Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. Like a lot of reviews I saw I wish I had started with the first book. This was definitely a good read but just a little confusing at times due to not reading the first book. Still recommend

Another great book by Joshua Moehling. After reading And There He Kept Her, I knew I needed to read more by this author, and l’m so glad I did. I usually don’t like detective mystery/thrillers, but this has just the right mix of detective and domestic thriller that it really works for me.

While this is a second book in the series, it can definitely be read as a stand alone. The case that Packard is working on is completely separate from the first novel and while they make a few references to it, it’s not enough to deter you from the story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately, I just couldn't click with the main character, and finishing the book ended up taking way more time than I thought. I had a hard time getting into the events or caring about what was going on. Maybe reading the first book could've helped, but it didn't feel like a must to follow the plot here.

Even though it didn't vibe with me, it's worth mentioning that what didn't work for me might still be someone else's jam.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for hooking me up with an eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

A thoroughly great read that had me hooked and was a great investment of my time. Shame that it had to come to an end as it was enthralling and suspense filled all the way. Plenty of twists - get it!

Where the Dead Sleep
A Ben Packard novel, Book 2
Joshua Moehling, author

Deputy Bed Packard is at it again with solving yet another murder in the cozy town of Sandy Lake, Minnesota. This time his own life may be at risk.

Meanwhile, he has many supporters in Sandy Lake that would like to see him as the Sheriff. Packard really doesn't want the job, but he just may run for the office of Sheriff, though.

The ending of the story leaves with a cliffhanger for the next Ben Packard murder mystery.

I enjoyed this book so much; I've listened to the audio version of the book twice. I received the e-audiobook via Netgalley, the publisher and the author. I thank you. I voluntarily leave this review in exchange for the opportunity to listen to the book.

Everyone needs to get on the Joshua Moehling train ASAP! I read the first book, And There He Kept Her, and moved directly into the second book. It has been a very long time since I have found a detective psychological thriller that has truly surprised and entertained me like the Ben Packard series. And the fact that I get to read about a gay detective makes the story that much more fun for me! Packard has become one of my favorite characters of all time. I would love to have him on my side because he will do anything for those he cares about.

This story begins a few months after the events of the first book. You have Packard still adjusting to being interim sheriff while the currently elected sheriff undergoes cancer treatments; however, when an unexpected death hits the police department, Packard is forced to come to terms with the fact that he might be the best option and choice for the empty sheriff spot. He is thrust even deeper into the political side of being sheriff and soon realizes that he has big foes to go up against if he wants to keep the police department operating efficiently and effectively. On top of all of this, he has to deal with the murder of a man who not only has a troubled romantic history but also shady dealings throughout the town. With the suspect pool growing and the impending sheriff's election getting closer, Packard has a lot to juggle, but our man is up for the job. He just has to keep himself alive to be able to do it.

Moehling has gained himself a devoted fan. He will now be an auto-read author for me. If you are looking for a psychological detective story with a lot of heart and thrills, this is the series for you. I highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for a chance to early review this story in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the first in this series and the second one was just as good. Police procedurals are my jam and now that we know Ben Packard’s backstory we are able to dive right into this one, which finds Detective Ben Packard called to the scene of a home invasion, where Bill Sandersen has been shot in his bed. He was a well-liked local who went after the easy money his whole life, which unfortunately left bad debts and unhappy women in his wake, making it hard for Packard to solve this one. Basically everyone he talks to could have a motive, but they all proclaim innocence. The current wife, the ex-wife, friends, acquaintances, poker buddies, you name it. But there is a dark side to this small town that Packard is not aware of, and then an attempt on his life tells him he’s getting close to the killer….

Like the first book this one kept my attention the entire time. I love Packard’s character and I really enjoyed the case and how Packard was able to solve it. You don’t need to read the first one to follow along here, but I do recommend it as it was such a great read. I loved how this one ended and I cannot wait for the next book! The audio for this was excellent also, and I absolutely recommend reading it this way if you can.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Macmillan Audio for the copies to review.

This is the first book in this series that I have read. I am looking forward to the next one. It was an interesting story with an unsolved mystery in one character's past.

After receiving a call about a home invasion, Deputy Ben Packard arrives to discover Bill Sanderson shot in his bed. Everyone in town seems to have a tale about Bill, but nobody seems to have a good reason for wanting him dead. As tragedy strikes Packard's department and the little lake town's secrets become deadly, he must decide whether to resign or run for Sheriff.

It took me way too long to read the book, and I didn't feel any connection to the main character. I never cared about what was going on or why. Perhaps I should have started with the first book, but I didn't get the impression that doing so was necessary to enjoy or comprehend this one. There are tons of 4-5 star reviews, so I'm clearly in the minority here, so check it out. 

As promised, here is my honest assessment of the electronic advanced reader copy (eARC) I received from NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press.

Where the Dead Sleep by Joshua Moehling
Narrated by Linda Jones
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
Publsihed: August 15, 2023

Where the Dead Sleep is the second book in the Ben Packard series by Joshua Moehling. At first I didn't realize this was part of a series, so it is very easy to read as a standalone book.

I realy enjoyed this book. The characters were fascinating and I was captivated by the story. I loved the setting and seeing how it all came together!

The narration by Linda Jones was incredible!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Where the Dead Sleep is the second installment in Joshua Moehling's Ben Packard series, and it dives right into the life of Deputy Ben Packard. When a home invasion leads to a murder in the small town of Sandy Lake, Deputy Packard finds himself entangled in a web of secrets and lies. The book seamlessly blends the murder investigation with Packard's personal journey, as he contemplates running for the position of Sheriff in an election that could change the course of his life.

