The Messenger

Scruffy, cab-driving Ed is hardly the saviour-most-likely, until one day, an accidental heroic act changes everything. The next day, he receives an Ace of Diamonds playing card, the addresses of three strangers written on it. Who sent this card? And what the hell is Ed meant to do with it?

The card is back, with it a gun. Is the gun meant for Dale or for Ed? Either is not an option. Ed gets rid of the gun. If he's going to do this cards thing, he'll do it his way. Could his dad somehow be behind the cards?

Exhausted but elated that his job is complete, Ed receives another card, the Ace of Clubs. He realises it's not the end at all. The card has a confounding riddle scrawled on it and leads to three more names. A struggling priest, a mysterious, long-dead young woman and a gambling father with no idea of the stakes.

Ed thinks about the fractured relationship he had with his prickly mother and older, golden boy brother. Is this where the cards are pointing him? A family reunion?

Following the arrival of the Ace of Spades, Ed begins to see the cards as his true calling. He could in fact be a Messenger. The new ace delivers three new names, this time those of authors. With Ritchie's nous and the help of the local library, Ed discovers a secret code within the books that translates to three new addresses - a rundown suburban house, a fancy Italian restaurant and a faded old cinema.

Ed has some serious making-up to do as he realises his investment in the cards has done damage to his relationships with those nearest and dearest.