Quick Synopsis

Head Cases follows an enigmatic group of FBI agents as they hunt down a murderer seeking his own justice in this electrifying―and commercial―series debut.

Publisher’s Synopsis

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.

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.

Along with Gardner, PAR consists of a mathematician, a weapons expert, a computer analyst, and their leader, a career agent. Each of them must use every skill they have to solve the riddle of the killer’s identity. But with the perpetrator somehow learning more and more about the team at PAR, can they protect themselves and their families…before it’s too late?

With an enigmatic case that will keep readers on the edge of their seats and a thoroughly engaging ensemble cast, John McMahon’s Head Cases is a triumph.

Book Review

Head Cases is a crime thriller about the FBI Patterns and Recognition (PAR) Unit, a small group of outcasts who typically solve cold cases. In an unusual move, PAR is assigned an active homicide case where a serial killer, thought to be long dead, is murdered. Soon, another serial killer, newly released from prison, turns up dead, and the murderer leaves clues and riddles for the unit to solve.

I love a book with quirky characters, and Head Cases definitely delivers this. PAR is comprised of Gardner Camden, the Autistic-coded protagonist who is a puzzle and analytical genius; his partner, a mathematician; a weapons expert; a computer analyst; and their leader. Essentially, this group of FBI agents are not your typical cops, which I found to be a refreshing change of pace.

Quickly after I started Head Cases, I was enthralled in the story, and I ended up finishing it in one sitting. The intriguing first murder kicks off a series of twists and turns that gradually build momentum. The pace quickly picks up, and eventually, results in an action-packed ending. Still, McMahon maintains procedural details while unfurling a clever, complex plot. He also manages to balance the macabre, and sometimes gruesome, elements with humor, ensuring the story does not become too dark.

Head Cases benefits from strong characterization. The protagonist even has a fully developed backstory and personal life, things often skipped over in thrillers. Since this novel is the first book in new series, I am hope that future installments continue to further develop the other PAR team members beyond Gardner.

Overall, Head Cases is an enjoyable, exciting thriller with a complex and interesting plot. I recommend it if you enjoy crime thrillers or procedurals and are looking for something a bit different or if you love Criminal Minds or Dexter.

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