Audiobook Review: Head Cases by John McMahon
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It takes a gifted investigator to solve the toughest crimes; sometimes they’re more like a puzzle than an investigation. And the audio edition of Head Cases by John McMahon follows a group of puzzle-solving crime fighters as they work together to stop a vigilante from killing again.
The story tracks a killer with Agent Gardner Camden of PAR, the FBI’s Patterns and Recognition unit—a group of skilled misfit agents who couldn’t make it anywhere else. When a murder victim is discovered to be a serial killer that Gardner was tracking years ago—before the man was presumed dead in a house fire—Gardner and his team are brought in to investigate. When a second victim is discovered—another serial killer—and the killer starts leaving clues, the agents from PAR have to use their unique skills to find him before he claims more victims.
The more the team learns about the killer, the more fascinating he becomes. Not only is he set on exterminating the most hardened criminals—and using their own trademarks against them—but, as he does so, he seems to be doing it all to get the attention of Gardner and the other PAR agents. This isn’t just a vigilante’s quest to rid the world of serial killers; something about his killing spree is personal—and that makes it even more terrifying for the investigators.
Gardner Camden is a different kind of investigator. He isn’t suave and polished, able to choose just the right words in any situation—whether he’s talking to the press or trying to get a suspect to confess. Instead, he’s smart but socially awkward—able to see things from a different perspective but unable to express it without offending those around him. His bluntness and his tendency to behave without consideration of others forced him to join the other misfits of PAR. But his quirks—and those of his fellow PAR agents—are what make the characters more interesting than the typical investigators.
This isn’t just a typical investigation, either. It’s a complicated puzzle. And while not all of the hints and clues seem relevant, it all comes together in a fascinating mix of crime solving and politics.
More than just the same old whodunit, Head Cases follows a trail of breadcrumbs with an exceptional investigator. Readers will enjoy getting to know Gardner and the other agents of PAR—and will be eager to follow them on more cases.
Pros:
– Not your typical mystery, not your typical investigators
– Interesting mix of puzzles and investigations and politics
Cons:
– Dark subject matter isn’t for everyone
– More complex than a casual mystery
You can find Head Cases on Amazon. And for more books, be sure to check out my weekly radio show, Shelf Discovery.
