I listened to about 10% of the audio and couldn't really get into it, the MMC was a little "off" and I just wasn't gripped from the get-go.

Please circle back to my review for the ebook of this one but DANG!!!! This one was even more spectacular on audio.

Head Cases is my first 5 star read of 2025. This book really drew me in. I love how a group of people who hadn’t played a political game of their career were put together to form the PAR Unit. (Patterns and Recognitions Unit) They were all very intelligent and had their own strengths.

Serial killers being killed?! And little clues hidden along the way?! I felt like I could have been watching an episode of Criminal Minds. The author was able to give enough description to where I could visualize it happening, but not overkill. Now that I’m thinking back over the book, it was a clean read. It just goes to show that books don’t need romance or spice for them to be a great read. There wasn’t even a lot of cussing (which cussing doesn’t bother me, I’m married to a Marine. But it does bother some).

This book had me suspecting so many people. But I didn’t guess any of the twists. This was a quick read that I didn’t want to put down/stop listening to. But I also didn’t want it to end! I consumed most of this book by audio during my work commute. Will Damron has to be one of my favorite male narrators. He voiced Agent Gardner Camden so well. I felt like he really brought him to life. All his little quirks.

I am anxiously awaiting book 2 in this series. It probably won’t be for another year but it can’t come soon enough! I need books from each of the characters.
I think overall, I just throughly enjoyed this. I would recommend it to people who enjoy Criminal Minds or the FBI shows.

This is the first book in a new series that follows FBI Agent Gardner Camden who is in a special and new branch called the PAR Unit. This is the Patterns and Recognition unit. All the members are washed out and considered "Head Cases" as they are "freaks" and find patterns in cases to help solve... cases. Anywho, the team is brought out to a crime scene in Texas and the team starts a manhunt for a serial killer who kills serial killers. Flying all over the country trying to find the suspect by looking into old cases while the killer is taking things to a personal level for Camden. Camden is also "special" because he has an eidetic brain and can see patterns, but has a hard time in social situations so he has learned to act how other people act and think like he thinks.

This is probably one of the best books I've read this year. I don't know what it is about the MC but his struggles to connect emotionally yet understanding of himself and his willingness to try is endearing. I also love that his team and the people around him accept him for who he is. I like that this is a team full of genius misfits who get to solve terrible crimes. The humor is dry and on point and there is this juxtaposition of Camden and his partner, as she speaks modern slang and he rolls with it but is still himself. The crimes are there but it's solving the puzzle and putting all the pieces together that makes this fun. This book is worth the read, it is a crime procedural that isn't trying too hard and all of the characters have chemistry, the humor is on point and it's all together a good time. The narrator was amazing really giving the character more depth and he delivered the deadpan jokes very believably. There was only one word that bothered me at the beginning, and I don't even remember it now, but it was some medical word or body part that was pronounced incorrectly, but other than that such a great book.

Head Cases was a great first book to a possible series. I have not read books by John McMahon but I was very intrigued by the book description so I decided to give the book a shot. And it was so worth it.

Head Cases is a procedural book about outcast FBI Agents in a group called PAR (Patterns and Recognition). PAR gets its name because each member has a special gift, but most important they have the smartest minds. Despite their talents the misfit members of PAR typically are not given the best cases; generally they are only regulated to solve cold cases.

That is until recently!!!

The Director of FBI personally requests to have PAR investigate a new series of serial killings. The serial killer is hunting serial killers!!! This team was selected because of their ability look at problems from a different perpective. With this request Gardner Camden is given the opportunity to lead the PAR group to solve this case.

As the case moves forward, the killer leaves clues for the team to find. But the battle between minds of the PAR group and the killer makes it personal. Will Gardner be able to solve this killing spree with the help of his team? Will the killing spree continue? Will this case go too far and get too close to home for Gardner? All will come to a head - who will survive?

This was such a great fun first book. I really enjoyed. I felt like I was actually a part of the team with their investigation and how well it was explained, The pacing was exciting and I often felt on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend this book and really hope the author makes this a series. I will be looking for more books by John McMahon.

Thanks NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this ARC book.

This book was AWESOME.

It reads like true crime, but isn’t. Following an FBI unit hunting a killer who targets serial killers…with plenty of near-misses and tricky evidence along the way. I was very invested in the characters and how the storyline would play out, and I absolutely loved that the unit this story followed was PAR—patterns and recognition—which is tasked with connecting seemingly unconnected cases through patterns in evidence that most agents would never spot.

Overall, five stars and I hope this turns into a lengthy series!

