Where the Dead Sleep by Joshua Moehling
Ben Packard #2

Intricately plotted, well crafted, excellently written police procedural and murder mystery that allowed me to catch up with Detective Ben Packard as he navigates the waters of being acting sheriff in a small town with more than one person who would rather not have him in the position. As Ben works to find and then put the puzzle pieces of the case together, he runs into many clues that may or may not be important in determining who killed the first victim. Doggedly he pursues the clues with the assistance of his team making diagrams and notes to try to put it all together in a cohesive manner.

When a bullet comes through the window of the house he is visiting, he wonders if it was meant for him or someone else and was the shooter the same person that killed Bill or someone else? Who is telling the truth and who is not? What facts are important? Who is the killer and what is the motivation? And…where is that key to the puzzle that will ultimately cause all the pieces to finally fit together perfectly to expose every aspect of the case that begins with the death of Bill Sanderson?

Detective Ben Packard is an intriguing character. He has suffered loss, works hard, is a good friend, great team player, has a strong moral compass, is compassionate and kind to underdogs, is great at puzzle solving, knows who he is, is invested in settling in Sandy Lake as he rehabs the home he purchased, grew up in a loving family, Lost his brother decades ago…in Sandy Lake…and would love to close the old cold case for his family, owns a three-legged Corgi named Frank, is doing his best to be an efficient and effective acting sheriff.

The way this all came together with the clues, hints, twists, turns, assaults, dysfunctional family issues of the Gherlicks gradually being exposed, and other pertinent matter being unearthed in a complex crafty way had me eagerly waiting to see who the bad guy was and then wondering if perhaps there was more than one. The ending is not a cliff hanger, but it does have me eagerly waiting to read book three in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks-Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Where The Dead Sleep, the second book in the Ben Packard series, picks up shortly after book one, And There He Left Her, with another shocking murder in rural Sandy Lake, Minnesota. From page one this story draws you in with a compelling murder-mystery, small town politics, and Deputy Packard’s unconscious search for acceptance and love from his community. One of my favorite things about this book/series is the perfect balance between the police procedural and the personal lives of the community and Deputy Packard. I feel like I know this community and learn more about them with each book (though I hope I’m less of a town gossip than Dep Shep). As the layers of the story peel back, you get the full, complicated, and a little ugly, picture of what exactly happened to the recently deceased Bill Sanderson and those connected to him and why.

This was so good. I really enjoyed this crime thriller. I was hooked from the beginning to the end. It was so good and I couldn't put it down.
I just reviewed Where the Dead Sleep by Joshua Moehling. #wherethedeadsleep #NetGalley
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Ben Packard takes us through the process of investigating a crime as if we were on those pages with him. He is such a vivid character that you can’t help buying into the challenges he faces as he works through the clues and the many characters who could have played a part in the crime. A very strong police procedural.

I just finished Where the Dead sleep by Joshua Moehling and here is my review.


Deputy Ben Packard is no stranger to strange crimes but the murder of Bill Sandersen doesn’t look like it is an open and shut case. Everyone involved with Bill has a small motive to want him dead but each person is as likely as the next. An ex wife whom he divorced when the money dried up then married her sister. The wife who seems to have buyer's remorse with Bill… A business partner he stole money from and high roller poker players he got involved with.
Things get heated when someone takes a shot at Ben during the investigation. What is he getting close to that someone is willing to silence him over?


I wasn’t sure about this book when I first started it but I was pleasantly surprised at how well written it was. You could feel the undercurrent of something more sinister than just a murder happening but you don’t get any details on it so I do hope there is another book. I loved how all the characters had a motive and each one seemed to have secrets they were keeping too. Bill was a real menace and you can see why people had beef.


I did feel that the book kept trying to push that Ben was gay and felt it was really unnecessary to keep mentioning it. I didn’t add to the story for me and it was a bit off putting. I loved that the lead character was gay… Didn’t need a reminder every few chapters. Repetition in books is a major pet peeve for me.
I need to know more about this town and I am hoping another book is coming soon. I kinda got attached to Ben and now I need to know what happened to his brother. It was a really clever book and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller. It is book 2 but for me, it worked as an excellent standalone.


