Ezra Barany

Ezra Barany (born 1969) – a novelist and educator known for his suspenseful thrillers that weave together Jewish mysticism and modern technology. Born and raised in Oakland, California, Barany has had a diverse career as a high school physics teacher, fiction writing coach, and pop musician. He became deeply interested in Bible codes while attending a seminar in Jerusalem, which inspired his transition into thriller writing. He often collaborates with his wife, book coach Beth Barany, on resources for writers. In The Torah Codes (which has been described as a “Jewish version of The Da Vinci Code), the protagonist is Nathan Yirmorshy, a reclusive computer programmer. After discovering his landlord is part of a secret society, Nathan is thrust into a dangerous conspiracy where he finds his own life and identity are encoded in ancient scriptures. He joins forces with a tarot reader to uncover the truth behind the Bible codes, leading them from California to Israel. Two sequels continue Nathan’s story, who faces new challenges as the information hidden within the ancient codes is revealed. 

In 36 Righteous: A Serial Killer’s Hit List, Nathan has to stop a serial killer from destroying the 36 righteous people (the Lamed-Vovniks) on whom the world’s existence depends. The book includes an appendix with essays from various religious leaders discussing the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”. In Deborah’s Number: A Bank Heist Mitzvah, Nathan continues to explore the implications of the codes in dealing with a bank heist.

Bullets Aren’t Kosher is described as a “kosher crime thriller” of amnesia set in San Francisco, this book follows a man who wakes up with no memory, wanted for murder. As evidence mounts against him, he must race to clear his name while questioning his own identity. This book includes essays that delve into Jewish themes, such as what defines a good person, redemption, and the Ten Commandments. [Google/AI]

Barany, Ezra, (The Torah Codes [pb, Dafkah Books, 2011]) 978-0983296010

Barany, Ezra, (36 Righteous: A Serial Killer’s Hit List [pb, Dafkah Books, 2014]) 978-0989500432

Barany, Ezra, (Deborah’s Number: A Bank Heist Mitzvah [pb, Dafkah Books, 2018]) 978-1944841164

Barany, Ezra, (Bullets Aren’t Kosher [pb, Dafkah Books, 2019] 978-1944841232 [hc, Dafkah Books, 2021] 978-1944841416

Baron, Michael, (The Mourning Sexton: A Novel of Suspense [hc, Doubleday, 2005]) 978-0385513265 [mass mkt pb, Jove, 2006] 978-0515141467 [Note: This book was authored by Michael A. Kahn, using “Michael Baron” as a pseudonym. See Michael Kahn listing in this bibliography.]