Head Cases - by John McMahon

About the Book

"Gardner Camden is a walking analytical brain with an affinity for riddles, puzzles, and codes. It makes him the perfect fit for the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit of the FBI, a team of five brilliant but misfit agents tasked with solving cold cases. Gardner's smart, but he's all business--except for his seven-year-old daughter and occasional visits to his elderly mother, he prioritizes his work and justice over everything else, no matter the cost. With rumors of PAR about to be disbanded, the team can't afford to make any mistakes. A serial killer from one of Gardner's solved cases, presumed to be dead for over a decade, is found murdered, and then soon after, another body with a similar story. The mastermind murderer has left clues and riddles for Gardner and his team--a mathematician, a sniper and weapons expert, a computer analytics specialist, and their leader, a career agent--as they track him across the country. With the threat of PAR dissolving, Gardner must work to solve the riddles before it's too late. McMahon's suspenseful and irresistible thriller confronts the scales of justices in the face of a twisted vengeance plot as this engaging cast of characters works together to stop a misguided vigilante."--

Book 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.

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.

Review Quotes

Praise for Head Cases
"Mr. McMahon's inventive, eventful, smartly written Head Cases, with its brilliant but fallible protagonist, its twisted-minded perpetrator, and its mix of sentiment and intrigue, is a terrific debut that augurs well for further installments in the series." -The Wall Street Journal

"A stellar new series...Head Cases balances fully fleshed-out, quirky characters with McMahon's fine eye for details about the inner workings of investigations coupled with methodical plotting...McMahon's precise storytelling in Head Cases should assure many adventures with this intelligent team."--Oline Cogdill, South Florida Sun Sentinel

"In this suspenseful cat and mouse thriller, Camden balances brilliance with a deeply flawed awareness of social cues, retaining the edge of a compelling protagonist. This, combined with McMahon's gripping plot, will pull readers in."--Booklist

"McMahon introduces several clever wrinkles to this classic cat-and-mouse setup, while making the socially awkward Camden and his colleagues three-dimensional enough to sustain future installments. With pulse-pounding action and enough surprises to blindside even seasoned mystery fans, this is an excellent start." -Publishers Weekly (Starred review)

"A superior cat-and-mouser, with both parties armed to the teeth."-Kirkus Reviews

"A must for your TBR pile."--FirstClue

"A twisting FBI procedural with a cool cast of characters... I was in heaven... Not only because there's more than one serial killer, but I also loved that the PAR agents don't play well with others." -Minnesota Star Tribune

"Fast paced... a thrilling conclusion... gives good reason to get attached to the characters..." -St. Louis Post Dispatch

"Both meticulously plotted and populated by offbeat characters, Head Cases is a series debut that readers will be talking about all year long...Gardner Camden is sure to become a fan favorite... As this is the launch of a series, watching his evolution--not just as an FBI agent, but as a human being--will be the reason readers return for case after case."--BOLO Books

"Head Cases begins as a riveting story about the hunt for an apex predator--a killer of serial killers--but quickly becomes so much more: the only road back to what's left of one man's family, friendships, and identity. It's a taut, thrilling read." --Jess Lourey, Edgar-nominated author of The Taken Ones

"Grabbed me from page one!" - J.A. Jance

"John McMahon's Head Cases is everything this crime fiction-lover could want: gripping, twisty, and atmospheric, with a harrowing and intriguing plot, gorgeous prose, and fresh and compelling characters. McMahon doesn't just knock the ball out of the park with this one--he sends it flying into the next universe. I sincerely hope this is the beginning of a new series because I want more!" - Karen Dionne, author of the #1 international bestseller The Marsh King's Daughter and The Wicked Sister

"I couldn't get enough of this addictive, propulsive story of intellect and intrigue. Head Cases is a masterfully-done game of cat and mouse with an unforgettable cast of characters." --Matthew Quirk, New York Times bestselling author of The Night Agent

About the Author

JOHN McMAHON'S debut novel The Good Detective was labeled "pretty much perfect" by the New York Times, which listed it among their "Top Ten Crime Novels of 2019." The book was also a finalist for the 2020 Edgar Award and the ITW Thriller Award, both for Best First Novel. Head Cases is his fourth novel, and is currently in development with Warner Bros TV for a streaming series on HBO Max. John currently lives in Southern California with his wife, two kids, and a rescue dog. He splits his time between crime-writing and his day job in advertising.