He spends his last night of freedom with two friends, contemplating his uncertain future and the decisions he made that brought him to this point.

[1] Publishers Weekly said The 25th Hour was "brilliantly conceived, this gripping crime drama boasts dead-on dialogue, chiaroscuro portraits of New York's social strata and an inescapable crescendo of tension.

"[7] Entertainment Weekly rated it an A-minus, saying that Benioff "shows a knack for critiquing his genre while revitalizing its cliches" and the novel "achieves both pathos and excitement.

"[8] Actor and producer Tobey Maguire read a preliminary trade copy of the book and became interested in making a film from it.

Filmed and released after the 9/11 attack, it has numerous references to it through Lee's work; he reflects on the effect on the city and its residents.