Frequency: Hard Science Fiction

by Douglas E. Richards, Joshua T. Calvert

An epidemic of suicides. A mystery buried in Jupiter's icy moon. A revelation for the ages.

The new novel from multimillion-copy international bestselling authors Douglas E. Richards and Joshua T. Calvert.

Dr. Alexandra Lennox, a brilliant neuropsychiatrist, rushes to the jungles of Colombia to investigate a terrifying surge in collective psychotic events—groups of healthy people suddenly gripped by visions, catatonia, and inexplicable mass suicides. Teaming with rugged ex-archaeologist Ethan Calloway, she braves treacherous territory to unravel the mystery as the death toll climbs. But the phenomenon is spreading fast. Can they stop it before it becomes a global catastrophe?

Meanwhile, half a billion miles away, Lieutenant Jason Crowe and three other NASA astronauts, on a clandestine mission to reach Jupiter’s ice moon Europa, discover something impossible: a perfectly geometric shaft in the ice pulsing with an artificial signal every 47.5 hours.

Two groundbreaking missions. One impossible connection. What they find will shatter everything we thought we knew about our place in the universe—and open the door to humanity’s next chapter.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Thriller

342 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 27, 2026

About the author

Write to Doug at douglaserichards1 at gmail dot com, and visit the author's website to be notified of new releases.

Douglas E. Richards is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of science-fiction thrillers that have sold more than three million copies (see list below). Richards has been celebrated for his gripping, thought-provoking works that blend cutting-edge scientific concepts with heart-pounding narratives.

Richards burst onto the literary scene with his debut novel, WIRED, published in 2010. The novel garnered widespread acclaim for its ingenious combination of scientific speculation and thrilling storytelling. This success set the stage for a series of bestselling novels, each marked by meticulous research, riveting plots, and characters that resonate with readers.

Known for his ability to translate complex scientific concepts into accessible and engaging narratives, Richards has become a go-to author for readers seeking an intellectually stimulating and adrenaline-fueled reading experience. His works delve deeply into the ethical dilemmas posed by scientific breakthroughs and the potential impact of technology on society.

A former Director of Biotechnology Licensing at Bristol Myers Squibb and a former biotechnology executive, Richards earned a BS in microbiology from the Ohio State University, a master's degree in genetic engineering from the University of Wisconsin--where he engineered mutant viruses now named after him--and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

The author has two grown children and lives in San Diego, California, with his wife and dog.

Richards loves hearing from readers, and always replies, so feel free to write to him at douglaserichards1 at gmail dot com, and address him as "Doug". You can also Friend Richards on Facebook at Douglas E. Richards Author, or visit his website, where you can sign up to be notified of new releases.

SCIENCE FICTION THRILLERS BY DOUGLAS E. RICHARDS

SERIES

WIRED (Wired 1)
AMPED (Wired 2)

MIND'S EYE (Nick Hall 1)
BRAINWEB (Nick Hall 2)
MIND WAR (Nick Hall 3)
UNLEASHED (Nick Hall 4)

SPLIT SECOND(Split Second 1)
TIME FRAME (Split Second 2)

THE ENIGMA CUBE (Alien Artifact 1)
A PIVOT IN TIME (Alien Artifact 2)

STANDALONE NOVELS

QUANTUM LENS
GAME CHANGER
INFINITY BORN
SEEKER
VERACITY
ORACLE
THE IMMORTALITY CODE
UNIDENTIFIED
PORTALS
THE CURE (To become KU eligible for the first time in 2023)
THE BREAKTHROUGH EFFECT

Kids Science Fiction Thrillers (9 and up, enjoyed by kids and adults alike)

TRAPPED (Prometheus Project 1)
CAPTURED (Prometheus Project 2)
STRANDED (Prometheus Project 3)

OUT OF THIS WORLD

DEVIL'S SWORD

Reviews

[Douglas Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't a review, it's just my way of reaching out to my friends and followers to let them know I have a new book out (with Joshua T. Calvert), available as a Kindle book now, a paperback on June 2nd, and an audiobook later in the year. I've pasted the synopsis below. Thanks! Doug

An epidemic of suicides. A mystery buried in Jupiter's icy moon. A revelation for the ages.

