Gin Blanco, an ice and stone elemental who also maintains a more or less secret identity as an assassin known as The Spider, determines to attend the funeral of her foe, Mab, despite having not yet fully recovered from her injuries sustained in the battle that ended in Mab’s death. Upon arrival at the cemetery, it becomes clear that most of Ashland’s underworld has also shown up, causing Gin to speculate about the power plays that will likely occur very soon.

The service begins without incident, but after a few minutes Gin detects the tell-tale signs of a sniper, and shots ring out towards the group. Without a second thought, Gin makes her way towards the location of the sniper, realizing that by doing so she may jeopardize her secret.

This action-packed novella does an excellent job providing a bridge between the completion/closure of Gin’s story with Mab and the beginning of a new threat. Estep clearly portrays Gin’s mixed emotions over vanquishing her bitter, long-time rival, which adds a realistic touch to her character. For readers new to the series, brief introductions to many of the secondary players proves useful and very welcome. Thread of Death skillfully sets up the next installment in the Elemental Assassin series, By a Thread.

Book Stats:

• e-book, digital format
• Publisher: Pocket Star (January 31, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: B006L9B6PC

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Books in the Elemental Assassin Series in the order they should be read:
Spider’s Bite
Web of Lies
Venom
Tangled Threads
Spider’s Revenge
Thread of Death
By a Thread