Where Law, History, and Faith Intersect
We’ve heard the Gospel story so many times that it’s easy to forget how much we don’t know. Jesus Unbound by Richard Malmed dares to reframe that narrative, using forensic logic, legal strategy, and historical detail to explore the life—and disappearance—of Jesus. It’s not another devotional. It’s a novel driven by courtroom discipline and intense research.
What makes Jesus Unbound stand out isn’t just its unique approach, but how grounded it is. This book doesn’t attempt to disprove faith. Instead, it explores how Jesus’ life might have unfolded under Jewish and Roman law, and what that tells us about who he really was—and what might’ve really happened after his crucifixion.
— Jesus Unbound, Chapter 9, Joseph at Caesarea, p. 88
“Many of the younger Jewish men had begun to affect the Greek and Roman ways. Of course, those cultures espoused the gymnasium—an activity where young men participated nude in athletic pursuits under the watchful eye of the older Romans, who enjoyed an occasional homo-erotic adventure.”
Rewriting a Familiar Story
Jesus Unbound blends historical research, biblical reconciliation, Jewish law, Roman law, and Malmed’s own legal background to reconstruct the Jesus narrative. The result is a historical novel that’s bold, logical, and unafraid to ask hard questions. It begins with a young Jesus and takes us through to the mysterious disappearance from the tomb—but with details that feel more courtroom than cathedral.
What makes this book especially gripping is how it weaves Roman counterintelligence into the story. You don’t just see Jesus as a spiritual leader—you see him through the eyes of investigators, law enforcers, and politicians. Each chapter feels like you’re peeling back layers of history and motive, law and theology. A standout section is the fictionalized interview with Nicodemus, set years after Jesus’ death. It’s reflective, skeptical, and emotionally raw. Through Nicodemus, you feel the confusion, doubt, and spiritual weight that lingered long after the body vanished.
The novel doesn’t seek to offend or shake belief, but it does ask the reader to look deeper—to see the man, the politics, the pressures, and the aftermath. In doing so, it adds a fresh layer of humanity and realism to a story often veiled in mystery and doctrine.
From Lawyer to Novelist
Richard Malmed isn’t just an author; he’s a seasoned trial attorney with years of courtroom experience. That legal edge shapes everything about this book—from how testimony is handled to how motive is explored. He brings logic to the mystery, structure to the speculation, and characters that feel like real people caught in something way bigger than themselves.
After decades in the legal world, Malmed turned to fiction, drawing from years of stories, characters, and conflicts he’s seen firsthand. His previous work Carmen received strong reviews and is even being considered for a film. With Jesus Unbound, Malmed proves that fiction doesn’t need to ignore fact—and that belief, history, and logic can all share the same page.
Jesus Unbound is a must-read. The book invites you to reimagine one of history’s greatest stories with both your heart and your head wide open.
Jesus Unbound
Grab your copy today—because the story didn’t end at the tomb, and this book knows it.