Product Description

LATE NIGHT RADIO YOU CAN SINK YOUR TEETH INTO

Recovering con artist Ciara Griffin is trying to live the straight life, even if it means finding a (shudder!) real job. She takes an internship at a local radio station, whose late-night time-warp format features 1940s blues, '60s psychedelia, '80s goth, and more, all with an uncannily authentic flair. Ciara soon discovers just how the DJs maintain their cred: they're vampires, stuck forever in the eras in which they were turned.

Ciara's first instinct, as always, is to cut and run. But communications giant Skywave wants to buy WVMP and turn it into just another hit-playing clone. Without the station -- and the link it provides to their original Life Times -- the vampires would "fade," becoming little more than mindless ghosts of the past. Suddenly a routine corporate takeover is a matter of life and undeath.

To boost ratings and save the lives of her strange new friends, Ciara rebrands the station as "WVMP, the Lifeblood of Rock 'n' Roll." In the ultimate con, she hides the DJs' vampire nature in plain sight, disguising the bloody truth as a marketing gimmick. WVMP becomes the hottest thing around -- next to Ciara's complicated affair with grunge vamp Shane McAllister. But the "gimmick" enrages a posse of ancient and powerful vampires who aren't so eager to be brought into the light. Soon the stakes are higher -- and the perils graver -- than any con game Ciara's ever played....

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #79124 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-13
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

From Publishers Weekly
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. (May)
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Review
An addictive page-turner revving with red hot sex, truly cool vampires, and rock 'n' roll soul. -- Kresley Cole, New York Times bestselling author of DARK NEEDS AT NIGHT'S EDGE

Sharp and smart and definitely not flavor of the month, WICKED GAME is wicked good. -- Laura Anne Gilman, bestselling author of FREE FALL

Smith-Ready blends fantasy and romance in an organic, unpredictable way, deftly weaving stories to enhance the power of her take-no-prisoners style. -- C.E. Murphy, author of HEART OF STONE and COYOTE DREAMS

Smith-Ready blends fantasy and romance in an organic, unpredictable way...enhanc[ing] the power of her take-no-prisoners style. -- C.E. Murphy, bestselling author of URBAN SHAMAN

WICKED GAME will make your corpuscles coagulate with corpulent incredulity. It's for youngbloods and old jugulars alike. -- Weasel, WTGB-94.7 the Globe, Washington DC

[S]trikingly original, fascinating characters, rich with as much style and rhythm as the music her vampires love. -- Rachel Caine, bestselling author of the Weather Warden series

Review
"Sharp and smart and definitely not flavor of the month, Wicked Game is wicked good." -- Laura Anne Gilman, bestselling author of Free Fall

"Jeri Smith-Ready blends fantasy and romance in an organic, unpredictable way, deftly weaving stories to enhance the power of her take-no-prisoners style." -- C. E. Murphy, bestselling author of Urban Shaman

"An addictive page-turner revving with red-hot sex, truly cool vampires, and rock 'n' roll soul. " -- Kresley Cole, New York Times bestselling author of Dark Needs at Night's Edge

"Smith-Ready's musical references are spot-on, as is her take on corporate radio's creeping hegemony. Add in the irrepressible Ciara, who grew up in a family of grifters, and the results rock." -- Publishers Weekly

Customer Reviews

Fun New Take on Vampires
Recovering con artist Ciara Griffin is trying to live the straight life, even if it means finding a (shudder!) real job. She takes an internship at a local radio station, whose late-night time-warp format features 1940s blues, 60s psychedelia, 80s Goth, and more, all with an uncannily authentic flair. Ciara soon discovers how the DJs maintain their cred: they're vampires, stuck forever in the eras in which they were turned.

Ciara's first instinct, as always, is to cut and run. But communications giant Skywave wants to buy WMMP and turn it into just another hit-playing clone. Without the station--and the link it provides to their original Life Times--the vampires would "fade," becoming little more than mindless ghosts of the past. Suddenly a routine corporate takeover becomes a matter of life and un-death.

To boost ratings and save the lives of her strange new friends, Ciara re-brands the station as "WVMP, the Lifeblood of Rock 'n' Roll." In the ultimate con, she hides the DJs' vampire nature in plain sight, disguising the bloody truth as a marketing gimmick. WVMP becomes the hottest thing around--next to Ciara's complicated affair with grunge vamp Shane McAllister. But the "gimmick" enrages a posse of ancient and powerful vampires who aren't so eager to be brought into the light. Soon the stakes are higher-and the perils graver-than any con game Ciara's ever played...

Wicked Game was an unique take on the vampire lore-which was refreshing. The main character Ciara was great to read about. I liked how she tried to redeem herself and get her life together; it was ironic that the only way to save the station was to pull off a major con.It was original that the vampires got "stuck" in the time in which they were turned. Smith-Ready creates a wonderful world in Wicked Game. The book was funny,it had romance,and a bit of action. The musical references in the book were spot on and it was a good addition to the novel.All the others characters were funny and Regina was so sarcastic at times. Wicked Game dragged on a bit and I had to put it down a few times but it picked up in the end and I was glad for that. Overall this was a great read though you should be warned that some parts in the book were slow. The plot was really good and I can't wait to read what happens next when the sequel comes out.
-Carol
www.bookluver-carol.blogspot.com

Interesting concept
After reading Smith-Ready's Crow series and loving it was was curious about this paranormal urban fantasy book of hers. I discovered it to be a unique and fascinating take on vampires. I loved the mix of music in the story flavoring the tale told.

Ciara is hired for the summer to help with a local radio station's change of image. She soon realizes that regardless of her horrible interview, it was the stations intentions all along of hiring her because of shady background. Because of her background she would be more likely to accept and keep secret the radio stations secrets...that all the disk jockeys are actually vampires.

Smith-Ready's concept on the modern vampire is totally unique to what I have read in the past. I can honestly say I have never read a plot anything like this one. Yet, regardless of toting this novel as some sort of paperback urban romance novel would be an insult to the writing ability of the author. Reading a Smith-Ready novel is the equivalent of peeling an onion. In the story, one of the characters say the same thing about the character Ciara. He couldn't wait to peel back another layer to see what he would discover next. I feel the same about the storyline and characters of Smith-Ready. I can't wait to read what she'll come up with next!

Original take on vampires!
Jeri Smith Ready's Wicked Game is a highly original vampire novel. Providing a unique twist and lovable characters, this book's a real winner. More! More!!