Play Dead

A Thriller

By: Ryan Brown

Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews

For the first time in Killington High School history, the Jackrabbits football team is one win away from the district championship game where they will take on their most vicious rival, the Elmwood Heights Badgers. But on game day, bad-boy star quarterback Cole Logan is brutally attacked by three masked men. With the stakes so high, Cole is determined to play despite his injuries, but his coach refuses to allow it.

That night on the way to the game the Jackrabbits’ bus crashes, killing all of Coles’ teammates. When he learns the steroid-crazed Badgers are responsible, he is bent on payback and turns to a mysterious fan skilled in black magic to resurrect the team. But even in the spirit world there are hitches. The Jackrabbits are brought back to life, but unless they win the final game against their murderous rival, the team is destined for hell. In a desperate race against time, with only his coach’s clever daughter to assist him, Cole must lead his zombie team to victory…or risk their eternal damnation and violent consequences for everyone in town.

With a fast-paced plot that twists, turns, and shocks, vibrant characters who pack an emotional punch, and plenty of dark humor, Play Dead is a compulsively readable thriller that reflects the national obsession with football and the growing fascination with the undead.

©2010 Ryan Brown (P)2010 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Brown handily mixes elements of horror, coming-of-age sweetness, and gore-soaked comedy into a tale that satisfies the same fascination with sports and bloodlust that it cleverly and thoughtfully critiques." ( Publishers Weekly)

Brown's Son Writes What He Knows

Isn't that the advice they give all writers? I got this to see if Ryan inherited his mom's talent. It isn't a bad book but it is NO classic. The writer can't decide if he is going for horror, drama, or dark comedy so goes for all three towards the end thus diluting one of which might have made this book a bit more of a classic rather than a novelty. Anything to do with zombies is hard to take as "serious literature" so this is a fun little story about a small town stuck on football which I suppose Ryan played in high school. (I saw Ryan Brow in an online video and he seemed the right size to have played at one time.) Only time will tell if he is a "one hit wonder" having exhausted the two things that heavily figure in our current popular culture. He writes well enough. Just don't expect GREAT hilarity or GREAT drama but it did manage to hold my attention well enough just to see how it all turns out. The dark humor is funny, the sporting spirit is true and, with Brown there has to be a love story. Again...don't expect much or wait for a sale.

Exposition like anvils

At the beginning, Brown's exposition is so awkward and heavy-handed that I literally rolled my eyes. His storytelling improves as the book progresses, but I stopped caring about the characters early on. That said, I've continued to listen just to see how we wraps up the story.