Where the Dead Sleep is a perfectly paced mystery from start to finish. You won't be able to put this one down. With well developed characters, a compelling storyline and a small town setting, this will be one of my favourite books this year. I hope I have a chance to meet Deputy Packard again in a sequel.

I was given this title from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. I read this book in a few days. I couldn't put it down.

In the early morning hours a deputy is called to work. Deputy Packard shows up to a crime scene where a person is shot in their bed. Bill was local and loved easy money. But who would want him dead? The business partner, the ex wife or the current wife. Packard was made acting deputy because the former was sick. People wanted him to run for election but he was hesitant.

I was shocked at the twist and turns. But the ending to me was lacking. You did find out why and how everything happened. The one part that I couldn't understand is that its set up like there could be a third book but I didnt see any on Goodreads. There is a character called the shooter that took a shot at Packard. Im assuming to scare him to no run. But thats it you dont get anymore on the shooter other than he knows some people.

There are more and more fantastic mystery books with gay detectives. Andy Mills (Lavender House) and Scott Jericho (Killing Jericho), for example. And Joshua Moehling created the wonderful Ben Packard.

Where the Dead Sleep is the second installment in the Ben Packard series, but I hadn’t read the first book when I dove into Where the Dead Sleep. I immediately found out that it’s also easily readable as a stand-alone. I really got invested in the mystery, but the highlight of the book is Ben Packard himself. Amiable and private, Ben is a man I desperately want to know better. He is a very layered character, and Joshua threw some snippets around about Ben’s past that immediately made me want to start reading And There He Kept Her, the first book in this series.

And, of course, I’m also going to pick up the third book because, despite the solved mystery, there is still so much to learn about Ben. I’m ready to pull off his next layer!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read mysteries but, above all, wants to connect to a main character even more.

When an early morning call brings Deputy Ben Packard to the scene of a home invasion, he finds Bill Sandersen shot in his bed. Bill was a well-liked local who chased easy money his whole life, leaving bad debts and broken hearts in his wake. Everyone Packard talks to has a story about Bill, but no one has a clear motive for wanting him dead. The business partner. The ex-wife. The current wife. The high-stakes poker buddies. Any of them—or none of them—could be guilty.

Joshua Moehling’s first book, “And There He Kept Her” was an excellent debut so I was very interested to read this second book. The character of Ben Packard is definitely what sets these books apart, a very likeable star of the story, his personality really shines through as these books are progressing. He has suffered tragedy in his life and is openly gay, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed meeting him again and I am sure after reading this second book that there is a fabulous series here ahead of us, I hope so anyway. There is also a strong cast of other characters that definitely enhance the story as well.

The plot itself is strong and compelling although there are some descriptions in this book that are a little wordy but in saying that it did not overly bother me. The book moves at a good pace and I read this in two sittings, I would have read it in one if life had not decided to interrupt me. If you have not read this author I really encourage you to do so, I feel like I have discovered another gem in Mr Moehling and I will eagerly be waiting the next book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. 4 stars

I really liked the first Ben Packard novel, And There He Kept Her, so I jumped at the chance to read an ARC of the second novel, Where the Dead Sleep, from NetGalley. Acting Sheriff Ben Packard works for the small town of Sandy Lake, Minnesota. When a local man is shot in his bed, Packard has to unravel a complicated family relationship with a long history to solve the case. Packard is a guy I root for and the supporting characters are enjoyable. I am already looking forward to the next Ben Packard book!

I really enjoyed reading this book. Ben Packard is a layered, nuanced, complex creation. The interactions with the peripheral characters is also well written. I didn’t realise when I first started reading that this is book 2 in the series. Definitely going to purchase book 1 now, The 2 hooks at the end, were very clever, and I can’t wait for book 3!

While deciding on how to go about reviewing this book I am very torn about it. On one hand there are many good things about this book but I also found some parts and details cliche and agonizing to read.

I’ll start off by saying the positives … if you enjoy a small town police crime drama you’ll probably love this book. The author does an amazing job in capturing that small town feel. They write a compelling main character that is relatable and you are constantly cheering him on. The novel is peppered with a bit of everything - crime, drama, some comedy, even a little romance. It has a solid plot and quite a few branching subplots that have potential to be a great on going story.

However, all of this said there were quite a few things that I did not enjoy. To me it felt like I was reading an overly descriptive episode of law and order. There were a lot of details / descriptions / explanations of things that I felt were not necessary- it felt like a high schooler trying to make word count. This includes a couple of incorrect / poorly used euphemisms and a bunch of cliche police moments / dialogue, which you might actually enjoy.

All in all this book was just average to me. It, in no way is a bad book, but it also didn’t do anything outstanding. It did some things right and some things wrong. As I said it felt like the script to a law and order episode - so if you enjoy law and order, or similar, you’ll probably enjoy this book!

Where The Dead Sleep is a well written mystery that will keep you tethered to your chair. I like the character Ben Packard and his supporting cast of characters. This is the second book I have read by Joshua Moehling, and look forward to reading more. I was disappointed in the ending, as I was looking for closure but understand now, that this is a series and closure will come, within the next book, in the series.Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. #WhereTheDeadSleep, # NetGalley, #PoisonedPenPress.

5/5 stars! This is the second book in the Ben Packard series. I'm from a small town in Wisconsin, so I can attest that the midwestern vibes in this book are on point. I wasn't sure what to think of this book when I read the premise, but it surprised me in a good way. Sheriff Ben was dry and humourous and felt like a whole person and the supporting cast of characters were all 3-dimensional enough to feel like you were there with them in the moment. Entertaining story and would read more by this author.

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

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this eARC!

