Gin -- the Spider -- Blanco is stalking rich drunk Damian
Rivera's mansion in hope of discovering some information
on the Circle, a secret society. Gin needs to find her
mother's murderer, and that implies knowing the identity
of the head of the Circle. Gin comes up empty-handed at
Rivera's home, but not before hearing interesting tidbits
about Hugh Tucker, a vampire enforcer and Gin's nemesis.
Then a friend, Jade Jamison, asks Gin for a favour:
Jade's sister has vanished and Gin is the only one who
can find Elissa; Jade has exhausted all other venues. But
Elissa's disappearance leads to a tangled web of murder
and deceit for the Spider.
Gin Blanco, knife-wielding assassin is one of the great
fictional heroines; feared by some, respected by others,
she is forever looking over her shoulder in case anyone
wants to kill her. I find it astounding that SNARED, book
sixteen in the Elemental Assassin
can remain so
fresh, and that Ms. Estep's cleverness makes it entirely
possible to read the book as a standalone. While some
subtleties will understandably be muddy to a new reader,
the author provides essential background information
concisely and so deftly woven in the narrative, that the
story flows seamlessly without being overburdened with
details. And what a story it is: densely packed with
action, SNARED is a solid mystery whose steady pace never
falters, and the author's familiar musical prose propels
the reader into this dark, dark story where murders pile
up and blood flows abundantly. Ms. Estep's elegant and
yet modern writing style, along with vivid descriptions
and some snarky humour add colourful elements to the neo-
gothic world of Ashland.
Gin risks life and limb as she desperately tries to find
the answers she needs, along with her trusted circle of
friends, but the answers she unearths only lead to more
questions. I love Ms. Estep's spin on magic, which
highlight the author's mastery of conveying breathtaking
visuals through words. While Gin is the focal point of
SNARED, every character is carefully drawn, and I cannot
help but be completely mesmerised by the charismatic
Tucker; what is he really? A reluctant enemy or an
unwilling ally? Neither? Both? SNARED is a fabulously
entertaining book that will delight long-time fans and
ensnare new ones in the Spider's web. This is not over,
my friends, as I can feel that Gin Blanco will soon be
back with more spine-tingling adventures!
The sixteenth book in the New York Times bestselling
Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series that RT Book
Reviews calls, “An extraordinary series…[containing] one
of the most intriguing heroines in the genre.”
If you don’t know Gin “the Spider” Blanco, you don’t know
dangerous female heroines.
Irony 101—The Spider herself snared in someone else’s web…
Another week, another few clues trickling in about the
Circle, the mysterious group that supposedly runs the city’s
underworld. Gathering intel on my hidden enemies is a
painstaking process, but a more immediate mystery has popped
up on my radar: a missing girl.
My search for the girl begins on the mean streets of
Ashland, but with all the killers and crooks in this city,
I’m not holding out much hope that she’s still alive.
A series of clues leads me down an increasingly dark,
dangerous path, and I realize that the missing girl is
really just the first thread in this web of evil. As an
assassin, I’m used to facing down the worst of the worst,
but nothing prepares me for this new, terrifying enemy—one
who strikes from the shadows and is determined to make me
the next victim.