Black Taxi [Library Binding]

James Moloney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 2005

Rosie Sinclair is just a typical teenage girl -- except that her best friend is an exotic dancer and her beloved grandad is involved in just a bit of crime. When he has the bad luck to get busted on the last job of his career, he turns his cell phone and the keys to his black Mercedes over to Rosie for safekeeping while he's inside.

Although Rosie has to cart around her grandad's elderly friends -- the wrinklies -- on their errands, she soon realizes that the Mercedes has its benefits: It helps her land dates with two of the hottest guys in town. Life is looking pretty rosy until the day she gets the first threatening call on her cell phone. A jewelry heist has gone wrong, and every crook in town thinks her grandad has something to do with a diamond ring that's missing. With his safety in jeopardy, Rosie sets out to solve the mystery. But can she find the answers before the icy voice on the other end of the phone finds her?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up–Rosie Sinclair, 16, loves her grandfather but is aware that he's "just a little bent" and oftentimes on the wrong side of the law. So when he's arrested and jailed for a crime, she knows that the inevitable has happened. The teen inherits his Mercedes and the responsibilities the Merc entails: taxiing elderly citizens on errands. She even gets a cell phone for her troubles, and her new vehicle helps catch the eye of sweet jock Todd and bad boy Chris. Soon she starts to get calls from a cranky and dangerous-sounding scoundrel who demands that she return The Ring. Rosie doesn't know what he's talking about but realizes that she'd better figure it out before anyone gets hurt. This frothy read does not falter. Rosie's narration is quirky, smart, and funny. She's essentially an Australian teenage Stephanie Plum, as in Janet Evanovich's One for the Money (S & S, 1994). While the tone and content are appropriate for teen readers, it's important to note that Rosie's friend, Glenda, is two years older and works as an exotic dancer in order to pay for her university schooling. The two enjoy an honest, sisterly relationship and are the best-developed characters in the story. Astute readers will pin the villain but will have fun finding out the how and the why.–Sarah Couri, New York Public Library --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 8-11. After a "successful" 30-year career in petty crime, high-school senior Rosie Sinclair's beloved grandfather has been caught and sent off to jail for six months. Rosie is deputized to care for his eye-catching black Mercedes and his cell phone. Gramps may be out of the picture, but more crime is afoot. The police are still searching for a fabulous diamond ring missing from a recent jewelry store heist, and a mysterious caller is convinced Rosie has it. Rosie, who must solve the crime herself if she is to protect her grandfather and stop the threatening calls, enlists the help of a streetwise friend (and hooker), Glenda, and dangerous Chris, a garage attendant turned Sir Galahad. Love and larceny are center stage in this British import, which is best suited to older readers even though it has no explicit language or dicey situations. Only the main characters are developed, but the story is entertaining enough to appeal to fans of lightweight mystery who also relish a hint of romance. Cindy Welch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Library Binding: 272 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen; 1 edition (February 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060559381
• ISBN-13: 978-0060559380
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,576,020 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not GREAT, but not bad either!, June 19, 2006

By 

Sam Henry "SHenry" (Tulsa, Oklahoma) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Black Taxi (Hardcover)

Ride around with Rosie Sinclair as she cruises around in her grandfather's Mercedes (or the Merc as she calls it). Her grandfather gets put in jail, and Rosie, being the only person in the family that can be trustsed to drive the car, is allowed to take care of it for her grandfather while he is away in jail. Aside from doing errands for her grandfather's friends (or the Wrinkles as she calls it), there are not any responsibilites that Rosie has to do; however, there is a mystery. Someone keeps calling her and telling her to give up this ring. Rosie has NO idea what this guy is talking about, so she is hoping that her grandfather does. Upon visiting her grandfather in jail (early in the book), Rosie secretly asks him about "this ring". Her grandfather has no clue. However, with the help from Glenda, her best friend, and Chris, a cute guy Rosie has her eyes on, the ring mystery is figured out. But how? Who is the guy calling? Is her grandfather really going to be hurt as the caller indicates if she doesnt give up the ring??? Read Black Taxi to find all these answers--and more!

3.0 out of 5 stars Pave Paradise, May 8, 2008

By 

Little Willow (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Taxi (Hardcover)

Black Taxi is a fast and funny mystery about a teenager who inherits a choice car from her grandfather upon his incarceration. After a lifetime of petty crimes, he is found guilty of stealing parkas and must go to jail for a while. Rosie gets not only his black Mercedes but also his cell phone. Sweet, right?

Wrong. Wrong number. Someone calls the phone repeatedly, demanding the return of an expensive ring, insisting that her grandfather give it back immediately. Rosie doesn't have the jewelry, but she quickly gets caught up in the mystery and must run extremely odd errands for her grandpa. (I only wish the cover didn't depict Rosie on the phone while driving - not safe, Rosie!) The fast-paced writing, peppered with witty dialogue, lives up to the humorous premise, making it a decent read overall.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing New Teen Novel Filled With Eccentric Characters, March 10, 2005

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Black Taxi (Hardcover)

Eighteen-year-old return high school student, Rosie Sinclair, has always been very close to her Grandfather. So when he's thrown in jail for a crime that her irresponsible Uncle committed, and he gives her full control of the huge, classic Mercedes, she agrees to guard it with her life, and do anything to keep her Uncle away. However, Rosie didn't realize that the Mercedes came equipped with a cell phone. One in which various elderly people call her on at anytime, day or night, asking her for a ride, hence the title "Black Taxi." It is while she is schlepping the "old wrinklies" here to there and back, that she meets two cute guys. Todd, a total hottie who kisses her like she's his aunt; and Chris, a muscular bad boy looking for fun at any cost. Throw in Rosie's eccentric, exotic-dancer best friend, Glenda, calls from a group of very angry jewel thieves, a missing diamond ring, and various high speed car chases, and you've got yourself a ridealong with Rosie.

I adore the teen fiction genre, but rarely does a book that features petty teen nonsense - boys, dating, kissing - as well as a thrilling mystery enter the market, that's why James Moloney's effort, BLACK TAXI is so enthralling. Moloney's lyrical writing is exciting and interesting, and his character development couldn't be more intriguing. Rosie is a spirited character, who has a huge mouth that coincides well with her huge car - and, if you ask her, huge bum. Her eccentric collection of friends, both elderly, and young each bring new aspects to the novel that will capture readers of all ages. A fabulous book that can't be missed!

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper