Quick read. Good thriller…was surprised to find out it was author’s first book. Impressive!! Lots of different scenarios leading to a great ending.

Solid thriller read, the first in a series with a sheriff in a small town. The sheriff, Ben, is an interesting character who you root for and want to find out more about his backstory and his missing brother. The mystery in this book deals with two teenagers who break into the house of a seemingly helpless old man who has terrible secrets and they have to deal with the consequences. Diverse set of characters, creepy villains, and a good ending but do note that this is a slow burn read. Solid 4 star read.

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley For an advance copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

When two teenagers break into an older man's house looking for prescription drugs, they are surprised at how a simple burglary turns into a crazy nightmare. The older man, Emmett Burr has been hiding his past secrets in his basement where the two teenagers stumble into. Former police officer, now detective, Ben Packard is put in charge of locating the missing teenagers.

Thoughts: I didn't love the book, but I didn't hate it. It was overall a very average read. The only character I enjoyed was Ben Packard. He carries a lot of baggage and I feel that the author did an excellent job of conveying his internal struggles. I do wish the book had a twist or more suspense of some sort. From the very first page, you know just about everything that is going to happen. It didn't have me on the edge of my seat or leave me feeling like I just HAD to read one more chapter. I could see the author turning this into a series with the detective, which I would be willing to try another one of his books.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Press Pen for a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent and intense thriller. It all starts with the disappearance of a pair of teens, Jesse an Jenny. Out late one night, looking to get into a little ‘innocent trouble’ but what they wander into is a nightmare decades in the making. That’s where acting sheriff Ben Packard comes in. Dealing with his own loss, Ben has returned home to Sandy Lake, a place that holds some horrible memories for him. He’d prefer to keep his personal life to himself and just do his job. But in a small town, it’s hard to keep anything private. And with the teens missing, the clock is ticking.

I must say I’m shocked this is Joshua Moehling’s first novel. The character’s, especially Packard, are incredibly complex. He completely nails the feeling of small town life as well as addressing numerous serious issues, including prejudices. The town truly felt alive. The plot is wonderfully intricate, with some fantastic twists, and was a joy to read from start to finish. I look forward to more from Joshua in the future. Thanks so much to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of And There He Kept Her.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/and-there-he-kept-her-joshua-moehling/1139582437?ean=9781728247892&bvnotificationId=ce508342-ecc8-11ec-a49c-0e53f222ae71&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/210951933

https://www.amazon.com/review/RZ3AH438HY8JT/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Ok so i wasn't sure if i even liked this story or if i should keep going but i did and it turned out really good! Im glad i kept going. I loved the ending too!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

They thought he was a helpless old man. They were wrong.

When two teenagers break into a house on a remote lake in search of prescription drugs, what starts as a simple burglary turns into a nightmare for all involved. Emmett Burr has secrets he's been keeping in his basement for more than two decades, and he'll do anything to keep his past from being revealed. As he gets the upper hand on his tormentors, the lines blur between victim, abuser, and protector.

Personal tragedy has sent former police officer Ben Packard back to the small Minnesota town of Sandy Lake in search of a fresh start. Now a sheriff's deputy, Packard is leading the investigation into the missing teens, motivated by a family connection. As clues dry up and time runs out to save them, Packard is forced to reveal his own secrets and dig deep to uncover the dark past of the place he now calls home.

Thank you Net Galley for my copy for my honest review.

Great debut suspense about a gay cop in a small town that has a lot going on. He’s looking for some missing kids that are involved in a small drug deal but uncovers there are some horrible crimes taking place. The main character was very well done.

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Harmless old man? I don't think so! This was a somewhat creepy and dark psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Two teens break into a house to steal drugs, and everything spirals from there. Ben Packard, who has stepped in as sheriff's deputy has a history with the town and his secrets are revealed all while an investigation is going on.

This debut novel is not to be missed if you like crime fiction.

