Heart stopping and terrifying from the first page. This book has everything one could ever want for a fast paced rollercoaster of a read. Characters you empathize with, ones you are not sure of and some you really hate. All crafted by an amazing author. This book literally gave me chills. The suspense was almost to much at times, I had to keep reading to make sure that this wasn’t the end for one of those characters. The way this crime ties together is nothing short of amazing. The finale is incredibly intense. And yet there is sympathy for the devil here. What a masterpiece.

I think I was not in the right headspace reading this...or maybe thrillers simply aren't my cup of tea in any case. Felt like it was just ok, didn't really put much thought into it.

Two teens - Jesse and Jenny - are missing.

Emmet Burr has a secret.

So does Deputy Sheriff Ben Packard. That secret has to take the back seat as he races against time to find the kids who have gone missing on his watch. His character was definitely a highlight for Ken

This debut novel is fast paced, rich in character and and thoroughly engaging. I loved that it took place in a small town because the connections and recognizing everyone by their last name made sense. There are definitely some gritty, triggering moments but necessary to highlight the depth of the crime/criminals.

I hope this is the first in a series featuring our Deputy Sheriff.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance e copy in exchange for an honest review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Woah, fasten your seat belt, you're on for quite a ride. The story is like a puzzle where each piece of information just unlocks another puzzle. Small town drug dealers, robberies, shootings, serial killers - it has it all. Packard, the cop, is an interesting character and I think we're going to see a lot more of him. It's a great read.

For those who like dark and twisty, HERE IT IS! I will have to say that this book read like it was a series book. How they talked about some side stories made me believe there was another book out there to read and I had missed this huge "other" story. But alas...the was a debut novel. The story revolved around two missing teenagers, Jessie and Jenny. Jessie, the school drug dealer, was sent on the mission to procure some prescription meds from an elderly man, Emmett Burr. Little did they know that Emmett was in wait for them after being robbed and fleeced in the past. What they also did not know is that Emmett had a twisty past himself.
Acting Sherriff Ben Packard had moved to this small town to try to get his life back in order. He was dealing with some demons from his past, as well as the new case of his cousin Jenny and her boyfriend Jessie missing. I never like to get too deep into the weeds on the plots, as that is a beautiful gift for you to unwrap, but every character is wonderful. I LOVE GARY!!! Y'all....Gary is a hot mess! I really enjoyed this book and I hope it is followed by a sequel, as I have more questions!!!
Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to preview this book for my honest opinion.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this free Arc in exchange of an honest review :))
Okay so….this book was too disturbing for my liking.I was attracted to this book because of its name but I should have known from the cover that it would make me a little uncomfortable.and …the name did suggest where the story was going already so…I guess there was less suspense and all that but still,I think this is a very good book considering it’s the author’s first one.the writing style was interesting and I would say I’ll still be looking forward to the author’s books ;)) (if they’re less disturbing for me)
(Maybe I’ll reread this and have a different opinion when I’m more matured mentally……… and that’ll be when I’m more comfortable with the book and can thus give a higher rating,other than that,while I liked the writing,the story was kinda distracting for me so +- and I give 3 stars )

Pretty enjoyable. Not really a thriller in my eye since there wasn't much who did this or that going on for me. Some pretty solid scenes throughout.

Two teenagers try to break in to a house to steal drugs with devastating consequences. Emmett Burr has been hiding secrets in his basement for many years. He tries to stay off the grid so no one can discover his secrets. Only one person knows and they have a partnership based on their sick and twisted desires.

Ben Packard has returned to his hometown to start fresh. He is made acting sheriff and one of the first cases he handles is the case of the missing teens. This case is made even more important because one of the teens is a family relation.

This story is very dark and twisted - in the best way! I was reading late into the night.

This also seemed like something that I would like, but also couldn't get into it at the moment. might revisit at a later time.

READ MY REVIEW

Cover: Well, it drives the point home, I guess.

Wow. And I mean, wow. And There He Kept Her is a straight five, no questions asked; it’s also going to be in my 2022 top ten list—yeah, it’s that good. Also, it’s a debut. I’m sobbing here

The plot is intricate because Moehling went and decided to craft an intricate story from the get-go. No dull moments, no boring characters, just a fast-paced main plot and some exquisite subplots on the side. What more do you want?

Take the MC, Packard. He’s a complex character, one that reads as real as it gets. He’s got personal issues he needs to solve—interesting issues, with the drama factor toned down, and thank you for that, Moehling—but his focus is on the case.

What about the villain? Emmett is as despicable as you’d expect him to be, but he’s not your regular cartoon antagonist. He’s got layers. Kudos to Moehling for creating a nasty, execrable character with depth and substance. Frank maybe reads weaker than Emmett because he’s even nastier, but I guess Moehling took a calculated risk with him.

