And There He Kept Her

If you're looking for a tense, unputdownable book, this is it!

This compulsive and clever police procedural has a multi-layered plot, atmospheric setting, well-drawn characters and is simply great storytelling. Set in a small town in northern Minnesota, the story follows acting Chief of Police Ben Packard as he tries to find two missing teens whose plan to break into a house goes very awry.

There is a myriad of secondary characters that have great depth and readers witness their strengths and flaws which give a clear idea of life in this small Minnesotan town. But it is Ben Packard who stole the show. He's a complex guy who is dealing with his own emotional baggage, keeping parts of himself that he's not ready to share with others and the man has integrity up the wazoo. I lurrved him!

I also enjoyed the use of multiple POVs and despite knowing the identity of the culprit, Moehling keeps readers on their toes and gives great fodder for book discussions as readers root for Packard's race against time to find missing teens. There are no dull moments, the pacing is fast, each character and subplot is well thought out and snippets of humour help to add bits of light to this darker read.

And There He Kept Her ticks alllll the suspense boxes! Dark, wonderfully complex with a deliciously disturbing vibe, Moehling has written an exceptionally good thriller in this debut. I truly hope we get to see more of Ben Packard.

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

My Rating: 5 stars

Author: Hoshua Moehling

Genre: Suspense, LGBTQ

Type and Source: eBook from publisher via NetGalley

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

First Published: June 14, 2022

Book Description from GoodReads: 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.