An FBI agent gets called to a murder, but when he gets there, the body turns out to be one who was already pronounced dead years ago. As he dives into the investigation, he uncovers more and more secrets. How close to him will it get? Who can he trust? What is really going on?
I enjoyed the audiobook version of Head Cases by John McMahon. This was easy to listen to and kept me interested throughout. Plenty of twists, although some I was able to figure out, while some threw me for a loop. Good character development, well written. This was my first by this author but I will definitely check out more of his work.
#NetGalley #HeadCases #JohnMcMahon #crimethriller

This gave some definite Criminal Minds vibes and I was so here for it. Gardner Camden reminded me a lot of Spencer Reid with his ability to see patterns and analyze situations. I love the eclectic cast and how larger than life they feel. Some elements felt predictable, but the overall plot was excellent. I cannot wait to see where this team goes next.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for the ARC and ALC.

The narrator for Head Cases was fantastic, and legit could have been Gardner Camden, FBI agent. The story was exciting and even I didn’t know what was going to happen next. Every character in the Patterns and Recognitions unit (PAR) was unique, special and I could see them all working together in real life. A killer killing serial killers … sign me up! This was the first in the PAR series and I can’t wait for the next one!

FBI Agent Gardner Camden is an analytical genius with an affinity for puzzles. He 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. Think the BAU on the hit show Criminal Minds.
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.

This story was a fast paced thriller, full of mysteries and puzzles. I was drawn in right away and found the story hard to put down. I loved Gardner and the rest of the team members too. This is a fantastic start to a series and cannot wait for the next one. If you loved Criminal Minds or just a great police/FBI procedural then this one is for you! The audio narration was really well done by Will Damron also.

Many thanks to @netgally and @macmillanaudio for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Pub date 01/28/25

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC audiobook for review. If you like Criminal Minds or CSI, you will like this book. Head Cases is the first book in a debut series about a group of FBI agents in the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit. They are brought in for cases when no other team can solve them. The team are super smart and a little weird. The main character is FBI agent Gardner Camden who loves puzzles and is an analytical genius, but can come off as socially awkward. The team is brought in on a new case and Camden being targeted by killer. This book is a good thriller and I’m interested to see where this FBI team goes next.

This book is perfect for anyone who loves all the things serial killers.

John McMahon hit this one right on the money!! It was just like watching my favorite crime show and kept me guessing. FBI Agent Gardner Camden is the perfect mix of Spencer Reid and Tim McGee somehow rolled into one. Intelligent and well written I was always wondering what was going to happen next. Can't wait to see what happens in the next book. Definitely a must read!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan audio for the gifted audiobook.

**3.5 stars!**

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my honest feedback!

I can see where this series has potential. I wanted to like this more than I did. To be honest, I feel like I would have liked this better if I had physically read the book. The MMC is super intelligent and awkward which I loved because everyone loves and underdog. The team itself can be seen as outcasts, and you cannot help but fall in love with each of the characters in their own right.

My issue was that I had a hard time following the plot. I read for entertainment, and I do not usually look or even find the plot holes until it's pointed out. However, this book left me with more questions than answers.

Overall, I enjoyed the characters, and for that reason, I would read the second book in this series and recommend to readers!

Because I feel confident in my book selection abilities (I have vast reading experience, I know what I like, and I know how picky I'm feeling/how open I am to trying something new-to-me at any given time) I try to restrict my pre-reading information exposure to the most basic of plot summaries—and little, if any, of others' opinions. I often make notes while I'm reading. This time, post-reading review and research of these notes yielded super-satisfying results. Here are a couple:

Note to self: Excellent narrator. Have I heard him before?
Research results: Without reviewing even half of Will Damron's considerable number of credits, I was able to confirm that I have heard him before, including reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, by John Berendt, and A Matter of Will, by Adam Mitzner.

Note to self: Hope there will be more.
Research results: Great news—Head Cases is a series debut! As far as I can tell, this is only McMahon's fourth novel—the first three forming a different series.

The story is reminiscent of the television versions of Dexter, Slow Horses (of which I have also read two installments), and Psych (the third for the keen powers of observation/eidetic memory only—Gardner Camden is a more serious character than Shawn Spencer).

It's pretty gory, and no one (e.g. children and women) is exempt from threats of harm. There is precious little comic relief, but one such instance actually made me snort.

I stubbornly stayed up way past my bedtime—I just couldn't stop reading. Not only will I welcome sequels, I am open to reading McMahon's first series as well.

If you like police procedurals, thrillers, smart/clever/talented outcast characters (some differently abled), or logic puzzles—and have at least a moderately high gore tolerance—I'd recommend Head Cases for you.

