The Books of Willard Boyd Gardner

Willard (Bill) Gardner is the author of two novels, Race Against Time, and its sequel, Pursuit of Justice, both published by Covenant Communications. Bill writes from his experiences as a police detective and SWAT team member. He attributes the hair-raising stories to the heroic actions of his fellow officers—the hair-brained stories, well, he can’t imagine how he came up with those.

"Gardner is a breath of fresh air in LDS fiction. Race Against Time takes us into the life of a Salt Lake City S.W.A.T. team member who finds himself suddenly back in the 1830s very close to where the Hauns Mill Massacre took place. And Pursuit of Justice picks us up where Race Against Time left off. These are brilliantly written books with tension, action, and excellent story telling. Good for all ages, both boys and girls, men and women. You're going to want to keep an eye on everything Gardner publishes. He's going straight to the top, no question. And hey folks . . . no swearing, no sex . . . just good honest action that'll keep you breathlessly turning every page. He says he wrote his books for men, but women and children are loving them every bit as much. He's a must-have in your Fiction library."

-- Candace E. Salima (Author & Screenwriter)

Owen Richards has already lived a lifetime’s worth of adventures. Now he looks forward to returning to his relatively simple life as a SWAT team member, learning a little more about religion, and winning the heart of the beautiful Mormon woman, Julianna McCray. There’s just one problem: Owen swears that he’s seen Raymond Hunt, the psychotic killer who has been dead for months-the man who murdered his partner.

Owen hesitantly agrees to see a psychologist and makes some astonishing claims about his past, and about being stalked by Raymond Hunt, including threatening phone calls, ominous e-mails, and a suspicious burglary at his home.

Alone in his fears, and under investigation by the FBI, Owen decides to discover the truth about Raymond Hunt on his own. But just as Owen gets close to tracking down the source of his paranoia, Julianna goes missing, and Owen must use all of his skill, training, and his newfound faith to rescue the woman he loves, and to keep them both alive.

Life seems simple enough for Owen Richards. He likes it simple. Twenty-nine, single, a steady girlfriend, and unburdened by religion, Owen enjoys his work as an elite police officer. Then his best friend is killed during a dangerous hostage rescue.

Guilt-ridden, irritable, and questioning his own lack of beliefs, Owen agrees to do a favor for a family friend, hoping to get his mind of his troubles. The favor turns out to be driving Julianna McCray, an intelligent, gorgeous, LDS woman to Missouri.

Julianna's companionship makes for the perfect distraction. But just when Owen's life seems to be making sense again, he steps unwittingly back into history. The year is 1838, and Owen helps a distressed frontier woman save her brother from a group of anti-Mormons and thrusts himself into the middle of the vicious persecution by the Missouri mobs.

It will take all of Owen's training and discipline- and some help from above- to stay a live, defend a newfound truth, and return to the woman he. . . loves.

With compelling characters and razor-sharp suspense, Race Against Time is a pulse-pounding triumph by talented author Williard Boyd Garnder.