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,

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this read. Well after reading the first book to this series, "And There He Kept Her", I was interested and reading this. This is a bit different, still has some humor and put a greater focus on Ben in this one. If you were interested in number 1, this will be a good read for you.

Fresh off solving the Emmett Burr case (book 1 - And There He Kept Her), Ben Packard, acting sheriff of Sandy Lake, gets a call of a home invasion. But the home evasion turns to a murder investigation when Packard finds Bill Sanderson shot dead in his bedroom. The suspect list is lengthy: his wife, his ex-wife, his business partner, his gambling problem. But deep into the investigation, Ben uncovers bad blood and long-buried secrets in this small town.

What I loved:
✨Rural setting - Moehling nails all the feels of small-town Minnesota - gossipy townspeople, long-standing family history, rich out-of-towners, and local bars.
✨Ben Packard - I loved him in book 1, struggling between a private gay man and being a public servant. But I think in book two, Ben feels a bit more settled, ready to take on Sandy Lake. Moehling creates excellent character development throughout the series. You can read book 2 as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading in order to see Ben’s growth.
✨Mystery/police procedural - so many suspects and very few clues. But Ben’s ability to puzzle the pieces together smoothly drives the story's pace to the point that l completely lost track of time and devoured the book in 24 hours.

Highly recommend this series - fast-paced, strong character development, suspenseful mystery with multiple twists, and book 2 includes some dry wit humor. Plus, the ending sets up book 3 perfectly! I cannot wait.

This is the second Ben Packard novel and I felt it could also be read as a stand-alone.

Ben is the interim sheriff of a small town. The story starts with him getting called to the murder of a man shot in his bed. The whodunit part of the story was solid and entertaining.

Ben has a lot of balls in the air, this murder and trying to decide if he wants the job permanently being two of them. The story is told in multiple POV, which I liked.

I liked this story and am invested in Ben, would definitely recommend!

Last summer I read and loved the first book in this series - And There He Kept Her - and continue to recommend it to my library customers. This second installment in the series features a great main character in police detective Ben Packard, but this small-town suspense story it fell short of my expectations.

This wasn't a slow burn read. Instead, I'd describe it was more of a story that took waaay too long to get going because it wasn't until almost 50% in that the story took off. There were some good twists, but the storytelling felt convoluted with too many subplots and extraneous secondary characters. I wasn't drawn into the suspense, and it ended up being a book that took me a long time to finish.

Thank goodness for main character Ben Packard because he was the highlight of the book for me. He's a good guy and a good cop who just happens to be gay and I will read the next book in this series simply based on his character.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the complimentary digital copy of this book which was given in exchange for my honest review.

This was the first book I have read of Joshua Moehling. This book is the second in the Ben Packard series. But I hadn’t read the first and I think this was good as a stand-alone. I will be reading the first one now just to keep up with the series. I will be reading the rest as he write them. The story moved at a steady pace and the story line was really good. This book pulled me in and held me until the end. I would definitely recommend this book!


Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read this ARC in advance for my honest opinion.