The Dead Can't Make a Living

by Ed Lin

“A unique blend of tension, charm, tragedy, and optimism, with characters you’ll love and a setting so real you’ll think you’ve been there. Highly recommended.”—Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher series

Ed Lin's big-hearted, eye-opening fifth installment in the fan-favorite Taipei Night Market series

Jing-nan, the owner of the most popular food stand in Taipei’s world-famous Shilin night market, is hauling trash after a successful evening of hawking Taiwanese delicacies to tourists when he finds a corpse propped up against the dumpsters. The dead man turns out to be Juan Ramos, a Philippine national who came to Taiwan for a job at a massive ZHD food processing plant.

Jing-nan is haunted by Ramos’s story, and by the heartbreak of his family, who arrive in Taipei looking for answers. ZHD has a history of safety violations, and activists have a hunch Ramos’s death might be part of a cover-up. Meanwhile, Jing-nan’s gangster uncle, Big Eye, has his own mysterious, probably illegal, reasons for being concerned about what’s going on in ZHD. He pressures Jing-nan into a daring and risky going undercover as a migrant laborer to get a job at the food processing plant and reporting back about the conditions inside. Jing-nan hopes to find out the truth for the Ramos family, and to save other immigrant lives—but first he has to survive the spy operation.

A rollicking crime novel and a scorchingly timely examination of our global dependence on undocumented immigrants and inhumane labor conditions.

Genres: Mystery

336 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication April 7, 2026

About the author

Ed Lin is a journalist by training and an all-around stand-up kinda guy. He's the author of several books: Waylaid, his literary debut, and his Robert Chow crime series, set in 1970s Manhattan Chinatown: This Is a Bust, Snakes Can't Run, and One Red Bastard. Lin, who is of Taiwanese and Chinese descent, is the first author to win three Asian American Literary Awards. Lin lives in New York with his wife, actress Cindy Cheung.

Reviews

[Mai H.]

ANHPI TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Soho Crime

[Jess Reads Horror · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and SoHo Crime for the ARC.

Jung-nan leads a busy life. He works at his family’s night market skewer stand, takes business night classes, and somehow gets involved in helping to solve the murder of an OFW, Juan Ramos. While none of that sounds simple, it really just gets a lot more complicated and dangerous.

This is my first book by Ed Lin, and I only found out that this was actually the fifth book in his series called Taipei Night Market. I was very much drawn to the premise as it entails not only mystery, justice, but the location is also very dear and familiar to me. While it might help to read the previous books first (many references to his past adventures), this also works as a standalone.

This is a great book if you’re looking to get acquainted with the socio political and tourism of Taiwan. But deeper than that, I appreciate the author bringing to light the struggles of OFWs, as they are in foreign land simply trying to make a living, but many times taken advantage of. Of course, this happens in many places around the world, but I rarely read about it in fictions works.

With that said, the tone and style of writing was not really my cup of tea. Perhaps being from Taiwan, I feel either pretty well acquainted with the location and history already, so I did find myself skipping over parts where the author takes spontaneous deep dives. While the main character is a good guy, his sense of humor and style kind of tired me out. This is wholly dependent on your sense of humor of course, but just highlighting what did and did not work for me.

Would definitely recommend not just this book but also the series to anyone with an interest in mystery or Asian culture.

[Aracely Figueroa · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first time ever reading Ed Lin. Although this is the fifth book in the series, I read this as a stand alone and was able to understand who Jing-nan was and the crazy things he has gone through. Loved the cover for the book, I just had to read it! Loved the mix of humor and thrilling aspect.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to both NetGalley and Soho Press for an advance copy of this tasty mystery set in Taiwan dealing with immigrants, the way they are treated, life under the shadow of China, and lots and lots of food.

I have grown tired of American crime novels. Police procedurals read more like fantasy stories with devoted cops fighting crime, and thrillers guys with the name Steele, or Gunn fighting to keep America safe. Thankfully there are international crime books that fill in that gap in my reading. Many of which are honest about crime and how it is treated in their countries. I have always thought that crime novels reflect what a society believes. Sure you get rich people solving murders in locked rooms during high teas, but police novels set in a different locale, really can be valuable. The writing reflects what is believed by the people both writing, and being written about. Mystery stories show what is acceptable, what is enforced and what is ignored. Mostly ignored. Books by outsiders, who know a nation can also skirt those pesky censorship rules, the back the blue ideas that make showing what a country is like difficult. Plus one might learn a lot about food, like in this series. Especially when the series is as enjoyable and entertaining as this one is. The Dead Can't Make a Living by writer and journalist Ed Lin is the fifth book in the A Taipei Night Market series, a book featuring a young entrepreneur being dragged kicking and screaming into a murder mystery, one that might be far more dangerous than anyone expects.

