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Jaz Parks #3.5
The Golem Hunt
A rabbi raises a terrifying ancient creature - the golem - to protect his congregation, but the results are far bloodier than he could ever have imagined. Now, Jaz and Vayl, the CIA's top assassins, must hunt down the golem and end its reign of terror. The events of this short story take place between Biting the Bullet and Bitten to Death, books 3 and 4 of the Jaz Parks series.
23 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2011
About the author
Jennifer Rardin
23 books890 followersI’ve spent all my life in the Midwest, which has certainly shaped my perspective on all kinds of issues, from the question of whether or not we really have an accent, to the many and varied uses of corn.
I was born in Evansville, Indiana on April 28, 1965. Mom tells me almost every year what crappy weather it was that day. However I like to think of my birthday as the first frost-free date for my planting area. See what happens when you grow up around farmers? Scary, huh?
After a youth spent up to my eyeballs in fairy tales, nordic myths and supernatural legends I made the solid and practical decision to go to college and major in English. After which I never really held a well paying job until this gig came along! Which is why my kids love to sing that song to me from the musical “Avenue Q.” The one that begins with the line, “What do you do with a B.A. in English?”
Once I figured out the answer to that question, I wrote Once Bitten, Twice Shy. Now my laptop is my constant companion. We reside in an old farmhouse along with my husband and our two teenagers. No pets since the cat died last winter, but the birds seem to appreciate his absence. They come to feast at the feeders while I write on the back porch in the cool of the morning. Lovely.
I was born in Evansville, Indiana on April 28, 1965. Mom tells me almost every year what crappy weather it was that day. However I like to think of my birthday as the first frost-free date for my planting area. See what happens when you grow up around farmers? Scary, huh?
After a youth spent up to my eyeballs in fairy tales, nordic myths and supernatural legends I made the solid and practical decision to go to college and major in English. After which I never really held a well paying job until this gig came along! Which is why my kids love to sing that song to me from the musical “Avenue Q.” The one that begins with the line, “What do you do with a B.A. in English?”
Once I figured out the answer to that question, I wrote Once Bitten, Twice Shy. Now my laptop is my constant companion. We reside in an old farmhouse along with my husband and our two teenagers. No pets since the cat died last winter, but the birds seem to appreciate his absence. They come to feast at the feeders while I write on the back porch in the cool of the morning. Lovely.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 10, 2015
This was a short and action packed adventure where they are hunting a Golem who has escaped from the control of the one who summoned it. It is a brutal and violent creature and it will take all the skills of our duo to subdue it before it kills half the city. There was a lot of action in this short story and it was an enjoyable read.
February 5, 2012
The Golem Hunt is a short story found at the end of Biting the Bullet. Jaz and Vayl are summoned to vanquish a Golem, a mud/clay monster from Jewish folklore. Fans of this series will enjoy this little story.
September 19, 2011
This was actually included in my copy of "Biting the Bullet". It was a fun little short, but it was definitely for the folks already reading the Jaz Parks series.
June 18, 2026
The Deadliest Bite is a tightly written, atmospheric short story that sits neatly between Biting the Bullet and Bitten to Death, and it captures exactly what makes Jennifer Rardin’s Jaz Parks universe so compelling: high-stakes supernatural chaos filtered through sharp intelligence, dark humor, and a deeply human sense of responsibility in the face of impossible threats.
This time, Jaz Parks and her vampire partner Vayl are sent to confront a threat born not from espionage or political manipulation, but from faith, desperation, and unintended consequence. A rabbi, seeking to protect his congregation, raises a golem—an ancient creature of protection—but the outcome is far more violent and uncontrollable than anyone could have predicted. What begins as an act of defense mutates into a reign of terror, forcing Jaz and Vayl into a mission that is as morally complex as it is physically dangerous.
One of the most compelling aspects of the story is its tone. Rardin leans into the eerie, almost mythic quality of the golem while grounding the narrative in Jaz’s very modern, sarcastic, and pragmatic voice. That contrast is where much of the story’s energy comes from. Jaz doesn’t approach the situation with reverence; she approaches it like a professional who has seen enough supernatural disasters to know that good intentions rarely matter once things start killing people.
Vayl, as always, provides a stabilizing counterpoint. His centuries of experience lend weight to the situation, especially when the moral implications of the mission surface. There is an unspoken tension in how both characters process what they are hunting—something that was created for protection but has become a weapon of destruction. Rardin handles this nuance well, never allowing the story to become preachy, but still letting the ethical discomfort linger in the background.
Despite its shorter format, the story delivers a satisfying sense of escalation. The golem itself is portrayed as an almost unstoppable force, and every encounter reinforces the idea that brute strength alone won’t solve the problem. Jaz and Vayl must rely on strategy, intuition, and their growing trust in one another to navigate a situation that defies standard assassination protocols. The action is fast, brutal, and efficient, with Rardin maintaining clarity even during the most chaotic moments.
What stood out most to me is how effectively the story bridges emotional continuity between the novels. Positioned between Biting the Bullet and Bitten to Death, it feels like a pressure valve in the larger narrative arc—offering a standalone crisis while still deepening the sense of a world constantly spiraling into more complicated supernatural threats. It also subtly reinforces how Jaz and Vayl operate as a team under increasingly unpredictable conditions.
