Inside Man – PAR Unit #2

Author: John McMahon
Genre: Crime Thriller
400 pages
Publisher: Minotaur, 2026

Synopsis
In this sequel to McMahon’s electrifying series debut, Head Cases, Gardner Camden and the PAR team return to investigate potentially connected cases.

FBI Agent Gardner Camden is an analytical genius with an affinity for puzzles. He 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.

PAR’s latest case involves a militia group stockpiling weapons. When their confidential informant in the case is killed, it quickly becomes clear that the militia did not kill him.

As the squad looks into the evidence surrounding his murder, an unidentified man is caught on camera with their informant. This mystery man’s picture is connected to another case at the FBI, an unsolved series of murdered women, buried in the ground in north Florida. Could they have uncovered a serial killer? And if so, what is his connection to their C.I.?

As PAR juggles an investigation into both the dead women and the militia, they enroll a new informant, only to find the case escalating in dangerous ways. How will PAR handle a case that increasingly looks like a terrorist plot? And in the serial case, with no puzzles or witnesses, and few leads, how will a group set up to decode riddles be successful?

My review
Inside Man by John McMahon is the second installment in the PAR series, following Head Cases. I read the first book last year and was immediately drawn in by McMahon’s sharp writing and the incredibly likable FBI team at its core. Naturally, I couldn’t help but compare Inside Man to its predecessor. While Head Cases leaned heavily into the psychological side of its characters, Inside Man shifts gears and leans more towards action and classic police procedural territory. That’s not necessarily a bad thing since I read plenty of procedurals, but for me, it lost just a bit of the magic that made the first one stand out.

McMahon remains a talented storyteller, and he does a great job balancing character development with a fast-moving plot. FBI Agent Gardner Camden, an analytical genius with a love for puzzles, leads the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit, an elite team of brilliant, eccentric agents who take on the Bureau’s toughest cases. Camden and his squad of misfit geniuses are easily the highlight of the book. Their interactions, quirks, and teamwork make for engaging reading. I especially enjoyed seeing more of Richie, the rookie agent, whose determination to connect two seemingly unrelated cases adds an extra layer to the story.

The novel kicks off when Camden’s confidential informant is murdered during an investigation involving a major gun shipment. As the PAR team digs into the case, they discover ties to a series of unsolved murders in another part of the state. With little evidence and plenty of dead ends, they begin unraveling a complex web linking their CI’s death, a cache of missing weapons, and a possible serial killer operating in northern Florida.

At its heart, Inside Man is a solid, well-constructed police procedural led by a compelling cast. The standout once again is Camden’s voice, distinct, sharp, and layered, which grounds the story even when the plot gets dense. Though I missed some of the psychological nuance of Head Cases, this sequel still delivers a fast-paced, intelligent read with characters I genuinely enjoy spending time with. I’ll definitely be picking up the next book in the series, and hope McMahon brings back a bit more of that psychological edge next time.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur, and John McMahon for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

My recommendation: worth the read!