Head cases for the PAR unit of the FBI, who are tracking s serial killer who is killing killers. This twisty mystery/thriller follows the detectives as they attempt to solve the crimes no one cares about. The twists and turns are fantastic. And the killer is connected to someone in the FBI in an interesting way.

I really like this book. The narrator was fantastic. If John McMahon writes another book and this becomes a series, I'm in. I especially liked that one of the main investigators in the case was on the spectrum and was portrayed so sympathetically and so effectively. This was such a good book. I really enjoyed it.

I took a bit of time getting into this one. I think this one was a miss by not having a separate female voice for the female character in the novel. That really threw me. I enjoyed the ride of the story, and this one read like a true crime, however I don't know if I'd pick up the next in the series.

A big thank you to NetGalley for this audiobook ARC. A brilliant FBI agent chasing a serial killer who is killing serial killers. This book checked all my favorite boxes. It was fast-paced, smart, and kept my attention from beginning to end. I felt the author did some extensive research into how the FBI works. The narrator did an amazing job of capturing the main character and his personality. I’d definitely recommend this one.

3.5 stars rounded up

Head Cases is a fast paced crime thriller that follows an FBI agent hunting a serial killer killer. The plot was clever overall even though I saw a few of the twists coming. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the main character - which was in part on purpose - but that prevented me from being completely engaged in the story. This is clearly the start of a series that I will not be continuing in.

Overall this was a decent read and one I think crime fiction readers will really enjoy! I would recommend it to preexisting fans of the genre. The audiobook narrator was great and I’d recommend enjoying this work via audio.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and John McMahon for this ALC and ARC!

Reading Head Cases felt like watching Dexter for the first time all over again. I immediately was able to find myself in Gardner and his isolated, in-his-head type of thinking and processing. I love a good story about someone like this who struggles to fit in with his peers comfortably, who often says the wrong things and spaces out way too much - but! despite this, cultivates a found family of people who love a character like Gardner for who he is. It always gives me hope lol.

For someone who is not a fan of procedural thrillers, I ate Head Cases up. Who doesn’t love a serial killer killing serial killers? Or a band of outcasts in the FBI tasked with a case that not many care about? It was everything my autistic strong sense of justice craved. I am obsessed. And when I wasn’t reading this book, I wanted to be. It’s all I thought about. I really, really hope we get to revisit Gardner and the Pattern and Recognition team!

A body of a man who the FBI thought was dead shows up 7 years after the fire he was thought to have died in is how the book starts. It jumps right into the race to find the murderer and never slows down. The twist? A vigilante. This is coming out at a time when we are having a debate as a nation of vigilante behaviors. Are they heroes? Do we stop them?

This book grabbed me immediately and never let up. I also absolutely love an FBI agent who I can trust. This feels like watching an episode of Criminal Minds when it was really good. I thought the writing was paced well with a little background into each person on the team. Some people would like more characters and less story. I love a good story with just a glimpse at the characters’ pasts. This was a great book to expand into a series but from what I can tell for now this is a standalone. If they did expand it, I would love for the author to change perspectives of each book to a different member of the team. They all seemed to have a story.

I would like to thank macmillan.audio and netgalley for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook.

An FBI unit tracking down a killer that seems to be embedded in the FBI. Agent Gardner Camden has an analytical mind for tracking down and understanding his cases but it becomes a little more intense with a young daughter he is also trying to protect.

Fast-paced and intense - I could not stop listening to the audio as I read along with the audio part of the time. I especially enjoyed reading about the number of places around Texas that I have been to - including Murder by the Book bookstore in Houston!

My thanks to Net Galley and Minotaur Books and Macmillian Audio for an advanced copy of this e-book and audiobook.

I really looked forward to this audiobook, but just couldn’t get into it. While it had great reviews, I kept getting lost in the minutia of the police procedures and repetitive validation of MCs pattern recognition.

Wow! This was a really fun read. I felt like I was reading an episode of Criminal Minds. The characters are fun, relatable, and perfectly executed. Our MC, Camden, was a great leader in this well crafted story. I haven't read a lot books from the perspective of a character like him. I really enjoyed the different levels his character brought. The whole was like a chosen family of misfits, and I think that's what made their interactions so much more enjoyable.

The mystery itself was extremely interesting and provide edge of your seat entertainment. McMahon was not afraid to get raw and dirty with the murder descriptions, which just made those scenes more spine-chilling.

I will definitely be checking out more books by the author, and I cannot wait for this series to continue. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the early copy in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this one! A police procedural thriller following the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) division of the FBI as they chase a serial killer who kills serial killers. It was well paced and drew me in throughout. I thought the narrator did a great job portraying the voice of the main character.

