The Naturals

Cold cases are about to get hot. Don't miss this exhilarating crime thriller--perfect for fans of Criminal Minds and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder--from Jennifer Lynn Barnes, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Inheritance Games.

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But, it's not a skill that she's ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they've begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.

What Cassie doesn't realize is that there's more at risk than a few unsolved homicides-especially when she's sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms close. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

Think The Mentalist meets Pretty Little Liars-Jennifer Lynn Barnes's The Naturals is a gripping psychological thriller with killer appeal, a to-die-for romance, and the bones of a gritty and compelling new series.

Catch every thrilling twist and turn of The Naturals series in:

  • The Naturals
  • Killer Instinct
  • All In
  • Bad Blood
  • Twelve (enovella)

For more unputdownable series from Jennifer Lynn Barnes, don't miss the beloved Inheritance Games Saga and The Debutantes duet.

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Published May 2, 2023

352 pages

Average rating: 7.7

212 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

The.readrose
Jan 28, 2026
10/10 stars
Ok, so I'm going not to try to hype this book up too much.

I AM FOREVER INDEBTED TO REBECCA FOR INTRODUCING ME TO THIS SERIES! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PICK THIS BOOK UP RIGHT NOW.

...So how am I doing thus far on not hyping it up?

But in all seriousness, if you are as fascinated by criminology in the slightest bit, then you will love the beginning installment to this addicting series. It's fast paced and had me sucked in within the first few pages.

There are no "likes" about it, it IS Criminal Minds in a YA book format, but in the best way possible. Scoot over Derek Morgan because Michael and Dean are fighting over every readers hearts.

To sum up my review, I started off with checking this book out of the library, before I was done I had the second book in my Amazon shopping cart.
LadyAmandaW
May 07, 2026
8/10 stars
This book was really good. I noticed on the cover of the book it compared it to a Criminal Minds for YA and I honestly wouldn't go that far. I enjoyed reading it and I even overlooked the typical YA love triangle that tends to appear in almost every YA book. I did not figure out the killer was until I read it because I wasn't expecting it. I couldn't stop reading until I found out who did it.
stonedwitchx3
May 03, 2026
6/10 stars
The Naturals has a fantastic premise β€” a teen profiling program with FBI ties, high‑stakes cases, and a cast of gifted characters β€” and that concept is easily the strongest part of the book. Jennifer Lynn Barnes builds an intriguing foundation, and the idea of teens using their natural abilities to solve crimes is genuinely compelling.

But for me, the execution didn’t match the hype. The mystery was predictable, the twists were easy to spot early on, and the tension never fully landed. It’s a very quick, accessible read, but that simplicity also made the plot feel a bit too straightforward. I kept waiting for a sharper turn or a deeper psychological layer that never quite arrived.

The characters are likable, and the pacing is fast, but the story leans heavily on familiar YA thriller tropes. Even with its flaws, the concept is strong enough that I understand why the series has a loyal following β€” it just didn’t deliver the level of complexity I was hoping for.

A fun, easy thriller with a great premise, even if the mystery itself feels a little too safe.
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Apr 28, 2026
𝟺. 𝟸 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝟻 πš‹πšŽπšŒπšŠπšžπšœπšŽ πš’πš 𝚠𝚊𝚜 πš πš›πš’πšπšπšŽπš— πš πšŽπš•πš• πš‹πšžπš 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 πš•πš’πšπšπš•πšŽ 𝚝𝚘 πšπš˜πš›πš’ πšπš˜πš› πš–πšŽ πš‹πšžπš 𝙸 πš•πš˜πšŸπšŽ π™Όπš’πšŒπš‘πšŠπšŽπš• πšŠπš—πš πš˜πšŸπšŽπš›πšŠπš•πš• 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 πšπš›πšŽπšŠπš πš‹πš˜πš˜πš” πš πš’πšπš‘ 𝚊 π™²πš›πšŠπš£πš’ πš™πš•πš˜πš πšπš πš’πšœπšπšœ
Amelia Enslow
Dec 14, 2025
10/10 stars
Oh my god? the plot twists in this book.

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