I love the crime shows like FBI, Criminal Minds, and Mindhunter, so I knew this book was going to be right up my alley. I was not wrong. This will be a book that I go back and read again in a couple months as it held my attention from the first page and never let go.

I did not like this story. I know so many people did and raved about it but I just struggled to really get into it.

This was a really solid start to a new series. If you enjoyed watching Criminal Minds, I think you'll like this one. Instead of the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), we get the Patterns and Recognition Unit (PAR). I couldn't find anything about such a unit, so I'm not sure if this is essentially the same unit or not. They seem to serve the same purpose more or less - using data and psychology to solve crimes and catch killers. I enjoyed the introduction to the PAR team and the way their relationships grew and changed throughout the book - especially the pieces about the way they ended up relegated to this team. This one was really great on audio and I had a hard time pausing the book.

I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I've been watching "The Hunting Party" which is FBI profilers tracking serial killers and this was the perfect companion for that show. I really enjoyed how the characters thought and worked through the case. I really liked how it ended and I want to keep reading to see what the team does with the next case.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book - a 'Patterns and Recognition' team that exclusively deals with the forensic data in cold cases. Part of why I started studying forensics myself was for the puzzle-solving aspect, so this literary team that delves into the meticulous examination of the probative parts of cases was right in my wheelhouse.

The only drawback for me was the narration - which, for the character, was actually perfect. The narration at times was not very engaging or enthusiastic, however, the main character, FBI Agent Gardner Camden, lacks these personal qualities - which ends up being a main point of the story, so his lacking subjectivity (and the narrator's near-monotonous tone) lends to the overall plot.

The twists and turns in this story were hard to predict - which, in my opinion, makes it a great story. A lot of the descriptions were hard to visualize mentally, and I had to re-listen to some passages a few times in order to understand them fully, but overall, I wouldn't consider this book a complete waste of my time. I look forward to finding out where the author takes the PAR team, and see the potential for a Jeffery Deaver-type series to happen.

This novel introduces us to the FBI’s Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit, a team of uniquely skilled agents tasked with deciphering the most perplexing cases.

At the forefront is Special Agent Gardner Camden, an analytical genius whose prowess in solving intricate puzzles is juxtaposed with his challenges in navigating human relationships, including those with his colleagues and his cherished seven-year-old daughter, Camila. This dichotomy adds a compelling layer to his character, making him both formidable and relatable. McMahon’s portrayal of the PAR unit is both nuanced and engaging. The ensemble, comprising a mathematician, a weapons expert, a computer analyst, and their seasoned leader, operates with a synergy that underscores their collective brilliance while highlighting individual idiosyncrasies. Head Cases is a compelling addition to the crime thriller genre, showcasing John McMahon’s talent for crafting a narrative that is as intellectually stimulating as it is thrilling. The interplay between the enigmatic protagonist and his elusive quarry creates a dynamic that is both engaging and thought-provoking.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

"Our job is to identify peculiarities in cases that have stalled. To solve puzzles and highlight new theories."

An FBI team hunting a serial killer? Yes. I’m ALL in! I love group dynamics with each member bringing their unique skills to the table and HEAD CASES nailed it! Rather than focusing on profiling, this team excels at pattern recognition. No one more so than the team’s quirky yet highly intelligent leader, Gardner Camden. Told entirely from his point of view, John McMahon beautifully and accurately showcases a neurodivergent character that I couldn’t have loved more. He’s diligent, honest and holds a myriad of miscellaneous facts in his head, which he thinks about at random intervals that had me chuckling!

The investigation progressed at a steady pace that increased in tension and sped up to the point where I couldn’t put it down! I became ENTIRELY invested in the characters and particularly attached to Gardner who is resolute in his beliefs of right and wrong and tries his best to navigate relationships based on advice he calls to mind from his beloved mother.

Will Damron is a SUPERB narrator and is now one of my favorites! Not ONE single character sounded the same with voices so distinct (some with accents), that I knew who was speaking immediately. His inflection and delivery of the killer was simultaneously chilling and charismatic. Yet as Gardner’s mother, his tone had a sweet and maternal calming effect. You simply MUST grab the audiobook along with the physical book for the complete experience. One of THE. BEST. audio productions I’ve listened to!

HEAD CASES hit ALL the marks with a diabolical antagonist, a fully fleshed out ensemble cast and an investigation that barreled full steam ahead to an action packed conclusion! I couldn’t get enough of this intense crime thriller with heart and will be first in line for the next installment. In fact, I’m ready for book two. NOW!
____
FAVORITE QUOTES:

"He reached out his hand. I stared at it. Over two hundred bacteria thrive on each square inch of our palms. 'Gardner Camden,' I said, shaking. I'm not OCD. I just know things like this."

