This was a decent mystery/thriller novel, but the writing style wasn't quite my cup of tea. I found myself putting it down for long periods and not gravitating back to it. Not sure if it was the book or if I'm just in a bit of a reading slump. I do appreciate the LGBTQ rep and think it's great when authors give mystery novel characters an actual persona with details and character traits instead of solely using them to tell the story.

I’m in the minority here but I had to DNF this book after 25%. When you know who was captured, and who did it in the first 10% the rest of the book better be gripping. This book was not! It was all over the place and just blah. I found myself dreading reading.

I enjoyed this read! About 50% of the way through I wasn’t sure if I would end up liking this read or not. It definitely kept you on the edge of your seat and hoping the sheriff would come out on top!

And There He Kept Her is a captivating debut by author Joshua Moehling. Two teenagers break into a house looking for drugs, but no one could imagine what was to follow. An edge of your seat read I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will watch out for more by this author. If you are a reader of this genre, be sure to grab your copy Joshua Moehling will definitely be an author to watch.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Pres and Netgalley for this ARC.

And There He Kept Her is told from alternating POVs. There's Ben Packard, the acting sheriff who's trying to start afresh in this small town and the actual serial killer he has no idea he's supposed to be catching.

I ended up enjoying this book, not for the mystery aspect but because Ben was such a good character to read. Just full of trauma and dry humour...I loved him. I'd read more of these books for him and that 3-legged dog.

The reason I didn't love the book was that it just wasn't the type of thriller I expected.

From the first chapter, you know where the kids are- you never wonder who the murderer is or even his intentions- that's told to you almost immediately. What you don't know is that the suspense comes from what this book sets up. This book just opens the door to something bigger. And There He Kept Her is the first book in a series.

I have no idea if the author will continue to use this method of storytelling in future novels but I'm not a fan of the 'reader knows what's going on from the get-go and is just waiting for the main character to catch up' strategy.


sidenote that has nothing to do with the book review: theres a line in the book where one of the teenager says, 'the old magazine was from 1981 more than 20 years before I was born...made me realise that this is the first time I'm reading a book and characters in it who are my age are adults and not teenagers :( life comes at ya fast

Hi! And There He Kept Her by Joshua Moehling is a thriller revolving around two missing teenagers and the police investigation into it. Sounds like it could be the beginning to a great thriller, right? And it probably was for a lot of people if I were to guess from the multiple 5 star reviews on GoodReads. On the other hand, I decidedly did NOT enjoy it.

Book Review-

The book started off slow but seemed interesting which made me want to keep reading. And I really wanted to enjoy it, I did. But I wasn’t able to enjoy the storyline or even like the characters (not even one).

My main issue would be the lack of suspense in the story and that I couldn’t connect even remotely to the characters. The facts are laid out to you right at the start so I was definitely expecting some unique aspect as to how the story would proceed but I ended up skimming multiple chapters just so I could get to the end.

Now, about the characters. They were definitely well-drawn up but there was no relatability to ANY of the characters that make me want to root for them, feel sorry for them or even hate the bad guys (which, by all means, I should but I was genuinely just indifferent).

I really didn’t enjoy this book but it did have a few aspects I liked (like Frankie- dogs are ALWAYS redeeming) so all-in-all I would give this read 2.5 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my free e-ARC of this read in exchange for my review. (This book was published earlier this month.)

When two teens make a very bad decision to steal drugs from Emmett, they end up in dire and deadly circumstances. The title of the book pretty much gives away what happens there.

Ben Packard is the sheriff's deputy investigating the case and he also has a personal link to the missing girl. He's relatively new to the small town and brings his own secrets and hurts with him. I really loved this character and I found his personal situation just as interesting as the missing person case he worked on. I'd like to know more about this character as he works through who he is and what he wants in his life. He's also lived with a bit of a mystery surrounding an old case that would be great as a follow-up book to this one.. hint, hint.

