Spider's Bargain

Elemental Assassin #0.5

by Jennifer Estep

This short story takes place before the events of Spider’s Bite, the first book in the Elemental Assassin series. In "Spider’s Bargain," Gin Blanco takes on a corrupt cop, but only one of them will be left standing in the end.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Short Stories, Magic, Vampires, Novella

9 pages, Online Fiction

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author who prowls the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

Jennifer is the author of the Elemental Assassin, Section 47, Galactic Bonds, Crown of Shards, Gargoyle Queen, and other fantasy series. She has written more than 40 books, along with numerous novellas and stories.

In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys hanging out with friends and family, doing yoga, and reading fantasy and romance books. She also watches way too much TV and loves all things related to superheroes.

For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit her website at www.JenniferEstep.com or sign up for her newsletter: http://www.jenniferestep.com/contact-....

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Happy reading, everyone! 😎

Reviews

[Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you've read SPIDER'S BITE, the first installment of Jennifer Estep's ELEMENTAL ASSASSIN series, you know Gin killed Detective Donovan Caine's partner, Cliff Ingles.

Even if you haven't, that's not much of a spoiler, b/c you find out pretty quick. Whatever. If you're curious about exactly what went down, this is the short for you. You will see (in gruesome detail) how the Spider took down this corrupt copper.

Personally, this is my least favorite of the freebie extras. Gin doesn't stop at killing the man, and I'm not trying to say he doesn't deserve it, but the imagery . . . *shudders*

ALSO, there's this:

Hey, there, sugar,” I cooed in my best slow, sweet, husky, southern drawl. “Got a light?”

I'm sure that kind of line works when propositioning a man outside of a sex club, but, really . . . a little more creativity, please. Maybe the point was that it didn't matter what she said. I don't know. What I do know is that lines like that hurt my eyes.

You can read it for FREE on Estep's website: http://www.jenniferestep.com/short-st...

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

#byecliff #seeyawouldntwannabeya #karmaisabitchnamedthespider

[Ronda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I deliberately read this novel after book 1 instead of before because of a review I had read by someone else. Now I understand why... I don't think this book was meant to be read before, you have the story from book 1 and now you have a P.O.V from Gin as to why this snippet is important for us to know.

This simply ties up with Gin's story, fabulous!

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that this was a great short story IF you read the book first. I don't feel as though it was ever created to be read before the book (even though the events take place before the start of the first book).

This is the story of how Gin killed Donovan Caine's partner and why she did it. I think that it is really interesting because this one kill in particular caused so many issues in the book, and yet Gin never looked back on it with regret. This story does a great job of explaining the "whys" that situation and also of putting the reading into Gin's mind frame while she did this particularly nasty job.

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like vengeance plots. Since I've read all the stories in this series, now I'm going back to read the little freebies. This one I liked because of what Spider did to the child raping bastard. I smiled with glee. I would only do one thing different. I would have done it while he was still alive so I could drink in his screams before he died.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short story depicting the fatal interaction between Gin Blanco and Cliff Ingles... This event becomes pivotal in the first novel laying the framework for the tension between Gin and Detective Donovan Caine... We also get insight into what motivates Gin in her choices; she certainly lives in an area of gray that challenges the morality of her character... Well written and insightful... 4 Stars:)

[Liliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed on Lili Lost in a Book

Spider’s Bargain takes place right before book one, Spider’s Bite and it is told in Gin’s POV. This assignment has Gin going after a corrupt cop who doesn’t know how to take ‘no’ for a goddamn answer. Not only is he abusing his power, but the things he has done—



—they’re disgusting. He is an officer of the law, someone you are supposed to be able to trust. So I was very glad that this guy got on Gin’s radar. I love Gin and how badass she is! She is also an assassin with a conscience, which just makes the outcome of this case that much more satisfying.

I, of course, loved this! It was nice and short, but full of tension. And I really just love spending time with Gin. She is amazing!

[atmatos · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the first few books of this series, but it's crashing and burning fast. The cut and paste jobs with the descriptions of certain things...like the placement of her knives, what her name is, where she works, the color of Finnegan's hair...ect ect. It's getting really annoying.

[Veronika · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm excited to read these short novellas even if they are only a few pages long. Gin is amazing even if her methods are a little bloody. :) I love her strength and her independent personality and the fact that despite her being an assassine she is still lovable.

