Ben Packard is back! Having recently lost the local sheriff election, his former deputy is now in charge and putting Packard in his place. While on duty at the civil courts, he is involved in a fatal shooting. But what else is going on in Sandy Lake? Was it an accidental fall down the basement stairs? Why is the assistant suddenly missing? Can Ben solve this mystery as well as the mystery of his missing brother?

PROS and CONS:
Love Moehling’s writing style - it’s an intricate plot with lots of suspects and links between characters. He is really building a great foundation for a series that I hope continues on! An LGBTQ detective with a past, he is a main character with depth. His mother was also a great side character. Can’t wait for #4!

READ IT?
If you are a fan of this series, or any mystery based in a small town - you’ll love this one!

4 Stars

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I have loved this series since the very beginning. Packard has a soft spot in my heart. I was so excited to get this ARC because I didn’t want to wait any longer to see how the Nick storyline would unfold. I think it was done very well. There were moments of slower pace and moments of faster pace. I’m not typically the biggest fan of third-person narration, but I only found myself thinking about it a couple of times when I was reading.

Overall, a great third book to this trio!

What an amazing read.
It gives you the answers that you have been waiting for.
All 3 books are fantastic and I'm ready for book 4.

A Long Time Gone is the third novel in the Ben Packard series. Although Joshua Moehling writes these novels as a series, each one can also stand alone for readers, who might suddenly pick up this third novel, not realizing it is part of a series. Moehling does a nice job of explaining past events and characters. Readers will not be lost if A Long Time Gone is their first police procedural by Moehling. As with the earlier novels, A Long Time Gone presents a complex plot, which really encompasses three separate plots or events--a courthouse shooting, the suspicious death of an 80 year old woman, and the haunting loss of Ben's older brother, who disappeared 30 years earlier. Author Moehling weaves these plots together into a nicely complex whole.

The characters in A Long Time Gone are well-developed and multi-dimensional. I found myself liking Ben's mom even more, and I enjoyed Jim Wolf's mother too, even though her son is not at all a good person. There is something about motherly love that transcends the lives or behaviors of their sons. There are characters, who display a humanity that lifts A Long Time Gone into a solid police procedural. Each death is not just a painful loss. These are people whose lives did not deserve to end. Moehling does a nice job of making sure that readers feel these losses. The novel seems to pause when Ben begins following clues looking for his brother, who has been missing 30 years, but as I though about Ben's search, I recalled that no one person is solely focused on the events of the moment. The past always intrudes. At the same time what happened to Ben's brother becomes a plot point that is essential to the plot of this third book. I know I will be impatiently waiting for book 4 in this series.

A very big thank you to Poison Pen Press and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC. I did enjoy this novel and I do recommend it.

4 Stars “Long Time Gone” is the third book in the Ben Packard series.
Ben Packard is a standout figure in contemporary detective fiction. He skillfully blends moral integrity with a relatable charm, captivating readers with each new installment. As his character unfolds, it reveals layers that distinguish him from other protagonists.

During his enforced leave, the author portrays Packard in a vulnerable light as he grapples with a serious BCA investigation into a courthouse shooting. Through rich internal monologues, we explore his past and the challenges he faces today. The storyline masterfully intertwines the haunting memories of his brother with a pressing inquiry into a suspicious death, creating a compelling narrative tapestry. As Packard delves deeper into the shadows of a closed case, he uncovers a web of inconsistencies that demand his attention. What begins as an intriguing mystery soon exposes the dark corruption in Sandy Lake, igniting Packard's fierce determination to seek answers and deliver justice. Without sharing too much, once I started turning the pages, I was hooked! I found myself racing against the clock, fully immersed in the story and losing track of time until dawn broke, unveiling the intricate connections!

Packard’s quirky relationship with his mother is one of the most entertaining elements of the narrative. Though her appearances are brief, she infuses the story with warmth and humour, providing welcome moments of levity against the backdrop of more serious themes. Their exchanges are delightful, adding a playful contrast that enhances the overall tone.


