Thrillers & Suspense
![Joshua Moehling - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_a_joshua_moehling.jpg)
And There He Kept Her: A Novel (Ben Packard, 1)
"Stellar debut." ―Minneapolis Star Tribune
"A dark and complex mystery that will consume you." ―Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author
They thought he was a helpless old man. They were wrong.
When two teenagers break into a house on a remote lake in search of prescription drugs, what starts as a simple burglary turns into a nightmare for all involved. Emmett Burr has secrets he's been keeping in his basement for more than two decades, and he'll do anything to keep his past from being revealed. As he gets the upper hand on his tormentors, the lines blur between victim, abuser, and protector.
Personal tragedy has sent former police officer Ben Packard back to the small Minnesota town of Sandy Lake in search of a fresh start. Now a sheriff's deputy, Packard is leading the investigation into the missing teens, motivated by a family connection. As clues dry up and time runs out to save them, Packard is forced to reveal his own secrets and dig deep to uncover the dark past of the place he now calls home.
Unrelentingly suspenseful and written with a piercing gaze into the dark depths of the human soul, And There He Kept Her is a thrilling page-turner that introduces readers to a complicated new hero and forces us to consider the true nature of evil.
"A dark and complex mystery that will consume you." ―Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author
They thought he was a helpless old man. They were wrong.
When two teenagers break into a house on a remote lake in search of prescription drugs, what starts as a simple burglary turns into a nightmare for all involved. Emmett Burr has secrets he's been keeping in his basement for more than two decades, and he'll do anything to keep his past from being revealed. As he gets the upper hand on his tormentors, the lines blur between victim, abuser, and protector.
Personal tragedy has sent former police officer Ben Packard back to the small Minnesota town of Sandy Lake in search of a fresh start. Now a sheriff's deputy, Packard is leading the investigation into the missing teens, motivated by a family connection. As clues dry up and time runs out to save them, Packard is forced to reveal his own secrets and dig deep to uncover the dark past of the place he now calls home.
Unrelentingly suspenseful and written with a piercing gaze into the dark depths of the human soul, And There He Kept Her is a thrilling page-turner that introduces readers to a complicated new hero and forces us to consider the true nature of evil.
Editorial Reviews
Lambda Literary Most Anticipated LGBTQIA+ Literature
"This is a remarkable debut―sharp, suspenseful, and emotionally powerful―sure to appeal to readers of Karin Slaughter and Lisa Gardner." ― First Clue, Starred Review
"And There He Kept Her plays out like something on TV, resembling Yellowstone in its small-town setting and larger-than-life drama set against captivatingly detailed scenery...And There He Kept Her is a great opportunity to get into a new detective series at the ground level. Especially if you like the idea of the hardboiled detective novel but prefer your stories set in modern times with light touches of current social issues. Moehling's is a strong debut." ― Associated Press
"Readers will find this book especially well written and polished…And There He Kept Her exploits the rich terrain of a small town where an overactive grapevine thrives and seemingly everyone conceals a secret." ― Mystery Scene Magazine
"This isn't just another dark, gritty, graphic suspense thriller. Readers are summoned to ride shotgun from beginning to end, meaning they are privy to all the dirty deeds, secrets and intentions of everyone involved. So what's left? A chilling, complex plot line that tackles issues like mental illness, teen drug use, sexual abuse and orientation, and kidnapping – all rolled up into a disturbing, shocking thriller." ― Mystery and Suspense Magazine
"Stellar debut…I'll happily follow Packard's adventures for as long as Moehling wants to keep writing them." ― Minneapolis Star Tribune
"Vivid characters and a sharp sense of place prevent this debut novel from being your average small-town puzzler." ― St. Paul Post-Dispatch
"The characterizations are sharply drawn, with a keen eye for humorous details and dialog. At the heart of all this, of course, is the hard-working, intelligent and ...