The new novel from multimillion-copy international bestselling authors Douglas E. Richards and Joshua T. Calvert.

Dr. Alexandra Lennox, a brilliant neuropsychiatrist, rushes to the jungles of Colombia to investigate a terrifying surge in collective psychotic events—groups of healthy people suddenly gripped by visions, catatonia, and inexplicable mass suicides. Teaming with rugged ex-archaeologist Ethan Calloway, she braves treacherous territory to unravel the mystery as the death toll climbs. But the phenomenon is spreading fast. Can they stop it before it becomes a global catastrophe?

Meanwhile, half a billion miles away, Lieutenant Jason Crowe and three other NASA astronauts, on a clandestine mission to reach Jupiter’s ice moon Europa, discover something impossible: a perfectly geometric shaft in the ice pulsing with an artificial signal every 47.5 hours.

Two groundbreaking missions. One impossible connection. What they find will shatter everything we thought we knew about our place in the universe—and open the door to humanity’s next chapter.

[Grey Story · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this so much more than I did. All the references to "truth is stranger than fiction" type of phenomenon was right up my alley and I enjoyed the way the FMC was weaving them altogether. Cool mystery. It was well written. It's first contact related. Main two characters had depth. So where's the problem? Too many things annoyed the shit out of me.

Questionable Moments/Red Flags/Shit That Annoyed Me:
* On his first introduction to the story, a male main character is described as physically attractive before anything else about him, and then it continues to be noted like every time he's mentioned. There's a barely-there romance subplot (it has romance like La Croix has flavor) but even with the low level so-called romance, his appearance is completely irrelevant to the plot.
* Female main character describes herself as having many typical signs and symptoms of autism. Her parents had her tested. Seeing patterns is her "superpower" - literally what it says in the book, she says it's a superpower and claims only she, Dr Mary Sue, is special enough to see the patterns. Yet INSISTS she does not have autism. Why, exactly, is it so bad for her to have autism???
* Another male main character - Captain Marty Sue if you will - mentions he's a Navy Seal approximately 1,000 times. I'm tempted to get the ebook to actually count except I don't want to spend the money on it.
* Literal Indiana Jones wannabe character except even more extreme because they're also a government spy who conveniently has every skill needed
* Praises president cheeto
* Remember that mystery Dr Mary Sue was working on? Let's completely abandon it 70% of the way through the book to do something else!
* Let's intentionally not bother with silly things like consent or ethics in our sudden interest in performing medical research trials on human subjects! (which we're likely not even qualified to do, but because we're Dr Mary Sue we can make this happen overnight anyway!)
** Double fucked up: said unethical medical study is headed by white british woman on poor patients in India, as if the british hasn't fucked them over enough.
** Arguably this is what she should have been working on the entire book, complete with ethics committee struggles, and that would have made it work better. Similar to the years we skipped of the Europa mission making their way to Europa, the story could have started off by explaining that Dr Mary Sue finally got approval to begin her research trials on her first human volunteer subjects. Start her journey there.
* There's a big ole sacrifice for the greater good but characters don't mention anything about their loved ones - no goodbye, no message to them, no mention in their final breaths/thoughts, nothing.

The ending was almost cartoony in how perfect everything was.

I fail to understand how this book counts as hard science fiction. The idea is laughable to me. Hard science fiction generally doesn't have to tell the readers that it's hard sci-fi. We can tell. Sure, sometimes they go into depth about an engineering issue and Dr Mary Sure cites like a dozen real cases but this book also includes many questionable moments like the above and so many more where there is no explanation at all for something that doesn't make sense. THEN, they have the AUDACITY to write the characters scoffing at other science fiction! (like film Independence Day, which clearly does not take itself seriously??) ExCUSE me?? Do you really think you're better than that? I would take re-watching Will Smith fly an alien spaceship with no explanation over your entitled, condescending attitude. AND, there is nothing wrong with science fiction that isn't hard sci fi. If it's good writing, include all the flux capacitors, wormholes, star gates, Schlond Poofas. etc. without further explanation you want!

