Head Games

by Thomas B. Cavanagh

“[A] thriller that reads like a high-speed theme park ride . . . with dark humor so sharp it’ll make you bleed.” —Brian Freeman, New York Times–bestselling author
 
Former Orlando detective Michael Garrity doesn’t have a good track record when it comes to women. With two ex-wives and a teenage daughter he rarely sees, the most significant relationship in his life right now is with the tumor in his head. Terminal cancer is no joke, but Mike is determined to make the best of it. He’s even named the tumor Bob.
 
With Bob literally on his mind at all times, Mike needs a distraction. And he gets one when the most popular member of a platinum-selling boy band goes missing. Finding his daughter’s favorite pop star might just make him her hero—and his reputation desperately needs an upgrade. But his search stirs up blowback from a past case, and the gritty Orlando underworld that Mike thought he had left behind could cut his farewell tour shorter than he ever expected . . . 

Praise for Head Games

“Carl Hiaasen fans will be thrilled to know there’s a new kid on the block. If you liked Basket Case, you’ll flip over Thomas B. Cavanagh’s sardonically and outrageously funny lead character, who will rope you in on page one and take you on a wild ride.” —Charlotte Hughes, New York Times–bestselling author
 
“A next generation hard-boiled detective novel with a Travis McGee-styled hero whose sidekick is a brain-tumor named Bob.” —N. M. Kelby, author of White Truffles in Winter
 
“Carl Hiaasen and Donald Westlake readers will enjoy Cavanagh’s debut, which crackles with cranky commentary on one man’s cranial state of affairs.” —Booklist  

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 9, 2007

About the author

Thomas B. Cavanagh is an Amazon best-selling, award-winning author of Florida crime thrillers. His latest novel is “Diamond Cut,” the first in the Sandy Corrigan mystery series and winner of the Florida Book Award Bronze Medal for Popular Fiction. He is also the author of “Prodigal Son,” featuring Central Florida private detective Mike Garrity, as well as the first Mike Garrity novel, “Head Games,” which won the Florida Book Award Gold Medal for Popular Fiction and was a Best Novel finalist for a Shamus Award by the Private Eye Writers of America. He is also author of the stand-alone novel “Murderland,” winner of the Dark Oak Mystery Contest. In his career he has written award-winning children's television shows for Nickelodeon, the Walt Disney Company, and many others. He lives in Central Florida with his family and two quirky cats.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a standard hard boiled detective thriller, with a twist, as it has a very frail man who has been diagnosed with a brain tumor, whom he names bob, and he attempts to solve a mystery while also trying to get his affairs in order as he prepares to face the inevitable, patch up his relationship with his daughter, and most importantly which old enemy has he pissed off.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was great! Nerve wracking and satisfying, the "hero" is unlike your average hero.
He is flawed, but that makes his escapades and successes all the more enjoyable.
For you location lovers, it takes place in Orlando, Florida.

[Linda Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Extraordinary Book

The blurb on Bookbub interested me.
The first few pages intrigued me.
I stayed up all night, racing through this book until the end.
Excellent plot, characterization. The concept was delivered in a perfect finish.

[Ray Cooney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one.
It’s not the perfect ex-cop story, but it’s entertaining and finishes strong.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read

Great read. Great characters, good story development not the usual 'shoot'em up' cops and robbers. Would love another Mike Garrity story to see what happens next.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's so much that could've gone wrong in this book - the plot revolves around a former cop with a brain tumor (named Bob) investigating where a missing boy band member has gone. This story could've easily gone into either a depressing look at living with a terminal problem or an over-the-top "last shot redemption" kind of story. Happily, it does neither, and it's a damn good story as a result.

Bob's presence is felt throughout the story and I learned more about brain tumors than I ever would've thought (and hopefully I won't *need* to know), but it never overtakes the story. Think of it more like an older style mystery story where the detective always had some kind of issue, generally alcoholism and you get the idea.

Mike Garrity's relationship with his daughter (who's been alienated from after a messy divorce, the first of two [so far]) so he's trying to make peace with her before he goes. The tension and the subsequent understanding is really well done without feeling forced or "because the story requires it."