Jing-nan has lost both his parents, returned home to Taiwan to take over the family business, turned it around and acquired a girlfriend, and friends. Jing-nan has also been beaten, kidnapped, made an enemy of the cops and helped investigate a few murders. Something he hopes is in the past. Jing-nan has returned to school, taken to social media and made his market stand a big success. One that is marred by a body found by his dumpster. Juan Ramos was a young man coming to Taiwan as what is called a OFW, Overseas Filipino Worker. Ramos hoped to make money for family, but found himself working for a company with a very bad reputation. One that they might kill to protect. Jing-nan has an uncle Big Eye, who has ties to some well nefarious people. Big Eye is concerned about the murder, much more than he should be Jing-nan thinks. Jing-nan is asked or commanded to go undercover at the company ZHD and find out what is going on. Something that might make him next to be found by a dumpster.

I really enjoy this series for a variety of reasons. One the sense of place that Lin creates. Within a few sentences one gets an understand of the people of Taiwan, the social morays, and how things are. Lin drops this hints quite a bit, making readers understand what life is like in Taiwan, the many people who live there and the fear they have of China. Lin also looks at the plight of foreign workers, one that sounds very familiar and reminiscent of this country. The characters are all very well-written, and seem like real people. Though what Nancy, Jing-nan's girlfriend sees in him could be questioned. The mystery is secondary to what is going on with the characters, their involvement in immigrant rights, even college and Jing-nan's Uncle's machinations. Which works well, allowing the story to really breath and give a really good description of life in a night market, Taipei and Taiwan in general. Also Jing-nan is a very fine cook and food creator, which adds even more to the story.

This is the fifth book, but one can pick this up with few problems. Jing-nan introduces himself cleverly in the first chapter, and serves as a different way of catching up with the character and getting up to speed. A series I look forward to, and one I can't wait for more.

[Haddy • haddyreadshere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley & Soho Press for the ARC.

This was such an interesting read. This is actually my first time reading a book centered on Taiwanese people and migrant workers, so it was a huge eye-opener for me.

There were so many things in this book that made me pause and think, and honestly, it made me want to do more research — especially about how migrant workers are treated in Taiwan and whether these issues are still ongoing, since this book is about to be published. And it was just really sad to see that, despite the fact that we’re all human beings, some people are treated as less simply because they’re less privileged.

One thing that really stood out to me was this idea that migrants are blamed for crime. Like, are we saying that every citizen of a country is inherently good, and it’s only migrants and immigrants that bring “badness” into a society? That just doesn’t make sense to me. I think it’s much easier for people to point fingers than to look inward and confront the reality that bad people exist everywhere — regardless of nationality, race, or background.

Another thing the book highlighted was the hypocrisy: migrants are accused of “ruining” the country, yet they’re actively contributing to the economy and its growth. They’re doing the hardest, dirtiest jobs, getting paid less, lacking access to proper healthcare and housing — and even from the little they earn, they’re still being exploited. It was heartbreaking to see the kinds of choices people are forced to make just to survive, especially when they have families back home depending on them.

I also found the narrator’s journey really interesting. At the beginning, he couldn’t empathize with the Filipino workers at all. In his mind, he was Taiwanese — he didn’t have to struggle the way they did. Even if he worked in a factory, he’d get the better-paying job. Their reality and his reality didn’t intersect. But everything changed when he was forced to walk in their shoes. That’s when it truly hit him just how much they were enduring — not just workplace brutality and injustice, but racism outside the factory as well.

Reading this made me think about how universal this experience is. You can easily relate it to what’s happening globally — how immigrants are treated as “less than” simply for seeking better opportunities, despite being hardworking and essential. They carry so much of the labor, yet bear the brunt of abuse.

This is my first time reading anything by this author, and I genuinely appreciated the experience. The story was beautifully written, authentic, thoughtful, and even had moments of subtle humor that balanced the heaviness. Everything came together really well, and I truly enjoyed it.

[Hazel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars


This book wasn’t entirely what I expected it to be. Upon requesting (or wishing for) this book on NetGalley, I didn’t realize it was part 5 in an already well-established series. While there are some references and spoilers for the previous books, this story can perfectly be read as a standalone.

What I really liked and appreciated was the way you got a glimpse into Taiwanese culture and history through the story from the night market workers, and the little inside jokes and wordplays in multiple languages didn’t go underappreciated either, as someone who’s studied Chinese in another lifetime.

The Characters were very likeable and felt real, and the book made me very hungry at multiple points, when describing the rich and delicious foods being prepared and eaten in the story.

What I liked a little less though, was the thriller/mystery-aspect of the whole story. Our main character, Jing-nan, finds the body of a Filipino migrant worker in an alley nearby his successful food stand in the night market. The book focuses solely on Jing-nan, and how he initially tries to not get involved at all with the whole situation, due to circumstances from the previous books in the installment.

I don’t mind a reluctant hero main character, I have a soft spot for normal citizens getting dragged into adventures that are a little above their paygrade. But it takes more than two thirds of the story before we get any clues even to what has happened, for the rest of the story, everyone is just trying to make the whole story go away, and there is not even real active pushback from our main cast. The mafia has to step in to actually get the ball rolling.

