New Fiendish Review: Web of Lies by Jennifer Estep

Book:              Web of Lies

Author:            Jennifer Estep

Publisher:       Pocket Books

ISBN/ASIN:      9781439147993

Release Date:  Out Now

Rating:    4 Stars

Buy: | Amazon | B&N | Borders | Powell’s | Indiebound |

Find out more about Jennifer Estep.

Read an excerpt of Web of Lies.

Jennifer Estep goes a long way in laying more brick down for Gin Blanco’s foundation in her saucy sequel to Spider’s Bite. She’s given us some closure on some nagging issues but she’s not handed us the whole tamale. That, I expect will be saved for Venom when it hits shelves in September.

The most pressing conundrum since the series started has been the mystery of Gin’s family. Why were they murdered? Why was Gin tortured at such a young age? What is the significance of the silverstone spider’s rune emblazoned on her palm? And where is her sister Brie? Estep gives readers what they need in Web of Lies: Gin finds out who killed her family, but not all the troubling questions that follow it.

Finding her retirement a tad boring, it seems that trouble has a way of finding her. When friends from Fletcher’s past are threatened, Gin pays homage to her handler’s memory by filling their need of a gun hand. The Fox’s are being run off their land by a strip-mining dwarf that wants what buried under their property and he’ll do whatever he can to get it. It’s up to Gin to take care of him “spider style”.

If that weren’t enough she’s got another enemy to take care of-Gin has accidentally crossed another ally of Mab Monroe’s that has put her on the radar of the infamous Fire elemental. This time Mab won’t be likely to forget who Gin is, and its not like she can fade into the woodwork and tamp down her power. Sooner or later, Mab is going to figure out that the busty blonde that crashed her party, and Gin are one and the same. And then all hell is going to break loose.

Web of Lies definitely feels like a middle book but so much more and that is one of the reasons that it was so appealing. Estep knew that she had to dole out some teasers but also had to appease readers questions served up in Spider’s Bite. She’s levied enough suspense to have us gnashing to Venom-especially with her cunningly crafted teaser of Owen Grayson. That is something definitely to look forward to because Gin needs someone to accept her for who she is-faults and all. Gin needs her own “Terrible” (from Stacia Kane’s series) And it’s not likely that Donovan will fit the bill.

Smart, sexy and satisfying, Web of Lies was a worthy sequel to Spider’s Bite and Estep gave us critical information that we needed to keep us hungering for more. She’s ingeniously created a great urban fantasy with a unique twist on elemental powers, an intriguing family history, mob mayhem, and a truly singular heroine who is unabashedly naughty-who isn’t afraid to “take out the trash”. Amen to that!

Can’t wait for more? Hah! Knew it! Read an excerpt of Venom out in September and Tangled Threads, the fourth book in the Elemental Assassin series.

A Fiendishly Bookish Review (and one grumpy cat).