Crossing my fingers that this is a start to a new series! Would love to read more from this cast of agents!

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for a copy of this audiobook!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and publishers and the audiobook of MacMillion in exchange for my honest review.

For the audiobook I give 10/10. The reading was so good and the narrators voice didn’t make me want to stop it two sentences in. The way the story was told really made you feel in the narrative yourself.

The story was about a group of cast aside FBI agents that were given an active case searching for a serial killer that kills serial killers. You follow the journey of the lead agent flying from Florida to Texas to California and back again in search of the killer before he kills again or harms his family members

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one. The lead character is a neurodivergent man who gives a new prospective as an fbi agent.
My only hangup with the book is the semi-stereotypical black nanny. I don’t think her character needed to be that.

This was another great crime fiction! I did this one completely on audiobook. It was narrated by Will Damron and I thought he did an excellent job. This is an FBI police procedural that revolves around a group of FBI agents who are investigating and on the hunt to find a murderer. It was so interesting how this FBI team put all the clues together. Such a clever plot and there are some witty parts that were actually pretty funny. This is fast paced and gripping. I'm happy to hear that this is the first book in a new series. I'll definitely be continuing on with it.

Thank you to the publisher, netgalley and Macmillan audio for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who usually enjoys police procedurals, I was intrigued by Head Cases and its premise: a serial killer targeting other serial killers, leaving a trail of grisly murders, riddles, and clues. The idea of a specialized FBI agent from the PAR (Patterns and Recognition) unit, who can see strange patterns and numbers, certainly had potential. However, the execution left me feeling a bit mixed.

The book features a lot of characters and numerous moving parts, which at times made the story hard to follow. The sheer number of people involved and the complexity of the case were a bit overwhelming, and I found myself struggling to keep track of who was who and how they connected to the plot.

While the beginning of the book was engaging, the second half felt like a slow burn, losing some of the momentum. I also had difficulty connecting with the characters, particularly the main character. Despite his unique abilities, I found myself not really caring for him, which made it hard to get fully invested in his journey. This lack of emotional connection left the story feeling less compelling. As for the plot itself, while it was intriguing, it didn’t feel particularly unique or fresh, and I found myself hoping for more twists or surprises that never quite materialized.

Overall, Head Cases had an interesting premise but didn’t fully capture my attention. It might appeal to those who enjoy a more complex, puzzle-like narrative, but the lack of connection to the main character made it harder for me to truly enjoy the book.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley & the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Well written and engaging police procedural book, reminiscent of Criminal Minds and Slow Horses.

The PAR (Patterns and Recognition) unit of the FBI consists of a group of misfits tasked with helping to solve cold cases. Gardner Camden has a very analytical brain but does not excel with social cues and interaction. They have heard that PAR is likely to be disbanded, and the news they just received doesn't help. Many years previously, Gardner helped to identify a serial killer who was presumed dead in a house fire. But he turns up murdered with many of the similar elements from his own kills. Then another serial killer is found dead. Gardner and his team need to find this culprit--and fast--using the clues the killer leaves behind.

I enjoyed this intriguing mystery, and the characters make it more interesting. There are a lot of moving pieces, a large number of characters, clues, elements, and details to keep straight. I listened to this as an audiobook and I liked how the narrator portrayed Gardner, helping me root for his success throughout.

The mystery itself is surprising and clues are revealed at the right times to keep the reader invested in discovering the outcome along with the characters. It's fast paced, with a good balance of action and suspense. I really hope this is the start to a series, because there are so many different directions and storylines this group of agents can pursue.

Being talked into buddy reads is one of my favorite pastimes! Mainly because if it’s good, we can rave about it together, and if we aren’t vibing with the book, we can bash the book together! 😝 In this case, we all really liked it!! It was hard to not fly through this one! I absolutely loved the unique cast of characters and learning about the PAR (patterns and recognition) unit of the FBI. It was fascinating to see them using their skills to track down a serial killer! This reads like a Criminal Minds type show! So if that’s your jam, I think you would enjoy this one too! Can’t wait to read more from this series

Enjoyed this listen and will be looking at this Authors other works. The story kept me interested and the narrator kept me wanting to listen. All in all it was a truly enjoyable time.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, John McMahon, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Always looking for new and exciting authors, I discovered this book by John McMahon. This gritty story seeks to manage the serial killer theme by presenting a unique and mystifying group within the FBI who must chase them down. When a number of serial killers turn up dead, the FBI’s elite PAR Team is called to assist. Led by Gardner Camden, the team seeks to follow a killer and their vague clues across the country, while being goaded by this vigilante. Hoping to stem the violence and bring their newest killer to justice, Camden and the PAR will have to remain one step ahead of the ever-evolving situation. McMahon brings all the action in this piece, hoping to impress the reader from the outset.

