Cradle: A Max Fend Thriller (Maximum Risk)

Max Fend's expertise. One girl's fury. A universe on the brink.

Max Fend's world orbits around the marvels of the stars above. As an integral cog in the imminent Artemis moon mission and the heartbeat of Fend Aerospace, he's accustomed to challenges that stretch beyond the Earth's atmosphere. Yet he's entirely unprepared for the force of nature that is Gus Gomez.

Gus isn't just a brilliant Peruvian immigrant harboring an indigenous leather pouch steeped in mystery, she's a maelstrom of history, fleeing dark shadows while simultaneously careening toward a cosmic destiny. The pouch she carries contains a crucible of secrets, and it has the potential to upend humanity's understanding of its place in the universe.

As a storm of ancient secrets and vendettas swirls, Max is thrust into the fray. But with Gus's fiery determination and enemies closing in, can Max navigate the dangers and keep the past's revelations from shattering the future?

Chris Bauer's Cradle crafts a tale woven in the tapestry of borderland stories and punctuated by the promise of space in the latest adrenaline-packed installment of the Maximum Risk series.

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Praise for Chris Bauer and the Maximum Risk series:

2024 Winning Author of Thrillerfest Best First Sentence Award

"Another whip-smart thriller from Chris Bauer. Fast paced and tightly plotted from the opening sequence until the last, CRADLE will have you hanging on for dear life. I can’t recommend this book highly enough!” —Bruce Robert Coffin, international bestselling coauthor of The Turner and Mosley Files

"In Cradle, Chris Bauer blends a widely diverse set of characters and events into a punchy, crisp, and timely thriller. Bauer has become a leading practitioner of the genre—and Cradle is no exception." —Don Swaim, author of Jitterbuggin’ with the Renaissance: A Jazz Age Epic and former host of CBS Radio Book Beat

"With COBALT, Chris Bauer delivers a masterclass in thriller writing, weaving a complex tapestry of intrigue and action that's both sharp and compelling." —Andrew Watts, USA TODAY bestselling author

"I was hooked from the first page. Take a look inside the world of Max Fend and how the need for precious resources sets up for a gripping thriller." —Mel Taylor, Emmy Award-winning reporter

"[Cradle] will immerse fans of drama and science fiction." —Reader's Favorite Five Star Review

"An expansive thriller with epic implications" —The DBT Literary Awards Judges

Chris wouldn't trade his northeast Philly upbringing of street sports played on blacktop and concrete, fistfights, brick and stone row houses, and twelve years of well-intentioned Catholic school discipline for a Philadelphia minute (think New York minute but more fickle and less forgiving). Chris has had some lengthy stops as an adult in Michigan and Connecticut, and he thinks Pittsburgh is a great city even though some of his fictional characters do not. He still does most of his own stunts, and he once passed for Chip Douglas of My Three Sons TV fame on a Wildwood, NJ boardwalk. He's a member of International Thriller Writers, and his work has been recognized by the National Writers Association, the Writers Room of Bucks County (PA), and the Maryland Writers Association. He likes the pie more than the turkey.