Ever since reading None Shall Sleep and it’s sequel just a couple of months ago, I’ve been in desperate search for something similar. After some very pointed searches, the internet kept taking me back to this four-novel series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Of course, I started with the first novel, The Naturals, and I can tell you that I’m pretty satisfied with the recommendation.
Now I will say that it really doesn’t hold a candle to Ellie Marney’s novels, but this was at least intriguing. This book more reminded me of teenaged Criminal Minds. Every single one of them would be recruited to the Behavioral Science Unit, of that I’m sure. Though each character had a more specific set of skills. And oh yeah, if you couldn’t tell from the title, these abilities to read people come au natural. Cassie Hobbes is our main protagonist though, so we are seeing the story through her eyes. A part of me wonders if a future novel in the series won’t switch perspectives. That would be kind of neat.
Anyway, we meet Cassie working a summer waitressing job when she’s recruited to join the FBI’s “Naturals” program. The program itself is small, consisting of only four other teens. Cassie is reluctant, but her inability to truly love the family she has left and the knowledge that this experience could help find her mother’s killer is all she really needs to say yes. Plus, the house’s inhabitants are pretty interesting. There’s Lia, the human lie detector, Sloane, the expert statistician, Michael, the emotion reading heartthrob, and Dean, who’s just like Cassie. They can read people, though Dean’s skill set is a little more alarming once she learns more of his history.
Let’s face it, all of these teens have a questionable history. You can’t have those skills naturally and be normal. I think Cassie figured she was pretty normal despite certain circumstances in her life, but being in the program really helped her strengthen her muscles, so to speak. It doesn’t take long for her to get interested in an active case her mentors are working on, and once more details are revealed Cassie is convinced this is the same person that killed her mother five years prior. Lucky for her, Dean and Michael have a crush on her and help her do whatever it takes to get involved in the case, in whatever capacity the top brass will eventually relent to.
True to any good mystery, the reveal of the killer is pretty crazy! The only thing is, the real mystery never ends up being solved! I’d put it like one of the loose ends got tied, but the other is still flapping in the wind. If I had read this book when it came out I would have been pissed with that cliffhanger. I can only hope she didn’t make her readers wait long for the next installment. Which I will hopefully be getting my hands on in the next few days. More soon!