4 stars thank you @netgalley and @poisonpenpress for my gifted copy

When a local man is found shot to death in his bed, acting sheriff Ben Packard finds himself with plenty of suspects, including the man's family, friends, and neighbors. At the top of the list are his wife and his ex-wife, two sisters who hate each other. At the same time, Packard is trying to decide whether to run for election for sheriff.

Good police procedural, the second book in the series. Tight plotting, fast-paced, will keep you turning the pages. I guessed at some but not all of the players. Packard is a multi-faceted detective: he's very good at his job, he has a three-legged rescue Corgi named Frank, he's renovating his house himself, and he can cook a spatchcocked chicken, all qualities I like in a man. He's gay, but that doesn't bother me. While there is some sex, it's low-key and not so much that I get jealous. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

I really like the character of Ben Packard but other than that, Where the Dead Sleep fell a little flat for me. This one won’t stick with me and I think the mystery was very forgettable. Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley and Libro.fm for the free ebook and audiobook.

I was really looking forward to the next Ben Packard story. The first was so compelling. Ben returns to his hometown but doesn’t tell everyone why. He is acting sheriff in a town that may or may not be ready for a gay man leading the law.

The sheriff passes and an election is held to replace him before Ben can finish out the term. He doesn’t even want the job. But maybe he does.

Meanwhile, an overly tangled family begins to turn up dead. Sisters with names that are almost exactly the same. A man marrying two of the three. That man being murdered. A wife and an ex wife, sisters, hiding things. All while Packard tries to decide if he even wants this job.

I was hoping for a little more about the disappearance of Ben’s brother so many years ago. We get only a tiny bit more. The tease makes me part angry and part anxious for the next book.

I have a special place in my heart for Michael Connelly so, any book that reminds me of his work, I will likely enjoy. This book is no different. It’s a true police procedural but having not read the first book, it was still very easy to read as a stand-alone. I will probably go back and read book 1 so I’ll be FULLY prepared for book 3.

Rating: 3.5 rounded up
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this book!

Love, Love, Love this author. I read his first book and was hooked immediately, and this book does not disappoint. This book is the opposite of the first book where you knew the killer from the beginning. Here the reader is taken on the same journey as Acting Sheriff Bem Packard as he trying to figure not one, but two murders. I will say I thought I had it figured out, but there was a twist at the end that I did not see coming. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book as this one ended with Ben finding information regarding his brother's death. If you love a good mystery, I highly recommend this book/author.

Where the Dead Sleep is the second book in the Ben Packard series. This is a police procedural mystery that starts out with a murder and continues to build to a riveting story.

Deputy Ben Packard is the acting sheriff and is called to a scene early in the morning where he finds Bill Sandersen shot. Bill was married to Carrie a woman who inherited a trust fund from her father who killed himself. Bill was also married to Carrie's older sister Sherrie but together they blew through her fortune and divorced after it was all gone.

There are many suspects but nothing that points to the killer; the business partner, the ex-wife, the current wife or the high-stakes poker buddies.

Ben follows the clues that add more questions than solutions. Sheriff Shaw dies from cancer and turns the department upside down with people throwing their hats in the ring in the special election, forcing Packard to make a difficult choice about his future.

Sandy Lake is a typical small town that holds grudges and keeps its secrets from outsiders. But an attempt on Packard's life means he's getting close to uncovering one that may affect Ben personally and someone will do anything to keep it hidden.

I really enjoyed this story. The writing was perfectly descriptive in some spots and conversational in others. It was a wonderful blend. I also liked the character of Ben Packard. Reminded me of Tom Selleck's portrayal of "Jesse Stone" from the Robert B Parker series.

The only thing I didn't like was the cliffhanger at the end. Based on the reviews I read the first book of the series ended the same way with this one picking up where that one left off. I don't need a cliffhanger to make me want to read the next one. In spite of that, I am hoping to read the first and any other books that will be in this series.

“Where the Dead Sleep” is lighter fare vs the first book in the series “And There He Kept Her”. Our protagonist, acting sheriff Ben Packard is investigating the death of Bill Sanderson. He was found dead in his bed by his wife. The entire town is perplexed with who would want to kill the local car salesman with a penchant for gambling and drinking. This novel is a family mystery filled with manipulation, vengeance, and sisterly vindictiveness.

I would’ve preferred the plot to be a bit darker like the first novel. I really enjoyed the evolution of the northern Minnesota town towards members of the LGBTQ community. Ben Packard is smart, kind and a strong, moral character. Readers can’t help but like him and root for him.

My favorite part of the book is Sherriff Packard’s reminiscing about the death of his brother Nick who went out into the snow one evening and never returned. Moehling hints at a backstory that will surely develop into the third book in the series and I can’t wait. I’m ready for a twisted backstory for Nick. Moehling’s first novel was darker like Karen Slaughter and this second novel was closer to a plot line of a Megan Miranda book. Go darker with book 3, Josh. We can take it and will eat it up with a spoon. 3.75 Stars

The also listened to an ALA (advanced listeners audiobook). It was excellent. The narrator had a calming voice with good intonation. As a Minnesotan, I was very glad that she didn't "Fargo-esque" the voices and make the characters sound uneducated. It was a very easy listen and I didn't catch myself having to relisten to passages to follow along with the plot.

This is a well done police procedural crime novel in a small Minnesota town. Ben Packard is the acting Sheriff investigating a murder that also appears to be a home invasion - but not everything is as is appears. I read Moehling's first book and had high hopes for this one; and I wasn't disappointed. Well written, great plot, good characters - there are references to his first book but reading that is not necessary to pick this one up. And there's a good lead in to the next installment.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me at around 20%. The first book of the series was absolute fire, this one very slow and just kind of boring. Maybe it gets better later but I wasn't interested to find out.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Acting Sherriff Ben Packard of Sandy Lake, Minnesota, has his hands full solving the murder of a man who was shot to death in his own bed as well as running for the position of Sheriff after a tragedy leaves the position vacant.

Bill Sanderson’s death is surrounded by a cloud of lies, deception, and family secrets. Bill had gambling debts, was investing in a business venture with a friend, and his personal life was complicated, to say the least, and Ben discovers in the course of the investigation. Who wanted him dead and why? Was it a burglary gone wrong or was the motivation more personal? The narrative follows Ben as he tries to unravel small-town secrets and find the killer all the while trying to navigate the internal politics within his department and people who would rather see him fail at his job.

Joshua Moehling’s Where the Dead Sleep is a well-paced and tightly plotted police procedural. The author does a wonderful job of setting the scene with the small-town secrets, an interesting cast of characters and quite a few surprises along the way. Though not entirely unpredictable I enjoyed the build-up to the finale. This is the second book in the author’s Ben Packard series. As in And There He Kept Her, I really enjoyed the procedural aspect and liked how the protagonist’s character arc is being developed. In fact, I enjoyed this installment more than the first book in the series, I look forward to the next book in the series, especially for the unraveling of a decades-old mystery from Ben’s past.

Though this book is the second in a series it would work well as a standalone.

I paired my reading with the audiobook narrated by Linda Jones who has done a decent job of voicing most of the characters. I do think, however, the narrator was trying a bit too hard while voicing the Indian character. But I guess that’s more of a personal observation and overall, I did enjoy listening to the audiobook.

Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy and to Dreamscape Media for the ALC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

4.5⭐️

This is the first book I’ve read by Joshua Moehling, but it certainly won’t be my last! Not only is acting-Sheriff Ben Packard trying to solve a convoluted murder mystery involving two sisters who share an affinity for the same man (!), he’s also busy mulling over a decision to run for sheriff and learning there may be more to his more brother’s cold-case disappearance than he previously knew.

The book ended on a cliffhanger, and I absolutely cannot wait for the next installment!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Where the Dead Sleep by Joshua Moehling

Thank you to @netgalley, @poisonedpenpress, and @joshuamoehling for the opportunity to read this #eARC in exchange for my #honestbookreview! This is available now!

