First published 2014
Detective Jacob Lev wakes up confused after a night he cannot recall, involving a mysterious woman who has vanished without a trace. His personal confusion becomes secondary when he gets reassigned to a Special Projects squad and arrives at a bizarre crime scene in the Hollywood hills. No body waits for him, just a severed head on the floor and the Hebrew word for justice seared into a kitchen counter. This case pulls Lev into an investigation that spans from Los Angeles to London to Prague, connecting him to the ancient legend of the Golem of Prague. Created by a sixteenth century rabbi to protect his people, the clay creature has awakened from centuries of dormancy. As Lev pursues the truth, he discovers that everything he believed about reality is wrong. The investigation becomes a journey of self discovery that will transform not just his understanding of the world, but the world itself.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, fantasy, supernatural, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: detective, found-family, mystery, supernatural
Setting: Hollywood, London, Los Angeles, Prague
Period: 16th Century, Contemporary
560 pages · Hardcover · G.P. Putnam's Sons
Content warnings: violence