I really hope this is going to become a series.
I did the audio - and LOVED IT.
What a plot! Loved the characters - and of course the fallible main character who has made errors. Great twists and plot building.
Just a great read!

If you're a lover of Criminal Minds - especially Spencer Reed, then this is the book for you. While I felt a few similarities here, I thought the author created a unique and original character in Gardner Camden. I loved this character who cared so deeply and used his abilities to see crimes in way others don't. I think the author did a great job of making him complex and full of depth. There was a great balance with the dark serial killer they're investigating with figuring out how to balance a personal life. I also liked the behind the scenes look at the different task forces of the FBI. This book was engaging from beginning to end, and I'll definitely be picking this author up again in the future.

Fast paced thriller with the added element that it is populated by a quirky gang of experts, misfits that are called upon when a case proves too knotty for the usual team of FBI investigators. In this, I saw a certain resemblance to Mick Herron's Slow Horses series. However, it lacked that Herron's expertise in plotting, characterization and humor, still it is an interesting introduction to what promises to be an involving series.

What happens when a long deceased serial killer turns up deceased again? This is a head spinning fast paced crime novel.  Gardner Camden is the leader of a recently created FBI group called Patterns and Recognition (PAR). He is a walking and talk computer. He isn't just a nerd, he also has a soul. The story focuses mainly on Camden but the supporting cast are each phenomenal in their own right. When the team begins to think they have a serial killer searching out and killing other serial killers, they go on a cross country search for answers. I truly hope this is the beginning of a series. Twists and turns abound as the team closes in on the killer. This book is perfect for fans of Criminal Minds.

5 stars

Engaging and entertaining. A recommended purchase for collections where crime and thrillers are popular.

One of my favorite television programs is Criminal Minds because of the BAU, a group of profilers. Head Cases is about a FBI group of agents who find patterns and solve the puzzles. Each member of this group has a particular expertise.
Looking forward to more books about this group by McMahon.

Libby lives a pretty solitary life writing the world famous children’s fantasy series “The Falling Children” under the name F.T.Goldhero. The internet is blowing up wondering who this author is and when the final book in the series will be released. Unbeknownst to the world, and her publisher, Libby has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers and writing is next to impossible.
Through a series of events, she travels to meet an extremely precocious 11 yo. fan who believes the finale’ of the story will tell her who her birth mother is. I read middle-grade books so the frequent reference to what occurs in “The Falling Children” is SOP for me though some adult readers may have difficulty with the fantasy references. That said, the book is extremely compelling and, as you might imagine, heartbreaking and I recommend it highly.

Pretty good for a police/FBI procedural. They tend to get boring and repetitive after awhile, but this one felt fresh for the genre. It was handed to figure out than most and I enjoyed that. I also enjoyed the unique characters from the team. The main protagonist did annoy me some in all of his thinking about being different, but it wasn’t too bad. The others were varied and interesting, I definitely enjoyed them. All in all a pretty good read.

Unfortunately I DNF this one around the 20% mark. The synopsis of this one sounded interesting but I found myself bored by the storyline and the characters.

I loved the premise but didn't think the dialogue and characters flowed the best. Good concept though! I think fans of the shows Dexter or Criminal Minds may enjoy this.

Head Cases follows a special group of FBI agents called the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit who are kind of the outcasts of the FBI because of their innate analytical skills but minimal people skills. It is similar to Criminal Minds and The Naturals series but if they were adults. They are following a killer who is killing serial killers, which I found was such a unique plot point that I haven't seen often in these FBI/Behavioral Analysis books. I liked the characters and how intelligent they were, and how they interacted with one another. I think it was a really solid book overall, would definitely recommend to thriller and mystery fans.

4/5
The perfect book for fans of crime shows, especially from Al minds because of the psychological aspect. Fast paced.

This was a really good thriller and I hope there will be more books with agent Gardner in it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

My favorite mystery/thrillers are ones with a law enforcement main character. I love wading through the clues and cases with them to try and solve the crime, oftentimes needing to do so before it’s too late. New to me author, John McMahon, has created a wonderful character in FBI agent Gardner Camden. Although not explicitly stated, it’s clear Camden is neurodivergent with a high IQ and a difficulty in social situations. He is part of a team of misfits called PAR (Patterns and Recognition) who get assigned a case to find the killer who is murdering serial killers.

