Full Bio...

Michael J Cooper writes historical mysteries set in the Holy Land at major turning points of history while subtly promoting the subversive notions of coexistence and peace. His latest novel, The Rabbi’s Knight, set at the end of the Crusades in the year 1290, is a prequel to a series – Seasons of Empire. The Rabbi’s Knight has won multiple awards; in addition to the 2026 National Indie Excellence Award for Religious Fiction, it was the Overall Grand Prize Winner and Best Book of 2025 at the Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) where the Seasons of Empire book series won the 2025 CIBA Grand Prize for Best Book Series.
A native of Berkeley, California, Cooper emigrated to Israel after high school and spent the next eleven years studying and working there. He lived in Jerusalem during the last year the city was divided between Israel and Jordan, studied at Hebrew University, and graduated from Tel Aviv University Medical School. He returned to the US to specialize in pediatric cardiology, and after 40 years of practice, he continues to return to the Middle East for biannual volunteer missions serving Palestinian children who lack access to care.