The climax—the moment of exposition regarding his brother—unfolds with striking visual detail, delivering an emotional impact akin to a visceral shock. This revelation's subdued yet potent nature reverberates well beyond the narrative's conclusion, imparting a profound sense of catharsis that lingers in the reader's consciousness.


The upcoming release of “Long Time Gone” on February 4, 2025, promises to take us on an even deeper journey. This forthcoming installment builds on the incredible foundation laid by its predecessors. “A Long Time Gone” embodies all the hallmarks of gripping police procedural fiction: rich character development, a vivid sense of place, intricately crafted plots, and complex antagonists. It balances darker themes with refreshing humour and introspection, inviting readers to explore the human experience deeply. If you haven’t started this series yet, I highly recommend you do so—without fear of spoilers.
Thank you,NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press on providing the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Ben Packard is back ! A very close second to my favorite detective ever - Vera of course - and now he is digging for more information about the disappearance of his beloved brother. And he does this while also reviewing a botched murder investigation. It must be said that he has some time on his hands as he is being put on non-active during an internal affairs investigation about a courthouse shooting. Never a dull moment in Packard's life.

I thoroughly enjoyed the glimpses into Ben's childhood and the life of his brother and his friends and I feel a bit sad that this part will probably closed off in the next installments. But I do hope that his mother will be more involved in her son's life, as she really is hilarious.

The only thing that I felt was superfluous was the explanation of the main storyline crime. I don't like it when authors think their readers can't connect the dots themselves. The crime was quite simple and logical and when it came to and end, no further explanation was needed. But then again, those few pages didn't take away any of the enjoyment I had from the rest of the story.

Now of course, a small town like Sandy Lake could ever have only one villain like Emmett Burr (and I would absolutely recommend reading [book:And There He Kept Her|58203099] first), and so I am curious to see if Packard will stay there to deal with small criminal crooks, or if he will be moving to another setting to meet another psycho like Burr. I just can't wait to read the next installment.

A very heartfelt thank you from the bottom of my heart to NetGalley, Poisoned Penn Press and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I read the first book in the series, but not the second, so I may go back and read the one I missed. The characters were well developed and particularly loved Ben’s Mom. There were quite a few different things going on all at once but it all came together nicely in the end with 2 mysteries solved.

3rd in the Ben Packard series. We get to tie up some of the loose ends left dangling in the last book. I really enjoyed this one, they seem to keep getting better. The book is a well-paced and compelling mystery with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. We got to meet Packard’s family, especially his mom – and I loved her! In addition to her just being an interesting character, finding out what she is like and seeing their relationship adds extra dimension to Packard’s character. I will say, though, that I found the blurb misleading: “Packard will risk everything to catch a killer and reveal the shocking truth about his brother” is technically true, but catching the killer and revealing the truth about his brother have nothing to do with each other. There’s no link between the A plot, which is the main mystery the book focuses on, and the B plot, which is finding out the truth about Nick. The blurb makes it seem like they’re related, but they’re not. That’s a minor quibble though, and no reflection on the book itself, which was fantastic. I’m hoping the series continues!

Oh man I adored the characters In this one! I found the writing style to be unique and the plot was so well done. This had every element I love from start to finish. Suspense, mystery and some down to earth human relationship sidelines. This one had me captured from the very start and I was sad when I got to the end. I would love to read more on this character. So well done and very attention grabbing x

Thanks Netgalley for a review copy of this book. This is the third in the series. It picks up where the last one left off. Ben Packard has lost the election to be sheriff and is now on duty at the courthouse. This is not what he signed up for. Early in the book, Ben shoots an armed man in the courthouse and gets put on leave while the BAC decides if he was negligent. Ben now uses this time to search for his lost brother, with help from former Sheriff Shaw, who left him a note after his death. Ben also is curious about a woman who recently died in the house his grandparents owned and where he last saw Nick. This would be a good book for book club. The characters have their struggles but they are not so complex that you get annoyed, and the story is not so convoluted that you will wish the book was done. Get this one and thank me later!

A Long Time Gone is the third book in the Ben Packard series. Ben is a gay deputy living in Minnesota and wrestling with the challenges that come with that. There's a lot going on in this book, an officer-involved shooting at the very beginning, Ben discovering information about his older brother who went missing decades earlier, the murder of a family friend, and despite that, the pacing is really slow. It was a struggle to continue. I really enjoyed the first book in the series, but this one not so much. Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC.

