Following up the first book in her new "Elemental Assassin" series, Jennifer Estep's Web of Lies once again brings readers into sexy assassin Gin Blanco's world, which is populated with giants, goth dwarves, elementals, and some kick-butt BBQ.
Curiosity is definitely going to get me dead one of these days. Probably real soon.
I’m Gin Blanco. You might know me as the Spider, the most feared assassin in the South. I’m retired now, but trouble still has a way of finding me. Like the other day when two punks tried to rob my popular barbecue joint, the Pork Pit. Then there was the barrage of gunfire on the restaurant. Only, for once, those kill shots weren’t aimed at me. They were meant for Violet Fox. Ever since I agreed to help Violet and her grandfather protect their property from an evil coal-mining tycoon, I’m beginning to wonder if I’m really retired. So is Detective Donovan Caine. The only honest cop in Ashland is having a real hard time reconciling his attraction to me with his Boy Scout mentality. And I can barely keep my hands off his sexy body. What can I say? I’m a Stone elemental with a little Ice magic thrown in, but my heart isn’t made of solid rock. Luckily, Gin Blanco always gets her man...dead or alive.
Web of Lies is good, but not as good as the first book. It's a few months after the events of Spider's Bite, and Gin has retired. She's now working at the Pork Pit and taking more classes at the community college. But she's bored, so when a young woman comes in asking questions, then is promptly shot at, Gin is intrigued. A money hungry dwarf is after this girl and her grandfather, and she just can't help but to step in and stop the bullying.
The plot of Web of Lies was quite cheesy, and not in a good way. It's the typical rich guy pushing around the small business man because of a hidden agenda, and then the kick ass assassin comes in to save the day. I mean, the aforementioned money hungry dwarf is also a cowboy; it can't get any cheesier than that. At least this job didn't end as neatly as her previous one, so it did keep me on the edge of my seat.
Some of my world building issues from the first book were cleared up in Web of Lies so that made me happy. I'm really liking the mix of supernaturals that the author is using, and how their strength hierarchy isn't what you'd assume it to be. Dwarves are not to be messed with it! I still have a few lingering questions, so hopefully they get answered soon.
Now for the romantic aspect. Donovan Caine is the most frustrating man on the planet! He and Gin continue to have some insane chemistry, but he's still conflicted because of morals! He's the only good cop in a town of corruption, and she's an assassin (or ex-assassin). He's driving me crazy! Then something happens at the end, but I think it was too early in the series for it to really have an effect on me. On top of that, there's already the start of a new romance.
In the end, Web of Lies was still a fun read. I breezed right through it and was never bored. I just wish the main plot had been more unique. There are some interesting developments about Gin's abilities, so I'm curious to see where that goes.
