Life is but a game to be played and all the characters are playing theirs in different ways. The principal game that Giselle Franklin and Simon Harrington engage in is the one of seduction and love. Neither has any idea how quickly flirtatious fun evolves into something more serious...and more deadly. Simon Harrington, a US marshall on special assignment for President Grant, loves the excitement and the danger his job provides and has no intentions of being tied down with love and a family. He's come to Louisville to investigate a series of incidents involving the new thoroughbred racetrack being built. It's up to him to ensure that the first running of the Kentucky Derby will take place without a hitch. Giselle Franklin, a coquettish, French American whose self-appointed task is to reel in every available man in the area, also craves excitement and adventure. She's determined to help Simon, but doing so only lands her into bigger trouble. Twists and turns abound in this fun, fast-paced, suspense-filled story where Giselle and Simon work to stay a step ahead of another, more devious game player intent on ending their journey to finding love and happiness.