WOW! What a great first novel by a debut author. I was hooked from the moment the two youngsters went down the stairs.
This is a deeply disturbing thriller that will keep you wanting more and more.
I loved that the acting Sheriff was a gay man with a past. I thought that was a brilliant addition and really nice to see in the storyline.
The drugs were part of the story but NOT the central part, which is another breath of fresh air.
The location, Northern Minnesota...I am guessing Hibbing, Chisholm, I know the Iron Range was also a great addition to the thriller market.
However, I wanted more detail about how Carl and Emmett met and how they first began their crimes.
I wanted to know more about how Sam was going to hurt Jessies sister.
There was some loose ends that really needed to be cleaned up to make this a SPECTACULAR story.
However, overall you won't be sorry to pick up and read this book.

I really enjoyed this book. While I would say it’s not for the faint of heart or those just transitioning into the thriller genre as it has its graphic moments. It kept it edgy & on my toes.
The character development had you questioning your own beliefs of a real villain. Once an even more “evil” villain is unveiled does it make the other villain good??

Synopsis: Packard is a cop who lost his brother at Sandy Lake years ago, he returns to wash away old wounds just “in time” to be the head sheriff when 2 teens go missing again. It’s up to him to connect the dots in this small town while confronting his own demons of his past & present.

The cover art was stellar & a great depiction for the story. (The major bonus was the corgi!!)

I loved reading this book! I found the writing to be very insightful and interesting. I was intrigued by the premise and I enjoyed reading it from start to finish.

I was immediately dragged in and couldn't put it down. The first few sentences are magnetizing, definitely an amazing recommendation.

Once again we have a decent plot overwhelmed with WOKE issues – none of which have anything to do with the plot.

Also the characters simply don’t make sense. A lot of it is that the characters have been caricatured to the point of disbelief or painted as some sort of zebra changing its stripes. There’s an old curmudgeon who’s retired from producing hard core porn and is now raising rescue dogs in the grandest and cleanest of circumstances. There’s a 400 pound bad guy with multiple health problems who is not only going up and down stairs to his basement, but walking quite a distance up and down hill – or around town, shopping. Then there’s the policewoman who’s barely 5’ tall. And on and on.

It was a good story. I’m sorry I can’t give it a better recommendation.

I thank NetGalley and the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Just finished this book and what a great book.. When two teenagers break into an old mans house looking to steal his prescription drugs they both get more than they bargained for.
When they are both reported missing it is up to Ben Packard to find them.
It is the first time I have read a book from this author and would do so again.

The disappearance of two teens, a sheriff and a desperate mother looking for them. Time is of the utmost importance because one of the teens has diabetes and needs insulin. This book takes you through the twisted thoughts and happenings of a small town and how you don't always know your neighbors.

This book was a refreshing change from everything else has been published lately. It drew me in from the beginning and the multiple view points was actually a refreshing change from other books with multiple view points. After reading this book, I truly hope that Joshua Moehling turns this into a series because it left me wanting more at the end because I need to know if he dives into his brother's unsolved disappearance and I want to know more about him and if he finds true happiness with his dog and his lover.

Ben Packard is the acting sheriff in a small town and is tasked with finding two missing teenagers. With not much evidence to go on, he uses any and all resources within reason to get the job done, while keeping secrets of his own. Flash to Emmett Burr who's house was recently broken into, who took matters into his own hands and defended his property the only way he knew how. Now Emmett also has secrets. Secrets he doesn't want to get out because if anybody knew what he was hiding, he'd be done for. Can these secrets be kept? Can Packard find these missing teens?

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free copy for an honest review.

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.