The story unravels nicely, and what I liked the most about this book was that it kept me interesting all the way through -- the pace of this book was just perfect for this reader and I was almost sorry it was over because it was a great ride through this small town mystery.

I did find that some descriptions were overdone -- I don't need every single thing described to me. The mood was well done with a very creepy vibe that captured the girl's plight very well. But the non-stop smoking made me feel like I needed to take a shower and fumigate my clothes. I got it, it was meant to be that way but after a while it did start to grate on me.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and recommend it if you like this sort of story. The characters are interesting, the pacing is terrific right up to the final pages and it left me wanting more of Ben Packard and his world.

4 Stars ~

Jenny and Jesse chose the wrong old man to mess with. They thought breaking into this seemingly vulnerable old man's house to steal his prescription medications would be easy. They couldn't be more wrong.

Following Detective Packard and (old man) Emmett Burr, as timelines overlap in the attempt for Packard to find the missing teens and for Emmett to figure out what to do next.

This was a very enjoyable read, and an ending from about 80% onwards that was just *chefs kiss*.
I did find a little in the middle was a slow burn, but still good building up until the ending.

Hoping for the story to continue with another book, following Packard whilst he tries to find out what happened to his brother Nick all those years ago.

Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC, in the return for an honest review.

This book gripped me from the start. Fast paced and a little. Characters I liked and some I didn’t. About half way I started to lose interest but not too the point of ditching the book. The end was just meh for me. It felt like a lot of others I’ve read before it. Nothing original. I’m not saying it was bad, I finished it but I was hoping for a little something different. It’s a good beach or airplane read.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

Well, this was a disturbing book. And There He Kept Her is one of those books that has so many different things happening, but they all successfully flow together to make for one hell of a story.

The story begins when local teens Jesse and Jenny go missing and the town's acting sheriff, Ben Packard is notified by his cousin (Jenny's mom.) The story picks up fast and doesn't stop with the twists, turns, and connections until the very last page. Learning how each of the characters is connected was really interesting. While this is a mystery, it's also a domestic thriller and a police procedural.

Major trigger warnings too: addiction (drug and alcohol), overdose, murder, suicide, kidnapping, gun violence, and others.

Overall, this is definitely a mystery that will keep you turning the pages.

4/5 stars

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the eARC!

I really enjoyed this book. Jesse and Jenny are two teenagers in love who make a very wrong choice. Jesse decides to get involved with selling drugs to fellow school mates. To get the drugs he has to break into the homes of people who are prescribed the drugs and steal them. He made a huge mistake when he broke into Emmett Burr's house. Emmett Burr is an old fat, stinky, chain smoking man who is in a lot of pain. He wakes up during the robbery and shoots Jesse dead and hides Jennifer in a room he made years ago. Little does he realize that she is an insulin dependent diabetic and a smart young woman. Right from the beginning you know what happened and who has the teenagers but you don't know just how the police and sheriff will find them. Ben Packard just started acting as interim sheriff when the teens become missing. His brother, Nick, also was a missing teenager in Sandy Lake. Ben decided to move back to that area because a job opening was available and he was hoping to start a new life after losing his partner. The book keeps you turning the pages and you will not be disappointed in how everything unfolds.
Thanks to #netgalley, @poisenedpenpress and @jmoehling for an ARC of this great read

And There He Kept Her by Joshua Moehling begins with two teenagers, Jesse and Jenny, who think they will be able to steal an elderly man’s opioid prescription from his own home, but the man, Emmett Burr had other plans. Emmett has secrets of his own, terrible, sinister horrific secrets he would do anything to keep hidden. Jenny and Jesse are soon reported as missing, and now the story begins to unravel that includes a much bigger problem than two missing small town teens.

Ben Packard has recently moved back Minnesota’s Sandy Lake, running away from his own past, in which a personal tragedy has him moving out of his big city life. As the new acting Sheriff, Packard is leading the investigation into the missing teens, in which Jenny, happens to be his cousins daughter. The mystery surrounding the missing teens also brings up raw memories of his own, his own brother went missing decades before from the same town. As the clues start pointing in directions no one saw coming, he must race against time as more bodies turn up all leading in one direction, the missing teens.

