36 Righteous Men

New York homicide detectives pursue a serial killer in this apocalyptic thriller.

When James Manning and Covina “Dewey” Duwai are called in to investigate a string of murders, their investigations take them from the headquarters of the Russian mafia in Brighton Beach to a sweltering maze of shops in Little Hong Kong, with scant leads on the killer. But when Manning and Dewey apprehend a woman—a disgraced but brilliant rabbinical scholar—fleeing one of the crime scenes, they’re brought face-to-face with the shocking truth: the Jewish legend of the hidden Righteous Men, the 36 who protect the world from destruction, is no legend at all. They are real, and they are being murdered.

As the bodies pile up and the world tilts further into chaos, Manning and Dewey must protect the last of the Righteous Men from a ruthless killer able to beguile his victims and command them against their will. Plunged into a deadly game of cat and mouse, the detectives find their arsenal of bullets and blades of little use against a foe who knows their every move.

Joining forces with the rabbinical scholar and a renowned anthropologist, Manning and Dewey set off on a perilous quest from New York to Gehenna in Israel to confront a murderer who won’t stop until he’s killed every one.

About the Author: Steven Pressfield is the author of the best-selling novels Gates of Fire and Tides of War, as well as The Legend of Bagger Vance. He is also the author of the cult classics on creativity The War of Art, Do the Work, and The Artist's Journey. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

"this un-put-downable apocalyptic thriller from Pressfield (The Profession) is steeped in Jewish eschatology—specifically the legend of the Thirty-Six Righteous Men, whose existence justifies the purpose of humankind in the eyes of God and prevents God from destroying the entire race.... While many narrative elements are noteworthy—the character depth, the powerful political and social commentary, the nonstop action, the breakneck pacing—it’s the author’s meticulously described and alarmingly realistic near-future Earth that will chill readers to their core. This dystopian cautionary tale stands as Pressfield’s most ambitious work to date." - Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"The story, told through Dewey’s case notes, is an absorbing take on good vs. evil, and disasters pulled from today’s headlines lend unsettling realism to the supernatural-tinged apocalyptic setting." - Booklist

"With its caustic sensibility, fast and furious action scenes, and brusque dialogue (which is presented in a boxy screenplay format), the book boasts a lively comic-book sensibility. The action extends to Israel, where an intense do-or-die climax takes place in archaeological tunnels beneath accursed Gehenna. This leads to a conference in Cyprus dubbed 'Earth's Last Chance,' which may leave you wondering whether Pressfield, had he known when he started the book just how fast climate change is progressing, would have put global warming on a more equal footing with his human serial killer as an immediate threat. Cop mentality meets religious fanaticism meets the future in a highly entertaining pop noir." - Kirkus Reviews