Of the three "mystery" style genre books I've recently read, this is by far the best. It's wickedly funny, realistic and drops enough hints along the way that you might be able to guess some of the reveals at the end, but you don't feel cheated for doing so. The final scene left me wanting more and I'm very pleased to learn that Mr. Cavanagh has written another mystery. Whether or not it stars Garrity is up to you to look into as I don't want to ruin the outcome of the final scene, but regardless, a mystery by Cavanagh is well worth a look.

[Sondra Wolferman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm almost ashamed to admit how much I enjoyed this book. Not being a fan of detective or police procedural fiction, I wasn't expecting much. It started off mildly enough. Retired cop with terminal cancer is drawn out of seclusion to help find a missing person who happens to be a teenage heartthrob and member of a popular boy band. Within a few chapters the characters drew me in and the suspense mounted at a steady pace as the hero faces a series of violent setbacks at the hands of a ruthless organized crime figure who is also searching for the missing young man but for very different reasons. The plot was complex but not so convoluted that you needed a calculator to keep all the characters and events straight in your head. The three major plot lines---including the search for the missing person, the hero's relationship with his daughter, and the hero's 'relationship' with his own brain tumor---are interwoven brilliantly. The language is spare, as befits the subject matter, and the settings come alive with the author's descriptive details. But what really clinched the deal for me was the humor. The scene in the shopping mall food court is a masterpiece of subtle humor and satire. You won't find this novel on any Phd. reading lists, but if you're looking for somehing to get you through a long flight, or a sleepless night, this is a very entertaining read.

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: retired police detective Mike Garrity doesn't have a lot to live for. Then he's asked to find a missing member of the band Boyz Klub.

[Willa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book! The protagonist, Mike Garrity, is a former police detective who has resigned from the force for medical reasons -- he has a brain tumor. He also has a couple of ex-wives and a teenage daughter who comes to stay with him for a couple of weeks while her mother is out of town.

Mike is approached by a former police colleague and asked to look into the matter of the disappearance of a "boy band" member. He's hesitant to take the case, but he needs the money, and his daughter is a big fan of the band, so he agrees.

The book was suspenseful, and very interesting to me. I thought the personal relationships were handled well, and the mystery was excellent. I highly recommend this book.

[Geoff. Lamb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Head Games at the library and picked it up on a lark (for which read: I did not have my TBR list and there was nothing in the "new" stacks of interest.

Head Games is a terrific read. Very well paced; the convos Mike has with Bob (he named his tumor) are revealing and never in the least weepy or Lifetime MOTW-y, and the author gets the medicine right.

Mostly what made HG such a good read were the characters. No cardboard here, everyone gets a storyline and everything fits.

Off to Amazon tomorrow for the next book. And for those who think 'Why's he going to AZ?', I live in the wilds of northern Nevada, where there is nothing, least of all an actual B&M bookshop.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting to be because at the time I read it my second cousin was dying with tumors in the brain and spine and the main character suffers from a brain tumor that he has nicknamed "Bob". He is a former police detective hired to find a missing boy band member. It was not the best I've ever read but I was interested because of the parallels with my cousin's illness.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Facing a lonely end to his life due to a brain tumor, retired police detective Mike Garrity is offered a chance to restore himself in the eyes of his estranged daughter by investigating the disappearance of the frontman in her favorite boy-band.

[Stephen Mettee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but not great. This is worth reading if you have a copy. I read this as an e-book on the new My Must Reads app that allows you to patronize your local bookstore when buying e-books and digital audiobooks.

[linnea · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was ok, a great airplane read if you ask me. Super simple and a brain tumor named Bob. My dog had a growth and I named it Marty. I could relate.

[Gregg Jamback · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading a lot of books with heros with illnesses. This guy's got a brain tumor. It's great. Can't wait for the sequel.

[Pam]

purchase from MOTB 08/21/08

[Olga DiLenge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good book! I definitely recommend it. Great storyline, I love the characters and the Carl Hiaasen-type style of writing.

[Barbara M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's an interesting detective - he has a brain tumor he calls Bob. Bob is quite a character, he shows up quite a bit. Excellent mystery and excellent characters.

[Sheldon Lehman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Typical story of this genre. I wasn't blown away, but the author can tell a decent story. It reminds me more of a TV series pilot.

[Jeffrey Philips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. Enjoyed every page.