The Book of Names - Softcover

Within each generation, there are thirty-six righteous souls. Their lives hold the key to the fate of the world. Now someone wants them dead.
 
When a childhood tragedy comes back to haunt Professor David Shepherd, he finds himself in possession of knowledge that holds the world in a delicate balance. He uncovers the Book of Names---an ancient text originating with the biblical Adam, and thought lost to history forever. By Kabbalistic tradition, the book contains the names of each generation’s thirty-six righteous souls---the Hidden Ones---by whose merits alone the world continues to exist. Legend holds that if all thirty-six Hidden Ones were eliminated, the world would meet its end.
When the Hidden Ones start dying of unnatural causes, the world grows increasingly unstable: war in Afghanistan, massive flooding in New York, brutal terrorist attacks in Melbourne, a tanker explosion in Iran. David finds himself battling against the Gnoseos, a secret religious sect whose goal is to destroy the world by eliminating all of the righteous souls. David’s involvement quickly turns personal when his stepdaughter’s name is discovered to be one of the endangered. With the help of a brilliant and beautiful Israeli ancient texts expert, David races to decipher the traditions of the Kabbalah to save the righteous souls, his stepdaughter, and perhaps the world. Jill Gregory and Karen Tintori are writing partners who have been best friends for more than twenty years. Jill Gregory is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has written more than thirty books of women’s fiction. Karen Tintori is an award-winning author whose most recent book is Unto the Daughters, a family memoir.

They eliminated eighteen and triggered the Inquisition, dispatched twelve and the Yellow River burst its banks in China.
 
They murdered thirty and the Nazis invaded Poland.
 
Now thirty-three of the thirty-six are dead. With the world hurtling toward destruction, only three souls stand in the way of the end of the world. And it is up to him to find them....

"Relentless and riveting, The Book of Names speeds you across continents and centuries in the ultimate seductive read. From fascinating characters to real-life legends, this debut ranks as unforgettable."
---Gayle Lynds, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Spymaster "The Book of Names grabs you on page one and doesn't let you go. Weaving together the Kabbala, the tarot, and the forces of good and evil, this chilling thriller has a self-assured voice and all the right elements to make for a nonstop, nail-biting read."
---M. J. Rose, author of the international bestseller The Venus Fix "Convincing characters and a rapidly moving plot combine to create an enjoyable religious thriller...."
---Library Journal "Intricately plotted historical suspense . . . an intriguing synthesis of Jewish mysticism and modern murder mystery. A swift, intelligent thriller."
---Kirkus Reviews