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Šelma

(The Naturalist #1)

Andrew Mayne (Goodreads Author),

Petra Diestlerová (translator)

4.03 · Rating details · 44,385 ratings · 2,982 reviews

Profesor bioinformatiky Theo Cray nemá nejlepší ráno. Automat na led nefunguje, a navíc se mu do motelového pokoje dobývá policie. Že je hlavní podezřelý z brutální vraždy své bývalé studentky, se však dozví, až když je jeho účast na otřesné události vyloučena. Zdá se totiž, že mladou dívku v montanských lesích rozsápal medvěd. Jenomže profesor Cray je díky svému povolání ...more

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Hardcover, 360 pages

Published September 26th 2018 by Kalibr (first published October 1st 2017)

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· 44,385 ratings · 2,982 reviews

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Sep 21, 2018 Liz rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio

After my last, very meh, audiobook, I was happy to read The Naturalist. This one engaged me from the get go. Dr. Theo Cray is a computational biologist. To me, he seemed a little bit on the asperger’s spectrum. Extremely intelligent, definitely obsessive, but lacking a little in the emotive or self preservation factors. At one point he compares himself to Don Quixote and it’s a very apt description. They are both tilting at their own individual windmills.

He comes to the police’s attention after ...more

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Sep 05, 2017 Montzalee Wittmann rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-series-1st-book

The Naturalist (The Naturalist #1) by Andrew Mayne is a book I really enjoyed. It fed my eager science side of my brain, the mystery, and the side that likes a good scare! Brilliantly written with so many little things that had to be thought through...wonderful. Going in my favorites for sure. Lots of suspense, action, mystery, and the science part of it was fun too. I love these kind of mysteries.

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Mar 22, 2018 Michael Hicks rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: bought, mystery-thriller-crime-suspense

If Dan Brown wrote a CBS-style crime thriller, it'd probably look a lot like Andrew Mayne's The Naturalist. It's big dumb fun, quickly paced, and routinely threatened this reader's willing suspension of disbelief with a number of inanities, ridiculousness, and just flat-out stupid plot points. The Naturalist is a highly readable work of fluffy entertainment, one that is strangely compelling but also not very good.

Professor Theo Cray is a bioinformatics researcher, and when one of his former stud ...more

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Oct 04, 2017 Liz Barnsley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Definitely the most addictive read of my year so far, borne out by the fact that I started this last night then finished it this morning - no messing. I literally only put it down to sleep.

For a start how wonderful to find something a bit different - I can't say I've read a book before where the main protagonist is a Computational Biologist - the author makes this sound entirely fascinating and if you have a love of finding out small random facts like I am you'll love the little titbits you find Definitely the most addictive read of my year so far, borne out by the fact that I started this last night then finished it this morning - no messing. I literally only put it down to sleep.

For a start how wonderful to find something a bit different - I can't say I've read a book before where the main protagonist is a Computational Biologist - the author makes this sound entirely fascinating and if you have a love of finding out small random facts like I am you'll love the little titbits you find throughout this novel. Not sure that Theo, our scientist, ever expected to use his expertise to track a serial killer nobody else will admit exists, but that is the situation he finds himself in after the death of a former student pulls him into an entirely different world.

The Naturalist is a genuinely thrilling "serial killer thriller" with a scientific twist - the story fairly rocks along as Theo goes a bit lone wolf, albeit a rather less testosterone fueled one than you would normally find in this type of story, using his background and science geekery to seek out patterns and probabilities. That side of it is cleverly engaging, there is plenty of action besides and a hidden killer who will chill your soul. There are some intensely creepy moments in The Naturalist that made me jump at shadows a little and a real sense of menace all the way through. The ending is edge of the seat madness in the best way, a real blow out finale that rocked. From first page to last this was all the excellent, not a single boring moment. Brilliant.

I see this listed as a book one - I have to say I'm extraordinarily pleased by the thought that Theo will be back. I loved him as an anchor to the rest of this tale, in fact all the characters within were brilliantly drawn and absolutely compelling, I hope to meet a few more of them again too.

The Naturalist has excellent plotting, offers up a different perspective within the crime drama and who knows - perhaps Computational Biologists are the new Profilers - we'll see but on the basis of this book those writing within the crime genre might want to up their game. Seems there are ways to teach an old pony new tricks after all.

Highly Recommended.

