Killing Song

The high-octane third paranormal romance in Joya’s Legacy series (after Magic Touch) revisits the FBI’s task force of magical misfits as they investigate the murder of a hiker whose body is decomposing at an unnatural speed. Former Army Ranger Matthew “Zimm” Zimmerman works with the paranormal team and is tasked with safeguarding Zaida, a siren, as she looks into the case. In addition to her work with the FBI, Zaida has spent 200 years as an indentured assassin for the Faerie Queen. After two centuries of coldhearted killing, she’s baffled by the intense emotional connection she feels with her task force teammates—and with Zimm especially. For his part, Zimm wears a charm to protect himself from Zaida’s siren call, so he knows his budding feelings for her are real. Zaida has to complete just one last hit to win her freedom from the Faerie Queen—but when the Queen witnesses how close Zaida has become with Zimm, she names him as Zaida’s final mark and gives her one week to complete the assignment. Joya holds the reader in her grip with action-packed intrigue and an expertly paced will-they-or-won’t-they. The satisfying ending still leaves plenty of room for the series to continue; readers will be eager to see that it does. (Sept.)