Sherwood, Oregon – Present Day

Reformed con artist Ciara Griffin is determined to go straight -- no more cons, no more lying. So she needs to get a real job in order to pay for tuition for school. Ciara is hired as an intern at the local radio station, WVMP, to help increase its advertising revenue. It seems Skywave, a huge radio conglomerate, is intent on buying up as many small radio stations as they can, and currently WVMP is in their sights. It’s Ciara’s job to figure out a way for the station to make enough money to stop the owner from selling.

David, the program director at WVMP, makes a startling confession; all of the DJs are vampires. David tells Ciara that when vampires are made they become stuck in their “lifetimes” and most never learn to accept that times change when they do not. That is why it’s so important that WVMP not be sold. If Skywave takes over, the vampires will lose the one place in the modern world where they fit in. Without the radio station that allows each DJ to “live” in their lifetime through the music, they would fade and eventually cease to exist. Ciara can’t stand the thought of the quirky group of vamps suddenly fading into nothing, especially the sexy Shane McAllister. Ciara comes up with a way to raise ratings and revenues...with the truth. WVMP is coming out of the closest as the Lifeblood of Rock ‘n’ Roll...literally. The campaign is so unbelievable it is a complete success -- but someone doesn’t want WVMP to succeed. Is it the hard-nosed executives at Skywave -- or the band of reclusive vampires who live in the mountains and are determined to stop Ciara from exposing the vampires -- no matter whose blood is shed? Will Ciara be able to leave her shady past behind and save the radio station. Will she allow herself to fall for Shane?

WICKED GAME is a totally awesome book. (Okay, that probably dates me, but I’m NOT a vampire -- really it’s full daylight here <g>) With meticulous detail to character and plot development, Jeri Smith-Ready has created a unique and lyrically entertaining story. Her knowledge of rock and its history shows in the little bits and pieces of music dropped throughout the book. Ciara is an imperfect heroine and one readers will delight in. She’s used to thinking of only herself, and now she suddenly finds herself losing her heart to a vampire and his assortment of quirky co-workers. Ciara is determined that she won’t let anyone stop her from helping to save WVMP.

Beyond the excellent dialogue, skillfully crafted characters, and unique plot, Ms. Smith-Ready has achieved the almost impossible -- she made me fall for each and every dysfunctional member of the WVMP family. This is my first novel by Ms. Smith-Ready, but it certainly won’t be my last -- and I do hope the author has plans to revisit this group of unlikely heroes. A novel that (pardon the pun) rocks, I highly recommend WICKED GAME to anyone who enjoys a well-crafted, solidly entertaining novel.

Terrie Figueroa