In my pregnancy I shifted my reading time to baby research and was not able to review what was on my shelf. I apologize as I know the number of copies you can give out is limited and would never have intentionally ignored this copy under normal circumstances. I am rating this as 5 stars as it is not the author or publishers fault I was not able to meet this timeline, and hope that you will give me another chance in the future to review as I am back into my regular reading schedule this year after adapting to the newborn life!

Ben Packard is back in a small Minnesota town as a sheriff's deputy. His cousin comes to him to let him know that she believes her daughter is missing. At first Ben thinks its just his niece out for a while not letting her mom know. However, as time goes on he Ben believes it is more. The clues are starting to dry up and he has to get creative.

Meanwhile, Emmett Burr has his own issues going on since two teenagers try to rob him for his prescription drugs. Emmett has many secrets to hide, but the whole town things he's harmless.

Thank you #NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book

I love discovering new authors, and I am happy to say Moehling is one I’ll read more from. I’ve already downloaded the next book in this series. This story follows Ben Packard, who returns to the town he and his family used to visit during the summer. Also, the town where his brother went missing twenty years ago. Packard is now the sheriff and is entangled in the disappearance of two teenagers.

The story is cat and mouse, and you know early on what happened to the teens, but following Packard is worth reading. He’s a great guy, and you root for him to find the truth and become the man he is in private. While this one didn’t keep me guessing because we know the fate of the teens from the start, but following the clues with Ben is a lot of fun.

3.5⭐️

I love a good thriller and this book sounded right up my alley. I also like police procedurals, so another bonus.

I enjoyed the storyline and I loved Ben Packard’s character. Looking forward to continuing this series and learning more about him.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joshua Moehling for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I'm putting And There He Kept Her firmly in my category of why did I wait so long to read this. OMG. I have a new hero, and his name is Ben Packard. I'm already obsessed with this series and can't wait until Book 2. I have a feeling that clues about what happened to Nick will be slowly revealed through the series, and I'm here for all of it.

I took a chance requesting this book and boy was I glad I did. This was a serious thriller.

The main character was relatable. This kept me worried!

The twist is horrifying and shocking and made this book "unputdownable".

A well written, excellent, fast paced read that kept me up late!

This was an enjoyable read for me. It was well paced, gripping, and had me hooked from the very beginning. I was surprised that this was Joshua Moehling's first novel. I loved Ben Packard's character and loved to see a strong male character that included a non-stereotypical representation. I want so badly for him to find happiness. The emotions that this book had me feeling was so palpable. Towards Emmett, I felt pity, disgust, gratitude, and rage. For poor Jenny, I felt so much anxiety and hopelessness for her situation. The setting was perfect. Small town that gives off a troubled, secretive undercurrent. It was very well written and I think he will definitely be a repeat author for me!

this was a different kind of mystery/thriller the structure gave me a new reading experience, which is appreciated as this genre can be formulaic.

both the protagonist & antagonist feel original & sympathetic; an unusual nuance typically lacking in a thriller, which elevates the book.

i look forward to reading the next in this series.

This was a very different thriller but one that was quite enjoyable. I don’t think I’ve read a story in the genre where the perpetrator has a POV and here it is used to dramatic (if at times incredibly uncomfortable) effect. I thought I wouldn’t be invested since you’re clued in early about the mystery (at least, if you enjoy guessing like I do) but I still read it at a decent pace and it never felt too fast.

I think the real shining thing though was the main protagonist, interim sheriff Ben Packard. I was as invested in him personally, and conquering his own demons, as I was him solving the case. I consider this a very good sign for a series that hinges on his relatability and interest because it means that I’ll consider reading book 2 regardless of the blurb. It’s hard to make a character like that and I applaud the author for it!

All in all, if you’re a thriller/crime fan I would encourage you to check this one out. Between the unique use of POV and a fascinating central character, this has the makings of a good series and was a solid read.

Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

This was a good, quick read. There was nothing particularly interesting about the plot, but it was a fine read.

This review was also published on Goodreads.

3.5 ⭐️
I’m really not a fan of books where we as the reader know everything in advance and we are just sitting there waiting for the main characters to catch-up. That being said, I did enjoy this book as much as I could. I’m an impatient reader and it was just a bit annoying that I had to wait for the Ben to get caught up to where I was in the story.

The police procedural portion was enjoyable to follow and the characters were fine, EXCEPT for the girl he kept there. The dialog between the two was ridiculously unrealistic. It was still a good read. (3.5/5)

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

This is a DNF for me which I am sad about because it really sounded like it would be fantastic and that I would have enjoyed it. unfortunately, I didn't like it.

I really enjoyed this book. Enough so that I immediately followed the author so I’d be notified of new books. It was twisty and kept me interested the whole time. I didn’t find it predictable, which a lot of suspense novels tend to be.

Book Review
And There He Kept Her
Joshua Moehling
Published: January 2023
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you ro @poisonedpenpress and @netgalley for my digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

#qotd : If you were kidnapped, do you think you could escape? How might you do it?

Blurb: "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."

I was really impressed with this debut novel! A wonderful thriller for fans of the dark and deplorable. What's more, Moehling blurs the lines of good guy and bad, and you start to somewhat understand why the bad guy is who he is. You start to understand why the good guy is alone. You start to question who you're rooting for. I'm very interested to see Ben Packard's next case.
If you're looking for a dark and chaotic thriller, pick this one up.

#netgalley #poisonedpenpress #andtherehekepther #joshuamoehling
#thriller #dark #darkthriller #review #bookreviews #readthrillers #readmore #booklove #booksonbooks #arc #betterlatethannever #debutnovel

And There He Kept Her is not your typical thriller, mystery. Mainly because it's only a mystery to the police trying to solve it. The multiple POVs presented are from the acting deputy sheriff tracking the case and the guilty party. I appreciated this variation especially because it still offered a bit of suspense and the opportunities to try to figure out next steps as you read along. Everything came together smoothly. It was well written enough that you felt part of the action, and most importantly, there wasn't much repetition in descriptions.

The character development was great. Thankfully this is the first book of a series because the reader learns just enough to want to know more about this small town and it's inhabitants.

Two teenagers Jenny and Jesse break into a home in search of prescription narcotics. They are caught by the homeowner Emmett, while none of this is a spoiler as it is laid out in the beginning of the book. Jesse is murdered and Jenny is kidnapped.

Sheriff's Deputy Ben Packard is the lead investigator in the disappearance of the two teenagers. The lives of the teens, sheriff and the perpetrator of the crime's lives are all intertwined in one way or another. I found the book disturbing and do not think I will continue reading books of this nature. While the writing was great and the story told was captivating, these kinds of stories are not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy.

This is the first in a thrilling series. Two teenagers go missing and someone has to find them. This read has a great cast of characters and the action is great. It does deal with drugs, killing and torture. I am definitely looking forward to the next one.

Dark and twist , which made me enjoy it even more so then I thought I would .Will be looking for more by this author