It had a good mystery but it was pretty slow and it took awhile for me to get into. I did enjoy the action when we got to it and I liked the twists but overall it was just okay. I did like the ending though!

"𝐒𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭."
"𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭. 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭. 𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐈'𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐟 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝟑.𝟐 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲?"

Y'all. When I read AND THERE HE KEPT HER, I didn't know acting sheriff Ben Packard would be featured in another book. So I read, caught up in the compelling mystery of that book but all the while thinking what an interesting character Packard was. When I found out this character was going to be part of a series, I re-read the first book, noting all the little details about Packard that I missed the first time.

WHERE THE DEAD SLEEP gets the highest of marks for two things: first, I am in LOVE with how the author created Ben Packard. He comes to life in little bits and pieces, such as dry humor and wry dialogue. I feel like I've known him all my life. There is so much of this character waiting to be uncovered; as an openly gay acting sheriff, he keeps a lot close to the vest, including the pain of a life-changing loss in book one. Second, the mystery in this book is dizzying. It centers around a home invasion and the shooting death of Bill Sanderson, a well-liked local who loved easy money and women. Despite his popularity, there is a long list of suspects, including his current wife and ex-wife, who are sisters.

I read this book in just two sittings because the storyline was just that compelling. If you haven't read book one, go grab it before this one releases. Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this early read. This book will publish August 15, 2023.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to receive an ARC of this book. This is the second book in the Detective Ben Packard series. This book has everything a good thriller has family drama, infidelity, gambling, politics and of course, murder. Det. Packard is called out bright and early on Sunday morning of Labor Day weekend to investigate the murder of Bill Sandersen. During his investigation, he learns that there are many people who dislike Bill including his wife and ex-wife, who just happened to be sisters! This book had me guessing until the very end. I liked how the author added in details of the investigation that may or may not be related to Bill's murder. The ending was perfect and left two mysteries open for additional books in the series. I am curious about Mr. Jim Henkel who is a science fiction writer mentioned in both books of the series. He has not been involved in the action but I hope the writer includes him in the next book. This is a splentacular read and I highly recommend!

I read Joshua Moehling’s first novel, “And There He Kept Her” and I was so enamored with the central character Ben Packard, a guy worth rooting for, that I mentioned that Ben deserved a series. I got my wish!

Ben is the likable acting sheriff of Sandy Lake County, an otherwise sleepy place with an underlying mystery. He’s a gay man, but that’s his private business. He gets called out on the shooting murder of a well-known local (and apparent asshole) who had married ex-wife’s sister after he bled the first one dry. It seems a lot of people might have wanted the guy dead.

It’s a steady procedural, unfolding as Ben does the interviewing of acquaintances and follows up leads, while intensely observing each accompanying scene. If you’re like me, I really love these types of police novels, especially when the central character is someone you trust and someone you’d like to know better. Ben also gets caught up in the decision and drama of whether to permanently run for the Sheriff’s office when his boss dies of cancer.

I loved this sequel and I want more of Ben Packard (especially when there’s unfinished sheriff’s department business). It was great to see Ben grow within his community and expand his circle of friends. 5 stars!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): None this time (there was the requisite girl with green eyes in the first book of the series).
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): None noted. Packard does need to prune his red twig dogwoods so his nosy neighbor can see more.

My first book of 2023 was stellar. I was so stoked to revisit Sandy Lake and spend time with my favorite Detective Slash Stand In Sheriff, Ben Packard.

Joshua Moehling is meant to be a writer. I love every bit of his honey-soaked words. I love the atmosphere, how the land and the sharpness of the cold are characters in their own right.

This was a solid mystery. I really enjoyed trying to figure it out. I highly recommend reading And There He Kept Her (one of my favorites from last year), and then reading this one as soon as you can get your hands on it.

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I received a free ebook ARC from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book 2 with acting Sheriff Ben Packard and I was so excited to get my hands on this sequel because I was impressed by the authors debut thriller. Packard is investigating a murder where the family has a sorted history in his town of Sandy Lake, Minnesota. The husband is murdered in his bed and the spouse is always the main suspect. Towns love to gossip and news travels fast, but Packard is good at investigating all the important details logically.

I was very much drawn into this story and flipped pages quickly. The criminal aspects Packard is investigating are alluring, the way the story unfolds in captivating, and the reality of the stress detailed of Packard as a gay acting Sheriff are portrayed well. The ending makes me absolutely want to read the next book as I’m fully invested in Packard and him unraveling his own family history in Sandy Lake.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed my time reading this police procedural thriller. This is the second book in a series, which I didn’t realize, but I feel it could be read as a stand alone, as long as you don’t mind being spoiled for the first book. I read it as a stand alone and didn’t feel at all confused.

I really enjoyed the authors writing style, it drew me in and kept me reading this story. This book had just the right amount of twists, and I didn’t see the plot twists coming at all. I also loved the LGBTQ rep in this book, our main character is fantastic! I really enjoyed this book, and I plan to continue with the series.

This was a good mystery but not as thrilling as I had hoped. It was slow and not particularly captivating. It wasn't bad but not the best. A decent police procedural.

Another excellent read by Joshua Moehling. Great multidimensional protagonist ego continues to reveal more of himself in his second outing.
Really looking forward to the third book in this series.

Highly recommend.

Thank you for the digital ARC. Finished it in just over 24 hours. Great writing. Superb plot and plenty of twists to keep the reader on their toes.

I was glad to see Moehling bring Ben Packard back as acting sheriff in Sandy Lake. He's a great character!
I did like the thriller plot better in the first book (And There He Kept Her). Where the Dead Sleep is more of a whodunit, but still intriguing. And that ending!! I'm excited for book #3!!