I'm 70% into the book and giving it 5 stars even though I don't know how the book will end. I am enjoying the author's writing style. The character's have personalities and I want to continue in on their story. Readers will be introduced to Ben Packard, the acting deputy sheriff of Sandy Lake. Ben has a history in Sandy Lake, but readers will also find out what heartbreaking events brought him back. My favorite character is Ann Crawford. She is cut throat and I find her to be funny even though I don't think that's how her character is meant to be. Emmett, yes he's the bad guy but I still have a softness for him. The storyline is easy to follow. Although some parts are dark and wicked they are necessary for the intense development of a story that's keeping me on edge. It's obvious as to who is who so there's not much surprise there however I will continue reading to see how the author wraps it all up.

As I'm reading I'm wondering does this author has other books that I need to check out. As I said before I haven't finished reading the book but I have a good feeling I won't be disappointed by the ending.

The premise reminded me a lot of the movie Don't Breathe and I feel like it was definitely inspired by the film (two teens break into an elderly man's home and come across more than they bargained for). However, the book does read more like a police procedural than a horror/thriller with the inclusion of the new sheriff's point of view. The writing style was very engaging and I did feel like the book was an enjoyable quick read. The reveals were dark and disturbing and will definitely stay with me for a long time.

"They thought he was a helpless old man. They were wrong."

Oh Lord! And There He Kept Her by debut author Joshua Modeling begins with the words "4 a.m." Nothing good really happens at 4 a.m.. it is also how late I stayed awake reading this book in one night. From the first page I was hooked and terrified for just about everyone.

Teens Jesse and Jenny sneak into old man Emmett's remote lake cabin looking for pain killers. They figure he's asleep and even if he isn't, he is too large, sick and old to chase them. Boy were they wrong.

Not only is Emmett catching them but you see, Emmett has 20 years of secrets to keep hidden...at any cost.

Deputy Sheriff Ben Packard has a personal reason to find the missing teens and his own hidden secrets. As he gets close to finding them everyone's truth may be revealed with nowhere to hide.

Oh, and one more thing, Emmett has a friend...and he is not as nice as Emmett!

I am shocked that this police procedural thriller, maybe horror thriller is a better description, is a debut novel. It is written with such graphic precise terrifying descriptive prose. There aren't any excessive words. No unnecessary moments. It is a quick sharp ready made scary movie read that kept me reading... until 4 a.m.

I received a free copy of the book from the publishers via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

" Oh, I don't like it or dislike it. Most of the time, I don't even see it."

This line seems to be a theme for this read. The characters in this book ring true to me in their Minnesota reserve to not see the problems in front of them but to rather remain stoic in their attitudes to the things around them. My Grandmother passed in 2011 and my mom had already been living and taking care of her. Since 2011 not one thing has changed in my Grandma's bedroom. Shirts and bed clothes still lay where they last were cast off. Books, Tums and socks are covered in dust as they've yet to have been even pushed aside in 10+ years. When the character of Gary utters the line above, "I don't even see it", the undercurrents of this story become suddenly personal.

I myself am from Northern Minnesota (and I mean, NORTHERN Minnesota.) So I was bought in the moment Duluth and other small Minnesota towns were named. The idea that getting to "the cities" meant you escaped the trappings of your small town is an idea that still permeates all high school graduates. I know I felt like a real adult when I left my family and town behind to work in California for a multi-media company that specialized in encouraging media. I returned home no less then 5 times over the next 7 years for all different amounts of time and reasons. It's hard to get away when familiarity is available.

A small scene where the Minnesota Twins are brought up and how they'll be playing Seattle was almost as unnervingly accurate as when he brings up "Sarasota." It's a small line but, I live in Sarasota, so I'm a bit spooked.

This was all at once thrilling, scary and heartfelt. Big risks were taken early on and continue in the ways characters who should have no appeal somehow charm you into slightly hoping for a surprise twist to validate your choice to cheer on a seemingly aberrant character.

I feel like there is more to the stories in this town and the ending seemed to leave the door open for further books to explore some mysteries left unsolved. I really enjoyed my time with this book as it brought me to my own life long forgotten since moving to Florida in 2016. I did struggle a bit in the beginning but the currents of this book kept picking me up and bringing me further down the river of unknowns and secrecies.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced reading copy.