...more

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Feb 11, 2018 Ann Marie (Lit·Wit·Wine·Dine) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

You can read this and all of my reviews at Lit·Wit·Wine·Dine.

Note: I originally posted that I was giving this book 3.5 stars. Upon further consideration, I've given it 3.75.

There are so many things I loved about The Naturalist! First, there's our main man, Professor Theo Cray. He's a computational biologist. So basically he's a little nerdy, very smart, and, because he's now been drawn in to a murder investigation, a bit of a rogue Magnum, P.I. I'm not one for bookish crushes but if I were, he'd You can read this and all of my reviews at Lit·Wit·Wine·Dine.

Note: I originally posted that I was giving this book 3.5 stars. Upon further consideration, I've given it 3.75.

There are so many things I loved about The Naturalist! First, there's our main man, Professor Theo Cray. He's a computational biologist. So basically he's a little nerdy, very smart, and, because he's now been drawn in to a murder investigation, a bit of a rogue Magnum, P.I. I'm not one for bookish crushes but if I were, he'd be a candidate.

Next, there's the plot. What starts out as one dead woman, who happens to be a former student of Theo's, turns into multiple dead bodies. The crime scenes are gruesome. The victims appear to have been slashed to death by bear, mountain lion, or something else that's not quite human. The police are frustratingly unwilling to listen to Theo's opinions regarding who or what may have killed all of these women. This forces Theo to strike out on his on own quest for the killer. His scientific knowledge lends an element that I've rarely read in this genre. He uses biology, anthropology, botany, statistics, and computer algorithms together in order to locate the bodies and predict where more may be located.

As far as pacing goes, I found The Naturalist to be an absolute page-turner. I read it in one day. I loved that the chapters are short and the action moves along steadily.

I did have a couple of small issues with the book. The first is relatively minor. I found Theo's grief over the former student who had been killed to be greater than I would have expected. That may seem insensitive but they'd only had a professional relationship and they hadn't spoken in years. The second - and you know I'm a stickler for this - is plausibility. Particularly as it relates to the ending. I won't give it away because it was quite imaginative but, as a nurse, I must admit I rolled my eyes more than once. I actually think the final scene would translate very well in film but it just seemed a bit too much as I read it on the pages. In my opinion, this is a classic case of an author's brilliant imagination being both a blessing and a curse. Had the ending been dialed back a bit, I'm sure I could have given this book four to four and a half stars.

This is the first book in The Naturalist series. I am very much looking forward to reading the next book.

3.75/5 glasses of wine

Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

...more

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Jul 16, 2018 Linda rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: psychological-thriller, nature-themes

"What is research but a blind date with knowledge." (William Henry)

And Professor Theo Cray of the University of Texas at Austin knows research up close and personal. He's an MIT graduate specializing in computational biology. Analyzing data and constructing models brings Theo eye to eye with biological, behavioral, and social systems. Funny how such lofty studies might shine a light on a recent dead body.

Andrew Mayne starts his story out with a bang. Theo Cray's motel room in a small town in Mon "What is research but a blind date with knowledge." (William Henry)

And Professor Theo Cray of the University of Texas at Austin knows research up close and personal. He's an MIT graduate specializing in computational biology. Analyzing data and constructing models brings Theo eye to eye with biological, behavioral, and social systems. Funny how such lofty studies might shine a light on a recent dead body.

Andrew Mayne starts his story out with a bang. Theo Cray's motel room in a small town in Montana is under fire by the local police. Cray is roughly tossed to the ground and handcuffed with no clue as to why. An empty ice bucket lays on the ground next to him as the only reminder of what "normal" was in the past tense. Here on out, chaos and mayhem will rule the days and the nights.

Theo is finally told that a former student of his at UTA was found dead in the forest not too far from where the motel sits. His Texas plates are a dead giveaway in the parking lot. Through hours of interrogation, Theo is finally allowed to leave. As the days go by, it is believed that Juniper was killed by a grizzly. A grizzly is taken down by a local hunter nearby with a single shot. End of story you say. Not so fast.....

It's this hyper analytical nature that spins the wheels at a roaring pace within the mind of Theo Cray. Hell bent on finding out what really happened to Juniper, Theo visits the scene and is convinced that Juniper's demise was due to the two-legged variety. But convincing the local police is like dragging thousand pound stones up the sides of the pyramids. An impossible task, but one in which Theo is willing to take on.

As Theo implements computer analysis and his hardcore familiarity of botany and ecosystems, he begins to unveil some crazy off-the-wall theories. We could be in for more dead bodies and a possible serial killer here, Boys and Girls. WooHoo!