"This is a remarkable debut―sharp, suspenseful, and emotionally powerful―sure to appeal to readers of Karin Slaughter and Lisa Gardner." ― First Clue, Starred Review
"And There He Kept Her plays out like something on TV, resembling Yellowstone in its small-town setting and larger-than-life drama set against captivatingly detailed scenery...And There He Kept Her is a great opportunity to get into a new detective series at the ground level. Especially if you like the idea of the hardboiled detective novel but prefer your stories set in modern times with light touches of current social issues. Moehling's is a strong debut." ― Associated Press
"Readers will find this book especially well written and polished…And There He Kept Her exploits the rich terrain of a small town where an overactive grapevine thrives and seemingly everyone conceals a secret." ― Mystery Scene Magazine
"This isn't just another dark, gritty, graphic suspense thriller. Readers are summoned to ride shotgun from beginning to end, meaning they are privy to all the dirty deeds, secrets and intentions of everyone involved. So what's left? A chilling, complex plot line that tackles issues like mental illness, teen drug use, sexual abuse and orientation, and kidnapping – all rolled up into a disturbing, shocking thriller." ― Mystery and Suspense Magazine
"Stellar debut…I'll happily follow Packard's adventures for as long as Moehling wants to keep writing them." ― Minneapolis Star Tribune
"Vivid characters and a sharp sense of place prevent this debut novel from being your average small-town puzzler." ― St. Paul Post-Dispatch
"The characterizations are sharply drawn, with a keen eye for humorous details and dialog. At the heart of all this, of course, is the hard-working, intelligent and ...
Readers Top Reviews
cwgf
I liked this book. I could not put it down. It has good character development, and keeps the story moving. I cannot wait for book 2. Ben is a has his own story.
Kindle Ron Thomp
The author was thoughtful and told a story about teens looking for trouble . What they found was someone more dangerous. This reads like a investigative journalist reporting on his neighbors and town. The characters have an authentic connection and the events follow accepted logic. He defines his characters in the present culture, without marginalizing the business of law enforcement. I am looking forward to Closing a Cold Case following this County Detective. I would recommend this book to anyone who is drawn to mystery or law enforcement in our small towns.
GeauxGetLitKindle
When I saw the cover of this book, I KNEW it was a must read for me! I didn’t even glance at the synopsis and wow I did not see what this book was going to be about at all!! First: You know exactly who “he is” and “where he kept her” Second: We know who she was, and who she is now! I enjoyed the new hot queer police chief on the scene and it being a small town and all, the author does a terrific job at making the townies comical. Creepy, dark and twisted and I am hopeful there will be a part 2, because I need more please!!
Amra RacicGeauxGe
Joshua Moehling’s debut novel And There He Kept Her is thrilling, mysterious, dark and somehow quirky too. It will consume you and you will not be able to put it down. His writing is superb, the plot is exceptionally well done and the characters are on point. Deputy Sheriff Ben Packard is smart, honest, caring and respectful and I hope he continues his journey through Sandy Lake in the next book also. Congratulations Josh!
Kristin GuthrieN.
“No one is happy not being themselves. If you can quit worrying about what other people think and live your life, the rest will work itself out.“ Teenagers Jesse and Jenny are up to no good when they break into a house on a remote late so they can steal prescription drugs. The homeowner finds them in the house and that’s when the simple burglary turned into a nightmare. Deputy Ben Packard, acting Police Sheriff, has returned to the small town of Sandy Lake, Minnesota and wants to keep his personal life and past buried. Now, he is leading the investigation. Time is running out to save the teens, will Packard be able to save them? The first chapter of this book started off with a BANG! After that chapter, I was so excited to read the book. However, it all went downhill from there. It was very descriptive with useless background information. In one instance, Packard is interviewing kids at the school to help him learn more information about the missing teens, and they give the male interviewee a background that was not needed. He was such a minor character, it was pointless. Additionally, the perpetrator is revealed to the reader very early on, leaving not much of a mystery at all. It’s an easy read but gets very boring in some spots. I’m not exactly sure why this post is listed as a thriller, mystery, or suspense – it’s a police procedural above all those things. When information is revealed to you early on, there’s no mystery. If the author was trying to build suspense to the end, he failed. There was one thing that I didn’t see coming, so that’s why I rated it 3 stars. But by no means was I on the edge of my seat while reading this book.
