Review of "The Naturals"

"There will never be another one like the first."

     For the heroes of Jennifer Lynn Barnes' The Naturals, age has no effect on the presence of danger. Cassandra Hobbes is seventeen when a boy from the FBI leaves a business card at the diner where she works. She was twelve when her so-called "psychic" mother disappeared from her dressing room, leaving behind far too much blood. When she calls the number on the card, Cassie can only hope her mother's case has been reopened. Instead, she is recruited into the Naturals program, where kids and teens with extraordinary observation skills solve cold cases the FBI can't. As a profiler, Cassie can work out someone's background, personality, and next move with just a look--a skill sure to come in handy when hunting serial killers. But with a history like hers, Cassie isn't content to solve mysteries long since abandoned. When a present-day killer strikes close to home, the Naturals will need all their skills to survive--and even that might not be enough.

     Cassie's story is a roller coaster of emotions. She may go from sizing up the odds of a decent tip to fighting panic at the sight of crime scene photos in the span of a few scenes. The two attractive boys in the Naturals' group home add to this dynamic, wreaking havoc on the social atmosphere with their constant competition. Revelations, romance, and a compulsive liar make for a great touch of drama within these budding relationships, as Cassie tries to find her place in a group that has been working together for years. She doesn't even have an ability the others have not seen--Dean, one of the boys, and Locke, one of their handlers, are profilers as well. Yet Cassie brings with her something just as valuable as her skills: a curiosity and friendliness that brings the group a little closer than they were before. And in a house full of raging hormones, that is quite a feat.

     Profiling is not the only trick these kids have up their sleeve. Michael is a Natural at reading emotions. Sloane can pick a pattern out of anything, and is an expert at analyzing crime scenes. Lia can sell any lie and spot even the tiniest deception, while the house overseer, Judd, is a veteran with a knack for blending into the background. Together, the Naturals can solve almost any puzzle, if only they can collect enough clues. That is, when Agents Briggs and Locke and the Powers That Be let them anywhere near active cases. In this situation, Cassie and her friends are instructed to mind their own business, so piecing information together is that much more difficult. And when the killer turns an eye toward the program, things become more than deadly. They grow personal.

     While the characters' Natural gifts are presented akin to superpowers, this novel takes the serial killer factor very seriously. In order to get into the minds of their target, profilers walk through the crime as if they are the target themselves. They refer to the Unknown Subject as I or you to further the simulation, which can be kind of creepy sometimes. Additionally, short scenes from the point of view of the killer often appear between chapters, written as if they are "you". These in particular can be quite disturbing, even a bit graphic, as the killer fantasizes about their next victim or sets about torturing them. Sensitive readers should think twice about this one simply for these scenes; however, the rest of the story is a lot cleaner until the climax, and swearing is nonexistent. Romance does not progress beyond kisses, although past relationships are said to have gone further.

     I would recommend this book to teens and adults interested in a murder mystery with a twist. Cassie Hobbs and the other Naturals are intriguing heroes with impressive abilities and plenty of secrets to keep readers guessing. Their handlers are great reads as well, and the cases the team solves feel very real. This particular case is especially chilling, not least because we get a glimpse directly into the mind of such a disturbed criminal. Although there is some gore, Jennifer Lynn Barnes has created a beautifully rich world populated by suitably believable characters and a villain sure to give readers goosebumps. The Naturals is a great book, though admittedly one best read during daylight hours, and as such deserves five stars.