What a fun ride this book is! I think that this author is new to me and did not disappoint!
The story centers around a group of misfits within the FBI. They are each uniquely qualified to contribute to this special operations group called PAR whose job it is to solve unusual cases. This particular case is being led by Agent Gardner, Gardy, for his first time as lead in a case. He is brilliant and has amazing recall for details and solving puzzles. The perp in this case is playing a game with the FBI that PAR is called in to help solve.
This story is engaging throughout. It has twists and turns from start to finish as they try to piece together the overall puzzle as well as predict where the killer is going next and intervene.
Well written and entertaining. Highly recommend to all the thriller lovers.
#HeadCases #NetGalley #StMartinsPress

Head Cases is a police procedural thriller that felt like a mix between Criminal Minds and The Good Doctor. It’s the first book in a new series that I cannot wait to continue.

This follows Gardner Camden who is an FBI agent on a special team nicknamed the Head Cases by other departments. Everyone in the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit are brilliant misfits. Their task is typically solving cold cases but when a serial killer from one of Gardner’s past cases is found murdered and soon after another body is discovered with similarities to the first, Gardner and his team are tasked with finding the killer. There’s intricate puzzles to solve to track the killer across the country and each member of the team plays a vital role.

I couldn’t put this book down and at the same time I didn’t want it to end. There was a lot going on with building the cast of characters but it was written in a way that wasn’t overwhelming and kept me engaged the whole time. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series.

This had all the Criminal Minds vibes, I had forgotten I loved. I'm so excited for more to come from this series.

So, you know that feeling when FOMO completely takes over, and you have to read the latest hyped book, even though you weren’t planning to—only to end up wishing you hadn’t? Yeah. That was me with Head Cases.

I had such high expectations, I was ready to be completely wowed from page one, but quickly, I started to wonder if I was missing out on something everyone else was getting. I found the characters interesting and sometimes that’s enough to keep me hooked, but the plot has to, you know, pull some of the weight. Instead, it was just page after page of analyzing clues and endless theorizing, until it all blurred together and I wasn’t even paying attention anymore. I wanted more—more action, more suspense, and higher stakes—but instead, I got a lot of talking and not enough happening, and yeah…

In the end, I was left wanting more—and not in a good way.

I enjoyed reading Head Cases by John McMahon and I thank netgalley and St Martins Press for an arc for my review.

I really enjoyed the cat and mouse chase vibe that I got from this book. It’s a great read for anyone who like criminal minds myself included.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an advance reader copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

I really hope this becomes a series! A great suspenseful read for lovers of many genres. Will be sure to recommend it many of our customers. Can't wait for the PAR unit to get involved with more cases!

Description
Head Cases follows an enigmatic group of FBI agents as they hunt down a murderer seeking his own justice in this electrifying—and commercial—series debut.

FBI Agent Gardner Camden is an analytical genius with an affinity for puzzles. He also has a blind spot on the human side of investigations, a blindness that sometimes even includes people in his own life, like his beloved seven-year-old daughter Camila. Gardner and his squad of brilliant yet quirky agents make up the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit, the FBI’s hidden edge, brought in for cases that no one else can solve.

When DNA links a murder victim to a serial killer long presumed dead, the team springs into action. A second victim establishes a pattern, and the murderer begins leaving a trail of clues and riddles especially for Gardner. And while the PAR team is usually relegated to working cold cases from behind a desk, the investigation puts them on the road and into the public eye, following in the footsteps of a killer.

Along with Gardner, PAR consists of a mathematician, a weapons expert, a computer analyst, and their leader, a career agent. Each of them must use every skill they have to solve the riddle of the killer’s identity. But with the perpetrator somehow learning more and more about the team at PAR, can they protect themselves and their families…before it’s too late?

With an enigmatic case that will keep readers on the edge of their seats and a thoroughly engaging ensemble cast, John McMahon’s Head Cases is a triumph.

FBI procedural with a cat and mouse pursuit of a serial killer killing other killers.

I LOVE a procedural and really enjoyed the "Slow Horses" element of the ragtag Scooby team of FBI agents who had been sidelined for various reasons.

This took a turn I wasn't initially happy with, but I really enjoyed it overall!

This is such a fun time and definitely for fans of Criminal Minds. It read like a true crime story and I honestly had to remind myself a couple of times that it was not. I can't wait for more in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press Early Readers for access to an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Most books that I have seen marketed as “for fans of the tv show Criminal Minds” don’t live up to the hype. However, this one did and I want 500 more books from the PAR Unit!!! I took my time reading it because I didn’t want it to be over. The plot and the crimes were clever and unique - it didn’t feel formulaic. I felt like I knew all of these characters personally and was right next to them solving the case. Also, the way the FBI procedures were explained and played out was very unique. I didn't feel like I was reading a textbook, but I felt like I was learning the procedures as we went through the case. My only complaint is now I have to wait for the next book in the series! In the meantime, I have John’s backlog to keep me busy since this was my first novel by him, but will definitely be checking the rest out. Also, this book is in development for streaming on Max and I think it is going to translate so well to television. Highly recommend - for fans of Criminal Minds and the like 😜




📖 Huge thank you to @minotaur & @netgalley for this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review 📖

This was a fast moving, emotional ride of a thriller. I loved the team, and the main guy Gardner. He is something special. This reminded me so much of Criminal Minds. FBI and serial killers, a hunt all over US to find someone who seems smarter than the smartest department in the Federal Government. There's just so much to like about this series, I can't wait for the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

FBI Agent Gardner Camden is not your typical FBI agent. And the Patterns & Recognition (PAR) squad he is a part of is not the usual group of agents. They have all, for one reason or another, gotten in hot water in their previous assignments and have been sent to be a part of the Head Cases, which is the nickname given to this group of misfits.