I had hoped to switch up the beautiful atmosphere of the night market for the thrilling chase of suspects and red herrings, but ended up feeling fairly disappointed by the way things developed, and the ending also felt a little lackluster because of it. I am, however, curious about the other night market books, so I might try and read from the beginning, though with my expectations adjusted accordingly.

[Michael Doane]

In The Dead Can't Make a Living, Ed Lin returns to the vibrant yet shadowed streets of Taipei for the fifth installment in his Taipei Night Market series. Blending crime fiction with sharp social commentary, Lin crafts a story that is equal parts suspenseful investigation and humane portrait of migrant labor realities.

The novel opens in the bustling corridors of Shilin Night Market, where Jing nan beloved food stall owner and reluctant sleuth stumbles upon the body of Juan Ramos, a Filipino worker employed at a major food processing plant. What begins as a shocking discovery evolves into a layered inquiry into corporate negligence, immigrant vulnerability, and systemic exploitation.

Lin’s gift lies in balancing tonal contrasts: tension and warmth, tragedy and optimism. Jing nan’s motivations are not rooted in heroism but empathy. Haunted by the grief of Ramos’s family and pressured by his enigmatic gangster uncle Big Eye, he goes undercover as a migrant laborer inside the very plant suspected of wrongdoing. The undercover operation provides a gripping narrative engine, while also exposing dangerous working conditions and the fragile status of foreign laborers in Taiwan’s economy.

The novel’s social relevance elevates it beyond genre conventions. Lin confronts global supply chains and the human cost embedded within them, all while maintaining brisk pacing and moments of charm characteristic of the series. Jing-nan remains an endearing protagonist resourceful yet vulnerable, navigating both criminal intrigue and personal conscience.

The Dead Can't Make a Living promises to satisfy crime fiction readers while delivering a timely examination of labor injustice and moral responsibility in an interconnected world.

[Micheal Drew]

The Dead Can’t Make a Living by Ed Lin is a gripping and socially conscious crime novel that blends suspense, humor, and sharp social commentary. As the latest installment in the Taipei Night Market series, the book continues to explore the vibrant yet complicated world surrounding the bustling markets of Taipei.

The story centers on Jing-nan, the owner of a popular food stand in the famous Shilin Night Market. After a busy evening serving customers, Jing-nan makes a disturbing discovery a body left near the market’s dumpsters. The dead man, Juan Ramos, is a migrant worker from the Philippines who had been employed at a large food processing company.

As Jing-nan learns more about Ramos’s story and the grief of his family, he becomes increasingly determined to uncover the truth behind the man’s death. Suspicion begins to fall on the company where Ramos worked, a facility with a troubling record of safety violations. Soon, Jing-nan is pulled into a risky investigation when his uncle known as Big Eye pressures him to go undercover as a migrant laborer at the plant.

Through Jing-nan’s dangerous attempt to expose the truth, the novel explores important contemporary issues, including labor exploitation, migrant worker rights, and the hidden costs of global food production. At the same time, the story maintains the fast-paced tension and colorful characters that fans of crime fiction enjoy.

Overall, The Dead Can’t Make a Living offers a compelling mix of mystery, cultural insight, and social relevance. Ed Lin delivers a crime novel that not only entertains but also sheds light on the human stories behind global labor systems.

[Bao Bao · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fifth book from the Taipei Night Market series.

Jing-nan works at a night food stall in a busy Taiwanese market. One night, he stumbles across a dead body. A foreign Filipino worker, Juan Ramos. How and why did he die there is the question that the family wants to know...

Surprisingly, Jing-nan is convinced to enter the Factory that Juan Ramos worked in. He tries to look for his brother, who went also went in to find out what happened. At the Factory, Jing-nan meets Benny, and then eventually finds out the truth.

A fun detective-like/cozy mystery novel blended into one.
I thankfully listened to the first four books, which gave me an insight of who the main characters are. But, in all honesty, this can be read as a standalone book.

I did enjoy this book, but at times I did feel it was going getting sidetracked into the food business, which was the same in the first four books. Giving it a 5 star for some of the quirks, and the realisation that Taiwan is not a perfect country in regards to their migrant workers and poor salaries, which is basically the same in every single country on this planet.

Thanks to Netgalley and Soho Press | Soho Crime for a copy of this ARC!

[Blake Grainger · Rating 3 out of 5]

'The Dead Can't Make a Living' did have some positives that I really enjoyed about it. The night market setting was a really fun place to have the story be set, and it was so easy to place yourself in the hustle and bustle that would be taking place there. The plot point about international workers and dodgy business practices was something that I really appreciated reading about as it brought up an issue that I was unconsciously oblivious to and brought to light the way that these undocumented people can be exploited by businesses.

The negatives were that the book just fell a bit flat overall. The story took a little bit of time to get into the meat of the story and once we got there the stakes didn't really feel as high as they should've felt for me. The book was something I am glad to have read but the negatives still impacted the overall rating.

[Leah Block · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review forthcoming from FOREWORD magazine

[RavenNoir]

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