Head Cases by John McMahon @johnmcmahonbooks @jwdamron @jwdamron.bsky.social @macmillan.audio @macmillanaudio.bsky.social #PARUnit #HeadCases

the setup…
Seven years ago, FBI Special Agent Gardner Camden identified serial killer Ross Tignon as the dead body incinerated in his own home. Now, he’s been identified as a murder victim in Texas. Camden is part of the FBI’s Patterns and Recognition (PAR) Unit, which includes several other agents who are brilliant at what they do but considered to be unconventional by the bureau’s standards. Camden is an analytical genius who struggles with socialization. Now he’s assigned the lead in the Tignon case since it was his originally and they soon realize this murder is part of a pattern, linked to at least two others.

the heart of the story…
While Gardner doesn’t head the PAR Unit, he’s the central focus here and I found him fascinating. Every member of the team has a specialty but his genius is extraordinary. The case was peculiar with the killer dangling clues specifically for Gardner to untangle. At times it felt like an intelligent cat and mouse game, which kept the tension high. Even though the unit has an excellent solved case record, they’re not given the respect they’ve earned. A lot hinges on this case, including their political survival.

the narration…
I was already a fan of Will Damron and he surpassed my already high expectations. He was Gardner in every way important and brought serious skills to the storytelling.

the bottom line…
I went into this pretty certain I’d enjoy the story but this was next level, flying through it in a day. If there’d been a second book on deck I’d be starting that now. The procedurals are as unconventional as the team and I didn’t even try to second guess them, content to just hang on and keep up. It’s clever, advanced and highly unpredictable. The human side of the team has equal footing here, too, providing the character layers I’ve come to crave from series reading. I hope the next book is on the near horizon!

Book Info

• Release Date: January 28, 2025
• Series: PAR Unit #1
• Narrator: Will Damron
• Audio Length: 9 hours, 36 minutes
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio

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(Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)