I don’t know how I missed this but I could kick myself! What a book!

The PAR unit is such a unique team and a huge reason why I flew through this book – their extraordinary abilities to perceive indistinct patterns and puzzles is a thing of beauty but has unfortunately earned them the nickname ‘Head Cases’ and puts the unit in peril of being shut down. That is, until a case comes along that could put them at the top.

When a vigilante serial killer targets serial killers – I know, shocker! The team uses their particular set of skills to narrow down the suspect.
I co-read this while listening and Will Damron just slayed the narration! Bravo and well done, Will!

I’m looking forward to more in this series!

Wow, I absolutely loved this one. A somewhat misfit division of the FBI tracking down a serial killer who hunts killers. It’s a suspenseful page turner with enough depth in the characters to pull you in even deeper. Oh, and by the way, there are some serious Spencer Reid vibes at times, which brings me back to memories of my favorite show. IYKYK.

Yes, read this. Read it if you love suspense, twists, action, mystery, FBI stories, crime stories. So good.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced copy

Head Cases by John McMahon is an intriguing first volume in a new series. Familiar set-up but with enough difference to keep the reader engaged.

I will say that I didn't expect it to be quite so much of a procedural story, I was expecting more thriller. Once I adjusted my expectations I enjoyed it. As a first book in a new series, there is going to be a certain amount of foundation being laid, so perhaps some of the extra procedural information is to establish how things will be done in future volumes. Along the same lines, I thought we got a nice bit of background about not just Gardy, the protagonist, but other members of the team so we can better understand them in the future. Not everyone is likeable but we have enough to understand them, even if we wouldn't want to visit them in real life.

The story moves along quite well though the procedures (there I go again about that) did sometimes slow it down. That said, I found most of those administrative and internal FBI details helpful in understanding the way the investigation unfolded.

If you like your protagonists to be flawed, a bit awkward in some settings, but generally upstanding, then you will probably find this book, and hopefully the future series, enjoyable. If you don't particularly care for procedurals you might not like this as much, though you should consider it in case other volumes become more thriller oriented. All in all, I would recommend this to readers who enjoy this genre.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

Solid thriller with just enough twisted energy to keep me guessing. The pacing had me hooked like a true crime podcast I can’t turn off. It’s grounded, gritty, and just dark enough to make you double-check your locks. Fans of crime drama will eat this one up.

This author is new to me, but I will be keeping an eye out for anything else they publish. I loved the story and the characters. The pacing of the story was great and the characters were relatable.

I really really enjoyed Head Cases! It is a smart, gripping thriller that had me hooked from the first page. Gardner Camden (I absolutely love his first name) is a fascinating lead — brilliant but refreshingly imperfect when it comes to human emotions, specifically with his daughter, Camila. The PAR team reminds me a lot of the BAU from Criminal Minds. They are quirky, sharp, and easy to root for as they tackle a case that gets more and more personal by the page. Camden reminds me of Spencer Reed!

The plot is very fast-paced and full of riddles, with enough twists and turns, I never knew where the ending was going to take me. I loved the tension, the intricate patterns that the riddles gave, and the real heart that is given to the characters' relationships.

I’m very excited to see where the story goes next and can't wait for Book 2!

Don't read this if you're quesy easily, especially with explained body parts are concerned.

This one had my mind engulfed with every page and case that appeared.

I love a good serial killer novel but this one is AMAZING. It's intense suspenseful and down right unputdownable. I'm so invested in the case and in Gardner's life.

Great police procedural and game of cat and mouse

This book gave me all of the Criminal Minds vibes and I loved it! I love a good thriller that I can just get lit in and this one sucked me in and didn’t let go until I finished it.

I was gasping out loud so many times and some of the twists had me wanting to throw my phone as I was reading.

I am so excited that there will be another book in this series and I really hope there will be more than that coming because I want all of the PAR unit stories.

This was good - the main character was super smart, so some of the things he came up with seemed sort of far out there but it's probably realistic for someone with such a job. I found it to be a quick read because I was interested to see what happened. It ended up pretty much how I thought it would, but I do wish that he and Cassie got together at the end.

This was a 4 star book in my opinion. I am not overly familiar with this author but I will be looking for more books from him in the future!

This felt very much like an episode of Criminal Minds. Gardner Camden is on the hunt to find a serial killer who is killing other serial killers. I really enjoyed seeing the full story unfold. The synopsis for this book drew me in and the story kept me guessing/entertained. While I really enjoyed the audio I felt like maybe there were too many characters to easily follow along.

