From the description: 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.

A fantastic debut novel. Suspenseful, and riveting. I found myself thinking about the story and how the same person can be a victim and the villain at the same time. I will certainly be looking for more novels from this author and also hope these characters show up in another story as well.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

I found the plot very good. Packard, a police officer, who recently moved to a small town in Minnesota, tries to find two missing teens. You know early on what happened to the teens, but the path to the ending was good. There weren't long passages of unrelated story branches.

One branch that was included and that I particularly enjoyed was Packard's acceptance of his sexual orientation and concern about the town's reaction. I thought it was handled realistically and perfectly showed current viewpoints. There was a little "it's a sin" and homophobia, but most people really don't care. I was happy that it did not depict Packard as a stereotype, just a person.

The book does contain physical and sexual violence. It is not graphic, but it is a prominent part of the plot.

I am only giving it four stars instead of five because, although I liked it a lot, and liked it better while reflecting now, a few days after finishing, it was too easy for me to stop to check my email, text a friend, etc. I just wasn't engrossed. It was put-downable, especially through the first 2/3. But I always was happy to pick it back up.

What a debut! I am a true crime ,murder, mystery, any kind of evil character based book lover and this gives you all of it and so much more. I would say it isn’t good for sensitive eyes (or ears if you audio book) it can be crass and gruesome but that to me just makes it more real.
He wrote characters in roles and ways not commonly done -seemingly “breaking stereotypes” but to be honest just writing real life - people of all shapes, sizes, colors, genders, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientations go through it and have secrets. This also makes you challenge your self and your view on morals and is a moral change enough to actually change or can it be situational and self serving still leaving the person at their core to be a murder, a rapist, a pedophile … also raises questions about our assessment for rehabilitation…
The story had me hooked and I really enjoyed it for a variety of reasons - the realness , the characters, the plausibility, the story line , and hello a tripod rescue (I have such a soft spot for the special rescues) I will say Gary was my favorite character and I’m all for a story about him.
I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next!

Trigger warning : addiction, rape, pedophilia, murder/blood/gore

I received a free copy of this book and this is my honest opinion. This book is really good and I can't believe this is the author's debut novel. I liked the setting in a small town because I grew up in a small town in Minnesota. The characters are well drawn and the story is unique. I read it straight through. It grabbed me from the beginning and I couldn't stop reading. I really enjoyed the tension and twists. I can't wait to read the next one!

Good description and the characters were revealed in moderation. A bit of surprise behind the key players.
The story was paced well not overstating to up the page count. I would reccomend as a quick read, engaging with a fresh plot.

And There He Kept Her by Joshua Moehling tells the story of Ben Packard the new deputy in town and 2 teenagers go missing. I hope this story continues I would like to find out what happened to his older brother. I really like Ben and his methodical thinking and crime scene examination and how he decided to be himself and to stop running. This is a very believable story. I love all of the different characters and their personalities. And the interaction and dialogue between them. I will recommend this book. Thank you for allowing me to review.

I really enjoyed this debut novel .
This is a dark compelling thriller .

The characters were well written .

The twists were shocking.

A perfectly plotted and paced thriller .

********UNPOPULAR OPINION*********

Disappointing and disappointed.

The first half of this book was so good even though I really could not connect to the characters and then it became predictable and I saw the ending coming. SMH.

I am definitely one of the few in the minority here but I did not like this, at all. Cannot recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley, Joshua Moehling and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 6/14/22

New to me author. Love the story, loved that it kept me guessing til the very end and I highly recommend it to anyone! Can’t wait for more by him!

3.5 stars

Creepy and unsettling, Joshua Moehling’s debut "And There He Kept Her" will keep you flipping the pages and hoping for more from this author. While undoubtedly thrilling, this reads as more of a police procedural than thriller. That didn’t bother me in the least, but I thought it was worth noting since mainly marketed as a thriller.

Moehling’s characters are complex and unforgettable from our stand-in sheriff Ben Packard to repulsive murderer Emmett Burr and everyone in-between. I especially liked Ben Packard. He was unexpected and quirky but capable and likable. He has an entire backstory that was alluded to multiple times and with an open end to his own personal tragedy from his childhood, I’m hoping we may get that story at some point. The small town of Sandy Lake was well-written and each of the characters fit their roll within it. With an array of secondary characters and subplots throughout the narrative, it also leads me to believe Moehling is setting us up for more installments from Sandy Lake. The book starts with a pulse-pounding scene and the remainder of the narrative slows (but doesn’t drag) and is dripping in suspense. There are multiple cringe-worthy, triggering scenes that won’t be for every reading taste.

This is a straight-forward mostly plot driven book that you’ll easily read in a few sittings. The climax underwhelmed me and there could’ve been more tension and time with some of the character’s interactions to take it to that next level. Overall, though, this is a well paced page-turner that checks all the boxes for a marketable and satisfying thriller.

I really loved the main character of this book! I would say this is a great debut and I think it's the start of a series? Maybe I'm wrong!

I would recommend to anyone looking for a bit of a disturbing crime thriller! There are some crimes committed that had me go yeeeshhh BUT I knew what I was getting into! I would definitely say this is a good book for the thriller reader looking for something a bit different!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC copy!

