- The synopsis of this books says it all. This book almost got me in a reading slump. The plot was compelling and interesting. I saw the potential from the beginning, I was intrigued and then, I felt like it dragged me all the way until the end. I truly wanted to know how it was going to end but felt no need to rush through it like my most beloved thrillers or crime fiction books. I enjoyed how everything ended up nice and tidy. I would’ve like it better if the bad guys would have suffer more.


3.5 ⭐️

And There He Kept Her follows the story of detective Ben Packard, who finds himself acting Sheriff in Sandy Town. We initially read about two teenagers who break into a house in order to steal prescription drugs alongside learning about the strange character Emmett Burr who has a questionable past.

I really enjoyed reading about Ben Packard and hope that this is the first book of many about him. I feel that there is a lot more character development that would easily lead to a series.

The book was fast paced and flitted between numerous different characters, keeping me gripped throughout.

My thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for sending me an ARC in return for an honest review.

And There He Kept Her is an engrossing thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Two teenagers break into a house of a sick older man to steal his prescription pain medication and get much more than they bargain for. It takes place in a small town in Minnesota and the characters feel authentic and relatable. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC.

I have to say for being a debut novel... Kudos. I loved it. I enjoyed the different themes explored, especially for a small town setting.

I will definitely look forward to any more books by this author.

Wow! What a terrific debut novel by Joshua Moehling. Ben Packard has returned to his hometown of Sandy Lake to serve as interim Police Chief. Sandy Lane is a pretty quiet town until two teenagers disappear without a trace, or their cellphones. We know right away what happens to them and the horrible situation they find themselves in. Unfortunately the depravity of the “kidnapper” goes beyond the walls of his house and involve more people of this quiet town. It is Packards job to find the teens while rumors of his life and why he came home spread among the townsfolk. The ending left room for a follow up book as Chief Packard moves forward with other cases and the one from his past involving his brother. I hope the author chooses to make this the first installment of a new series.

Thanks to the author, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy for my opinion.

“And There He Kept Her,” by Joshua Moehling, is a wonderful murder-mystery novel that engaged me immediately into this heart pounding story. How could it not, after the disabled homeowner opens the cellar door and without warning pulls both triggers on his double-barreled shotgun with the intruders falling backwards down the stairs to the cement floor. Moehling nailed it there! I was glued to the story, his great characters, and the unique plot. Anxiously, I clicking my e-reader forward to find more excitement in a well described narrative to the last page. Well done, Joshua—five stars!

My thanks to the author, Joshua Moehling and to Net Galley for the privilege to independently review this outstanding novel.

Drugs and murder. In a small Minnesota town there is a new sheriff in town. Packard is a hardworking gay man, trying to forget his painful loss. Two teenagers go missing and Packard is on the casein this suspenseful page turner.

This book grab me from the 1st page. A gay police officer, returning to his hometown. A town that his brother went missing years ago. Now his niece and her boyfriend are missing. A serial killer that’s over 300 lbs and a assortment of characters you won’t soon forget. I would recommend this book for a fast easy great read.

And There He Kept Her is a phenomenal debut thriller full of twists, turns, and murder! Moehling blew me away with this novel. You are immediately drawn in with the first chapter actually revealing what happens to Jenny and Jesse, but don't let that deter you! Throughout the novel you follow Sheriff Ben Packard as he tries to solve the mystery of the missing teens (there is a dual perspective aspect to this novel, but it only enriches the story and I won't spoil anything by mentioning the other narrator by name).

If there's anything to say about this book, it's this: And There He Kept Her is an all-encompassing, terrifying, wild ride from start to finish and is sure to entertain any Thriller lovers.

Free ARC from NETGALLEY

To all you Jesse and Jenny's out there, the Mr. Burr's are waiting and there are a lot more of them than the Ben Packard nice guys! Creepy good, enjoy and fear!!

Joshua Moehling has written an enthralling mystery and character study that I hope is the start of a new series.

After his partner dies, Ben Packard returns to become acting sheriff of the small town that his older brother disappeared in years ago as a child. The book's main character is great, the mystery (which involves two missing teens, one of whom is related to Packard) is engaging from the first page, and the police procedural appears very well done.

I really enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it. I so hope there are more stories of Packard.

This book was a fast-paced read and I just could not put it down. The characters are well-developed and the POV changes throughout the book so you get a view of the entire story from every perspective. Moehling does a great job of keeping you engaged from page 1, and you just have to keep reading to find out what happens next. I really enjoyed this book!

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is well written and the characters are described well. I enjoyed Ben Packard and Susan's characters. This book is pretty fast paced with a few twists and turns. This book is set in Sandy Lake, Minnesota. It has good LGBTQIA representation within this thriller. This book will be in stores on June 14, for $26.99 (USD).

When teenagers Jesse and Jenny break into Emmett Burr's house, they're there for one reason only - to do a job and get out. But Emmett has been stolen from before and he's not about to let it happen again. Plus, no-one can discover the secret room in his house. One he's used more than once before. Now Jesse and Jenny are missing and acting sheriff, Ben Packard, is determined to find out where they disappeared to the night they snuck out of their houses. As he follows leads that take him on a mystery that runs deeper than he imagined, time could be running out.

And There he Kept Her is a suspenseful and thrilling ride, that drip feeds the reader clues in a way that brings the already known 'who' to the 'why'. It was quite unique in the way there were no huge twists - we already knew who the villain was and even most of why he was doing the things he was doing. The twists had to be discovered by the acting sheriff, but we the reader were already privy to them!

Ben Packard was a fantastic character with an interesting back story. I do wish an old intertwined mystery in the story was solved at the end, but I guess not every mystery can be solved. Emmett and his associate were truly scary people and made this an extremely dark and horrifying read. As disturbing as it was, I found this one hard to put down and kept wanting to return to the story.

