Cheaters: a book on the player’s game

by Holly Schreiber
FOR THE POST

Eric Jerome Dickey's Cheaters is more than just a sexy, hot and bothersome novel about couples getting it on with their partners or otherwise.

It is also about self-discovery.

Cheaters deals with a topic that is hot right now in movies, music and television — the worst betrayal in a relationship — cheating. Dickey’s novel, through true-to-life scenarios, sheds some light on the consequences.

Stephan is a computer software engineer, who is loyal to his mom, dresses in all the latest styles, enjoys art, theater, music and poetry. He also happens to be extremely handsome and juggling three relationships at the same time. Samantha wakes up next to him in the morning. Toyomi is skiing with him in the afternoon. And by the evening Brittany is speeding her way to meet him at his front porch. Stephen is the typical player, but he is about to be dealt a new hand.

Dawn cannot jive with Darnell's desire to be a writer because he makes good money as a lawyer. She shows no interest in his work and shoots him down every time she catches him writing. Then Tammy comes along. An aspiring actress and beautiful, Tami loves Darnell's writing.

But there's only one problem — Darnell and Dawn have been married for six years.

Jake is engaged to Charlotte but is unsatisfied with their sex life, which keeps him from walking down the aisle. In the meantime he has rendezvous on the side. One of those calls turns ugly and puts Jake in a difficult position.

Chante has had three nasty relationships within the past year. First Craig leaves for Germany with no good-bye, Michael’s wife and kids show up at her house. Then Thaiheed makes early morning trips on the weekend to a place supposedly called "work." But what "work" involves is a woman named Peaches with an engagement ring on her finger. Chante gets sweet revenge and is determined to play the game by her own rules now.

Karen is always lecturing Tammy and Chante about their relationships. But she has her own dealings on the side.

Although the list of people in Dickey's novel sounds longer than that "Mambo Number Five" song, his characters will shock, bring about "Oh my God" and "Ooh that was wrong." Then readers will voice some hooting and hollering when the game turns on them. And Dickey's characters are not too different from what we see in a soap opera, or our very own Athens scene, especially after a night at the bars.

Each chapter is from the viewpoint of either Stephan, Chante or Darnell. Dickey's ability to capture the inner thoughts of both a man and a woman are superb and realistic. And his ear for dialogue is by far the most noteworthy aspect of the novel.

Readers will enjoy Cheaters. And reading along as the characters grow and discover themselves adds to that enjoyment immensely. But most importantly, Cheaters will make readers think twice before laying down their chips and entering into that player's game.