Dr. Julie Charmaine, a psychiatrist with an interest in sleep disorders, is drawn to the battered young woman. The circumstances of her attack are confusing. The victim is incoherent, seemingly frightened to the point she can barely speak. Only two things yield any hope of tracing her attacker. First is a horrible, putrid odor reminiscent of a sewer that seems to permeate her body. The second is her limited speech. In Spanish she keeps muttering "Help me", and " monkey".

Her death, which seems to be due to fright, leaves the police with too little information to mount much of a search. Subsequently other dark haired young women are attacked, apparently by the same individual, whom the media quickly label the" Sewer Stalker" because of the horrific stench pervading all the victims.

Finally, a potential lead as to the stalker's identity comes from a young woman who manages to escape from the stalker with only minor physical injuries. Vicki Zampisi had been attacked in an abandoned derelict hotel by the serial menace. Unwilling or unable to offer any clues when she is conscious, she does agree to participate in Dr. Charmaine's sleep study. She does, however, reveal that she suspects Dr. Wesley Kovacs, a researcher for whom she had worked several years ago may be linked to the unfortunate occurrences. Kovacs who values his work in low temperature molecular biology above all else, seems quite evasive when questioned by the police.

Dr. Charmaine develops an uneasy alliance with Matthew Guardian, a Los Angeles detective who has the dubious distinction of being named lead detective in the Sewer Stalker case. Professionally the two seem to be able to provide each other with the necessary tools to solve the case. Their attraction to each other on a personal level proves to be an added bonus.

Thrillers are the perfect antidote to the tedium of a long plane ride or relief from the pressure of a demanding career. No great exertion is required of the brain but an escape to another existence is a welcome relief for a few hours. Alan Nayes' The Unnatural provides such a service. He quickly catches his readers up in the fear and horror gripping his protagonists as they realize the threat of an unknown killer who seems to possess superhuman abilities. There is little to remember after the story is completed, especially as it is clearly several steps removed from reality, so the novel must really be appreciated for its entertainment value.

Mr. Nayes does offer some interesting details regarding evidence collection and interpretation. Would that all the persons responsible for such duties be as fastidious as the characters in The Unnatural, but the scope of possibilities in forensic pathology is impressive. A skilled pathologist can coax a tremendous amount of information about its death from a corpse. For some readers this elaboration may make the story too gruesome, but these people will quickly notice this difficulty before venturing very far into the book.

Another interesting aspect of the human psyche that the author explores is human ambition and an almost pathological desire for glory. To what extent an individual will go to achieve his goals despite potential adverse effects on a number of other people is a sobering thought. The author makes it clear where his sentiments lie; though sadly, he can offer no solution to the dilemma.

--Andy Plonka