If you know me, you know I love my police procedurals and I’ve been craving a strong detective/police procedural lately. I’ve been looking for something to tie me over until the next Karin Slaughter book comes out, and John McHahon’s upcoming release Inside Man was just what I wanted.
In this sequel to Head Cases, John McMahon once again brings FBI Agent Gardner Camden and the PAR (Patterns and Recognition) unit into the center of a complex, puzzle-driven investigation. Gardner, a brilliant analyst with a mind wired for patterns, takes on a case involving a militia group suspected of stockpiling weapons. When their confidential informant turns up murdered, surveillance footage links an unidentified man to the scene and leads the team to someone who also appears tied to a series of murdered women buried in north Florida. As Gardner and his team juggle these overlapping cases, they’re forced to confront the possibility of a serial killer, a looming terrorist plot, or both.
I was once again completely engaged in this book. McMahon’s writing has a way of pulling me in from the start. That said, this one held slightly less of a grip on me than Head Cases. The dual-case structure is compelling, and I appreciated how each storyline was broken up, but the climaxes didn’t feel as tidy or satisfying as I was hoping for. And one particular event (avoiding spoilers!) felt a bit out there for me. Still, the overall story is excellent and absolutely worth reading, especially for fans of police procedurals.
Gardner Camden remains a fascinating lead, though I felt he had a bit less personal growth in this installment. The narrative also doesn’t dive quite as deeply into the team’s lives, and we actually see less of his quirky, brilliant squad this time around. If McMahon weren’t such a strong storyteller, I might have assumed this was simply a bridge book setting us up for an even bigger, more explosive third installment because it definitely feels like groundwork is being laid for something huge to come.
Even with a few small critiques, Inside Man is a smart, engaging, and thoughtfully crafted thriller. I definitely recommend it to fans of FBI-centered mysteries and procedural storytellingand I’ll be picking up copies for my dad this year, because this series feels tailor-made for readers who love investigations and high-stakes tension and the likes of Harlan Coben.
Bonuse Headcases is available on Kindle Unlimited!
AMAZON | GOODREADS | BOOKSHOP |★★★★
Inside Man comes out January 13, 2026. Huge thank you to Minotaur Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.
