal in the woods seems similar to other wilderness mysteries, there is still good storytelling that will keep the reader interested in the outcome. I liked that the trail itself turned out to be an important part in the mystery . The last leg of the trail, the Hundred Mile Wilderness, plays a key role in their survival or death.
I was intrigued by the story of hunter turned prey turned hunter again in this novel set in the Maine wilderness of the Appalachian Trail. Emma and her friend Taylor gang up on Emma's tyrannical and abusive husband Logan and plan to get their revenge on this trip. The story of the three, the women against the lone man, has a lot of twists and turns that make it interesting. Getting lost, trying to survive each other and the harsh wilderness, makes for suspenseful reading.
Even though the ordeal in the woods seems similar to other wilderness mysteries, there is still good storytelling that will keep the reader interested in the outcome. I liked that the trail itself turned out to be an important part in the mystery . The last leg of the trail, the Hundred Mile Wilderness, plays a key role in their survival or death.
Currently reading
Rabbit Moon by Jennifer Haigh
April 1, 2025, Little, Brown & Company, NetGalley
Genre: adult fiction, literary fiction
Description
A tense, propulsive drama set in Shanghai, about a fractured American family, secret lives, and the unbreakable bond between two sisters, from the bestselling author of Mercy Street.
One daughter is in a coma after a serious car accident in Shanghai; the other daughter, an adoptee from China, is in the US at summer camp. The parents rush to their injured daughter, Lindsay, an ESL teacher. That's as far as I've gotten so far.......
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The book summaries are so intriguing! I'm adding "The Midnight Taxi" to my list, I love the idea of a taxi driver who listens to true-crime podcasts getting caught up in her own mystery. And "How to Survive in the Woods" sounds so suspenseful, the Maine wilderness setting is perfect for a thriller. I hope you enjoy the rest of "Rabbit Moon"! It sounds like an intense family drama.
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