"There are few thrillers that have such an original insight into the minds of criminals. Each character has been masterfully crafted in order for you to empathise even with those convicted of murder."

The Fourth Ace by Bruce Winter

Bar none, The Fourth Ace by new author Bruce Winter is the most distinctive literary crime-thriller mystery of the past decade. Wildly original with a stunning amount of twists and turns, this tightly wrought plot will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final page.

Convicted killer Henry Pilling has only one reason to stay alive. It is his ten-year old-son Vincent, whose pure innocence sustains Henry through the rough road of prison life. Serving a life sentence for murder, Henry is balloted to take part in a television reality show called "The Fourth Ace." In this macabre television program, five "contestants" must play for their life; it is the unknown winner of "The Fourth Ace" who must slay a fellow inmate on a live broadcast. Unsure of whether they are being befriended or betrayed, each contestant is distrustful of the other, but soon enough Henry discovers the television network is not in control of this episode. One among them is mysteriously pulling all the strings and Henry, to ensure his survival, must find out who.

In his belief that an alliance is essential, he gets caught up in an outcome that has extraordinary and profound consequences. His journey elevates you to a state of nail-biting anxiety as the wicked plot unfolds. Ultimately a tale of love and sacrifice, you will be unprepared by the unique depth of writing. In fact, it is guaranteed that you will be outguessed to the very end. There is something for everyone.

Totally unpredictable, with surprisingly empathetic characters, a not so standard thriller with threads of romance and betrayal. Expect the unexpected.

About the Author

New Zealand born Bruce Winter tried a number of occupations before finding his niche in photography and eventually worked on daily newspapers as a photo-journalist, both in New Zealand and Australia. He discovered a latent talent for writing as he studied the way news was reported and feature stories were written. He has two children. This is his first novel.