by Lavie Tidhar
First published 2025
Two men hunt for the same legendary treasure across different eras in Palestine. The first searches during the quiet days of Ottoman rule, when the land moves at an ancient pace. Decades later, the second follows the same path as British forces prepare their final withdrawal from the Holy Land. War transforms the peaceful backwater into chaos. Both men face bandits who rob travelers and poets who spin tales. Dreamers chase impossible visions while killers stalk the roads. The land itself changes beneath their feet as empires rise and fall. Each hunter moves toward the same destination, drawn by stories of riches buried in sacred ground. Their separate journeys converge on a place known for death, where skulls mark the site of ancient executions. The treasure that calls to both men lies somewhere in this blood-soaked earth, waiting to claim new victims.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, mystery, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, parallel-narratives
Setting: Palestine
Period: 19th-century, 20th-century
352 pages · Hardcover · Head of Zeus
Content warnings: violence