[Matt Egan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enthralling From Page 1!

Frequency is a remarkable science fiction novel focused on an anonymous signal picked up on the ice moon of Jupiter, Europa. Coinciding, seemingly unconnected to the signal are outbreaks of mass hysteria, hallucinations and suicides. The two seeming unconnected yet fascinating threads begin to weave together into a fantastic book with a wise and profound final message that the world needs! Overall, 5/5 stars, highly recommended for fans of hard science fiction and first contact thrillers, though Frequency is better than either genre alone. I cannot wait for the follow up!

[Christine Soldwisch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engrossing, educational, exciting!

I'm pleasantly surprised that along with a large amount Scientific information being taught, at the same time, The breath And depth And potential of humanity is expressed. Beautifully crafted story, and despite huge concepts being discussed, easy to follow. The characters were believable, immediately recognizable, it didn't take a long time to figure them out. But not stereotypical!
If you didn't guess by now, I loved it! This reads like a stand alone book, which is rare nowadays. But yea, ill be reading book 2 forthwith.

[Chandler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Simon Maverick for the gifted audiobook - all opinions are my own.

Frequency is a hard science fiction story with vast intrigue and surprising heart.

We follow Dr. Alexandra Lennox, a neuropsychiatrist, as she searches the jungles of Colombia in search of answers to a most curious outbreak - Earth is suffering from mass psychosis events resulting in an epidemic of suicides. Alexandra begins recognizing important patterns and, with the help of a rough-around-the-edges partner, traverses the equator for answers. Meanwhile, Jason Crowe leads a crew on a secretive mission to one of Jupiter’s ice moons, Europa, where they make a discovery that will change the universe. These two missions, separated by half a billion miles, will reshape the trajectory of humanity.

While this is indeed a hard scifi, it never feels so. The authors did a great job at making this interplanetary story accessible and engaging. On the other hand, sometimes the science leaned more tell than show, with Alexandra being the mouthpiece for explaining the neuro-science and Jason the astronomy side of things. The story-telling needed to find that middle ground between over-explaining and skimping on info. Still, it was fascinating science and I found myself researching some of the more mystifying true events referenced throughout. It’s always a positive when I come across a story that teaches me new concepts and historical events.

The cast was small but meaningful. I particularly enjoyed Alexandra and her pattern recognition and intellect but Jason was a very empathetic and endearing character as well. Their separate missions were intriguing but as they drew closer together, the story became utterly captivating.

I listened to the audio, narrated by Lauren Ezzo and Joel Richards, and found it to be an easy and engaging listen. Their portrayals were believable and their performances matched the plot well. I look forward to their narrations in the following book.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the heart this story had. It easily could have been a dry, laborious science fiction piece but the authors explored human themes in an impactful and heartening way. The ending was beautiful and poignant, I am looking forward to reading the next installment.

[Johanne Poirier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story, beautifully written and captivating. If by moments I felt descriptions were long and technical, because I could not wait for the development, I forced myself to slow down and try to understand and picture all that was explained, conscious of the research that went into it. The characters are very interesting and real, I also loved the parallel between the two stories knowing and anticipating the moment they would connect! I will absolutely read book 2 and looking forward to it. A story where the beautiful hope and peace we dream of as humanity is laid bare for us to imagine and touch. Thank you!

[Brandon Wardlaw · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolute train wreck of a novel

Quite difficult to believe this was supposedly written by two experienced authors. Between continuity errors, one-dimensional characters, character actions that make zero sense other than to advance the plot…this novel reads like a beginner creative writing seminar piece.