Mayne brings in plenty of science around the campfire in The Naturalist. He does it in such a way that the reader is not overwhelmed, but pleasantly piques interest. In order to totally enjoy this wild ride, just sit back and let this story unfold. There may be a few camels slipping through the eye of the needle here and there, but it's full-on entertainment. The ending is chock full of adrenaline pumping action in which an adult beverage may be warranted. Good stuff.

The Naturalist is the first book in this series. I've already grabbed the next one. A well thought out storyline with high interest. Let's see what double trouble Andrew Mayne will drop Theo into down this curving road. Binoculars optional.

...more

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Mar 01, 2019 Michael Slavin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, crime-thriller, fiction, science, suspense, thriller, wildly-popular

5,000 Amazon Reviews 86% 5 and 4 stars
23,000 Goodreads ratings 4.08 stars avg.

Very good, very interesting, and very different! You get to learn a little science as you watch a mystery and the process of trying to solve multiple murders by an awkward professor, Theo. The police suspect him, then ignore him, but they won’t believe him.

After a very exciting opening scene, where it appears a woman is killed by a bear, the book slows down (not in a bad way) into an investigation. The book holds your ...more

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Oct 17, 2017 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs-and-galleys, mystery, review-copy, thriller-suspense

4.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/10/23/...

I spent a day last week stumbling around in a sleep-deprived stupor because I had been up late the night before, and it was all this book’s fault since I’d refused to put it down until I was finished. Totally worth it, though. Talk about a page-turner! The Naturalist was exactly what I wanted out of a mystery-thriller—fascinating, addictive, and dramatic in all the best ways. It also captivated the science geek in me by 4.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/10/23/...

I spent a day last week stumbling around in a sleep-deprived stupor because I had been up late the night before, and it was all this book’s fault since I’d refused to put it down until I was finished. Totally worth it, though. Talk about a page-turner! The Naturalist was exactly what I wanted out of a mystery-thriller—fascinating, addictive, and dramatic in all the best ways. It also captivated the science geek in me by featuring a protagonist who uses the study of plant and animal behavior and physiology to solve crimes, his specialized knowledge allowing him to spot patterns where others cannot. Think The Da Vinci Code, but with biology.

Our story begins as computational biologist Theo Cray gets a call from the police while on a field research trip in Montana. The body of Juniper Parsons, one of his ex-students, has been found in the woods near a small town, and the cause of death appears to have been a rogue grizzly attack. However, Theo is not convinced, recognizing unnatural signs in the evidence. Despite the terrible claw marks and the traces of fur on the victim, he’s not sure that whatever killed her was even an animal. More likely it was a man, he insists. Killing like an animal.

Unfortunately, the police are no help, especially once Fish and Wildlife Service puts down the bear believed to be responsible for the savage attack. Knowing that his former student’s true killer is still out there though, Theo is unwilling to give up and decides to conduct his own investigation, uncovering a disturbing pattern of missing persons reports and mysterious deaths that go back for more than thirty years. All the incidents happened in or around the state of Montana, many of them involving young women. In the cases where remains were recovered, the mutilated bodies all displayed the same kind of claw marks found on Juniper Parsons. Following a trail of clues, Theo begins finding more victims and knows he’s getting closer to the truth, though inevitably his efforts draw unwanted attention as the police start suspecting Theo himself.

The Naturalist is the perfect thriller novel for the science lover. Yes, it can get a little farfetched at times, requiring the reader to simply roll with it, but with a story this enthralling and irresistible, you’d be surprised at how much I’m willing to let slide. A couple of minor plot holes and a few dubious moments were not enough to detract from the enjoyment.

Another amazing thing about this book is its protagonist. Theo is a professor in an extremely esoteric field, so he’s always having a hard time getting others to understand his evidence or how he’s getting his data. It also doesn’t help that he’s a bit socially awkward, and his brain is wired to think in a very different way than most people. In spite of this though, I found him remarkably easy to relate to—and not just because of the shared interest in biological sciences. Above all, Theo is driven by a sense of duty towards his murdered student, and while his guilt and emotional self-punishment may have been a tad unfounded, it’s hard not to feel sympathetic towards someone whose heart is so genuine and in the right place. He attacks his mission with indefatigable zeal that almost borders on obsession, but you’ve also got to admire his persistence, especially when he finds ways to get creative. While Theo is highly intelligent, his doggedness and complete lack of street smarts often leads to solutions with successful results but appalling side effects.

