A Long Time Gone by Joshua Moehling
Well Joshua Moehling knocks another one out of the park. This is his third book in the Ben Packard series and I can’t get enough.
Ben Packards brother went missing when he was 17 years old and never found. They assumed he drowned in the lake after a snowmobile accident but his body was never found. Ben, now a deputy in the sheriff’s department in the same county his brother disappeared from stumbles across a few recent disappearances/deaths that don’t sit right with him. He starts digging deeper along with always trying to find his own answers about his brother. This was a great read. I love how Joshua Moehling tells a story. Easy to follow and attention grabbing. 5⭐️

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 when Moehling wrote “Where the Dead Sleep” last year and Ben is back in “Long Time Gone,” as well as Frank, his adorable 3-legged Corgi and pre-rinser of dishes.

Ben was the likable acting sheriff of Sandy Lake County in Minnesota, an otherwise sleepy place with underlying mysteries. He’s a gay man, but that’s his private business. Unfortunately, after the sheriff died, Ben was defeated in the county election by an incompetent but politically connected underling, Howard Shephard, who is taking out as much petty revenge that he can on Ben, starting with assigning him to court bailiff duties. The supposedly boring job takes a turn when there’s a fatal shooting and Ben gets put on administrative leave. This gives him time to investigate his teenage brother Nick’s disappearance nearly 30 years ago when he receives a partial case folder and unusual letter via the late sheriff’s widow.

It’s a steady procedural, unfolding as Ben re-examines his brother’s disappearance and the case gets more complicated as Ben realizes that his old home is really the scene of a murder, dismissed, of course, by the bumbling, mean, new sheriff who investigated it when was Ben’s deputy.

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.

I loved this third installment and I want more of Ben Packard. It’s great to see Ben grow within his community, expand his circle of friends, and prove to be a lawman with integrity. 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 again this time (there was the requisite girl with green eyes in the first book of the series). The only weird green thing we’re the margaritas that taste like green Jell-O.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): None noted.

This is the third installment in the Ben Packard series and it holds it’s own against the others. Moehling is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Packard has been on the search for what happened to his brother when he was just a child and we finally have the answers in “A Long Time Gone”. Moehling’s pacing and character development are spot on and you will feel like you know them all by the end.

This book is part of a series, but A Long Time Gone is the first I have read by this author. I really enjoyed reading this book and plan on going back and reading the other books in this series. Thanks Netgalley for my arc.

I really enjoyed And There He Kept Her, the first book in this series, so I was super excited to be given the opportunity by NetGalley to read this third book in the series. Joshua Moehling is a masterful writer. I find his writing to be engaging and never predictable. Packard is a likable protagonist, so you, as the reader, are rooting him along to find out answers to his brother’s disappearance, which he finally does.

I will say that And There He Kept Her kept my interest a bit more, but this is a solid series and I definitely recommend giving all three books a try.

When I first started my book journey a few years ago, I couldn't get enough of crime procedural type books. I loved the one for the money, two for the show.. as well as Karen slaughter, Brian freeman, but then I discovered my love of ghost stories, thrillers, and a mild obsession with Stephen king. I haven't had much interest in that type of book in a few years. Fast forward to "and there he kept her", I was blown away by the character development and storyline, Packard was such a good guy and I was really interested in seeing his story all the way through. I was lucky enough to receive the arc for the first two in the series, and when joshua moehling put up that the third one was up I immediately put my name down.

Needless to say this book did not disappoint. It was truly a puzzle within a puzzle, within a puzzle. There was so many little details and interesting things going on I was afraid we weren't going to get a full wrap up. But spoiler alert, everything is wrapped up in a nice little bow, all the unanswered questions are answered and we finally learn what happened to his brother! I will say it was a little disappointing that it was almost like a side note at the end of the book, it makes me sad to feel like this series is done. I really hope he writes more using Packard, I'm invested and I need more!

Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

One of the best mystery/thrillers I've read in awhile! There were so many thoughtful twists and turns placed throughout the story. The storylines were exciting, frightful, and kept you on the edge of your seat. So good, and left you wondering until the very end!

I am loving this series and I was thrilled to get my hands on an advanced copy of this third book.

The end of book two left Acting Sheriff Ben Packard in limbo -- after losing the election to Shepard for the full-time gig, he's been demoted all the way to the bottom of the food chain. While working courthouse security he is involved in a shooting and placed on administrative leave, giving him time to investigate some new leads in his brother's cold case and simultaneously piece together the truth behind a local elderly woman's tragic death and the massive conspiracy behind it.

Well written, great plot, and just love Ben Packard as a character. Hope there are many more books in this series planned!

Ben Don’t Miss

With each book in this series, I love Ben Packard a little bit more. He’s such a good guy. He carries so much on his shoulders, but his integrity never wavers. If Ben is in a book, I’m reading it. In this installment, I also fell in love with his mother. She is eccentric and absolutely hilarious. I appreciate the comic relief that she brought to such a heavy story. The investigation in this book is so twisty and intense. It just keeps getting deeper as new layers are revealed. The villain is such a good surprise. I didn’t see it coming! My favorite part of this book is finding out what happened to Nick. His family can finally lay him to rest. It brought tears to my eyes.

This is such an enjoyable read. The storyline is well-paced and very interesting. It is mysterious, sad, and funny at different times. I absolutely love the whole Ben Packard series. Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Joshua Moehling for this advanced copy to review.

A Long Time Gone is the third installment of the Ben Packard detective series. While this can be read as a standalone, I’d highly recommend the first two books in the series to have the full history (they are both excellent!!). In this third book, Packard is on administrative leave following an officer-involved shooting. While on leave from his regular duties, Packard finds himself getting involved in a case that occurred at his former family home. As Packard gets further into the investigation, he sees how far reaching this seemingly cut and dry case actually is. Simultaneously, Packard may finally get the answers to what happened to his older brother when he disappeared decades prior.

I *loved* this book- maybe my favorite in this series to date! I loved that we were introduced to Packard’s mother in this book- she is hilarious! Moehling has created an incredible setting in Sandy Lake, Minnesota with so many great (and some not-so-great) characters. I can only hope we have much more of Packard in the future!! 😍

Fantastic continuation from Where the dead sleep, in this installment Ben Packard deals with the aftermath of the election , gets caught up in a shooting and has too much time in his hands while in leave, he finally digs deeper in his Brother's disappearance and actually has some good.leads. I hope this series will continue soon with Ben finally finding peace and happiness in his own life!

One thing I love most about the Ben Packard series is that the more Packard opens up to his community in Sandy Lake, the more we get to see of him and learn about him as readers. The more comfortable he gets and open he gets with other characters, the more we get to read of his thoughts and feelings which I think is such great parallel to have.

This was the perfect addition to the series. There was so much action and plot twist after plot twist that kept me on the edge of my seat. I've been waiting for this book for over a year and I finished it in less than 24 hours.

Really enjoyed this series. Ben’s character is one of my faves I think I’ve ever read in a thriller/suspense novel. His character development is great. Ben Packard is someone that you can’t help but root for. Also his mom’s character is hilarious. Every book in this series has had me glued to the pages and this one is no exception. And we finally got the answers I think we’ve all been waiting for!

If you haven’t read this series yet, you should! Looking forward to reading whatever Joshua Moehling writes next.

There does not currently - and likely will not ever - exist a more lovable thriller series protagonist than Ben Packard.

Moehling's character development is unparalleled and his insertion of humor makes this book shine just as bright as the others in the series.

A third installment that lived up to my (admittedly impossibly) high expectations, A LONG TIME GONE is one not to miss!

Damn, this book was phenomenal! I'm a huge fan of Ben Packard's character, and this is one of my favorite series. I've been in a huge reading slump with eyeball-reading (nonaudio books), and this book got me out of it.

The story begins shortly after the events of the second book (Where the Dead Sleep) ends. Packard lost the sheriff's election and is now working as court security. After events transpire at the courthouse, Packard finds himself in the middle of multiple mysteries that lead him down a rabbit hole of crime, secrets, and murder. I know that Packard is a fictional character, but if I was ever in trouble with the law, I would want him on my side. He will do anything to uphold the law and bring justice to those that are cut down by people in power. Also, we get to meet Packard's mother, who quickly became one of my favorite characters.

Joshua Moehling's writing is a tour de force! He is one of the best best mystery/thriller authors writing today. I'll read every book this man writes. He has this ability to hook the reader from the very beginning and keep their attention through the book's entirety. He has created something truly wonderful with Ben Packard. As a reader, I feel completely immersed in this world almost like I'm part of Packard's inner circle. I always feel like I'm riding a rollercoaster of emotions reading these books to the point where I am fully invested in the lives of Packard and those close to him, which I believe is a testament to how talent Moehling truly is. I highly recommend this book and this series. If you are not reading these books, then you are totally missing out on something truly great. Read it now!

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Joshua Moehling for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this series so much!! I think this might even be my favorite of the three! My friend got me into reading the first one and then I was hooked!!

The journey of Ben Packard and was a roller coaster! Starts off with a bang right from the beginning. I was truly hooked and couldn’t put it down. I felt so many different emotions. I laughed my butt off in certain parts, I was in the edge of my seat with anticipation.

I loved that his mom was involved in this book and her constantly trying to get him to meet someone and have fun in more ways than one. You can truly see how much she loves her family.

Packard had to navigate through the aftermath of the election and be thrown into a crappy job. Which causes a bunch of different things go into motion. Seeing how everything from the past and the future all connect in some sort of way. So many questions popped up and I loved how they were all answered!

I do hope there will be more books in the future. One of my favorite thrillers.

Book #3 didn’t disappoint! It wasn’t my favorite book in the series though. The first 20% I kept wanting to put the book down. I’m glad I pushed through!

There is a lot going on in this book. Ben Packard has some free time on his hands. I’m not going to say why, because that would be me dipping into spoiler territory. After many years, he is finally investigating the disappearance and presumed death of his brother. He receives some information which may help his family to finally give his brother’s body, a final resting place. But winter isn’t going to let go of its grip easily, and the death of an elderly woman soon has him investigating a murder.
Both cases kept me glued to the pages of this book. The reason for the woman’s murder was so sad, as was what happened to Ben’s brother. Ben is progressing as a character in each book, and though I was so happy to get to read an earlier review copy, I can’t believe it will probably be 2026 before another book is published.

In the dark, icy heart of a Minnesota winter, Deputy Packard, a smart and courageous gay cop, embarks on a mission to uncover the truth about his brother's disappearance!! Good book!! I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I definitely enjoyed reading this one! This book has suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, a good who done it and some crazy twists and turns! The story was very interesting and kept me glued to my kindle! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

I had the absolute pleasure of being able to read this book early thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.

A Long Time Gone is an extraordinary tale that grips you from the very first page and refuses to let go. The story centers around Ben Packard, a deputy haunted by the disappearance of his older brother many years ago. As he grapples with a a new set of circumstances, new clues surface regarding his brother's fate, reigniting a decades-old mystery.

Moehling's masterful storytelling weaves together layers of intrigue and emotion. The character of Ben Packard is exceptionally well-drawn, his determination and vulnerabilities making him a protagonist you root for relentlessly. His quest for answers leads him not only to confront his own past but also to unravel a web of deceit and danger surrounding a suspicious death. The plot twists and turns with every chapter, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the final revelation.

"A Long Time Gone" is a testament to Moehling's skill in crafting both suspenseful crime fiction and deeply resonant human drama. It's a novel that lingers in your thoughts long after finishing, leaving you yearning for more from this talented author. Highly recommended!! I cannot wait to read more about Ben Packard!