All science/tech topics are covered at a juvenile level at best — each of the (painful) dialogues on these subjects reads like uninformed YouTube comment section or Reddit banter between idiots that only read headlines.

The ending is jarring, but in retrospect, makes sense. I think the authors realized they wrote themselves into a position from which it would be impossible to salvage the plot, so they just decided to abandon it entirely.

[Gary S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frequency blends planetary mystery with psychological suspense, following two storylines that slowly lock together. On Earth, neuropsychiatrist Alexandra Lennox is sent to Colombia after a cluster of people experience sudden, overwhelming hallucinations that drive some into paralysis and others into suicide. These aren’t isolated breakdowns, they strike groups simultaneously, as if an invisible switch is being flipped in the human mind. Lennox teams up with Ethan Calloway, a former archaeologist with a knack for pattern‑hunting, and the two begin tracing the phenomenon as it spreads beyond the initial region. The deeper they dig, the clearer it becomes that the episodes aren’t random, and they aren’t natural.

Far from Earth, a covert NASA mission lands on Europa, where Lieutenant Jason Crowe and his crew discover a perfectly geometric shaft beneath the moon’s ice. It emits a rhythmic signal at precise intervals, suggesting design rather than geology. As the astronauts descend into the structure, they uncover evidence of an intelligence capable of manipulating frequencies in ways that could affect biological minds, including those on Earth.

The novel’s tension builds as both teams race toward answers, eventually revealing that the Europan signal and the global psychological crisis are two sides of the same phenomenon.

Frequency works because it refuses to choose between scientific intrigue and thriller pacing. The Earth storyline delivers creeping dread, while the Europa mission provides the awe and danger of first contact. The concepts are bold but handled with clarity, and the dual‑thread structure keeps momentum high. It’s a smart, energetic sci‑fi thriller that rewards curiosity and delivers genuine tension.

[Timothy R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular!

Another great story from an amazing author. Being a retired history teacher I never cared much for science fiction. But this man has made all the difference. His story telling is without equal. This particular book was completely different in that every other chapter followed two separate but related stories instead of trying to make the reader try to remember 5 or 6 different concurrent stories like so many authors do. And even though it's science fiction most of it is entirely plausible. Enjoy.

[Charles Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A positive and hopeful 'first contact' story

Frequency is the kind of science fiction novel that reminds you why the genre continues to captivate readers. Intelligent, imaginative and thoroughly absorbing, it delivers an intriguing premise while never losing sight of the human story at its heart.
From the opening chapters, the narrative grips you with a perfect balance of mystery, suspense and scientific speculation. The concepts are ambitious but presented in an accessible way, making the novel equally appealing to lifelong sci-fi enthusiasts and readers who are newer to the genre.
What impressed me most was the quality of the character development. The protagonists feel authentic, their relationships are believable, and their emotional journeys give genuine weight to the unfolding events. As the stakes rise, I found myself completely invested in both the characters and the outcome.
The writing is polished and evocative, creating vivid scenes that are easy to picture without ever slowing the pace. Every chapter reveals something new, and the story continually surprises without relying on gimmicks. It's a novel that encourages you to keep turning the pages while also leaving you with plenty to think about afterwards.
Frequency succeeds on every level: it's entertaining, thought-provoking and emotionally engaging. It explores fascinating ideas while remaining grounded in compelling storytelling, a combination that isn't always easy to achieve.
A memorable and hopeful read.

[RICHARD MATHEWS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but tedious hard science fiction fantasy