A good police procedural and debut novel. One of the things that I enjoyed with this book is that there is no great "who done it" element. We know what happened, why it happened, and who did it. Throughout the novel we learn more of the backstory on characters. At the same time, we get to follow the police investigation and the leads they have as they pull at the various threads they find hoping to unravel the case before it is too late.

There is a dark side to the book that may be unsettling to some readers. Not only do we know what he has currently done, but we learn of his past, and the dark and depraved history he has.

On top of this, the book is set in a small, lake town in rural Minnesota. As is true with every small town, there is drama within the fabric of a population where everyone knows everyone and all of their business, or at least it feels that way.

It was an impressive debut novel. I look forward to future books from Moehling, and seeing where his writing career is headed.

And There He Kept Her is the well-crafted, debut thriller of author Joshua Moehling. I was struck by the originality of the story as I started reading - one that puts readers in the head of the villain with his identity revealed from the beginning. This isn't just another dark, gritty, graphic suspense thriller. Readers are summoned to ride shotgun from beginning to end, meaning they are privy to all the dirty deeds, secrets and intentions of everyone involved. So what's left? A chilling, complex plot line that tackles issues like mental illness, teen drug use, sexual abuse and orientation, and kidnapping - all rolled up into a disturbing, shocking thriller.

This story unfolds through the police investigation of acting Sheriff Ben Packer who has returned to his ancestral roots after the murder of his partner. Many residents of the small town of Sandy Lake, Minn., don't remember the boy who left, but small town gossip runs rampant so keeping his private life private is out of the question. He figures they'll accept him and his sexual orientation or they won't. Either way, he's back with no plans of leaving. When Ben's cousin's daughter Jenny is identified as one of two missing teenagers, Ben promises his cousin he'll find her. What he can't promise is if she'll be alive or dead.

Jesse takes girlfriend Jenny along for the ride when he breaks into old man Emmet Burr's basement with the goal of stealing prescription drugs. He's been assured that the broken down, morbidly obese, elderly man will be out like a light for the night. A bomb wouldn't wake him. However, when Jenny joins Jesse in the basement just before the upstairs basement door swings open, it's old man Emmett staring down the barrel of a gun with the intruders in his sights. Definitely, a change in plans. Readers follow events through the dual points of view of Emmett and Sheriff Packard. Emmett has decades old secrets buried in the basement that he'll do anything to keep hidden. All he wants is to be left alone, and yet through no doing of his own, he's forced to deal with these kids. Again, the fact that as readers we are aware of everything happening turns this thriller into an atypical police procedural of sorts as Sheriff Packard works the case. An evil, intense atmospheric vibe sets a frantic pace as authorities deal with the lack of clues in a race against time to find the teenagers before it's too late. During this time, as readers spend more time with Burr, the line between good and evil gets a bit blurry. Is he a villain? Victim? Abuser? Protector? Readers will be charged with considering his many deeds, combing through the evidence and rendering a verdict themselves.

And There He Kept Her is a chilling, creepy thriller with ominous vibes. The author does an outstanding job of muddying the line between villain and victim in an attempt to build empathy for Emmett. The character development in this story is excellent as the story proceeds and more background information surfaces. Moehling handles social issues such as teen drug, sexual and senior abuse with the respect and attention they deserve. And There He Kept Her is a dark, dark read and an exceptional debut novel. I believe the author has potentially laid the groundwork for a series featuring Sheriff Ben Packard. I, for one, would love to see where his story goes. Highly recommended to fans of suspense thrillers.

Oh my, so much evil in a small town. Even small towns have drug issues. Two teenagers break into the home of a older guy that needs pain medication to function. But this is not the first time the same house has been broken into. And the owner is ready with gun in hand. As the story unfolds we learn about missing women and a new acting sheriff. And the story of the teens too. How do all the random crimes intersect? Or do they? The book was interesting to read but a bit scary too. I live in a small town...

A dark tale of captivity and survival while also shining a light on the hope and dogged determination of one 'acting' sheriff.
Teenagers, Jesse and Jenny go out one night to break into the house of an old man to steal his meds so they can then sell them. They weren't expecting what they found.