If there is a limitation, it is simply the constraint of length. The concept of a golem run amok has enough thematic weight and mythological depth that it could easily sustain a full novel. Here, some of that richness is necessarily condensed. However, Rardin makes a smart choice by focusing on immediacy and character dynamics rather than expanding the lore beyond what the format allows.
Overall, The Deadliest Bite is a strong, moody, and efficient entry in the Jaz Parks series. It delivers a compact but impactful story that blends supernatural mythology with espionage precision and moral ambiguity. Fans of the series will appreciate the opportunity to see Jaz and Vayl handle a uniquely mythic threat while maintaining the sharp voice and chemistry that define the series.
This time, Jaz Parks and her vampire partner Vayl are sent to confront a threat born not from espionage or political manipulation, but from faith, desperation, and unintended consequence. A rabbi, seeking to protect his congregation, raises a golem—an ancient creature of protection—but the outcome is far more violent and uncontrollable than anyone could have predicted. What begins as an act of defense mutates into a reign of terror, forcing Jaz and Vayl into a mission that is as morally complex as it is physically dangerous.
One of the most compelling aspects of the story is its tone. Rardin leans into the eerie, almost mythic quality of the golem while grounding the narrative in Jaz’s very modern, sarcastic, and pragmatic voice. That contrast is where much of the story’s energy comes from. Jaz doesn’t approach the situation with reverence; she approaches it like a professional who has seen enough supernatural disasters to know that good intentions rarely matter once things start killing people.
Vayl, as always, provides a stabilizing counterpoint. His centuries of experience lend weight to the situation, especially when the moral implications of the mission surface. There is an unspoken tension in how both characters process what they are hunting—something that was created for protection but has become a weapon of destruction. Rardin handles this nuance well, never allowing the story to become preachy, but still letting the ethical discomfort linger in the background.
Despite its shorter format, the story delivers a satisfying sense of escalation. The golem itself is portrayed as an almost unstoppable force, and every encounter reinforces the idea that brute strength alone won’t solve the problem. Jaz and Vayl must rely on strategy, intuition, and their growing trust in one another to navigate a situation that defies standard assassination protocols. The action is fast, brutal, and efficient, with Rardin maintaining clarity even during the most chaotic moments.
What stood out most to me is how effectively the story bridges emotional continuity between the novels. Positioned between Biting the Bullet and Bitten to Death, it feels like a pressure valve in the larger narrative arc—offering a standalone crisis while still deepening the sense of a world constantly spiraling into more complicated supernatural threats. It also subtly reinforces how Jaz and Vayl operate as a team under increasingly unpredictable conditions.
If there is a limitation, it is simply the constraint of length. The concept of a golem run amok has enough thematic weight and mythological depth that it could easily sustain a full novel. Here, some of that richness is necessarily condensed. However, Rardin makes a smart choice by focusing on immediacy and character dynamics rather than expanding the lore beyond what the format allows.
Overall, The Deadliest Bite is a strong, moody, and efficient entry in the Jaz Parks series. It delivers a compact but impactful story that blends supernatural mythology with espionage precision and moral ambiguity. Fans of the series will appreciate the opportunity to see Jaz and Vayl handle a uniquely mythic threat while maintaining the sharp voice and chemistry that define the series.
July 25, 2012
The second Jaz Parks short story (very short indeed). Looks at how Jaz and Vayl work together, in this instance a very rare mis-communication.
Also a chance to see how Jaz deals with Vayls history. When she finds that they've been called in to track down a Golem by the elderly son of an old friend of Vayls - a lady friend.
You also see a bit more of Jaz's reaction to her dad's accident (when he was run over).
Also a chance to see how Jaz deals with Vayls history. When she finds that they've been called in to track down a Golem by the elderly son of an old friend of Vayls - a lady friend.
You also see a bit more of Jaz's reaction to her dad's accident (when he was run over).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2015
Another adventure for Jaz and Vayl, who have to deal with a golem on a murder spree this time.
Short and fun, followed by another short story named An Evening for Vayl and Jaz.
Short and fun, followed by another short story named An Evening for Vayl and Jaz.
January 13, 2012
This is just a quick read in between books 3 and 4 of the Jaz parks series. As the title indicates Jaz and Vayl are on the hunt of a Golem accidentally let loose by the church. Fun read nice to go keep with the storyline.
June 14, 2015
This short story in the Jaz Parks series is a great look into the magic of the Jewish religion as well as a wonderful bridge between the 3rd and 4th books. While I felt the story could have been longer and included more on a personal aspect for the pair, I still feel this was a wonderful story.
May 18, 2011
This was a great little short story, but it was soo short! Almost as if it was a chapter that got cut or something like that.
May 14, 2014
Made me miss Ms. Rardin's work.
This is definitely for fans of the series and those that are reading or far-reaching the series.
This is definitely for fans of the series and those that are reading or far-reaching the series.
May 29, 2011
Loved it!
March 6, 2019
86 points/100 (4 ½ stars)
Read
October 17, 2014Its good I guess, kinda pissed I paid 2bucks for a chapter.
May 16, 2011
Very good but way too short!!
July 20, 2012
nice little in between piece
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews