Ben Packard had lost out to Howard Shepard for sheriff. Ben was about to fire Howard for violating department policy. Therefore they ended up putting Ben in the security of people coming through the courthouse. During a dispute Ben had to shoot a person that was there in court because he opened fire. So now he is put on leave until the investigation is over. Then of course we have Deputy Jill that is a close confidant to Ben. As Ben is trying to find out who killed an 80 year old woman that had been dismissed as she was drunk. Ben’s brother Nick had snuck out of his grandparents house thirty years ago and they claimed he had drowned but Ben didn’t believe that so that start looking for more clues about his brother. This book will definitely keep you turning pages to find out what is next.

I received this ARC from Netgalley for free, and I am leaving a honest revie

In rural Minnesota, Ben Packard ran for sheriff but lost and is relegated to being a court security officer. When he has to kill an active shooter at the courthouse, he spends his leave looking into the death of a neighbor while also working to cold case of his brother's disappearance many decades ago. When the neighbor's death appears to be a murder and not an accident, Packard starts to uncover town secrets while figuring out who he can trust.

I really liked the previous book in this police procedural series. I like that Ben is gay, but it is not the biggest part of his character. I like the small-town setting and the concurrent mysteries. This does remind me of a Jane Harper novel (in a good way.) I would recommend this one to lovers of small-town police procedurals and mysteries with interesting and diverse main characters.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

I love this series. Book three did not disappoint. I love that the books take place in Minnesota, in places I know. I love that the MC is gay and real and a great cop with all kinds of personal struggles and baggage. I love his relationships with his wacky mom, his sassy coworker, his hot crush and his three legged rescue corgi. I love that there’s the ongoing mystery of what happened to his older brother all those years ago (he finally gets his answers) and the current mystery is interesting and compelling. There’s action, suspense, humor and lots of moving parts. Can’t wait for book four.

I read a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley. To be published in February 2025.

“𝘐 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳.”

Joshua Moehling’s “𝘈 𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘯𝘦” is the third in the Ben Packard series and, while it could be enjoyed as a stand-alone, it resonates more if you’ve already been with Ben on the journey to uncover what really happened the night his older brother, his hero, disappeared.

I first came to know Ben Packard in January 2023 when I read Joshua Moehling’s debut “𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘏𝘦 𝘒𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘏𝘦𝘳,” and I knew from that moment I’d go wherever Ben Packard (and Mr. Moehling) led me. I’ve also encouraged others to go on that journey and will continue to do so as I hope this isn’t the end of Ben (or his mom)!

Though I flew through the pages one cold and snowy afternoon, I was left feeling a little unsatisfied when I reached the big reveal, even after sitting with the story for a while after. I feel I would have enjoyed the story more if the characters of the doctor and his two children were more fleshed out on the page. I think, for me, this would have been best achieved with flashbacks about what led up to Nick’s disappearance and a more in-depth exploration into those involved.

As it is, we are finding out as Ben finds out and in the manner that he finds out. While this story certainly grapples with whether or not it’s better to know the truth or continue to struggle with all the what-ifs and the grief that often comes along with that particular hamster wheel, it’s ultimately, too, about coming to terms with tragedy and how you can begin to move forward in the wake of something that hung so heavily over your life for so long.


Thank you @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for the ARC! This one publishes February 5th, so make sure to grab it! You’ve also got plenty of time to dive in to the first two before then too!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

#books #bookrecs #alongtimegone #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #januaryreads #joshuamoehling #arcbooks #arcbookreview

This book took some time for me to really get into it...but then it moved along quickly!!

This is the first book in this series I've read, so coming in with no knowledge about Ben Packard or his history, I felt like I was missing out on a lot of the back story. As I got further into the story, I was pleasantly surprised how everything began to make sense to me.

The author, Joshua Moelhing took a difficult to follow storyline, in my honest opinion, and made it really work. The crime that is being "portrayed" somehow allows Packard to look at his brother's disappearance from a different direction. I really enjoyed this part of the book.

Packard's mother reminds me of my own mother and I loved the parts of the book that she was in. A bit of amusement while dropping clues that Ben didn't seem to remember.

Since A Long Time Gone is book #3 in this series,I need to get the first two and read them ASAP. I look forward to reading them.

I could pretty much just copy and paste a good portion of my review for the second book in this series. I love Ben Packard! A solid law man, confident in himself, solid in his convictions, and unapologetically himself. A gay man in a rural Minnesota town, he faces some automatic discrimination but he never lets that cloud what he sees as his responsibility. So, read the first two books before this one otherwise there will be spoilers and because they are terrific books in their own right! Temporarily relieved of duty and facing an unsupportive boss, Packard has a lot of time for thinking and looking into his brother's long ago disappearance. Finally we get more insight into Packard's family! Of course while investigating, he also finds other troubling events that he can't resist looking in to, despite his current employment situation. This book was stuffed full of intrigue, both with the current case and Nick's disappearance. On top of that, we learn more about Packard and the person who might be my new favorite character, his mom! Everyone, regardless of gender or sexuality, should have a mom like Pam! The book gets 5 stars, and then Pam herself gets an additional star all her own! The only bad part of this book is now knowing it will be a year or more until I get another new Ben Packard book. This is my own personal Packard Problem.