Reading this book was like watching an episode of Criminal Minds from the perspective of a more mature Dr. Spencer Reid. Although FBI agent Gardener Camden seemed a bit dry as a character at first I ended up truly liking him the further along I went. I found I was starting to feel that way with the rest of his PAR team as well. Although I wasn't crazy about the villain of the story I can appreciate that this is the introduction to a series that I am very interested in diving further into. I hope to get a chance to learn more in depth about the other PAR agents and I'm interested in seeing what unfolds between Cassie and Gardner.

Gardner Camden is odd, has absolutely zero people skills but has a brilliant mind that is adept at solving puzzles. He is a member of the PAR (Patterns and Recognition) Unit with the FBI. The team is made up of talented albeit unusual outcasts that have a talent for solving cold cases. Their unique talents offer unique perspectives that help close the hard to close cases. When the body of a believed dead serial killer is found the team is sent to put the pieces of the puzzle together and find themselves working a current, high exposure case. This killer is killing serial killers and he has knowledge of the crimes that were kept out of the press. The team must race agains the clock with Gardner leading the investigation as well as balancing his personal life, navigating the politics of the FBI and the pressure of keeping the PAR from being shut down. Everything culminates in a thriller that keeps races to an explosive finish.

This was such a great start to the series!! I loved the characters, especially Gardner and his back story. I cannot wait for more about this eclectic team!!

The audiobook was narrated really well. The narrator captured the essence of Gardner—his awkwardness and brilliance!!

4 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Head Cases (PAR Unit, Book 1) by John McMahon
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 352 / Genre: Police Procedural
Audiobook Narrator: Will Damron
Duration: 9 hours 36 minutes
Release Date: January 28, 2025

FBI Agent Gardner Camden is an analytical genius when it comes to solving crimes and puzzles but a complete noob when it comes to interacting with people. He’s part of the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit, which also includes a mathematician, a weapons expert, and a computer analyst. In this first book of the series, DNA of a dead serial killer turns up at a murder scene, which then leads to more clues specifically made for Gardner. Can he figure out who’s responsible before it’s too late?

I enjoyed this thriller and the characters in it. I know I’d hate dealing with someone like Gardner in real life, but for some reason I really like reading about them. I’ll be keeping an eye out for this series.

Will Damron did an excellent job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you, @JohnMcMahonBooks, @Macmillan.Audio, and @NetGalley for my gifted copy. #MacAudio2024

This was such an intriguing story and definitely put me back in my true crime era! The details of the case were absolutely superb and I really liked how everything unfolded. My issue with the story was that I didn’t really connect with any of the characters and the one core female character was framed in a weird goofy light so that wasn’t super appealing but overall, the plot itself made up for the lack of love for the cast.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book would be perfect for fans of Criminal Minds or Mindhunter. I will say that I believe the audio version for me was ideal, as at times there are a lot of little details that o think would have bogged me down if reading in print. I was engaged with the story though, and the ending 20% or so had me at the edge of my seat. I see that this is listed as the first book in a series, and I definitely will be picking up the next one once it’s available.

There have been books I've read because they were advertised as "for fans of Criminal Minds" and after reading them, I felt solidly meh. Head Cases is not that book. I really loved this book and couldn't put it down because of the suspense of catching this serial killer. If you like procedural crime, and can stand a few gory descriptions, I highly recommend Head Cases.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for my copy of HEAD CASES. This one is out Jan 28.

I really wanted to like this one but it was just so sterile and not at all interesting. I didn't really care about any of the characters and it was hard to stay connected to this story. I don't recommend this one.

This book took me on a thrilling ride! It was fast paced and I finished listening to this within a day. I really liked all of the characters. They seemed to stand on their own and had great personalities. The antagonist was perfect and well written.

Also, the narration was spot on! It was like listening to my favorite crime show. I can't wait to see what else is in store for this series!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan audio for the gifted audiobook!

Pleasantly surprised by this one. I will definitely continue the series. This was smart and the characters were interesting.

Head Cases is a police procedural that follows Gardner Camden and his agents who are a part of the PAR (Patterns and Recognition) unit. I thought the story was well written, and the plot was engaging. I really liked the quirkiness of the characters. This book was intense! I found it to be fast paced, and I wasn't able to pick up on the twists. This all worked really well in this series debut. I look forward to reading the next books in the series!
I was provided this on audio, and Will Damron knocked it out of the park! I enjoy him as a narrator, and he did a great job with this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen and review.

The narrator’s portrayal of the neurodivergent lead was well-intentioned but the slow pacing of their delivery was a bit distracting. While the voice characterization aimed for authenticity, it occasionally hindered the flow of the story. However, the book itself was a standout. Its well-paced narrative avoided the common pitfall of law enforcement characters making consistently bad decisions, adding to its believability. Overall, a solid listen for its content, though the narration could have been more balanced.

I’m usually not one to listen to male narrators, but this book was fantastic. The story line kept me guessing, which is rare. Following the story across the country, in different states, this was very well written.