The story is told between alternating points of view, Ben Packard and Emmett Burr. It is a dark and disturbing tale that could be ripped out of today’s headlines…stolen OxyContin from unsuspecting elderly with the intention of using and distributing for profit. Yes…this could really happen, and there could also be a real Emmett Burr involved as well. That is what makes this so frightening. There is a wide range of characters throughout the story, which led to a nice cooling off period between the truly disturbing characters. Ben’s backstory is really interesting, he is a likable guy, handsome, smart, and trying to keep his private life…well, private. While this is a debut novel for this author, I am crossing my fingers this becomes a series, I want to hear more from Ben Packard.

I wouldn’t call this an edge of your seat triller, and that’s ok. The dark background of Emmett and his past is enough to keep you disgusted. It touched on many important themes of today, and was very well written. Each loose end ties up nicely, and you will be surprised with the ending. Well done for a debut author.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Joshua Moehling for an advanced reader copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I will wait with bated breath for another book featuring Ben Packard!

And There He Kept Her by Joshua Moehling

Small town murder mystery that presents a new main character and town that both have plenty of potential to provide much fodder for future stories. This debut author is one I would gladly read again.

What I liked:
* Knowing what happened to Jenny and Jesse from the first chapter
* The writing, plot, pacing, and overall story
* The small town setting
* Deputy Ben Packard, acting sheriff and investigator: from a bigger city, chose to move to and work in Sandy Lake County after losing someone important, has secrets, a bit of a loner, works hard, interesting, would like to know more about him
* Jenny: Kidnapped sixteen-year-old, Ben’s niece, person being looked for throughout the story
* Susan: Jenny’s mother, Ben’s cousin, chef-cook, restaurant owner, a bit different – on the spectrum perhaps, might be a recurring character
* The diversity of the staff that Ben works with – some will no doubt show up in future books if this becomes a series – really liked Kelly(dispatcher) and Jill Thielen but others will play their parts as the team becomes more known over time
* Gary: dog rescue owner with an intriguing past – would love to know more about him
* Some of the quirky characters
* Learning about Nick’s brother who went missing decades before – will Nick find out what happened to him if the series progresses?
* That it was so easy to dislike the bad guys though they were rather stereotypical in some ways.
* The police procedural aspects of the story
* That Jenny’s storyline was tied up in a neat bow at the end with no dangling strings
* Knowing that there is plenty of ground laid for another book if the author and publisher decide to provide one.

What I didn’t like:
* The people I was meant not to like and the crimes they committed
* Some of the parents parenting
* Having to wait for book two…if this IS a series

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks-Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

Two teenagers named Jenny and Jesse break into an old man's house in rural Minnesota to steal his pain pills. They think he's a helpless old, obese man and nothing will happen - but then they come face-to-face with the barrel of his shotgun.

Acting Sheriff Ben Packard is relatively new to Sandy Lake. He's a handsome, tall, single man who tries to keep his personal life at bay, despite the fact that his brother disappeared in this town decades ago. He gets word that Jenny is missing from her mother, who also happens to be Ben's cousin - and he quickly starts investigating everything that could have led to this.

When I first read the description of the book, I was reminded of the movie Don't Breathe, which also features teenagers breaking into a seemingly helpless old man's house. That movie was an insane thrill ride that has you on edge the whole time - it's disturbing, action-packed, and a thrilling game of cat-and-mouse. I was expecting something similar from this book, but it's actually not that at all. There's very, very little action, and most of the book is actually spent with the sheriff, Ben Packard, than the old man and the girl. The chapters sort of rotate back and forth, and the chapters featuring Ben really make any tension from the old man's house dissipate.

Overall, I thought this was a solid procedural novel - not necessarily a thriller, but one that focuses on a solid investigation that Ben leads in trying to trace Jesse's drug dealing network and figure out exactly where he went. It is definitely a small-town mystery, not any big insidious plots, but more in the realm of Ben going to the high school and interviewing kids who bought Adderall, visiting former Meals on Wheels recipients, etc. Maybe slightly Twin Peaks vibes.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via Netgalley!