Then there’s the plot, which sank its hooks into me and dug in deep. The story’s tone and style are arguably similar to that of most thrillers, but like I said, this novel had a scientific angle to it that made it special. A good balance of action and suspense kept the pace swift and strong, and some of the more mysterious and atmospheric scenes were even touched with a hint of horror. The final chapters of the book, AKA the section that had me devouring the pages at the expense of a good night’s sleep, were so intense and insane that I doubt I could have stopped reading even if the house was burning down around me.

Man, I really hope I won’t have long to wait for the sequel, because it does appear The Naturalist is the first book of a new series. Cleverly addictive and hugely entertaining, this book had me hanging on every word from start to finish. If I’m reading a lot more mystery-thriller these days, well, it’s because of books like this, and I can’t wait to read more from Andrew Mayne. ...more

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Sep 13, 2017 Ami rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-first-reads, mystery, 2017, kindle, own, thrillers, 21st-century

I was pleased to choose this for my September Kindle First but in the end, I must admit to being quite happy I hadn't paid for it. It had stereotypical cliched cookie-cutter people with inane flat conversations and a story full of plot holes and dangling threads. IT WAS ALL TOO EASY! What makes this doubly disappointing is that it actually started out quite well, but it began going downhill at about halfway and by the end had degenerated into madness. If it had been a hard copy vs. a digital cop ...more

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Sep 10, 2017 Bernie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Stereotypical protagonist, stereotypical antagonist, plot holes galore, interesting, if questionable, science, and first person narrative in the present tense rather than past tense. An interesting read except for disappointing final chapter or two.

Personal rant: I hate plot summaries that end with a question. Will he be able to do this before that happens? Makes me lose interest in the book. Stop. Just stop.

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Sep 02, 2017 Kenrick rated it did not like it · review of another edition

As a lifelong biology writer and amateur naturalist, the protagonist in this novel rings extremely hollow. The author claims to love science -- and I've no doubt he does -- but he should have spent more time in the research and editing phase making sure his protagonist sounded like an actual scientist and not just a weird Big Bang Theory-esque parody of one.The core conceit isn't a bad one, but it comes across as hackneyed in execution. ...more

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Sep 01, 2019 Brenda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

What a wonderful surprise this book was! This is the kind of book I can’t put down, not even to eat or make a cup of coffee or sleep. Well, I did fall asleep last night, but you know what I mean.

I’ve always loved the sciences and have participated in many scientific data collections and studies. I banded Tree Swallows and Eastern Bluebirds for ten years. I have read many non-fiction books about birds. This book entranced me with the analyses that aren’t too technical. I loved the logical explana ...more

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Jul 30, 2018 Emma rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: crime, thriller

This was a slam dunk of a 5 star read! Very funny, also geeky on the science, clever, fast paced. I should have been able to read this in one go but it was all so exciting I had to keep putting it down! If you’re looking for a quirky original thriller, you don’t get much better than this. #Theo Cray for President

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Sep 05, 2017 Nancy Gold rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Really?

Awful. The author was a magician and probably good at that job. A believable story teller, he is not. Too many quips, too much attitude, too much pseudo scientific facts mar this story. On the very first murder he forgot to tell you what happened to the boyfriend of the murdered girl who was camping with her. Too much blood to be believable. Please go back to being a magician.

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Sep 14, 2017 Jonathan Maas rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I loved this book, and though there were some flaws - they had soft edges to them. In short though:

Pros:
* Michael Crichton-esque. A lot of authority here - and you'll be smarter after reading it. I alternated between this and Yuval Noah Harari's Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, and didn't feel bad about jumping away from Harari's non-fiction.
* A page turner - beyond a page turner
* Great use of data and data-trends as a way of tracking the bad guys
* Likeable character - he has flaws, but t ...more

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Jan 29, 2018 Shaina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: borrowed, favorites, my-own-1001-book-list, 2018, kindle, thriller-suspense, ebook, library-loans, review-of-the-year, the-great-outdoors

4.579
Oh wow! I really enjoyed this. I loved the science and the main character’s thoughts were easy to understand. He was smart. For a while I was like ok, you are pushing your luck!!!
But he was intelligent and I just loved the science in this and how he used what he DID KNOW to find out what he DID NOT.
Can’t wait to read the next.

