Gabriel Cohen

Gabriel Cohen (born 1961, Brooklyn, NY) – The protagonist of his 4-volume series, Jack Leightner, is a Jewish NYPD homicide detective. The character’s heritage and personal background are central themes throughout the series: 

Family Heritage: Leightner is of Russian-Jewish descent. His father was a Russian immigrant who worked as a longshoreman in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Red Hook.

Professional Identity: As an NYPD homicide detective, Leightner is often described as an “outsider” because he is part of a small minority—approximately five percent—of Jewish officers in the department.

Cultural Connection: In the third book of the series, Neptune Avenue, Leightner’s investigations delve into his own roots as he navigates the diverse Jewish sects of Crown Heights and the Russian immigrant community in Brighton Beach. [Google/AI]

Cohen, Gabriel [Detective Jack Leightner #1], (Red Hook [hc, Minotaur Books, 1981]) 978-0312274580

Cohen, Gabriel [Detective Jack Leightner #2], (The Graving Dock) [hc, Minotaur Books, 2007] 978-0312362669

Cohen, Gabriel [Detective Jack Leightner #3], (Neptune Avenue [hc, Minotaur Books, 2009]) 978-0312380618

Cohen, Gabriel [Detective Jack Leightner #4], (The Ninth Step [hc, Minotaur Books, 2010]) 978-0312625016