The Naturals
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Genres: YA mystery, thriller, fiction
Originally published: Nov. 5th, 2013
Trigger warnings: Gun violence, general violence

RATING: 3.5/5

Ever heard of judging a book by its cover?

This book has. 

In the world of “The Naturals,” there are those who exist to be profiled and those who exist to profile. Behavior, personality and environment: three things critical to every profiler’s toolkit and something our titular hero Cassandra (Cassie) Hobbes knows too well. 

Cassie is only 17 when the FBI comes knocking on her door with a proposal: join her fellow Naturals or never find out more about her mothers untimely demise. With good will and worse intentions, Cassie joins the secretive program and flies out to Virginia where she meets the rest of our cast: Dean, Lia, Micheal and Solone. Together, they encompass The Naturals program run by Agents Briggs and Locke. 

The catch? The underage consultants are only allowed to work cold cases and are barred from touching active ones. But, in this field, danger looms around every corner. No matter how secure the FBI thinks they are, Cassie finds herself in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a killer where both sides are playing to win. 

“The Naturals” delves into the connection between the characters and the mystery at hand. Everything is intertwined; even the smallest of detail can make the biggest impact. Despite this, the novel was very predictable and borderline cliche. But, that does not mean the book cannot still be enjoyed. 

The plot and one of the main hooks of the book involves a love triangle between Dean, Micheal and Cassie. This book mostly focuses on setting that plot point up rather than resolving it. Overall, the book is a short but fun and thrilling read that gets 3.5 out of 5 stars. 

The story continues in “Killer Instinct,” as “The Naturals” remains the first book of the tetralogy.