A scooby-doo rag tag gang of the FBI who have been shunned make up the PAR, Patterns and Recognition Unit. FBI agent Gardner Camden is lead of this group, and with his brilliant mind but awkward social skills, make up this stunning thriller and police procedural novel.
An absolute binge worthy read and great for everyone, even those who don't fancy themselves as crime junkies!

I loved this one it kept me guessing the whole way through! This is a perfect Fall thriller I highly recommend!

Head Cases follows Agent Gardner and the PAR (Patterns and Recognition) group that handles cold cases. When they get a call for a murder victim whose DNA links to a man that Agent Gardner believed to be dead, it sets the PAR group on a hunt for a killer who is targeting other serial killers. Can the PAR group who is used to working in the background, handle working on a current case in the public eye?

This book took me by complete surprise. I loved how different this book was from the mystery/thrillers I have read recently. Agent Gardner is the perfect main character for this book. It was nice to see a character that was neurodivergent, and I enjoyed reading his thoughts as he navigates through the case and how he interacted in social situations while leading the PAR team. This book had me completely engaged from beginning to end and the conclusion took me by surprise. The ending did open up the possibility of another book and I would read that in a heartbeat.

If you enjoy police procedurals and/or mystery thrillers, put this on your TBR for 2025.

Head Cases comes out January 28th, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review Head Cases. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you’re looking for a good thriller, check out Head Cases. This was a great read and it was so enthralling!

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! Great read!! This book had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, a great who done it and a few twists and turns. The story was interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

I absolutely LOVED this book! The Characters were fairly fleshed out but i loved the plot and the writing from the main characters unusual point of view. I had never read this author before but I will now go back and read the rest of his stuff bec i couldn't put this book down!
I loved the cat and mouse, it was a very intelligent book, never boring!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

**5 Stars for Head Cases!**

This book stands out as one of the finest police procedurals I have encountered. The narrative unfolds at a brisk pace, brimming with suspense. Special Agent Camden Gardner, who is neurodivergent, heads a team of FBI agents, each equipped with a unique ability to identify patterns and solve complex problems. I found it impossible to put down. The team embarks on a time-sensitive mission to track down a serial killer targeting other serial killers. I would be thrilled to see this developed into a series! Don't miss out on this compelling read!

Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC to read and review!

This was such a fun book to read! (Am I allowed to use the word ‘fun’ when talking about a book involving serial killers? LOL) I was pleasantly surprised by this book, only because I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with this type of plot before. I was worried that I might not enjoy it, but it turned out to be a really good book that I couldn’t put down.

This book follows Gardner, an FBI agent who is part of a subgroup known as PAR- the Patterns and Recognition unit. When a murder victim’s DNA identifies him as a serial killer they had presumed dead over 7 years ago, their team is thrust into a cat and mouse chase with a man seeking vengeance against other killers.

Fans of Criminal Minds will really enjoy this one! As someone who majored in crime scene technology myself, it was really fun for me to read about a lot of the “behind the scenes” when it comes to solving the case. Yes, it’s not a real life case, but the writing made it feel like one! I truly felt like I was part of the team and was learning information and putting pieces together alongside the characters. If you’ve ever wished you could be part of the Behavioral Analysis Unit alongside Spencer Reid, this is the book for you.

WOW this was perfect! It was unique, it was a bit old school, it was realistic and it was impossible to guess.

Head Cases follows a group of Slow Horses types -- FBI agents that were churned out of the FBI machine because they couldn't keep up with the politics. Their punishment is to deal with cold cases via a program called PAR (Patterns and Recognition). FBI Agent Gardner Camden is an analytical genius with a remarkable memory. His recall rivals google and most of his colleagues dislike his abilities and his inability to fit in. But at PAR he has almost a family and the group has been successful until now.

Gardner learns early on that a man he had filed as dead just recently was murdered. This mistake sends him spinning and he and the team are called in to a live case. It's not long before they learn that they are just as much part of the case and there is a serial killer at large!

I just loved this book. I felt Gardner was very well written and believable - not the over-the-top spectrum or confused with social skills writing that some authors employ for entertainment value. We really know him and root for him! I cannot wait for the next book and am going through MCMahon's past books now! #StMartins #headcases #johnmcmahon

🚔 BOOK / REVIEW 🚔

I have been in a book rut 😭 I recently started crocheting, and that has taken up my time and interest over the past few months, so this one got pushed to the back burner for a bit.

That being said, this was an EXCELLENT #policeprocedural novel - McMahon wrote the plot, characters and twists / turns perfectly. I loved that this one focused on a unique group in the FBI - called PAR - comprised of genius minds and a ragtag group of friends. The fact that I learned so much while reading this makes it a very easy book to recommend for folks who like this genre. Despite my lack of time, this is actually a very quick read.

All of the early reviews for this are incredible, so be sure to add this to your queue! #headcases by John McMahon publishes January, 2025 by @stmartinspress. Thank you so much for my #gifted copy @netgalley.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

My series loving heart wants every book I enjoy to become a series, and that is true here. I loved Gardner and his crew, and the story was good! I actually emailed the author I enjoyed it so much. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book publishes January 28, 2025

> 4.5 stars <
Police procedural stories can often be dry and have very hard/predictable/vanilla characters. I’m happy to report that this is not one of those books! I loved this story from beginning to end. It had everything you could want in this genre: lovable characters, twists and turns, interesting crimes, and some good old fashioned mystery solving. Really hoping this will be a series!
Thank you to St. Martins Press for the digital ARC!

Head Cases held my attention right out of the gate, it was fast paced, suspenseful and extremely detailed.
For those who enjoy crime thrillers I really think you'd enjoy this.

Thank you, NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced reader copy for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this novel - it gave me mind hunter vibes and was very suspenseful and kept me guessing. It was a bit slow in some parts but the twists kept me engaged!

Head Cases is the start of a new procedural thriller series. FBI agent Gardner Camden leads a group known as PAR, specialized agents adept with patterns and recognition. They are pulled into a murder investigation where DNA connects the victim to a serial killer previously considered dead. But soon a second victim is identified and they are searching for a serial killer intent on getting revenge. The killer is leaving clues for the team, especially for Gardner. This is a fantastic series start. I liked the group of people who are part of PAR. Their unique set of skills allows them to do investigations intellectually. I liked the complexities and twists that were part of the plot and found it to be a great procedural. I am definitely looking forward to reading more of this group's investigations.

Thank you, NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

If you're in the mood for a gripping FBI procedural with a touch of Criminal Minds, this book is a must-read. It's packed with fascinating characters, especially the main character, Gardner, whose neurodiversity adds a refreshing layer of depth. I loved the dynamic of the investigative team, a quirky motley crew of characters that has me wanting more stories with them.

The "killing killers" aspect also brings a bit of a Dexter vibe, which makes for some interesting moral questions. While the story doesn’t break any new ground, it's a solid serial killer tale that's both entertaining and addictive. Just a heads up, it gets a bit gory in places, so if you're squeamish, proceed with caution.

Overall, it's perfect for fans of police procedurals who enjoy piecing together details and being kept guessing until the end. If you're looking for a read that will entertain and keep you thinking, this one delivers.

It's a solid 4.5 for me, but I have to round down because Netgalley doesn't allow fractions.

This was a really good story. I love police procedurals and this was a great one. Special Agent Gardner Camden is such a good character. I love that he was neurodivergent and we get to be in his head and hear his inner thoughts. I did find Cassie a bit annoying, she talks like my teenager. Overall, this was a great read, and would recommend.

This was absolutely perfect. Every time I read a crime novel I walk away feeling smarter. This one was no exception.