Side characters, please allow me to be repetitive and say wow. They’re all realistic it’s easy to tell them apart because Moehling took his time crafting and perfecting them. Susan is the one I’m less thrilled about, and still, her personality punches a hole through the pages.

You know me: I like to split hair in my spare time. And There He Kept Her is almost perfect, to the point that I couldn’t mention a single misstep, a lone mistake. Moehling, you wrote an incredible story, and I’m looking forward to reading more!

5 stars on GR, well-deserved.

This book was decent. While it is a thriller, there isn't much "whodunit" about it. But I really liked the dualing viewpoints in the story.

*4 Stars*

Copy kindly received via NetGalley for an honest review.

Good characters and read. I felt some characters didn't deserve things that happened to them and some people did. Some also got closure. I liked the ending.

I really loved the cover and description of the book. I felt the name of the book should have been a little less revealing.

I was intrigued by the premise of the book.

When two teenagers break into an old and seemingly harmless old man's house on a remote lake to steal his prescription drugs, what starts as a simple burglary turns into a nightmare. The old man is not as harmless as they thought and one of the teenagers is killed and other is kept in the basement. The one that's in the basement is the main detective's niece and the search begins.

First 25% of the book kept me involved in the plot, but as the story progressed, I started losing my interest. From the name of the book, we knew what was going to happen and also we know who the culprit is from thestart!! Even though this happens in many books, the storytelling saves the day, but in my opinion, it doesn’t happen here. I loved Packard's character and found his relationship with Marcus sweet. But other than that, I felt the story dragged on.

For me it was a 2 star read.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy.

This was a great book for a debut author! I love the dual point of view and being able to see the crime being committed/the mystery on the law enforcement side.There are also many times where you just question "how is this book actually going to end?" which is great for a mystery book. There was one part of the book that made me question and that is the heavy emphasis on the smoking. I am just not sure what it added to the story, and it's brought up at least once a chapter. There were also a few plot holes that made me go "hmmm" but other than that, really enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this, but found myself wanting to read more about Emmett and Jenny and would be on edge when the next chapter would be focused on the police.

I found the story of Emmett interesting along with Carl. It’s good that it’s kind of left up to the reader to work out what they do to the victims and why. And I liked the fact that Jenny was really smart and strong in the situation.

A special thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the chance to read the title ‘And there he kept her’

5* An amazing read. I finally managed to get to reading this after so many work deadlines but when I finally did I sped through it, I really enjoyed this title, the characters, the storyline and I really enjoyed the alternative POVS.

At first glance I knew it was a horror, suspenseful and things that creep you out in the dark and boy did it stick to that and so much more, I consumed it.. I couldn’t get enough of it.

Starting with two teenagers who break into Emmett’s house to steal from him which quickly turns into a nightmare for them and then we meet the acting sheriff who is slowly uncovering the disappearance of the two teenagers.

The writing was great, it draws you in and makes you question different things throughout the book - where are the kids? - Who is Emmett and so on and so on. Overall I enjoyed this book and if I ever see any upcoming titles by the author I will he willing to pick it up as their writing is easy to get into as well as keeping you engrossed and wanting to read more.

Thank you once again to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for my arc in exchange for my honest review.

I will be posting my review on my platforms and Waterstones, B&N and other platforms close to its publication date.

3.5 stars rounded down. I didn't find it to be very suspenseful. There wasn't anything to figure out; it was all just kind of given to you. The story kept me interested, but it wasn't a page turner. I spent a lot of time waiting for something to happen, which was surprising to me given the plot.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this little thriller! The characters were interesting and distinct, and the plot was more than the usual shock-and-awe. Ben Packard is a deputy in a small lake town searching for two missing teens who stole prescription drugs from a reclusive old man. The story flips between Emmett, the old man the teens stole from, and Ben, as he tries to find them.

Sometimes the plot meandered, but the characters were all so well developed that I didn't mind. Would definitely recommend this as an enjoyable beach read this summer.

With thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced copy.

When 2 teens disappear from the small Minnesota town of Big Sandy, local (acting) sheriff Ben Packard investigates.
This book reminds me of the Prey series by John Sanford, in that the reader knows who the "bad guy" is and is able to watch with mounting tension as the story progresses to the ultimate "showdown" between the protagonist and the perpetrator.

This was a really great book and I'm hoping this the first in a series about Ben Packard.

I think my favorite part of the book was the alternate POVs and as interesting as it is to find things along with the character, I find it even more intriguing to know things that character doesn't. The pace was steady and kept me on the edge of my seat.

I also loved the title, which was what brought me in in the first place.

The only thing I didn't really like was the dialogue. It felt a little forced and unnatural. But it might be a me thing