Jake Bendel Thrillers: Book 3
Publication Date: October 6, 2026
THE LIES SHINE BRIGHTEST WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT.
The assassination was only the beginning. When the President of the United States is killed in a coordinated drone strike, the nation spirals into chaos. But this isn’t terrorism. It’s strategy.
Behind the attack stands a brilliant and ruthless leader of a shadowy global cabal known only as New3—a group convinced the age of American dominance is already over.
They’re just speeding it up.
Their plan is devastating in its simplicity:
- First, kill the president.
- Then cripple the nation’s power grid.
- Finally, plunge the United States into darkness long enough for rival superpowers to make their move.
Civil engineer Jake Bendel never expected to be part of that war. As one of the architects of America’s AI-driven energy grid, he helped design the very system now being turned against the country.
As blackouts spread and order begins to fracture, Jake teams up with FBI agent Kristi Konnors to follow a trail of digital clues—only to uncover a conspiracy far bigger than a cyberattack. One that could hand America’s collapse to China and Russia.
Then it becomes personal.
Evidence emerges that Jake’s wife, Cynthia—presumed dead for years—may still be alive, trapped inside the organization behind it all.
Now Jake is running out of time. Because if the lights go out across America, the invasion won’t be far behind. And the system he built may be the only thing that can stop it.
Perfect for fans of David Baldacci and Tom Clancy, BLACKOUT is a high-stakes techno-thriller where cutting-edge technology collides with global power—and one man is forced to decide how far he’ll go to stop what’s coming.
Every technological advancement brings with it a risk of vulnerability. What happens when a targeted attack comes from within?
Author J. Luke Bennecke serves up a political thriller/cautionary tale of how easy it would be to cripple the United States in Blackout.
Chillingly realistic, with a few coordinated attacks, the vulnerable U.S. power grid threatens to buckle. Civil engineer Jake Bendel proves to be a key character thanks to his knowledge of America’s AI-driven energy grid.
Teaming up with an FBI agent to follow the clues, Jake starts unraveling a conspiracy with chilling personal implications.
Blackout delivers a rapid-paced thriller where the actions of a small group threaten to destroy democracy and the lives of countless Americans.
J. Luke Bennecke is an Amazon #1 bestselling thriller author who writes about what happens when technology gets smarter—and people don’t. A former civil engineer and longtime executive, he spent decades designing real-world systems in California before turning to fictional ones that fail far more spectacularly. His novels explore artificial intelligence, surveillance, memory manipulation, and the dangerous gap between innovation and ethics. He is currently at work on his tenth novel.
Luke lives in Southern California with his wife of thirty-five years and their four spunky cats. When not writing, he enjoys philanthropy, consulting as an engineering expert witness, traveling, playing golf, creating videos, and voiceover acting.
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