Ben Packard is back! In Joshua Moehling’s third installment, A Long Time Gone, we get to delve into Packard’s past and present thoughts more intimately making him more relatable. While it’s the third in the series, it can be read as a standalone.

When Ben was just a boy, his older brother disappeared after sneaking out on a winter night and never returning. Years later, Ben now a deputy is on leave from work after a shooting. Left with nothing but time on his hands, he can investigate the new information that might finally bring his brother’s body home. One suspicion leads to another and soon Ben is back in action, putting everything at risk to learn the truth.

Easy to read and hard to put down, A Long Time Gone brings deeper character development and interesting sub plots. I can’t wait for the next in this series.

Ben Packard has become one of my favorite fictional characters, so when I saw this 3rd book coming, I had to get an early copy. Ben lost the election to be sheriff, so now he is working court security and dealing with Howard Shepard as the new sheriff. Shepard is dangerous because he is a poor sheriff, and the town will pay the consequences. At any rate, Packard shoots a man at the courthouse who pulls a gun. He is placed on administrative leave with far too much time on his hands, but it is also the perfect time to investigate the cold case of his older brother's disappearance. While investigating on the side, Packard stumbles into a mystery involving two suspicious deaths, fraud, and local politics. So, so good! Might be my favorite in the series so far.

Such a great book. So much to be figured out. Very intriguing. Love the characters and the storyline. Loved it!

I was so excited to see that Moehling would be continuing Ben Packard’s story after the first two installments. I plowed through the first two, and this one was no different. I read this book like my life depended on it! Moehling’s storytelling is a magnificently thought out maze that I want to immerse myself in again and again.

The third installment in this series, A Long Time Gone, picks up after the local Sheriff’s election. Packard is given a rare opportunity to look into his missing brother’s case and stumbles upon a conspiracy that leaves a trail of bodies that Packard can’t help but follow. I really enjoyed being in Packard’s head again, so much so that as soon as I finished the book, I went to Moehling’s social media to see if he’d expressed any interest in writing a fourth installment (spoiler alert: he has)!

Being an avid mystery reader, I was pleasantly surprised to find out this mystery is told from the perspective we (us mystery readers) rarely gain insight to: the police! The market is oversaturated with novels that include a main character who’s addicted to painkillers or suffers from some other sort of “let’s-make-the-main-character-unreliable” affliction. Moehling does not buy into these mystery stereotypes.

Packard is a well rounded character with flaws that even he admits to having throughout the series (especially in this installment). Packard’s character arc is definitely the most polished in this book, forcing him to face his past, his family, and the choices that led him to becoming a detective.

I would be happy to continue reading Packard’s story, and I am eagerly awaiting the next installment, and the next, and the next, and the…

This book took a bit of time for me to really get into it...but then it moved along at breakneck speed!

This is the first book in this series I've read, so coming in with no knowledge about Ben Packard or his history, I felt like something was missing...at first. As the story went on I was pleasantly surprised that everything began to make sense to me.

Mr. Moehling took a disjointed, and kind of difficult to follow story (IMHO) and made it work. The crime that is being perpetrated now somehow allows Packard to look at his brother's disappearance from a different direction. Loved that.

Packard's mother is a hoot and I loved the scenes she was in. A bit of lightheartedness while dropping clues that Ben didn't remember.

Since A Long Time Gone is book #3 in this series, I'm heading right out to find the first two books and get to reading!

I'm very happy to have gotten in on the ground floor of the Packard series. I've enjoyed all 3 books and am excited to see what the future holds for both author and character.

My vote for "best in series" is no doubt the first, "And There He Kept Her." But the two follow-ups are superb. Mr. Moehling is a wonderful addition to the thriller/mystery line-up.

Packard's mom's sexual gestures are a bit startling and, at least in my opinion, out of place. Pantomiming giving a blow job, poking her index fingers together, and putting an index finger into a closed fist, while I guess meant to be humorous, tended to yank me out of the narrative and make me ask, WTF?

Otherwise, a really-good mystery, whose twists and turns, and Packard's quick-wit, will keep me coming back for more.

While not quite as good as the first two, A Long Time Gone grabbed me right away and did not let go! With smart, gorgeous writing and a solid mystery, Moehling weaves a complex web of storylines and characters, offering more depth than your average thriller. Plus, the wry humor added a warm touch to counter the chilly Minnesota locale. I’ll be sharing with my fellow thriller lovers that the first two in the series were amazing as well! 4.5 / 5 stars. Thank you very much for the opportunity to read the ARC.