"I remembered a piece of advice that my mother taught me years ago. To add bits of information at the starts of conversations. To be perceived as more likable. Emotional."

"I nodded, thinking about the two men. They had operated in different decades and in different states. Ages apart, really.
But even though they were unrelated to each other, there was a pattern.
A serial killer was murdering serial killers."
____

Potential spoiler content warnings below.


































⚠️Content Warnings: language, dementia, poisoning, mild gore, violence, gun violence, Mention of: gruesome crimes

This was a great cat and mouse thriller. I loved the main character and how his differences were highlighted. I loved the “Criminal Minds” ish way this team worked together. I listened to this as I drove on a long car trip and it kept my attention the whole time. It was intense! Can’t wait to see the next adventure for the PAR team!

This had all the Criminal Minds vibes and I really enjoyed the suspense and the smart MC. I couldn't stop listening once I started, I thought it was great on audio with the way Will Damron brought Camden to life.

This may stay my favorite book of 2025! I listened to it and immediately preordered it for my dad - because my husband said I needed to talk about it with someone who has read it …not just him. This book is amazing - love the set up, the suspense, the writing. I couldn’t stop listening. Goodreads has this marked as book 1, I really hope this is going to be a series!!!

I loved this one and can’t wait for the next in the series.

Par is an elite group in the FBI. The members are incredibly smart and a bit socially awkward. This task force is assigned to a new case. The killer is chasing down and killing serial killers.

If you like a smart police procedural with Criminal Minds vibes you will love this new series.

Thank you netgalley for a copy of this book!

FBI Agent Gardner Camden is in a unit called PAR (Patterns and Recognition). The agents in this unit all have past issues with other jobs that have landed them there, and they are known by others as the head cases. Gardner especially has trouble with nuance and reading the room sometimes; it’s even caused problems in his own family. When PAR is assigned the case a murdered man who they believed to be already dead, they uncover a killer killing serial killers. This book is told through Gardner’s perspective, but readers get some insight into the whole cast of agents. The audiobook narrator does a good job of bringing their personalities to life, and he makes Gardner a sympathetic and intriguing character. This will be a series to watch out for; readers will be eagerly awaiting the next installment after the ending of this one.

I listened to an advanced audiobook copy of this title from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Head Cases is a super-strong start to an all new Police Procedural Mystery series, following an elite, yet obscure, unit in the FBI called PAR (Patterns and Recognition). I learned about this book through good ole' fashioned word of mouth, and I could tell from what my friends were saying that this would align with my taste. Happily, it certainly did.

Our MC is FBI Agent Gardner Camden. He's undoubtedly an analytical genius, but unfortunately, the people-side of his analysis tend to be lacking. He's a puzzle genius, yet a mediocre people person. Nevertheless, along with the rest of the team, each bringing their own special set of skills to the table, they're a true force to be reckoned with.

The case in question involves a murder victim whose DNA links to a serial killer long-presumed dead. A 2nd-victim establishes a pattern, and the killer seems to be leaving behind clues and riddles especially created for Gardner. The team flies into action and the rest of the story is a whirlwind of cat-and-mouse suspense as Gardner gets closer-and-closer to catching the killer.

I listened to the audiobook for this one and found it to be so gripping. I highly recommend that format should you have access to it. I felt the narrator became Agent Gardner for me. It was completely believable. I loved the quirky team as well. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses, working well together to get the outcome they all desired. I love when strong teams are shown on page, versus teams full of drama and strife.

I would HIGHLY recommend this to fans of Criminal Minds. I was totally picturing Matthew Grey Gubler and Shemar Moore the whole time, which obviously is not a bad thing...

I'm not sure what the long-term plan is for this series, but the possibilities are endless. I'd definitely be down for joining this team on a lot more cases. Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I cannot wait for more PAR Unit!!

4.5 stars 🌟

Everyone is comparing this novel to shows like Criminal Minds and I can totally see why. It totally brings back that nostalgia of early episodes and particular characters (Spencer/Gideon?). The premise/storylines of the FBI vs. Serial killers is always such a hit for audiences, and Head Cases is a prime example. I enjoyed the plot and the care of detail put into introducing main characters and their backstories. I'm interested to see where the series goes from here. I didn't love knowing that it was the first in a series, though, as that spoils part of this book's ending. Is PAR going to disband?? Would be hard to do considering this is PAR #1, lol.