Acting sheriff, Ben Packard, has moved to this small, rural Minnesota town after losing his lover, to a bullet while on duty in the Twin Cities. He has a not so secret, secret that he's keeping that could change the way he's thought about by the residents he's sworn to protect. He also has a history with the town as it was where his family vacationed when he was younger. When his cousin reports to him that her daughter and boyfriend went out and never came home, it brings back memories of when his brother went missing there never to be found. He's determined to not let that happen to these kids and promises his cousin he'd find them.

This isn't your typical mystery thriller where you try to figure out who did it. That information is told within the first chapter. The tension comes from the race against time to find the kids knowing the girl is diabetic and needs insulin to survive. The story plays tricks on your sensitivities as the victim becomes a perpetrator, while trying to be a savior, as he becomes the victim of yet another acquaintance. It's delicious in its darkness.

The story is told from the pov's of Ben and Emmett, the owner of the house the kids broke into. I enjoyed the way the book was written and the character of Ben Packard. The fact that I could relate to some of the story details like the setting (I live in a small, rural Minnesota town) and Ben's sexuality (I'm gay) helped me enjoy it that much more. The pace of the story quickens as the tension rises making it hard to put down.

All in all this was a very exciting start to what I hope becomes a series. I highly recommend this one to those of you who enjoy just plain, good storytelling.

This one just wasn’t for me. Within the first few chapters, the reader knows what happened to the missing teens, so we spend the rest of the book waiting for the sheriff to put it all together. A little anticlimactic, no? Also, many of the characters are caricatures, robbing the book of any depth of character development. I’m also over the thriller trope of disturbing just for the sake of being disturbing. It doesn’t make the book a better thriller; it just turns me off.

Nuanced creeper vibes are harder to pull off and more my style these days.
It appears this may be the first in a series starring the main character, Packard. As a character, he has potential and it would be interesting to see how readers connect with him in a narrative that has a little more delicacy in terms of intrigue.

I’m sure lots of other readers will find this book creepy and tense, but it just wasn’t for me. Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the chance to read and review an advance copy.

Part thriller? Part crime/police drama? Part horror? None of these genres are typical reads for me but I’m glad I went on a ride with this debut novel. Different point-of-views tells the story which I always appreciate, this one has me turning pages throughout which is always a good sign! Too dark in places for my taste. I think this will scratch an itch for the right reader who likes these genres but not sure it’s for me. I liked the writing and will recommend to friends who would enjoy. Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the copy!

And There He Kept Her is the story of a missing teenage couple. How their families react to the missing kids is very different. There is quite a bit going on in the book and it keeps you engaged. I enjoyed the book.

I received a free electronic ARC of this compelling novel from NetGalley, author Joshua Moehling, and Poisoned Pen Press, Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read And There He Kept Her of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am pleased to add Joshua Moehling to my favorite authors. He writes a fast-paced tale peopled with likable heroes and his bad guys are mostly all bad. Sometimes I find disgusting, all-bad bad guys repelling, but in this case, it worked well.

Packard and his family spent his youth during summers and winter holidays in Sandy Lake at his grandparent's lake house, but those visits ended when the grandparents passed away. The property however remained in the family. Though he hadn't been to the lake in many years, it still feels like that warm, happy place he remembers with joy. And he needs a little joy back in his life.

Packard and his lover Marcus both worked for years with the Minneapolis police department, keeping their relationship hidden from the world. When Marcus is killed, Packard can't face his life as it was. With Marcus' old dog, Jerrett, Packard applies for and takes on a job with the Sandy Lake Police Department and moves into the long-neglected family lake house. Natives of Sandy Lake don't remember him and he doesn't remind them that he, too, spent part of his youth in and around the lake.
Women had disappeared occasionally in the small town of Sandy Lake, Minnesota, written off almost casually as runaways. When local high schoolers Jesse and Jenny disappear, it would be easy to slip back into that dismissal but Packard doesn't accept it. The kids had too much going for them to bail out. Not to mention Jenny is the daughter of his cousin Susan. He will put all his effort into finding out what happened to those kids.

This was an excellent whodunit. I couldn't put it down and hope there will be more with Packard coming along.

This story contained an interesting sequence of events that left you wondering what and who was involved constantly. I am now invested in Ben Packer's story and want to know more about Nick as well. Hopefully there will be a second book.