Accused as an accessory to murder, New York City taxi driver Ranjit Singh has only 10 days to find the person who actually killed Bollywood actress Shabana Shah. She was alive when he dropped her off at the main door of the Dakota apartments. When Ranjit comes back to return a dress Shabana left in his cab, he discovers the Dakota's doorman is an old acquaintance from their military days in India. Joining his old friend for dinner in Shabana's empty apartment means that Ranjit's fingerprints are everywhere, making him a prime suspect later when the actress is found bludgeoned to death in that same apartment. Of course, the doorman/friend is nowhere to be found, leaving Ranjit on his own to prove his innocence.

With only 10 days before arraignment, Ranjit is desperate to find the missing doorman. Pursuing every connection he can think of, Ranjit finds himself in some pretty untenable situations, especially when it concerns a former boss who's an importer of human hair and a disreputable businessman. The more Ranjit learns about Shabana's life, the more numerous the possibilities of her killer's identity. Ranjit skillfully uses his military training and deductive reasoning to reach a shocking conclusion to the case.

As the second book in the Ranjit Singh series, THE LAST TAXI RIDE by A. X. Ahmad is a compelling, high- stakes thriller with many thought-provoking cultural aspects. Characters are realistically portrayed in a plot filled with enough exciting twists and turns to retain the reader's interest until the surprise ending.