Beyond Judgment

With Publishers Weekly heralding the first book in his Brainrush thriller series as “terrifically entertaining” and “inventive and compelling,” Beyond Judgment, the third in the series, sees hero Jake Bronson at the mercy of his hidden past.

After waking up with amnesia from a six-year coma, Jake Bronson’s past is lost to him. But that doesn’t mean the past hasn’t been looking for him—or that it will let him live when it finally catches up.

Jake’s placid, anonymous life in Italy is shattered by the arrival of an assassination squad hell-bent on eliminating him—and he has no idea why he’s in their crosshairs. He’s saved only when an American scientist intervenes, wielding strange technology that briefly reactivates Jake’s dormant memories and deadly skills. As unknown enemies continue to hound Jake’s every step, the scientist helps him reconnect with lost friends and loved ones who believed him long dead.

Any happy reunion is forfeit, though, as Jake’s murky history and mysterious talents conceal a terrible secret that—should it fall into the wrong hands—could trigger the extinction of the human race. Averting this apocalypse means Jake must risk everything to reawaken his true self and stop an ancient order from unleashing humanity’s ultimate judgment.

Richard Bard was born in Munich, Germany, to American parents and joined the United States Air Force like his father. But when he was diagnosed with cancer and learned he had only months to live, he left the service. He earned a management degree from the University of Notre Dame and ultimately ran three successful companies involving advanced security products used by US embassies and governments worldwide. Now a full-time writer, he lives in Redondo Beach, California, with his wife, and remains in excellent health.