“What I know for sure is that Mad Dog is not your garden variety sociopath, and this is not Killer 101. Anyone who thinks so is not reading these details right.”


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc copy of this. I was intrigued by the synopsis (FBI unit of misfit riddle solvers takes on a case of a serial killer targeting other serial killers), and I’m happy to say this lived up to my expectations.

Firstly, the characters were so good. The protagonist has an eidetic memory and has trouble relating to others. His team comprises of a sharp shooter, a rookie, his always put together boss, and another riddle solver. His relationship with his mom and daughter was touching.

The plot has everything you could want from a serial killer book: ties to a past case, creative murders, cat and mouse games, creepy clues left by the killer in gory places, political intrigue, the case slowly becoming personal.

This is one of the best mystery thrillers I’ve read in a long while, and I am excited to read the next book in the series coming out next year.

Special thanks to the author & @minotaur_books for my gifted copy‼️

A serial killer killing serial killer’s count me in. A team full of FBI misfits we’ll call them triple X ban together to find a serial killer. Each agent specializes in something that will help them find a break in the case. Dropping cryptic messages and hacking the FBI’s database the killer “Mad Dog” sends the team on a wild goose chase that would lead them right back to the Bureau.

This was a cool book filled with dark themes and graphic scenes. It dragged a lot in the beginning and middle but I think I really enjoyed it because it reminded me of the movie The Little Things with a mix of Law & Order. This one might not be for everyone but if you like crime fiction/murder mystery you’ll like this book.

Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️

This book was fabulous! My first 5 star read of the year. And a bonus of finding a new to me author! I’ve already ordered The Good Detective from the author’s other series!
This thriller was well done. It had me involved right from the start. I loved all the main characters and was invested in their final outcomes. I’m so looking forward to the next book in this wonderful series.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press.

This was a solid procedural and i think fans of this genre will enjoy it more than i did - it was a little too plot focused for me, we’re introduced to a lot of characters as it’s the first in a series but it felt like everyone besides Camden was introduced and then put to the side, I found it hard to remember certain characters and how they connected which made the ultimate reveal a little unsatisfying for me. Readers more used to this type of story will enjoy it more than I did, it’s definitely a solidly written serial killer mystery, I just personally found it hard to get super invested.

Head Cases - John McMahon

A fast paced criminal thriller as a group of outcast FBi agents hunts for a serial killer who is killing other serial killers and leading these specific agents on a puzzling chase to stay one step ahead of him.

What happens when you’re an outcast FBI agent? You’re assigned to the PARS unit to connect and hopefully solve cold cases through pattern recognition. Gardner Camden has a perfect memory recall and is particularly good at solving puzzles, unfortunately he also struggles with social skills. Agent Camden does not evoke emotions like others and often finds himself the butt of the joke or shunned because of his demeanor. He, along with a team of other misfit agents, form a found family bond as they work to catch a killer that appears to be sending them a message.

Head Cases read as though the script for Mind Hunters and House MD became one. I really connected with the characters and found myself trying to solve all the mysteries alongside Agent Camden and his colleagues. The ending wasn’t necessarily predictable but it also didn’t blow my mind. Regardless I had a fun time with this one and found myself speeding through to find out what happens next.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my copy; all opinions are my own.

I love a good cat-and-mouse chase! This book was clever, complex, dark, and interesting. I loved the detail that went into this procedural and its characters. Readers who like Criminal Minds will enjoy this book.

This is a great start to an anticipated ongoing series about the PAR unit of the FBI. I really enjoyed John McMahon's characters and I am very excited for future installments of this series. This gave the some comfortable feeling as watching shows like The Mentalist or Bones and I think it'll make for a fantastic procedural TV show if it were to be adapted.

Very interesting police procedural. I really liked the concept behind it, the neurodivergent lead, and the locations. Too often I think neurodivergence is presented in extremes, but McMahon’s lighter touch was just right. I am not sure why the rest of the group were considered “head cases”, but presumably future books in the series will elaborate on that. The unifying thing seemed to be that they are all very smart, and I was drawn to want to know more about each of them. The team is the Patterns and Recognition Unit, and they work to solve the tough cases by identifying the criminal and predicting what he will do next. It was an engaging first book to set up a series. I liked the way Gardner’s character was drawn, as a normal person with his own particular traits, and how Gardner’s relationship with his daughter was included to show another facet to him. I am looking forward to the next book!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur books for an ARC in exchange for a fair review.

FBI agent Gardner Camden is shocked when DNA links a serial killer he thought was dead to a current murder victim. What is going ok on? Is this a copycat? The killer starts to taunt Gardner. He and his team must get to the bottom of what's really happening.