Publication Date: June 23, 2026
An intelligent suspense thriller and gritty crime procedural featuring a complex female detective.
Three years after quitting her job as a homicide cop, Sam moves to Denver as a named partner with a boutique private investigation firm. She’s finished with the violence and trauma that have marked both her personal and professional lives. But when a zealous eco-terrorist begins a killing spree with plans to escalate, she finds herself once again hunting a serial killer whose past too closely resembles Sam’s own.
A move to Denver means a fresh start for Sam Tate, far away from homicide investigations and personal loss.
Author Nikki Stern serves up the fifth installment in the stand-alone series with Natural Causes. As Sam reinvents herself as a private investigator, she gets pulled into a series of cases with chilling common denominators.
The author provides solid characters to power the story. Sam and her legal firm colleagues must use all their resources to find answers before the next body drops.
The action focuses on an environmentalist gone rogue. Bodies discovered with one-word notes offer clues leading to a larger mission.
One of the most interesting aspects is Sam’s growth as a character. She has had time to grieve and returns stronger than ever—with the potential for a new relationship.
Natural Causes delivers a strong female sleuth ready to navigate a challenging foe.
Nikki is the author of eight books, including five in the award-winning Sam Tate Mystery Series. She was a co-author of several musical murder mystery plays in the popular Café Noir collection. She’s also written a number of short stories and essays, some of which can be found here. A former families’ advocate following the death of her husband on 9/11, Nikki now serves on the leadership council for Search for Common Ground, a global conflict transformation organization. She lives in Princeton, New Jersey.
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Woohoo!!!! So glad you loved this one! I am a fan of this author.
I am loving the Sam Tate series and I think Sam is a great character.
Thanks so much for the review!
Thank you SO much for this terrific review.
I love mystery books!