But their ability to see things other agents miss is their strong suit, and they are very good. But the latest case is a real puzzle, because the murder victim is identified as a serial killer that Gardner saw die in a house fire several years previously. The body was burned beyond recognition, but a few teeth found in its mouth had DNA linking it to their quarry. But now he has died again? And been murdered in a grisly way?

When a second serial killer is soon also murdered, the case gets even more puzzling. This man was recently released from prison after serving 31 years, and he was killed within a few days of his release. A third murder is even stranger, because the victim has not been convicted of his murders, but is currently standing trial, and it looks like he might get away, until he is murdered in an FBI safe house!

These victims have nothing in common on paper, but the crimes do look as though someone has inside information - from the FBI.

The action moves all around the US and it really takes the genius of this group to put it all together. It was fun watching them do it.

The PAR (patterns and recognition) unit of the FBI is made up of some brilliant, but quirky agents. Gardner Camden is an analytical genius with his strong suit being puzzles. That being said, the human side of the investigation isn’t quite as easy for him. When a murder victim is recognized as a serial killer that has long been assumed dead, the PAR team is called in. When other serial killers are soon targeted, the team must delve in to figure out the new killer. With their unit on the line, the group is working harder than ever to both find the killer and save their unit, but do they even have a chance? With a great cast of eclectic characters and a strong plot, this was a great first book in what I hope to be a new series. Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This story was an thrilling story from an author I don’t know or haven’t read before! Will look at finding other things by this author. I am grateful for the early access, thank you to those that allowed it!

4.5 ⭐️

Thank you Minotaur and SMP for the gifted digital copy.

Head Cases
John McMahon
Publishing Date: January 28, 2025

I read this book after a friend raved about it, and I’m so glad I did!! This book felt so different than anything I’ve read lately. I find that the more I read, the more I struggle to find thrillers that don’t make me roll my eyes with the amount of suspension of disbelief they require. There was no eye rolling here!

I would say this is a police procedural with thriller elements. Gardner Camden is a member of the Patterns and Recognition unit. A group of “misfits” dubbed the Head Cases due to their puzzle solving, brainiac, math nerd level of intelligence. Their current case? A serial killer targeting serial killers.

What made this book so excellent for me is the characters. They were all so human and flawed and relatable. One could say most are morally gray but in the most realistic of ways. I loved Gardners relationship with his mom. He was just such a multidimensional MMC and you couldn’t help but be invested in the case and in him.

This is the first book of a series and I can’t wait for the next installments. This feels reminiscent of the Will Trent series, which is the highest of compliments.

Head Cases is a great series debut. The story of the PAR unit is compelling and smartly written. This book seems to be well researched and the unit is a great of intelligent characters. I can not wait to read the next book in the series. These will be a great series to follow.

Head Cases reminded me of all the crime shows I watch and love. I hope this series goes on for many more books. I'll be there for everyone. Perfect thriller for new the genre as well as seasoned crime readers ( and show watchers)

Wow—that was such an amazing read! This book is an electrifying blend of high-stakes mystery, mind-bending puzzles, and unforgettable characters. I couldn’t put it down and devoured the entire book in one sitting!

FBI Agent Gardner Camden is an incredibly unique protagonist—his neurodivergence adds such an intriguing layer to the story, allowing us to experience his brilliant mind at work while also navigating the challenges of human connection. The whole Patterns and Recognition team is a fantastic mix of personalities, each bringing their own expertise to the table, making for an absolutely compelling dynamic.

The case itself was absolutely gripping! A long-dead serial killer should stay dead… but when bodies start piling up and clues are left specifically for Gardner, the tension skyrockets. The twists and turns kept me guessing, and just when I thought I had it figured out I was shocked by another revelation!

I got major Criminal Minds vibes from this book, but it also had its own fresh, exciting edge. Whether you're a die-hard thriller fan or just dipping into the genre, this is a binge-worthy read that will keep you hooked from the first page to the jaw-dropping finale. Highly, HIGHLY recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Head Cases starts with a murder of a serial killer that was thought to have died years previously. More dead bodies begin appearing around the country and the story continues at a fast pace. The FBI's PAR (patterns and recognition) unit is on the case. PAR consists of brilliant and quirky detectives that have failed in other areas of the FBI but work well together. The story was fast-moving and kept me guessing with multiple twists and turns. I liked learning about Camden Gardner's backstory and personal life. I really enjoyed all the agents in PAR and hoping with the subtitle "PAR Unit 1", I will get to hear from them again. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an early e-copy.

The so-called "Head Cases" unit investigates the most heinous crimes, especially the psychological aspects. When a serial killer who was thought to have died years ago turns up verifiably dead (again), the unit goes into action. Agent Camden, who perhaps has Asperger's, is put in charge of the case. Soon, there is another dead serial killer and Camden and the entire unit are in danger. Black humor, great action, and suspense make this a good bet for fans of procedurals.

4.25⭐
Engrossing and entertaining, Head Cases is a winner. A tiny group of 5 intellectually gifted agents within the FBI, called PAR, for Patterns and Recognition, unravels puzzles and finds out of the box answers. Assigned a case of a recently murdered serial killer who was believed to have died five years prior, they amass clues and theories at lightning speed. Well-written andfast-paced, it captured my complete attention. I barely lifted my head from the book once I hit the halfway point. Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.