"If we'd had normal childhoods, we wouldn't be Naturals." (Cassandra Hobbes)
Killer Instinct is an entertaining and fun read, but unfortunately just like The Naturals, it fails to hit me right in the feels.
In Killer Instinct, there is a copycat killer who is killing victims using the same methods that jailed serial killer, Daniel Redding (who is Dean's father), used on his victims. The main characters in The Naturals series are teenagers who have a natural ability at criminal profiling, lie-detection, emotion and body language analysis and numbers and probabilities. Not only do we read about how a killer thinks and what goes on inside their head, we also get to see how these teenager use their natural abilities to solve crimes and at the same time wonder who the killer is.
I like the main and secondary characters, but they aren't very memorable. Cassie, the main character, has a good head on her shoulders, but she is still a realistic character who suffers from trauma and has doubts and insecurities. We also learn more about Dean and now I'm eager to read and learn more about Michael, Lia and Sloane's past and find out how their circumstances defined them. The absent parent trope is a large part of why the plot of The Naturals series works, but I must admit that I like the relationship dynamics that the adults who play guardian roles such as Agent Briggs, Agent Sterling and Judd have with each other and the Naturals.
Unfortunately, the unnecessary love triangle from the The Naturals continues in Killer Instinct. However, it seems that Cassie has chosen Dean so I hope that this love triangle nonsense doesn't continue in All In.
Killer Instinct is an interesting, entertaining, but unmemorable read.
"Impossible situations required impossible solutions." (Cassandra Hobbes)