Web of Lies Book Review (Elemental Assassin #2)

Web of Lies by Jennifer Estep
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So, I finished reading Web of Lies a few hours ago and I must saw that it was an interesting read. Web of Lies is the second novel in the Elemental Assassin series by Jennifer Estep. The novel takes place two months after the first where Gin Blanco now owns the Pork Pit. In addition, she is coping with the fact that Fletcher left behind a folder that has information on her true identity and the murder of her family. Gin feels betrayed because he never told her that he knew who she was.

But that's not all. The book opens with an attempted robbery by out of control fire elemental, Jake McAllister and his friend. After two of the customers get caught in the crossfire, Gin disbatches Jake and press charges against him. It is revealed that Jake is the son of Jonah McAllister, Mab Monroe's high priced attorney. So things are now rapidly getting worse.

Speaking of worse Detective Donovvan Caine makes an appearance. This time he tells Gin that he is keeping tabs on her to make sure that she isn't up to her old assassin ways. But he gets the shock of his life when Gin informs him that she has been retired since their last run in. There is more awkwardness between the two which is no surprise.

The novel then introduces a new character in Owen Grayson. Owen runs his own mining company in Ashland. He is the older brother to one of the girls, Gin and Sophia save from the robbers. Owen is a stark contrast to Donovan, but I will get to that later.

He thanks her for saving his sister Eva and tells her that if she needs anything to give him a call. It is evident that Gin doesn't find him as interesting as Donovan, but I digress.

The next day the business at the Pork Pit is slow except for one customer. A mysterious girl who asks to see the Tin Man (Fletcher's code name). She is told that no one exists by that name and as soon as she is about to leave, the Pork Pit is immersed with gun fire. Gin attempts to chase the would be gun man, but then realizes that the gun man wasn't after here, but was after the girl.

I am going to stop here because I rather not give away the whole story.

What I liked about this book is that we are seeing more of human side to Gin. Make no mistake about it, she is a cold blooded killer, but there things about her that make her human. For example, after she discovers that the girl is in danger and decides to help her, it is because her grandfather was a childhood friend of Fletcher's.

The book focuses on aspects of Fletcher's life that Gin never knew existed. We see her having trouble coping with the idea that she may not have known him as well as she thought she did. In addition to feeling betrayed by her mentor, things with Donovan seem to heat up with steaming love scene in the back of his police car. However, because of Gin's choices and who she is, Donovan can't accept that.

To be honest, I hope this is the last time that we see of Donovan Caine. Estep has managed to create a very unlikeable character, so much so, you often wonder what is it that Gin finds so intriguing about him. But we are reminded that the very thing tghe reader finds annoying about him, is the same quality she admires about him. His morality.

However, it is painfully obvious that these two will never work (I don't need Warren T. Fox to tell me that). I found the ending interesting where Gin tells him that he was hoping that she died in the mine because it would have meant relief for him. He wouldn't be torn between his feelings for her and his morality.

I think this book was the turning point that Gin needed. Not because of her knowing where she stood with Donovan, but the notion that not everything was as it seemed to be. Web of Lies is definitely a must read.

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