Web of Lies

“Gin.”

“Detective.”

We stood there, staring at each other. An invisible electric current hummed between us, firing off sparks of hot desire in every direction. I breathed in. The detective’s clean, soapy scent filled my nose, overpowering the cumin, red pepper, and other spices in the air. Donovan looked away and cleared his throat.

“You want to tell me what happened?” he asked in a low voice.

“You want to tell me why you’re here?” I countered. Donovan stared at me. “All right. I asked dispatch to let me know if there were any incidents at the Pork Pit.”

“Why? Afraid I might take to killing people in my own place of business? You must not have gotten the memo, but I’ve retired, detective.”

His black eyebrows drew together in surprise. “Retired?”

I nodded. “Retired.”

Some emotion flared in his amber eyes. It might have been relief or even hope, but it was gone before I could decipher it. “Well, good for you, I suppose.”

Praise for Jennifer Estep and Spider’s Bite

“Spider’s Bite is a raw, gritty and compelling walk on the wild side, one that had me hooked from the first page. Jennifer Estep has created a fascinating heroine in the morally ambiguous Gin Blanco—I can’t wait to read the next chapter of Gin’s story.”

—Nalini Singh, New York Times bestselling author of Blaze of Memory

This title is also available as an eBook

“Watch out world, here comes Gin Blanco. Funny, smart, and dead sexy.”

—Lilith Saintcrow, author of Redemption Alley

“I love rooting for the bad guy—especially when she’s also the heroine. Spider’s Bite is a sizzling combination of mystery, magic and murder. Kudos to Jennifer Estep!”

—Jackie Kessler, author of Hotter Than Hell

“Jennifer Estep is a dark, lyrical, and fresh voice in urban fantasy. Brimming with high octane-fueled action, labyrinthine conspiracies, and characters who will steal your heart, Spider’s Bite is an original, fast-paced, tense, and sexy read. Gin is an assassin to die for.”

—Adrian Phoenix, author of In the Blood

“A sexy and edgy thriller that keeps you turning the pages. In Spider’s Bite, Jennifer Estep turns up the heat and suspense with Gin Blanco, an assassin whose wit is as sharp as her silverstone knives… She’ll leave no stone unturned and no enemy breathing in her quest for revenge. Spider’s Bite leaves you dying for more.”

—Lisa Shearin, national bestselling author of the Raine Benares fantasy series

Karma Girl

“Chick lit meets comics lit in Estep’s fresh debut… A zippy prose style helps lift this zany caper far above the usual run of paranormal romances.”

—Publishers Weekly

“Secret identities and superpowers take on a delightful and humorous twist in Estep’s exciting debut. Fun and sexy… Here’s hoping for more Bigtime adventures from this impressive talent.”

—Romantic Times