Jenny and Jesse are 2 young teenagers who are attempting to break into an older quiet man’s home who lives across their small town of Sandy Lake, MN, attempting to grab his prescription pills. They are caught in the middle of the night by the man, Emmet. This turns into a captive situation and horror ensues for the captee.
Ben Packard is the town’s acting Sheriff and is working the case and also has a personal connection to the case and things from his past being brought up as the investigation begins. It makes him question and wonder if his recent decision to move back to Sandy Lake after a personal tragedy in his life is the right one.
With each chapter, the creepiness factor rose and rose until I had a hard time putting this story down. Getting to know Emmet and the way his mind worked got scarier as the story progressed. The complexity of his past and present helped the reader understand his thought process as both a victim and tormentor. I enjoyed the way the story unfolded and ultimately concluded.
This was a 4.5 * read! And this is a debut author?? I cannot wait to read more of his work! Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the EArc and the chance to review it!

AND THERE HE KEPT HER immediately sets an uneasy, ominous atmosphere which erupts into horrifying acts. Tension catapults higher and higher with every turn of the page. Chilling, riveting chapters fly by. Suspense skyrocketing leading to a heart-racing action packed, race against time and dynamite explosive finish.

Small towns are unique in their make up. Everyone knows, or thinks they know, everyone else. The characters in this story were well written and brought the story to life. The arguments between neighbors, the secrets of old men, the stupid things kids do to try and find a way out that only trap them further; all added to the intensity of the story.
I hope to hear more from Sandy Lake and Deputy Ben Packard.

And there he kept her was a wild ride dark and twisty book. I kept trying to guess who was involved and who wasn’t. There were times I was right and times I wasn’t. The beginning puts you in the edge of your seat wanting more and for that I could not put the book down.

The ride with the main character sheriff Packard was intense and he himself had some mystery about him. I enjoyed him.

Emmett was someone to hate and feel sorry for and that is a hard pill to swallow for the villain. He has a soft side but very misguided in the affairs of love.

If you like dark and twisty thriller books pick this one up you won’t be disappointed.

And There He Kept Her will draw you into this small drama. The characters are deverse and well developed. You will have to keep reading to see how things will be resolved.

What was a attempt at a robbery of prescription drugs turns into a murder kidnap dilemma. People think it a better choice to move to a small town to escape big city woes. After reading this book, nothing could be further from the truth. What started out as two missing teens turned into many secrets. Elder people were ‘missing’ pills, a detective/deputy sheriff was hiding why he left the big city and one the missing teens was not really missed. As the detective digs deeper, more and more connections are made to some questionable persons in the town. As the circle gets tighter, the end is shocking. Read this book if you like great thrillers.

I so enjoyed this new book by a new-to-me author. It seems as if Joshua Moehling has invested his considerable time and energy into a reader’s delight! If “delight” is the right descriptor for a book with a considerable quantity of violence, especially violence against women. To my reader’s mind this thriller is more than a one off book. It’s a springboard set for Mr Moehling to jump off into an entire series set in Sandy Lake featuring Deputy Ben Packard. Make room Ben, I’ll be right there with you.

Deputy Packard is conflicted by his sexual identity, the return to his family’s hometown, the long ago loss of his brother and more recently his boyfriend. Nonetheless, he takes on a missing persons case with determination. He soon realizes it’s more than just a “run-away”.

As a longtime reader of thrillers, I believe Mr. Moehling has brought to life some unique characters in this book, Ben Packard being one. Emmett Burr being a second. Even though he is a thoroughly despicable human being, there are some elements that caused me to feel a few grains of sympathy for him. Short-lived sympathy, but still . . .

I am so happy to have received what I hope is the first of many books by Jason Moehling. Thank you Net Galley for the ARC and the chance to offer my thoughts.

Teenagers Jesse and Jenny break into a house and stumble into a very angry homeowner with a dangerous past. Hours later, Sheriff’s deputy Ben Packard gets a call from his cousin, saying that her daughter Jenny is missing.

Even though it’s focused on a police investigation of a missing girl, this is more of a thriller than a mystery, since we know from the outset who is responsible for Jenny’s disappearance. There’s still bits and pieces to be revealed, though, about what came before – not just how Jenny and Jesse came to be in this situation, but about disappearances from years past. I don’t always like to read an investigation story while already knowing the answers that the investigator is looking for, but in this one I didn’t mind it. It actually led to more tension, rather than less, and allowed for the bad guy to be three-dimensional instead of just a shadowy menace to be revealed at the end. The characterization in this book was fantastic across the board - all the characters were vivid, distinct, and complex personalities. Also, there’s a dog, which is always a bonus.

Overall, it was a good thriller with even better characterization and I’d happily read more from this author, especially if it involves the same characters.

Representation: Gay main character and other LGBTQ+ characters, Native American character

CW: Kidnapping and captivity, homophobia, mention of sexual and physical assault, physical and psychological abuse, parental neglect and abuse, drug addiction and alcoholism

Thank to NetGalley for an early ebook copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

And There He Kept Her explores the horrors of a young kidnapped girl and her aging, serial killer captor. True, Jenny and her boyfriend broke into Emmett's house in order to steal drugs, but Emmett has too much to hide to just call the cops and be the victim of a robbery. What is especially scary here is how evil manages to hide in plain sight.

Deputy Ben Packard may be the new cop in town but he has ties to the lake community. He has his own secrets so working the missing teens' case forces him to interact more with the community and examine his own past. As a character, Ben is physically imposing but you never get the sense that he relies on physicality to impose his will. Rather he is quiet and self-contained, perhaps a touch lonely.

The author certainly left a few threads dangling so don't be surprised if there is a sequel.

#NetGalley #AndThereHeKeptHer