I love this series! The stories, the characters and a new favorite author.

Ben Packard was just a boy when his older brother disappeared. Ben watched him walk out the back door of their grandparents' house and into the cold night.

His brother was never seen again. - from Amazon

There was a lot going on in this book, I felt like I needed a murder board. I really had to keep track of all the moving parts, thankfully It does come together in the end and makes sense. This is book 3 in the series and I do recommend you start with book 1 because of character development and character introductions. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I look forward to the next book in the series.

The last few chapters made the most impact on me. I wish that kind of writing was in the first 75%. Nevertheless a good story and the answers we were waiting for revealed.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press, Netgalley and Joshua Moehling for the ARC!

A lot going on at the moment…Ben Packard may no longer be acting sheriff, but after an incident at the courthouse, he finds himself on leave. And in that time, he begins to look deeper into the disappearance of his older brother, Nick, as well as another recent case. The author did a fabulous job at conveying Packard in a vulnerable, contemplative state as he had a lot of time to think by himself. But there were multiple storylines going on here - that of his brother in the past and more recently, a case that has a seemingly suspicious death. I loved seeing this side of Ben Packard - brooding, quiet, and contemplative - and I loved his relationship with his adorable mom.

It’s hard to put into words what I felt as I read that end of this story, where Packard found out the truth about his brother. It was as though I was watching a movie and everything had just gone quiet, and I had tears in my eyes. I hope this series continues for a long time!

“Long Time Gone” releases February 4, 2025. This review will be shared to my Instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

My first book by this author and I loved the book. Thought provoking, captivating from the beginning, and filled with well thought out and developed characters. A must read! And now I will have to read the first two books in the Ben Packard series! Thanks for the ARC.

Ben Packard is a cop who lost his brother when he was young. the case was never closed. ben finds himself on leave from work and uses his time off to follow a new lead in his brothers case. the new lead leads to another case entirely and he works both as he waits to be able to return to work.

i’ve enjoyed other books in the series but this one fell flat for me. I wasn’t as invested, wasn’t as eager to pick it up. there were some intricate plot weavings with some characters that left me having to think through who people were again since it took me so long to get through it. overall, it was too sluggish of a pace for me and just was underwhelming.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Ben Packard is one of my absolute favorite characters! I was so excited when Mehling made a sequel and now there’s a 3rd!! The last one left on such a cliffhanger, I couldn’t get to this fast enough! It is such a well done police procedural series, that aren’t typically my favorite! This one is packed with so emotion and suspense and the series has such perfect character development throughout! I feel like this one dove deeper into Ben Packard and the reader gets a lot of closure.

Another great Ben Packard installment. I have read the other two and was so happy when this one became available.

Ben was a young boy when his older brother left home on a snowmobile and never came home. While trying to find his brother, Ben finds himself suspended from his job because of a shooting. While on leave, he dives into the possible murder of an older lady who lives in the house that Ben’s grandparents owned and that he visited every summer. Memories of his childhood and his brother keep him motivated to try to find out what happened to the new owner. He soon discovers that the death leads to a much larger criminal case with more dead bodies.

This story doesn’t let up from the beginning to the end. I enjoy the author’s character development and the way he weaves a police procedural and a family drama together and both become as important to the finality of the story and the other. I was happy that the story of Ben’s missing brother was finalized even if Ben discovers a truth about his brother he didn’t know.

All the stars!!! What a conclusion! This has to be my favorite in their series. I often think of the first one and recommend it to friends and colleagues. I just love how he was working while on leave, and the only thing I wanted to see that didn’t happen was the bad sheriff being fired. But we can’t have it all.

Ben Packard is back once again, in this 3rd row installment of the series. This time Our main man Ben, is desperate and determined to final getting answers to his brothers' death that happened when he just a child. While trying to get to get answers, Ben must also deal other issues in his life both professional and private, when an on the job incident forces him to a leave from work, he must deal with limited resources and a race against the clock to hunt down not one but 2 killers.