I’m always up for a procedural mystery! My Review of Head Cases by John McMahon reveals what I thought of this FBI procedural that had a bit of the same feel as a wildly popular British series. Let’s discuss it!
Jen’s Quick Take on Head Cases
- This FBI procedural had a cat and mouse feel as the killer taunted the agent who is tracking him
- The book had an element that reminded me of the Slow Horses series by Mick Herron
- Very plot driven with plenty of twists and turns
- Head Cases was acquired as a possible HBO Max series from producer Bruno Heller (The Mentalist). I haven’t found any casting, so let’s hope this makes it to the screen!
- Publication date: January 28, 2025 by Minotaur Books. 352 pages. Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review.
- John McMahon also wrote the Good Detective series.
Review of Head Cases by John McMahon
I love a procedural. For some reason I find their methodical quality a very soothing balance to the slightly unhinged quality of a psychological suspense book.
FBI agent Gardner Camden is part of the Patterns and Recognition Unit (PAR).
Just as the characters in Mick Herron’s Slough House, all the members of the PAR have been sidelined in their careers and parked in this behind-the-scenes crime analysis unit.
But all that changes when a body is found that is believed to be that of a serial killer long presumed dead. Since he was a killer that Gardner had been tracking, the team is asked to check the situation out.
When a second victim is found, the team is no longer behind the scenes, but flying around the country on private jets.
Gardner is an interesting character. Clearly neurodivergent, his eidetic memory (a photographic memory with total recall) makes him a brilliant analyst. But he often struggles to understand some of the finer nuances of human emotion.
His mother, a retired psychiatrist, is possibly the only person who really understands him, and is now in a memory care facility.
Along with Gardner, PAR consists of a math whiz, a weapons expert, a data analyst, and their leader, a career agent. “Head cases” is what the rest of the FBI mockingly calls the group.
Head Cases had a plot with a lot of momentum and a fun “cat and mouse” feel.
Gardner was the best-developed character in this FBI “Scooby Gang” (I love a Scooby gang!) and I’d be happy to read more PAR books.
Head Cases seems to be the first book in a series, and, as mentioned above, was optioned for a series on HBO Max.
Do you like procedural mysteries? Tell me in the comments!