[harlequin {Stephanie} · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story, but what bugged me was the Q&A Gin has with the scumbag after she stabs him in the heart. Really?!

[Lo9man88 · Rating 4 out of 5]

reread

[Sapphyria · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are corrupt cops in Ashland but one Detective Cliff Ingles is about to find himself in the web of famous assassin the Spider. His hands are in all sorts of illegal activities but when he assaults a 13-year-old girl, her mother contacts Fletcher to have the detective taken out. Gin steps up to the plate and provides pro bono services to remove this monster from the streets. Little does she know at the time just who Detective Ingles is...

This story takes place prior to Book 1 in the series but doesn't necessarily need to be read before. I just read it and I'm reading book 16 right now. I've spent the past couple of days getting caught up on the novellas and short stories available on Jennifer Estep's website.

Spider's Bargain is another great short story in the Elemental Assassin world. We get a bit of history pertaining to events that happen or are brought up in Book 1. I enjoy reading short stories that occur between the full-length novels in the series.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was told from Gin's point-of-view and shared with us her assassination of Detective Cliff Ingles. :-)

It was really good, but I am curious about that wind in the end. Was it a ghost? Just a stray breeze? An Air Elemental questing for something? ??? Sadly, we weren't told.

Oh! Almost forgot to share. . . There was one thought Gin had in this story (maybe around 20% into it?) that I really loved:

None of those things particularly appealed to me. Well, maybe the puppies. I’d always been a dog person.

:-)

[Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

From getting halfway through Spider’s Bite before reading this, I knew that Gin killed Ingles because he wasn’t a very nice guy. This short story tells you exactly how not-nice. And also exactly how Gin leaves him. No wonder Donovan is so annoyed at her throughout the series. Having said that, I kind of loved it. There was such beautiful poetic justice in this tale.

Spider’s Bargain also introduces the nightclub that features kind of heavily in Spider’s Bite and a whole other world that I just wasn’t quite expecting. It just helps to draw me further into this world and now I can’t wait to read Web of Lies… when it finally arrives on my doorstep.

[LastBreath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this free read on Jennifer Estep's website. IMHO it doesn't stand up as a standalone read. But it is a good accompaniment to Spiders Bite. I'm not sure if it adds any depth to our heroine either just reinforces the author's slant that Gin Blanco is more than a paid assassin.

TBH I'm hoping the heroine keeps her stone cold demeanor (Ha! Pun totally intended) and keeps up the kill and be killed mantra. Makes my reading life a lot more interesting.

[Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Series: Elemental Assassin #0.5
Rating:3 stars - I liked it

This short story takes place years after the previous one. Gin is now thirty and is a successful assassin. She is taking a pro bono case against a cop. I love that we get more scenes with Fletcher too. Also this story gives us some information on the first big enemy of Gins, Mab Monroe.

[Svenja · Rating 4 out of 5]

The more I read about Gin, the more I love her. I really like the assassin theme so I think starting this series was a good idea. I did not really pick up on the fantasy aspect before when I read the description of the series but I like it. However keep in mind that the it's very minimal.

[Tammy Kesteloot · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yet another short story (too short :( - )... added some nice elements to the background .. this time to one of Gin's targets and why & how she took him out. a nice addition!

[Rossana Peña Rivera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esta chica sin saberlo, inicio el camino a la perdición. las mejores y peores cosas en la vida siempre llegan gratis. Lo sabe el Ingles y luego lo aprenderá Gin.

[➸ Gwen de Sade · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love short stories, especially if they're linked to series that I love dearly. But this one, unfortunately, added nothing to the story.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brutally well written.

[Lorrie (Clockworkbookworm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Andrea (mrsaubergine) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The one where Gin killed Donovan Caine's police partner, Cliff Ingles. Not much of a story on its own, but hugely relevant in the context of the books and Gin's relationship with Caine.

[Carly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Schön diese kleine Leerstelle in der Handlung zu schließen :)

[Selenity Jade (Coffee Addicts Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent little story, a bit gory, but still excellent. May want to read the first book before reading the shorts!

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't access this series thru my library, so I'm going to read the rest of this series anyway I can.

[Syed Raziuddin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story has nothing new to offer except that you get a first person account from the spider herself. The plot was linear. But her character never fails to impress.

[Laurla2]

free on authors website. https://www.jenniferestep.com/short-s...

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

93%

[Belladonna]

6