Those who know Gardner Camden are familiar with his unique way of synthesising information. While many see his affinity for puzzles as somewhat autistic or a slice of savant, he gets things done and sees what others miss. He is the perfect fit for an elite unit within the FBI, where subtle is essential. The Patterns and Recognition (PAR) Team works well and is usually called in to assist when other groups have failed, which is perfect for Camden to lead.

After the murder of a long-thought-dead serial killer, PAR is called in on the sly. The group of five is used to cold cases, but this one is red hot, though the need for secrecy is key. Special Agent Camden must work all angles to discover the missing link and try to make sense of the recent discovery of a man he was sure had been dead. While trying to piece it all together, Camden must struggle with his ongoing issues trying to forge a relationship with his young daughter and estranged wife. They cannot understand his nuances or the importance he places in the job.

When the bodies of more serial killers turn up across the country, Camden and the rest of the team worries that this could be a vigilante killer who is trying to clean up the mess left by the Feds in the past. As rumours of the imminent disbanding of PAR, there is no room for error. When the killer begins taunting Camden and tries to send him subtle hints, the race is on to find someone who wants to show their mettle and keep the killings from being forgotten. Gardner Camden may have met his match, unless he can find the missing link. John McMahon delivers a great thrill with this piece and has me eager for more!

John McMahon does well with this thriller, keeping the reader on edge as much is revealed. The narrative introduces the reader to a great deal in short order pushing pieces together and providing strong pathways to guide things in a forward direction. As the momentum picks up, the reader is able to assemble things and keep the intensity, all while the story gets more twisted. Key characters provide some backstories as well as develop throughout the reading experience, never revealing too much at one time. This leaves the option open for more in the series, should McMahon wish to add other novels. The plot twists are constant and leave things in an ongoing mystery, though they are slowly exposed to keep the reader connecting as plot points emerge and truths surface. I can hope that John McMahon will return with another novel and use Gardner Camden to star in the leading role, as there is much about him that remains opaque and in need of exploration.

Kudos, Mr. McMahon, for this unique thriller that kept me hooked!

Truthfully, I don’t usually love books written in the POV of an investigator because they usually have too much unnecessary action, and that’s just not my jam; however, when I read the synopsis for Head Cases when perusing NetGalley for a new listen, this one intrigued me. Head Cases is a name for the FBI group, PAR (Pattern and Recognition) given by other FBI members to belittle the group. The members of PAR have screwed up at some point in their career and were sent to this group, usually to work on cold cases. Told in the POV of PAR leader, Gardner Camden, an extremely analytical and gifted investigator, the team gets assigned an old case of Gardner’s that was supposed to have been solved, but as it turns out, it was far from it with a serial killer on the loose killing other serial killers.

This book surprised me! It was giving much more Criminal Minds, with analyzing the suspects behaviors and tracking them based on patterns, and less 24 or the more action packed FBI themed media you tend to see, which is exactly what I want in a book like this! The mystery sucked you in from the jump! Hidden clues, dissecting behaviors to find the next move, and the cast of characters really kept this story moving at a great pace leaving you craving the resolution. I enjoyed this book much more than anticipated! My only complaint was, even though Gardner had a pretty solid back story, there was a couple forgotten plot points that I thought could have been touched on a bit more within his personal life to round him and the story out a little better.

Will Damron played every character so well and kept their voice unique. I loved his take on Gardner, keeping his voice rigid, flat, and professional - perfect for his personality.

Thank you, @macmillan.audio & @netgalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook!

Within the world of the FBI sits a special unit called PAR: Patterns and Recognition, which is dubbed Head Cases by those outside the unit. Meant to be derogatory because the team consists of members who have “messed up” at some point during their time in the Bureau and relocated to this team. Still, they are all brilliant individuals and together they usually work on cold cases but in this instance there’s an active case they’re called in to solve, and it’s a doozy!

I absolutely devoured this book. It was one of those rare instances where I couldn’t wait to be back in these pages and found myself shirking responsibilities just so I could keep listening! Dark, twisty, and utterly addicting this clever story is one I won’t soon forget and I really REALLY hope this is the first in a series. I need more from these characters!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the alc and Minotaur Books for the arc via Netgalley!

Pub day: January 28, 2025
Rating: 5/5⭐️