This is a slightly crazy story about first contact and some potential dangers, a mix of fantasy and hard science. But, the “hard science” explanations can get a bit tedious, as can the rather twee, polite and unimaginative dialogue. The main characters have similar, nice personalities, invariably scientifically minded nice people who all understand each other. No personal conflict, except for the occasional difficult official. There’s a low key underlying love story. A bit of a fight and flight in an Amazonian jungle. Millions of people around the world secretly committing suicide because of strange, telepathic messages which the scientists think come from vibrations in earth’s atmosphere. A secret NASA mission to Europa to check out a strange alien blue light phenomenon. Turns out it’s a crashed alien spacecraft targeting the blue light at earth as a message of peace, but it’s this blue light that accidentally triggers weird hallucinations in the suicide victims. The NASA astronauts decide to try to save the alien and willingly die in the attempt. But in the end all the main characters save the world and everything is okay and the alien sends the earth a nice thank you message, promotes the benefits of psilocybin and hopes everyone will learn to get on with each other.
The authors have succeeded in creating something interesting, weird and simultaneously boring, but I still read it to the end. Hmmmm.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Douglas Richards and Joshua Calvert team up to write a science fiction, thrilling novel. For most of the story, Frequency bounces back and forth with a blend of hard-science fiction and a mixture of mystery, thriller, and adventure.

The story moves between Europa (one of Jupiter’s larger moons), and South America as scientists, Dr. Alexandra Lennox and Ethan Callaway, seek to understand a mysterious series of psychotic events in Colombia and around the earth’s equator. At the same time, Lt. Jason Crowe, Commodore Ramirez, and two other astronauts journey to Europa to investigate a regularly pulsating signal and blue light coming from beneath the moon’s icy surface.

As Dr. Lennox and Callaway gather medical / scientific information, unknown assailants pursue them in various parts of the globe. While this is going on, Lt. Crowe, Commodore Ramirez, and their crew make a series of Europa discoveries that alter their plans and could derail their earthly return.

[Liselotte Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

När man läser historiematerialistisla analyser på vardagarna får man läsa framtidsschlock på helgerna.
Eller visst ja, detta är ”hard science [fiction]”. Och jo, själva det vetanskapliga håller helt okej, så vitt en fysiklärare på mellanstadiet kan bedöma. Det schlockiga kommer i regnskogsromansen och hjältejiddret. SF brukar innebära viss suspension of belief, men här handlar den ”jaja, jag får väl bara köpa det då”-känslan mer om de mänskliga beteendena än själva rymdresandet och sånt. Jag vet inte hur det är med dig, men om jag samarbetade med tre andra personer i fem år, merparten av tiden isolerade på ett rymdskepp, skulle det nog inte dröja till det var dags för landning innan jag frågade saker som ”Du då, har du nån hobby?”… (exposition much?)
Men skit samma. Det är underhållande, och nästan lite hjärtknipande också där i slutet.

För övrigt den tredje boken i år jag läser som utspelar sig i trakterna kring Europa (månen, inte världsdelen, obvs.)

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing style of this book reminds me very much of reading Jurassic Park, which I enjoyed.

The way the science develops is fascinating and entertaining. Some of the scientific references made me fact check which is fun.

The real strength of the book is in the plot and how it moves.

Like Jurassic Park, the weakness of the book is in the character development. The characters said the right things at the right time, but had very little depth. The characters served the plot, they did not enhance it.

Having said that, I enjoyed the book and may read the sequel. The book would make an excellent movie in the right hands.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing look into our future

this is by far another sci-fi tale of finding an alien Visitor, being friendly and the world is saved.
Instead it's the clever interaction of a genius doctor battling a world wide plaque along with 4 brave space scientists secretly exploring a Jupiter moon that ultimately connects us with an advanced species calling Earth for assistance. At first the scientist's endeavors seem unrelated to the action and excitement of going to Jupiter, but quickly comes around to build the foundation. Not going to spoil the rest of the plot, but this tale just begs for a Book 2. Another home run for Richards and Calvert.

[Nathan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Instant Prose and Middle School Level Science

The book started out well but then the dialogue melted into cliches and weak prose. The connection between the earthbound doctor and the Jupiter moon crew was obvious too quickly. Also, the preaching of how psychedelic drugs are good for you was a chapter long. It was like an advertisement for mental health psychedelics. Book was simply terrible with lines like, “the stars will remember”. Fairly certain that line should be relegated to romance novels.