Shifting POVs added layers to this story though at times they also bogged the pacing down. We also got an overload of backstory on our main protagonist which also slowed things. This felt like it could be the start of a series but in that case, some of this backstory could have been trickled out a little more to leave us with more to learn about our hero in the next book. Still, well-drawn (and mostly likeable) characters along with the vivid setting redeemed this and needing to know what would happen next kept me turning pages.

And There He Kept Her by Joshua Moehling

This book sucked me into the story and kept me there, ignoring life until I finished it. Easy to get into, interesting and well fleshed out characters, hoping to see more of in other books. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book and leave my opinion.

And There He Kept Her is a disturbing story of two teens who go missing. Not perfect kids but still not bad just made some dumb moves as many teens do. Packard the acting sheriff is asked to find them. The missing girl is the daughter of his cousin and the missing boy is from a home that has lost their father and a mother who is either working or drinking. The story is told from two perspectives the acting sheriff and the kidnapper, so there is no mystery as to who did what, but how Packard and the law find out the who, what, and where. I like the writing of this author he has great character development and insight into emotions. I felt the fact that Packard was gay seemed forced and the development fell flat. My opinion. The character development of Gary was great. Emmett the bad guy is the second narrator and I feel his character was well developed. Even though he was extremely evil the author shows how he as an old man was also a product of his lack of knowledge and limited mentality and just maybe you could have a little compassion. You actually routed for him to do what needed to be done towards the end. I do recommend this book with all the good, bad, and ugly, the author is a very talented writer and I look forward to more from him. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Poisend Pen Press and Joshua Moehling for the opportunity to read this eARC this is my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this one! Loved the main character, and it's one I had a hard time putting down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next.

Emmett is a lot of things but forgettable isn't one of them. He'll stick around in my mind for quite some time. Moehling does a great job of filling your head with horrible images without feeling the need to graphically describe them. It works very well for this book.

***MINOR SPOILER***

My only complaint is that I wish a bit more had been explained about Emmett and Myra. He sees her in town and then he has that run-in with the librarian about her, but then nothing else is said. It didn't bother me enough to lessen my enjoyment of the book. It just left me curious and felt a bit unresolved.

***END OF MINOR SPOILER***

Anyway, loved the book, and I'm thrilled that this is going to be an ongoing series with Packard! I'll definitely be reading the next one!

A super big thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review. I apologize for the slight delay. :)

Thank you @sourcebooks and @PoisonedPenPress for granting me the opportunity to read and review this #ARCeBook through @netgalley. I love the suspense, the constant chasing, bantering, bickering and easy-to-read. It is predictable but I actually enjoyed reading it since some parts from the book didn’t seem to fit but the author made it work! It is now available, so go and grab a copy!

This is a story about consequences.

I’m torn on rating this, because I really liked the stuff I liked… and was really put off by the one thing I didn’t.

The good: I’m shocked this is a debut! I loved the small town setting, and the thoughtful details and descriptions of the setting and locals. I loved the duel perspectives & the mounting dread present in every chapter. I also really enjoyed the queer rep! I never expect it in thrillers because I see it so rarely 🤷‍♀️ (hit me with your recs!)

What I didn’t like: the repeated, constant mention of the villains weight. We get it, he’s fat. So fat he damages cars and has no friends. His weight is mentioned literally every single time he is, to the point where the narrative felt somewhat fatphobic bc I knew more about his weight than his motivation for keeping women in the basement (this isn’t a spoiler if you’ve seen the cover & read the title). This was really distracting for me and I’m not sure what the goal was here- he isn’t a monster bc he’s overweight, he’s a monster because he does monstrous things.

Overall, a solid thriller! Looking forward to more from the author for sure.

Thank you so much @netgalley, @poisonedpenpress & @dreamscape_media for the e & audio copies!!