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Head Cases

A Novel

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Head Cases

Written by: John McMahon
Narrated by: Will Damron
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About this listen

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.

"Damron's strong narration creates a group of likable and believable characters…His timing is well matched to the twisty plot, building suspense and allowing the occasional humorous moments to shine.”—AudioFile

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 listeners on the edge of their seats and a thoroughly engaging ensemble cast, John McMahon’s Head Cases is a triumph.

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.

©2025 John McMahon (P)2025 Macmillan Audio
Crime Crime Thrillers Murder Mystery Police Procedurals Thriller & Suspense

What the critics say

“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)

"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

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4+ stars!

A serial killer killing serial killers!

Gardner Camden is a quirky, brilliant, socially-awkward, numbers-driven FBI PAR (Patterns and Recognition) agent who has been given the lead on a peculiar case. A serial killer’s body is discovered dead, yet this serial killer was found dead in a fire years prior. Soon after, another body is found and Camden learns there is a new serial killer on the loose and they are killing serial killers.

I had an immediate connection to the quirky main character. His numbers driven brain was so fascinating and entertaining. I loved being inside his head and learning how his thought process unfolded. His personal life was a clever element as it greatly increased my connection to him. Brilliant in his own way, his social awkwardness and analytical brain had me invested and rooting for him from page 1.

The writing was a fast paced and engrossing. I was absorbed in all details of each case as well as the characters lives. Each character was unique and memorable and added a clever layer to the story.

The entertaining ending wrapped everything up, but parts of the ending felt convenient and implausible. Regardless of this, I thoroughly enjoyed this story and highly recommend it to police procedural fans. Another reviewer compared this to the show Criminal Minds and I agree that is a great comparison.

Audio rating: 5 stars! The audio narrator was excellent and held my attention throughout. His narration perfectly matched the main characters personality and enhanced my connection to the book. Highly recommend the audio!

A fast paced police procedural focused on serial killers.

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Great book! It was a good mystery, and it all tied together at the end. But I didn’t figure it out, until the pieces were revealed. I did like the narrator as well.

Headcases

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