[James Scalora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frequency: Hard Science Fiction by Douglas E. Richards
Enjoyed the two parallel plots with diverse settings. I read it for the hard science that presented some interesting new information such as the Earth's frequency topic. The space travel psychology discussions regarding four years of confined proximity was somewhat optimistic although convincing. I felt the story became a little preachy near the end with challengeable positivity. I am hopeful it was accurate. Need to remember the characters are rightfully a very select group.

[Vince · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not since Wired and Amped have I enjoyed a book so much! I love the science. It’s not overwhelming, but very present. I liked the character building between the indigenous and gringo. How ignorant; the separation of boots-on-the-ground vs lab-in-the-books…well done!
Once you got used to “space” and “jungle”, it was easy to follow.
Nosebo vs placebo, OMG.
There is no control in life except over your mind…a quote from the book, but so true.
Keep writing Mr. Richards, you are a master!

[Michael Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Miracle of Europa

The epilogue to this novel raised my rating from 3 to 5. It is very powerful. The four astronauts also were compelling in their wisdom. Alexandra was very well portrayed as well.

Richards and Calvert have a vivid understanding of people and what extraterrestrials must be like.

No, I'm not going to give you any of the very complicated plot. Read the book and find out how it resonates with you.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Story; couldn't put it down.

I just finished Frequency last night. A fantastic wild ride, with a number of very cogent and relevant lessons for today's world. We should heed them or suffer the dire consequences. Thank you Douglas and Joshua for an excellent book. Looking forward to Frequency 2.

[Francine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frequency is hard science fiction and pure delight!

This was a hugely surprising revelation of a book that beautifully weaves an Earth-bound mystery of unexplainable mass suicides with what unfolds on a cold moon of Jupitor that forever changes life as we know it. The conclusion left me weeping tears of joy. Simply a womderful read!

[Daniel L. Morehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

As others have commented

I am just repeating what has already been said, but wanted to respond for the record. These folks have made some very thoughtful concepts ( which are well beyond my abilities) a very entertaining story. Please keep up the good work...looking forward to book 2.

[Darren Rumbold · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had some difficulty at first with the two plot lines alternating between chapters, but once I saw how they were going to connect; I was on board. It was a good read with some interesting bits of science thrown in. However, I thought some of the later action dealing with hardware being moved down to Europa was too fantastical. I also thought the ending was a bit abrupt.   

[Robert Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

One of the greatest books I've ever read. This was action from beginning to end. Couldn't put it down. With the best cast of characters I've read about. If book 2 is anyway near as good as book 1 I can't wait to start it. I recommend reading this to all that love science fiction.

[Gary Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent+++

And for those of you who may have read some of my other reviews... You know that he is my favorite author!!!! So if you're wondering why, I'll just say... Read any of his books and you'll see why. But now a comment on this one. I was so caught up that at times I had to remind myself that it was fictional.... It was as if I was reading a telling of true events. 🙂

[Marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two storylines, one on Earth and one out at Europa, and I was equally keen to get back to each one…which rarely happens for me. What sold it was four astronauts choosing to help a stranded alien at enormous cost to themselves. I'd have liked more detail put into how the ending played out, but it was still a neat ending and perhaps the detail I need will be in the sequel.

[Dennis Slepak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teriffic Read

I am fairly stingy with my 5 star ratings but “Frequency” earned every one of them. I read this book nonstop until I finished it; looking forward to the release of “Frequency 2”.

[Sean Randall · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting to find Doug's footprints on this one, I missed a detailed author's note at the end too! I went in a little apprehensive at the collaboration but was surprisingly engaged throughout and enjoyed the story.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the book, like the hard science, like the fundamental idea.

Minor spoiler - The writing around the relationship felt strained and actually distracted from the book.

Will still read the sequel when it's out.

[Kathryn Samec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

I love this story. Not knowing how it would end I was engaged throughout. But the end… The end is the best! We are all One… And when us earthlings finally get that, what we will accomplish together will be amazing.