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Jan 28, 2020 Jim rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-2020, mystery-suspense-thriller

This was the first book by Andrew Mayne that I have read. It probably won't be my last but I am not in any big hurry to read another one. It was entertaining and if you like the mystery / suspense / thriller genre you probably would enjoy this one but it wasn't anything that grabbed me.

Professor Theo Cray is a computational biologist who is in Montana on a grant doing a study on something. Frogs? Whatever. The story opens with him heading to the ice machine at the motel where he staying when the This was the first book by Andrew Mayne that I have read. It probably won't be my last but I am not in any big hurry to read another one. It was entertaining and if you like the mystery / suspense / thriller genre you probably would enjoy this one but it wasn't anything that grabbed me.

Professor Theo Cray is a computational biologist who is in Montana on a grant doing a study on something. Frogs? Whatever. The story opens with him heading to the ice machine at the motel where he staying when the police swoop in and bust down the door of one of the rooms. His room. He is apparently a person of interest in the death of a former student who happened to be in the area. He is taken to the police headquarters where he is questioned. At some point it is determined that the former student was killed by a bear. You can go now Theo. Sorry for the inconvenience. I have never been in this situation but I think most people would breath a sigh of relief and just go. Back to Texas (Theo is a professor at the University of Texas at Austin). Anywhere but Montana.

Theo is not satisfied and decides to investigate further. He singly handed starts finding bodies. All apparently classified as bear or mountain lion attacks. Analyzing the data and using computer models he detects a pattern and determines these are the work of a serial killer who has gone undetected. In the process Theo keeps bringing attention to himself to various law enforcement agencies in Montana. They alternately consider him a suspect in the deaths or someone with mental issues. With the help of a waitress at a local diner he decides to find out who the serial killer is. School and the start of classes can wait.

This was an entertaining story if you are willing to go along with the ride and suspend belief. I actually found myself liking Theo and cheering him on in his Don Quixote quest. I would be willing to read other books in the series at some point if only to see what the future holds for Theo. It is hard to imaging that he will still be a professor the University of Texas at Austin after this.

...more

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Jul 06, 2018 Fred Shaw rated it liked it · review of another edition

The Naturalist by Andrew Mayne, Kindle edition.

Dr. Theo Cray is a professor of biogenics and uses computer models to determine how biological systems react given certain criteria. In Montana, while conducting a study, he learns that a previous student was just killed by a grisly bear. To most of the law enforcement, that is what it appears to have happened, but Dr. Cray was not convinced. However, the police and department of natural resources had their collective minds made up, so they track a ...more

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Feb 12, 2019 Murf the Surf rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A very provocative thriller!

I think most people that enjoy a good intelligent take, will be happy with this tome. It's got the medical stuff I crave, and the mystery horror that spices it it. Why, it's the perfect book chili recipe! Enjoy this, and so let the author know, Pax, Murf ...more

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Dec 05, 2017 Dennis rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017-read, crime-fiction, mystery, science

3.5/5 stars

If you enjoy the tv channel Investigation Discovery or shows like Forensic Files, then Andrew Mayne's The Naturalist is the perfect read for you! It is a quick, dark read that doesn't sugar coat the plot, while not explicitly getting too grotesque. The story starts off with Dr. Theo Cray being questioned about the disappearance of one of his past students, Juniper, who police claim has a direct link to Dr. Cray. After routine questioning, police confirm Juniper's death as an accid 3.5/5 stars

If you enjoy the tv channel Investigation Discovery or shows like Forensic Files, then Andrew Mayne's The Naturalist is the perfect read for you! It is a quick, dark read that doesn't sugar coat the plot, while not explicitly getting too grotesque. The story starts off with Dr. Theo Cray being questioned about the disappearance of one of his past students, Juniper, who police claim has a direct link to Dr. Cray. After routine questioning, police confirm Juniper's death as an accidental bear attack in the nearby woods. Dr. Cray, professor and biologist, can't leave well enough alone because if Juniper was a dedicated student of his, she would know how to react to a bear in the woods. As Dr. Cray investigates the small Montana town that he's visiting, he begins to see how a town crippled by drugs, poverty, and a lack of education can only continue on by keeping their darkest secrets hidden. Through Dr. Cray's investigation, he realizes that things aren't always what it may seem.

