Michael N. Ruggiero's New Mystery Novel The Card Launches October 6
News related to:The Card · 1 min read
Michael N. Ruggiero, a Philadelphia native and La Salle University graduate, has launched his first standalone novel, "The Card," a mystery and suspense thriller that delves into the disappearance of a woman and the secrets that follow. The story begins when Frank Miller meets Marcie Tuttle and receives her business card. However, Marcie's sudden disappearance sets off a chain of events that draw private investigator Jacob Steele into a complex and dangerous search. The Card, as the title suggests, is a deceptively simple object that holds the key to a much larger mystery.
The novel moves from a personal mystery to an international suspense tale, following Steele and others as they trace the trail of clues that span borders and touch upon issues of technology, national security, and the threat of an electromagnetic pulse. The Card is part of Ruggiero's broader exploration of technology, unanswered questions, and complex characters, themes that have been central to his previous work, the 7th Soul trilogy.
The 7th Soul trilogy, which began as a screenplay that earned Top 40 placement in the BlueCat Screenplay Competition among more than 4,000 entries, delved into the realms of destiny, faith, power, sacrifice, emerging technology, and humanity's relationship with forces it may not fully understand. The trilogy, which includes 7th Soul, 7th Soul: Apocalypse, and 7th Soul: CaptAIn, was later expanded into three novels, with CaptAIn exploring the role of artificial intelligence in a larger examination of technology, power, survival, and human decision-making.
"The Card marks a new direction for me," Ruggiero explained.
"The Card" is available beginning October 6, 2026, and readers can learn more about the novel, explore the 7th Soul trilogy, and find purchase options at www.the7thsoul.com. The Card is available beginning October 6, 2026, and readers can learn more about the novel, explore the 7th Soul trilogy, and find purchase options at www.the7thsoul.com.