I also have to mention Gary. Gary was a side character but one of my absolute favourites. He added some real fun to a serious book!

Ben Packard needs a series of his own. ASAP. This hit all of your detective thrillers (decided that were calling it that now) bullet points you would want. It has the gore, the dirty pieces of the crimes, the interesting back story and development of the protagonist and it is all done in a debut.

I’m a fan, I need more!

A dark mysterious thriller that was so hard to put down! Jesse and Jenny, teenagers up to no good. Jesse breaks into a older man’s home in hopes to steal medication. Jenny runs in behind him, worried about Jesse just as they both find that the home owner is anything but a weak old man. Emmett Burr makes you feel as though he’s not only a murderer, and crazy to the core but also a protector at same time. Knowing Jesse is gone, Jenny plays her cards right almost befriending Emmett in a way. I love that the first chapter sucks you in right from the start. There are major complex characters and this author was great about filling you in on each one’s back story so that you feel like you know them. For a bit there I was confused on who’s who but picked it up quickly as I kept reading. Ben Packard was strong and steadfast all while being sensitive and struggling with his own past demons. I have to admit Ben was admirable to me! I enjoyed this book in its entirety! I can not wait to read more from this debut author!
Thank you Mr Moehling and Netgalley!

The plot is quite good -- two teenagers chose the wrong house to rob, with deadly consequences for one and traumatic consequences for the other, as the homeowner, Emmett Burr, has some rather significant secrets that he will go to great lengths to hide. The search for the missing teenagers will turn up a number of secrets in this small Minnesota town, with profound consequences for a number of residents, including acting sheriff Ben Packard. However, what makes this book standout is the characters. Some of the characters feel like they were inspired by the comedic crime thriller "Fargo". Some of the characters, based on how they are described, would fit in well in the "Freak" show section of an early 20th century traveling carnival. There are also some very colorful characters, especially Gary Bushwright, who has quite an interesting professional history. Even Emmett Burr, one of the villains, is portrayed in a manner that reflects moral ambiguity. He has done some evil things, but he also has a protective and caring nature at times, and life circumstances have made him into somewhat of a pathetic, almost sympathetic, character, especially when he is contrasted with his associate, Carl, who is evil incarnate. Ben Packard's decision to move to Sandy Lake was influenced in part by past events involving his family, and the book is written in a manner that suggests there could be a sequel that delves more into his past.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Joshua Moehling, and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

New to the work of Joshua Moehling, I thought that this book would make for an interesting read. I was pleasantly surprised as to how smoothly things went, with a dark thriller that carried me through to the final page and left me wanting more. Moehling does well to paint a sinister picture with this story and has me wondering if I ought to return to explore more of his work in the months to come.

When two teens target a house in a remote community, they are hoping to score something to help with their drug high. Little do they know what awaits them there, or that the proprietor has a plan of his own. Wanting to keep the past hidden, Emmett Burr will stop at nothing to silence the teens and keep the past cemented there.

Ben Packard hopes a fresh start in Sandy Lake, Minnesota will help his demeanour. Working as a sheriff’s deputy, Packard hopes to bring security to the community and rewrite his own personal narrative. Leading the investigation to to the two missing teens, Packard is prepared to pull out all the stops and show how effective he can be. With few clues and leads drying up faster than he can process them, Packard will have to rely on his gut and intuition, which is anything but stellar.

As the story reaches its climax, those involved show how a spine-chilling tale can truly grip everyone. A mystery and thriller like no other, Moehling shows that he has what it takes to stand next to others in the genre and make himself known. Easily the best thriller I have read in a while by an author worth of more attention.

Joshua Moehling may not have been on my radar before, but this novel has surely made me take note. I enjoyed the perspexctive he offers throughout and the dedication to the genre exhibited in the story. An eerie tale with some strong character development, Moehling taps into the inner soul of both character and reader, offering a story that will make people take note and want to know more.

While it would be easy to focus all my attention on Ben Packard, I found that there were a handful of great characters who emerged throughout the reading experience. There is a little backstory involved, as well as some great development, all of which feeds into the larger =narrative to keep the story moving, Moehling does well to proponent the reader with something worth their time, without bemoaning too much of the personal lives of the characters involved. I am eager to see how he addresses his characters in other publications, as I was left feeling as though it was a unique approach to much of what I have read lately.

The key to a great story is pulling the reader in from the opening pages. I was hooked before things got too far along and could not get enough. The narrative clipped along and left me fully engaged by the first few chapters, though I was able to steer my way through the plot with some ease. Great characters, developed effectively, kept me on track and the twists came just as I needed them. I am eager to see what else is out there by Joshua Moehling and how this compares to it. Hoping others will discover and devour this book as well, allowing the conversation to grow swiftly.

Kudos, Mr. Moehling, for a great piece. I am pleased to have stumbled upon it and cannot wait for more!

I'll admit, I was both immediately intrigued and also wary with the way the story began. It's one of those books where it shows you the killer's perspective right from the start.

But I was not disappointed. This book drew me in. Packard was an enjoyable character and the world of Sandy Lake had plenty of interesting side characters to entertain. It pulls on your emotions, making you feel sympathetic for the killer and question things as you read.

I felt the intensity escalate as I read the book and by the end I could not put it down.

Definitely an enjoyable read, and I'm hoping we get to read more about Packard and Frank in the future!

And There He Kept Her: A Novel by Joshua Moehling had interesting and realistic characters. The book had a good setting with believable scenarios. There was not too much extraneous information or descriptions, which I appreciate. The story was good but a bit slow. I did really like Packard and always love when dogs are in stories.

I would recommend this book.

@PPPress #NetGalley