Detective Ben Packard is back and this time he’s investigating the murder of Bill Sanderson. Sanderson is a used car salesman married to Carrie and divorced from Carrie’s sister, Sherri. As Ben works to untangle the messy maze of Bill’s murder, he also finds himself campaigning to run for Sheriff. Will Packard and team crack the case before someone else gets hurt?

Holy bananas, this needs to be added to everyone’s carts, TBR, Library hold list, etc! This was so good. I admittedly put it off for a little while because the first book in the series, And There He Kept Her, while absolutely great as well (and I do recommend you read it first for the background, though not essential) was a bit on the darker side and I was not in a mental headspace for dark. But this one was absolutely the perfect balance and once I picked it up I couldn’t put it down. It’s got it all - narcissistic behavior, a major conspiracy, small town politics, love triangles, random hookups with band members, and, of course, more Frank! I highly recommend.

TWs: cheating, narcissism, child and spousal @bu$e, alcohol and drug use, murder, collusion, and robbery

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ - 5.25/5

When Bill Sanderson is found shot to death in his bed over Labor Day weekend, Acting Sheriff Ben Packard is sent to investigate. The two main suspects are Carrie, the wife, and Sherri, the ex-wife. Also known as the Gherlick sisters. As Packard struggles to find the truth behind this case, tragedy strikes again and he is forced to decide whether to run for Sheriff or step down. Will the scrutiny involved in running for such a position be worth it, or will the openly gay acting sheriff decide that in such a red-leaning, small-town, it is best for some things to stay quiet? And what secrets will he uncover about the murder, the Gherlick family, and his small town in the process?

I would rate Where the Dead Sleep by Joshua Moehling 4 out of 5 stars. The main character, Ben Packard, was very likable. Moehling did a very good job of developing each of his characters, giving them depth and backstory whether or not they were likable. I enjoyed the character interactions as well and how involved Packard is shown to be in the Sandy Lake community. Definitely enjoyed the many plot twists that tended to keep me on my feet. This book is fun to read as a standalone, but it is also the second book in the Ben Packard series (which explains some of my initial confusion while reading the book). Will definitely go back and read the first one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the chance to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

I need to admit that I have not read And There He Kept Her, Joshua Moehling's first novel. But I do intend to purchase that book and rectify my mistake. His second novel, Where the Dead Sleep, has the same police detective protagonist, Ben Packard, who assumes the leadership position in solving the strange murder of a local man, who was shot, while in his bed and seemingly, while he was awake. The plot, itself, is complex, with many lies, half-truths, and many possible suspects to keep the investigation muddy and interesting.

Where the Dead Sleep, is carefully crafted and keeps readers interested and guessing. There are plenty of red herrings and multiple mysteries and multiple suspects, but as the story unfolds, Moehling eventually begins to eliminate suspects, as do readers. One ending, and there are multiple endings to consider, is not a complete surprise. Where the Dead Sleep does provide resolution for two mysteries, neither of which are unexpected. When the novel ends, two mysteries remain unsolved, awaiting a third novel from Moehling. As with most well-crafted mysteries, it is the journey that matters most, not the end, and this is one author who possesses the talent to make the journey rewarding.

I do recommend Where the Dead Sleep with 5 stars. Thank you also to the author and publisher, Poison Pen, for providing me with this ARC to read and review. Obviously, I really enjoyed this novel. Thank you also to NetGalley for providing so many wonderful novels.

Deputy and acting Sheriff Ben Packard is back with another mystery to solve in Sandy Lake. Bill Sanderson, a local who once was very wealthy, is shot in his bed. There is a list of people who would want to hurt Bill, including an ex-wife, business partner, and his current wife.

I loved this author’s debut novel, AND THERE HE KEPT HER, and when I heard there would be another Ben Packard story, I waited anxiously to be approved to read and review WHERE THE DEAD SLEEP.

This book blew me away! I am not normally a fan of police procedurals, but I am here to say the author nailed this one! The pages aren’t filled with boring details that make you want to skip ahead. There is just enough detail to keep you interested and wanting to solve the mystery along with Deputy Packard. The pacing was perfect and the character development spot on. I am a huge fan of Ben Packard’s character, and I cannot wait to see where the author takes him next!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for my e-ARC,