As a newcomer to Joshua Moehling's work, I was pleasantly surprised by the gripping storytelling and well-crafted characters in Where the Dead Sleep. Moehling skillfully brings the rural Minnesota setting to life, making it an integral part of the story. Deputy Packard's character is relatable and endearing, and I found myself fully engaged from the very beginning. This book not only explores the complexities of a murder case but also delves into the intricacies of small-town politics and life in rural America. It's a well-researched and expertly written novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. My thanks to the publisher for providing me with an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and DreamScape Media for an advanced audio copy of this book. This is the second in a series and Moehling really has gotten the character development figured out. The characters are well plotted. This story starts out with a man shot in his own bed. His wife, Shari, didn’t hear anything except a thud. Bill, the victim, slept in a bed downstairs with a CPAP machine. Shari, is Bill’s second wife. Bill was married to Shari’s sister, Carrie. It gets a little confusing. Ben Packard, the acting sheriff, tries to solve the case while also being talked into running for Sheriff. Good book, it would be best if you read the first one. I don’t really see this as a book club book, but more of a rainy day read. Enjoy!

Thank you netgalley for allowing to have an audio version of Where The Dead Sleep by Joshua Moehling, this book was rather interesting. There was so much going on in this story and it all played off one another as well which made you wonder what was going to happening and how it was all going to play out. Then that ending, it made me wonder if we are going to get more. And honestly I would not mind it one bit.

Rating: 4/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Ben Packard is back and let me tell you, I love him even more this time! Where The Dead Sleep is a police procedural / mystery / thriller following the wonderful Ben Packard and let me tell you, I love him even more this time. This time around Ben is trying to figure out who shot and killed Bill Sanderson..
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This is the second installment, a follow up to And There He Kept Her and, while I enjoyed that book, it wasn’t my favorite due to the fact it was a reverse who-dun-it and you know who is the killer is within the first few pages (it’s totally a me problem not a Moehling problem). This one, however will have you trying to solve the murder right along Packard and his team. I found myself totally immersed in the mystery and the characters and couldn’t put this down. Moehling had me feeling all sorts of emotions on this one. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, was puzzled and shocked. AND THAT ENDING… holy cliff hanger, alot of foreshadowing to give us a glimpse of what is to come. I NEED THE THIRD BOOK NOWWWWW, my impatient self can’t handle a long wait!
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I listened to this one via audio which was narrated by Linda Jones. I found it odd for a female to narrate this one even though it’s a third person POV, mainly because the entire story really focuses on Ben; I kind of just expected a male to narrate this one. Overall she did a great job and kept me listening until way past my bedtime!
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Overall, great second installment, I highly recommend to all my police procedural / thriller friends. Where The Dead Sleep was just released on August 15th, go check it out!
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Huge thank you to NetGalley, Joshua Moehling and Dreamscape Media for my ALC in exchange for my honest review!

I will stick to my review of the first book by saying these are great if you are looking to start reading thrillers and don't know where to start. The cliffhanger ending is killing me slowly. Also, BEN PACKARD FOR PRESIDENT!

I love a detective POV book and this was no exception. The lead detective is such an interesting character and this book had the makings of a page turner. I also love that the ending left us wanting to know more. I would love to keep reading this series and get to know more about detective Ben! Thank you netgalley for the ARC!

4-1/2 stars rounded up to 5. I'm so glad acting Sheriff/Deputy Ben Packard is back! The mystery of who shot Bill Sandersen is complicated and at times I found it hard to keep the details straight. The similar names of the wives didn't help. In the end Ben's attention to detail brings the shooter and the truth to light. I found the computer forensic details from Suresh to be fascinating and I would love to see more of this in future investigations. This book is a lot of set up for book 3 in the series, with a lot of foreshadowing and introduction of future villains. I'm not at all upset about it as I like the way Ben's mind works, and I like his relationships and the way he works with other members of the Sheriff's Office. There were several interactions with his coworkers that made me laugh out loud!

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio book in exchange for my honest review. The narrator did a great job.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC of this title in exchange for honest feedback!**

I didn't realize that this was a sequel when requesting this book but I'm so glad that I still gave it a listen anyway! There were things hinted at and referenced that definitely drew from the first book, but I never felt that Where The Dead Sleep couldn't read as a standalone.

I really enjoyed the MC in this book, Ben Packard, and especially his 3 legged corgi, Frank. I thought the characters were very well written and I absolutely enjoyed following along in this police procedural with them. This was a great audiobook for my drive and I found myself wanting more even as it ended.

Where The Dead Sleep ends on a cliff-hanger and leaves a lot of questions unanswered so I am definitely going to keep an eye out for Ben Packard #3 from Joshua Moehling. I will most likely try to get to the first book in the series as well for even more background!

Check this on out if you like police procedurals, small town mysteries, and thrillers.

I didn't realize this was a 2nd book at first but fortunately.y library had the first so I was able to quickly read that one. I'm glad I did because I really enjoyed both of them.

Ben Packard is back in Where the Dead Sleep. He is still acting sheriff and now trying to find out who killed Bill. On his latest murder investigation Ben is stumpped to why Bill was murdered and his wife Carrie is keeping her own secrets at bay. Carrie and her sisters Mary and Sherry are not the closest of sisters and one of them holds the key to what happened that night. This one will hook you from the very begining and leaves you wondering what comes next for Ben as he is no longer the acting sheriff.