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
Ben Packard is back in the third installment of the series….and I absolutely devoured this book! I love this crime fiction series, and although this book is a bit slower moving than the previous two in the series, it is because Moehling dives deeper into Packard’s back story and personal life (which I loved!) Moehling delivers with this grippingly tense and suspenseful crime fiction read🙌🏻 I absolutely adore our protagonist, Ben Packard, and grew to love him even more in this book. In this book there are two mysteries centered around the disappearance of Packard’s brother, Nick, as well as the death of Louise. I found myself to be fully invested in both of these mysteries as well as the twists and turns surrounding them. I always enjoy Moehling’s writing, plots, characters, and his storytelling. I highly suggest picking this book up, but I suggest starting with book one and two in the series first to get more background on Packard (plus both books are amazing as well!)

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆:
✦Crime fiction and police procedurals
✦A bingeable, suspenseful, and twisted book
✦A fun and well developed protagonist who you find yourself rooting for
✦Great character development, amazing writing and storytelling

𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫4.5/5

I've been thoroughly enjoying the Ben Packard series. This latest book in the series was just as amazing as the first and second. This one kept my attention, and I found it hard to put it down. This has become one of my favorite book series and I look forward to seeing what Packard gets up to next!

Wow!!!! This is my favorite story in this series. I love Ben Packard! He is such an awesome character. This story, woah! Talk about intense! Fantastic plot. What a great murder mystery! Full of suspense, heart, intrigue, and lots of twists. This story kept me anxious to the end. Fantastic!

A Long Time Gone by Joshua Moehling is the third installment of the Deputy Ben Packard detective series.

When I picked up this book I hadn’t realized this book was part of series, and was concerned that it would be difficult to follow or it would be confusing learning and keeping track of recurring characters. I was grateful to find that this was far from the case- recurring characters were brought into the story in a way that wouldn’t be distracting for someone who’d been reading the series and in an informative enough way for people just jumping in.

By the first chapter, Moehling wastes no time diving into the action. This seems to be the pattern as each twist and turn of the plot was introduced with explosive intensity that keeps you wondering what could possibly happen next. As Packard pours himself into an impromptu investigation he unveils deeper and deeper levels of conspiracy that lead to the unveiling of detailed cover-ups, high dollar fraud and multiple gruesome deaths, all while being called back to the mystery of his own brothers disappearance.

The only thing that got in the way for this being essentially perfect for me was how each lead ended. At the end of the story, no perpetrator was left alive (including within the unveiling truth of his brother’s demise) and the one that is was not heard of again. I wish something had been done differently with any of the antagonists but other than that small issue, I felt the book was overall engaging and satisfying.

I would recommend this series to anyone interested in classic detective style novels, and it doesn’t hurt to sprinkle in the inclusion LGBTQ+ characters for those who seek out that material.

Thanks to @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress I had the honor of reading A Long Time Gone by @jmoehling before its release date.

YOU GUYS. You. Freaking. Guys. This was even better than I hoped it would be. When I tell you Ben Packard sits beside Will Trent as an absolute favorite book character, I am not exaggerating. He’s THAT good.

Raw and gritty, Moehling’s books get to the heart of what it means to be fully human in every sense. These books may stand out from others in the genre due to the fact that the MC is a gay detective, but let me emphasize that Ben’s sexuality is the least interesting thing about him. He is a multifaceted character that I fall in love with every time I read one of these books. This one in particular.

If you’re a fan of Karin Slaughter, trust me when I tell you, you’ll be a fan of Joshua Moehling. He brings the same heart, twists, and page-turning intrigue that’ll keep you reaching for his books whenever you see them. He’s also just a really cool human who doesn’t get annoyed when I keep messaging him while I read 😂

My most anticipated release of the year! I am not particularly fond of series, mostly because it usually picks up on supporting characters view points for the addional books in the series, but this series is PERFECTION! I read "And There He Kept Her" and "Where The Dead Sleep" back to back at the beginning of 2024 and have been waiting since the summer when I found that book 3 was coming.

Packard…WOW, what a protagonist! I was swept up in the entire story and his character: devoted, accountable, detailed-driven, caring, but desperate for answers. Packard is completely devoted to his career. You never doubt that he would get to the bottom of what happened but with each twist and turn, I kept thinking this may never end. I only foresaw one twist of the many twists and turns. I secretly hope this isn't the end of his story…let's not forget to mention his mom. She is the mother we all wished we had and is funny. Her love for her child exudes unconditional love.

Thank you so much for the ARC and the chance to work with you.

First off make sure you read the first 2 of this series before this one. With that being said this book was confusing and really slow paced for a thriller. While I appreciate the advance copy I struggled with the writing . The premise sounded so good but the execution fell flat