The case has Camden and his crew crossing the US in order to find and stop a killer who taunts them with clues and phone calls. Each side character is as well-developed as Camden and plays an integral role in solving the crimes. I was right there beside each of them trying to piece it all together.

The story comes to a satisfying conclusion with an opening for the possibility of more books, so I was happy to read in the acknowledgments that another book is forthcoming. I could see this series continuing on for some time as the PAR team becomes a group similar to that of the BSU/BAU in the FBI.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the copy of Head Cases by John McMahon. I have had a tough time concentrating lately, so it took me a while to finish this one. I loved the story and there were so many reveals my head was spinning. I loved the characters and learning how they ended up in the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit. The only thing that annoyed me was how Gardner knew so much about EVERYTHING. I’m so tired of the superhero man who knows and can do it all and prefer fallible MCs.

I loved John McMahon's Head Cases, so much so that I didn't want it to end, BUT when I read the author's notes and saw there's another book coming with these incredibly compelling characters, my book hangover got just a little bit less. This book has it all, not only the interesting and a little bit quirky characters, but a serial killer (maybe more than one). Add in the fact that the FBI thought he was dead, and I was frantically swiping left on my kindle, binge reading. Cat and mouse thrillers are some of my favs, and this is one of the best I've read recently.

This book was fun in every way possible! I loved the mystery, the thrill and the chase. This premise was fresh and unique with lots of things that made me reconsider my earlier perspectives about crime, life, and morality. I loved our protagonist and hope to read more from this author. This book was brilliant! (Actual rating - 4.75 stars).

To me, this book felt like watching a really good episode of Criminal Minds. I literally finished this in one sitting which is rare for me. I just could not put it down. The plot, the characters, the details, just SO GOOD.

This book had my attention. It was quick with short chapters and a continuous flow of leads to take down a serial killer.

The FBI team was on their feet and ready to go at all times. Gardner Camden headed the PAR (Patterns and Recognition) unit with puzzles, riddles, patterns and decoding enigmas to solve an unusual case of a serial killer who was killing serial killers.

The story with all the facts and dialogue is believable with tidbits of information thrown in about the body and mind. It also takes the reader into the Vietnam War making me pause with memories of the movie, “Apocalypse Now.” And for those that enjoyed Danielle Trussoni’s “The Puzzle Box and Puzzle Master,” this also has a main character who is a brilliant problem solver.

While the PAR team is small, the story has a long list of names involved with the case from those who died and many who are helping with vivid descriptions. A lot of thought and timing went into writing this crime thriller. While each part made you try to guess the outcome, it was impossible for me to predict the end. This could be a good movie or series.

My thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of January 28, 2025.

Head Cases follows Agent Gardner and the PAR (Patterns and Recognition) group that handles cold cases. The team consists of The Ace, Gardner Camden, who has been with PAR for four years. The Boss, Frank Roberts, the team leader who plays his cards close to the vest. The Analyst, Cassie Pardo, who can recreate a scene using a tangent formula to determine the height of a shooter in her head. The Shooter, Joanne “Shooter” Harris who was born and raised hunting in Alaska and is an Olympic shooter. Lastly, The Rookie, Richie Brancato, the new guy with puppy dog excitement and a prodigy right out of the academy. The team gets a call for a murder victim whose DNA links a man that Agent Gardner believed to be dead. PAR is usually the behind the scenes group, but this case pulls them out into the field as the murderer begins targeting other serial killers. Will PAR be able to stop a serial killer that is killing other serial killers? Or should they?

I love Criminal Minds and this book gives me the same kind of vibes. A unique group of individuals that when put together form an amazing team. I loved Agent Gardner! He is neurodivergent and his thought process and penchant for details is fun to watch as he navigates the case and the office politics. As the PAR team delves deeper into the serial murders, the clues point to a leak, but is the leak in their own unit? They do have a new rookie on the team, can he be trusted? I couldn’t put this book down and the ending hinted that it may be the beginning of the series. I really hope it is, because I want more of PAR and to get to know the rest of the team as well as we got to know Agent Gardner.