When she started writing novels, Lisa Renee Jones had a penchant for killing off all her characters. Even in her romances, where death doesn’t usually rear its head. Her editors had a sit-down.

Lisa Renee Jones. St. Martin’s Griffin, $15.99 trade paper (272p) ISBN 978-1-250-08385-2 This lackluster romantic thriller feels less intended to wrap up the series narrative and more like the ...