The Naturalist was very different read for me—it had a lot of science background in it that I was not familiar (nor really wanted to be familiar) with, while keeping me on the edge of my seat by keeping the mystery at bay. Dr. Cray was sarcastic, witty, and a profound protagonist for me. This book is approximately 400 pages, but the dialogue isn't overtly sophisticated so you can easily brush through this read quickly. The Naturalist 's storyline was very original in a sense that it took key common themes (i.e.: drugs, town corruption, crime), and interweaving it into a robust plot development. I would also recommend anyone who enjoys anything by David Bell or Noah Hawley to definitely pick this one up. I immediately got Bring Her Home and Before The Fall vibes as I was trekking on with the story although neither book is similar in terms of content.

This book will not be for everyone—I'm telling you now. If you really aren't into the multifaceted world of biology, genetics, DNA, etc; this isn't the read for you. At points The Naturalist can be a little too technical and I had to catch myself from skipping through those sections. Once I was about 1/3 of the way into the story, I actually began to care more about the characters and was focused on finishing.

I was provided a copy of The Naturalist in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Wunderbooks PR, it was a pleasure. ...more

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Oct 08, 2017 Nicole rated it did not like it · review of another edition

It took me forever to read this book because #1. I kept falling asleep and #2. I dreaded picking it back up. Generally speaking, the story line was stupid, the characters were shallow and poorly developed, the action scenes were overly complicated and hard to envision, and the main character was so boring, I don't even remember his name. The first 30% of the book was like reading an encyclopedic entry on bears. Was the author trying to make us think a bear really was the killer? Or was he just s It took me forever to read this book because #1. I kept falling asleep and #2. I dreaded picking it back up. Generally speaking, the story line was stupid, the characters were shallow and poorly developed, the action scenes were overly complicated and hard to envision, and the main character was so boring, I don't even remember his name. The first 30% of the book was like reading an encyclopedic entry on bears. Was the author trying to make us think a bear really was the killer? Or was he just showing off all the research he did on bears? Either way, it was obvious in the first chapter that the killer was not a bear, so why spend all that time boring me with details about bears? Eventually, the main character turns into this pompous know-it-all, who is doing the police's job because the police are inept. It irritated me that he was supposed to be so smart, yet he didn't see that he was making himself look like the killer. Well, not until the end when the light bulb finally went off. Queue the requisite "love interest". Could two characters have any less chemistry? And the "big sex scene" is in a car on the side of a road after they found ANOTHER dead body and are being followed? I need more synonyms for the words stupid and dumb. The book was peppered with scenes and set ups that had nothing to do with the story, only to provide a solution on the following page. The main character (still can't remember his stupid name), would go into great detail explaining the most obvious simple thought process. Not everything needs to be explained. Readers are smart enough to connect the dots. But perhaps the most insulting feature was his uncanny ability to make an assumption and have it lead perfectly to the next victim or even more unbelievably, the perfect clue. I didn't want to waste my time finishing this book, but I wanted to give it a review worthy of it's horribleness, so I forced myself to finish so I could offer this review. I notice that this book is the first in a series, I seriously have doubts about the person who signed that deal. ...more

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Oct 06, 2018 Joy D rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, thriller, crime, contemporary-fiction, detective, reviewed, zck

What a wild ride! In this mystery-suspense-thriller, the story opens with Professor Theo Cray, a computational biologist, being questioned about a possible murder of a former student. He is released when police determine that a bear or mountain lion was involved. Or was it?

Professor Theo Cray is a remarkable character. He’s a brilliant scientist, and his strengths lie in numbers, systems, patterns, data-modeling, and methodical analysis. He is socially awkward when dealing with people. I found ...more

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Sep 11, 2017 JustSomeGuy rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Deciding to read this one was a total shot in the dark as I was without a book waiting for the library to re-open after the holiday break with books I had on hold. My September First Read email from Amazon came and I immediately selected this based on the primer sentence alone. Past selections of the First Read benefit have not gone well, but this one started out as a surprising exception. The main character in this book is the total opposite of a traditional protagonist - he's a socially awkwar ...more

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Sep 05, 2017 Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Enjoyable read

The geekiness of the main character appealed to me. Normally I do not like books written in the first person but this time I think it actually works for the story. The many short chapters sort of chopped up my reading flow though. I do think I will seek out some of this author's other books because overall I was pretty impressed with the handling of the characters and storyline. ...more

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Jun 30, 2018 E. rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-on-sale, mystery

3.75-ish. At times it was predictable and slow going... like the word "blood" should freak me out.
Then it would amp up to full on descriptive dead things.

