Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready
Ciara Griffin is a recovering con artist determined to go straight. She gets a job at a local radio station and is told that all the DJs are vampires. At first she thinks it’s a joke but a close encounter with a pair of fangs changes her mind. She comes to find out that she was chosen for the job specifically because of her somewhat shady past. The general manager wants her to come up with a marketing ploy that will save the station from being sold to a communications conglomerate that is determined to turn WMMP into just another cookie cutter Top 40 station.
Each vampire DJ plays the music of their era on their shows. This allows them to stay connected to their time while reading the news and the weather connects them to present day. This, along with their obsessive- compulsive behaviors, keeps them sane. Without the station, the vampires would “fade”. After getting to know the vampires, and especially the cute 90s grunge-rocker Shane, Ciara is determined to find a way to save the station. She comes up with the idea of “hiding in plain sight”. She proposes that they change the station call letters to WVMP and tell everyone that the DJs are vampires. While people certainly won’t believe that vampires exist, it will intrigue people and make the DJs overnight celebrities. But some vampires are not too thrilled with this campaign and they will do anything to protect their secret.
Jeri Smith-Ready has created a heroine who has flaws and struggles with right and wrong, which is a refreshing change from the sweetness and light heroines of the past. She writes with humor and passion and gives her vampires distinct personalities, which make the reader, want to discover more about each of them. I am very excited to report that this is the first of a series. The second book, Bad to the Bone, will be released May 1, 2009 and I cannot wait to read it. I was especially thrilled to discover that Jeri is a local author and that the town that this story takes place in is actually somewhere that I used to live. “Wicked Game” is a huge hit!!
Book Excerpt: “Newbie marketing intern Ciara Griffin lands a job at WMMP, a station threatened with being sold to Skyware, a giant communications conglomerate, unless ad revenue picks up. A former con artist with a canny way with people, Ciara soon learns that the DJs are undead and specialists in the musical eras in which they were turned into vampires. One of them, Shane McAllister (turned in 1995), is really hot and dangerously tempting. In order to attract more listeners, Ciara promotes a new marketing strategy and the Sherwood, Md., station becomes 94.3 WVMP, the Lifeblood of Rock and Roll, exploiting the fang factor (which no listener takes seriously) for profit. It works, until an ancient vampire cult wants to pull the plug. Also playing in is The Control, an equally ancient paramilitary group created to protect good vampires and kill bad ones. Smith-Ready’s musical references are spot on, as is her take on corporate radio’s creeping airwave hegemony. Add in the irrepressible Ciara, who grew up in a family of grifters, and the results rock.”
Book Stats:
- Paperback: 384 pages
- Publisher: Pocket; 1st Pocket Books Trade Pbk. Ed edition (May 13, 2008)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 141655176X
- ISBN-13: 978-1416551768
To purchase a print copy of Wicked Game click here
Books in this series in the order they should be read:
Wicked Game
Bad to the Bone
To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.
I was really lucky and received an ARC of this novel and it threw me at first, but it’s a great twist on vampires. The more I thought about it, the better I liked to whole OCD angle.
Wow, this sounds great! I’ll have to check it out, thanks.
I agree with your review. Definitely a unique storyline, with a bit of humor and a nice romance. Jeri created an interesting world, and I will be one of those checking out her upcoming release.
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I agree with the review! This is one of best Vampire books I read this past year. The vampire’s distinct personalities is what sold me. Especially Shane! I’m a huge fan of Nirvana and grew up listening to grunge music, and Shane is definitely the hottest vamp around!
I have not read this particular Jeri book yet. However, it is an my TBR list. This review lays out why it’s on my list in that it sounds original and I have enjoyed her Aspect of Crow series from Luna publisher.
I love 20th century American history, music, and vampires, so this series really struck a chord with me (ha, no pun intended.) There’s just something incredibly satisfying about seeing what amounts to Jim Morrison, Bob Marley, and Kurt Cobain reincarnated as vampires and having a conversation with each other. Can’t wait for the sequel!
Music centered books, films, shows are great. Years ago I loved the movie Play Misty For Me (a thriller, but not paranormal). Nevermind, you’re way too young to remember it. A great storyline, especially a paranormal, with music added is just unbeatable. So I’ve added these to my buy list.
This has been on my wishlist since it came out! I’m excited about it since I read the first in her CROW Trilogy, VOICE OF CROW. So unique! This one will be too! I’m ready to read these vamps. Just a beautiful review!.
I have heard a great deal about this book and really enjoy reading the review and excerpt. I really need to check out this book and author. I am really glad to have a chance to get more information on this book. It sounds like it is different from most of the books in this genre.
Reading Wicked Game right now, I love the take on vampires frozen in time. I love Ciara!
I first saw Wicked Game at Conestoga and unfortunately haven’t had the time to read it (though the title makes a LOT more sense now. *sigh* Chris Isaak…).
It’s great to see a new angle on vampires. You’re right, they are EVERYWHERE, but there’s a reason for that: we love the undead. We love them sexy, smelly, evil, violent, adoring, pretty much any way we can get them. So the market is saturated with tales of vampires. Who cares? It gives the readers the ability to be objective on what they read and the writers more of a challenge.
Now I got it how they stay in their time, and how this radio station helps them. Love the idea
Scary Vamps, pencils and cake. Seriously I want to work at WVMP.
And this one is on the WWBL and highlighted for next book buying trip.
I love this new idea on vamps. Most of the books I read are with vamps integrated into society. So now I want to see what its like for them in the shadows. Do they have vamps that are 100s of years old? Is there a Mozart hour? lol
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