This is a series that keeps up the quality. I really enjoy reading about Gin. I was curious as to where Jennifer Estep was going to take the series after the big "finale" in the last book Spider's Revenge with the death of Mab Monroe. Mab was basically the focused "bad-guy" throughout the series until this point, with her death there were a lot of questions left as to what would become of Gin. Well, By a Thread provides that answer and sort of sends on a road of what can be expected in the future. 
 Gin needs a vacation, clearly. So Gin, Owen, Finn, and Bria decide to head down to the beach for some much needed rest and relaxation. Obviously nothing every goes as planned in Gin's world and she finds herself entangled with a power-hungry vampire and is pulled right back into the assassin game. 
 By a Thread was a great book for tying up some loose ends as well as setting the reader on the path for future books. Bria and Gin's relationship hasn't been easy since they discovered the other was still alive. Bria basically took the place on Donovan Cain in that she's a good, honest detective and doesn't care for Gin's idea of justice. But where Cain looked at Gin with disgust most of the time, Bria seems to have a sense of understanding that in the world of Ashland sometimes the honest aren't able to get the job done. So steps in Gin to help the helpless. Even though Bria is more understanding she still struggles with it and therefore the relationship is strained. I liked that in this book we get to see Gin and Bria getting closer. They actually get time alone and are able to come to terms with each other. I'm excited to see where their almost newfound relationship will go. 
 Donovan Cain was always a loose thread in Gin's world. His abrupt departure at the end of Web of Lies really left Gin heartbroken. She found Owne though and I must admit I love them as a couple. But what happens if Donovan ever comes back? Well, By a Thread answers that question. I will say that I personally didn't see his reappearance as essential, I liked how everything was going with Gin, but while reading I realized that Gin (as a character in her fictitious world) needed to understand how she felt about the past events, how they would shape her future. 
 The book is really fast paced. All of the books in this series seem to fly by for me. While this book is definitely a bridge book, it's still written very well and there's enough excitement (and Owen and Gin time!) to make this a great addition to the series. 
 With Mab's death it seems as though Jonah Macalister has set up as the new threat to Gin. Only indirectly, however, it appears that his goal is to get someone to do the dirt work for him. I think we will see him becoming more of a thorn in Gin's side in upcoming books. 
 I've also read on Jennifer Estep's website that the next book will give us a glimpse into Owen's background. In the short story Thread of Death released in late January there was plenty of hinting about things that Owen did or was caught up in, in his past. I look forward to finding out what. Well, we only have a few more months until Widow's Web is released! Until Then!