Development of live secondary characters was sparse, but I felt like I knew the victims well.
Strange.
However, I might read the next in series.
...more

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Mar 11, 2019 VickiLee rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-thriller, read-a-thons, wom-wild-card, wom-2019-reading-challenge

Mutilated bodies being found in random places are being blamed on murderous animals. But Theo, a researcher driven by his compulsive curiosity about animals, suspects these deaths are tied to two-legged killers - humans.

I grew very fond of Theo, the researcher, and his determination to find out the truth about the good and evil he keeps rubbing shoulders with.

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Jan 29, 2018 Debbie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: serial-killer, authors-i-love, suspense-thriller, top-reads

Wow!!! I haven't had that much fun reading a book in a long, long time! Don't get me wrong this serial killer thriller....thrills. It has it's seriously creepy, tense and edge of your seat moments but it was also extremely fun to read (yeah, I'm a little wacked), perfectly paced and balanced.

This book follows Theo, the quintessential, socially awkward, and common sense lacking scientist, as he gets caught up in the hunt for the serial killer responsible for the death of his former student. And ...more

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Jun 14, 2019 Pat (not getting friend updates currently) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

My quest for 'something a bit different' in reading material has borne much fruit lately. Meet Dr Theo Cray, one of the most unusual protagonists in a crime thriller you will ever meet. He is a very geeky computational biologist. He searches for patterns in nature and has written an advanced computer program to analyse these.

So there he is in Montana doing some field research when he is abruptly bundled off to a police station for questioning about the death of one of his former students. It's n My quest for 'something a bit different' in reading material has borne much fruit lately. Meet Dr Theo Cray, one of the most unusual protagonists in a crime thriller you will ever meet. He is a very geeky computational biologist. He searches for patterns in nature and has written an advanced computer program to analyse these.

So there he is in Montana doing some field research when he is abruptly bundled off to a police station for questioning about the death of one of his former students. It's not long before he is cleared and the killing attributed to a bear attack but Theo's interest is piqued (he's geeky alright but has an insatiable curiosity about things). He checks out the crime scene and goes into the data base (apparently there is one for research purposes) of known bears in the region. He soon picks up an anomaly that means a bear couldn't have done it, therefore it must have been a man (or woman) trying to make it look like a bear attack. He takes this info to the authorities but of course, as it questions their credibility, his theory is about as welcome as a fart in a lift (elevator for you Americans). Undaunted, Theo can't seem to let it go. Maybe the killer has struck before because surely a first time killer would not have done this, nor be prepared with a bear hair which screams "premeditation" to place at the scene.

He uses his computer models and analytical skills to develop hypotheses and races off to investigate on his own. Despite a few hiccups he finds another victim in a shallow grave with all the hallmarks of a bear attack. More analysis, more skepticism by the authorities but he perseveres and is soon digging up bodies left, right and centre. Well knock me over with a feather, this eventually brings him to the attention of the killer and Theo has no idea what he is in for.

What an interesting book! Chock full of interesting scientific facts processes that are simply explained and gripping at the same time. Theo was kind of endearing in a geeky and socially inept way. The ending was highly suspenseful and stretched credulity a bit. Nevertheless a thoroughly different and entertaining story. I've already bought book two. ...more

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Mar 18, 2018 Rade rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

This book is one of the best reasons why I shouldn't rely on others to tell me what needs to be read because "you will not be able to put it down. It is that good".

Well, I hate to disappoint but I did put this book down, a lot. So much so that I at times read five pages and got up to do something else, not going back to the book for days.

In its core, I don't think the book was that bad. However, there a lot of plot holes in this book that I couldn't get over. From one of the characters (not me ...more

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Oct 21, 2017 Tom Swift rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Really fun exciting read. Theo Cray is a research professor on a field trip in Montana, a bear attack to an old students leads to an exciting story.

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Play Book Tag: The Naturalist by Andrew Mayne - 4 stars	3	19	Oct 06, 2018 08:19PM
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Looking for Mystery Novel about a college professor who takes an indefinite leave of absence to solve the murder of a former student. [s]	5	40	Aug 20, 2018 07:21AM

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About Andrew Mayne

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Quotes from Šelma

“There’s a clarity that arrives when life forces you into a binary situation.” — 6 likes

“Killing is a solution to a problem. Murder is something you do because you want to. You divorce your wife because you don’t love her. You murder her because you hate her.” — 3 likes

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