The Holy is a novel by bestselling author Daniel Quinn (who wrote the novel Ishmael), published in October 2002 by Context Books, about a man's quest to find ancient "false gods".

The novel's genre is not easily classifiable but has elements of horror, thriller and new age mysticism about it, together with some coherent themes interlaced regarding consumerism, the environment, the sacredness of nature and the pitfalls of religious faith.

Aaron, a wealthy amateur scholar, hires sexagenarian private investigator Howard, whom he meets at a chess club in Chicago to which they both belong, to investigate the gods Baal, Ashtoroth and Moloch, that were worshipped for centuries in Israel during a period of antiquity when the God of Abraham had fallen into disfavor.

However, Howard only agrees to work on the problem for one month to test whether any inroads can be made into the peculiar case.

In their quest they are dogged by supernatural events that are eventually revealed as the workings of the gods who may be "false," but who are, nevertheless, real.