And There He Kept Her is the debut novel by Joshua Moehling. On the surface, this book reads as a traditional blend of police procedural and standard thriller (even down to the “ticking time bomb”—not literal—which is a hallmark of that genre. What makes Joshua Moehling’s And There He Kept Her stand out from the crowd of competitors is the beating heart that is keeping time just under the surface—that thread is pure noir, brutal, and unrelenting. This book is most definitely not for the faint of heart, but the presence of a truly unique protagonist will keep readers turning the pages even as the tale gets darker and darker.
That character is acting Sheriff Ben Packard—a man who has recently returned Sandy Lake, a small Minnesota town from his youth. Ben arrives on the wave of a personal tragedy, one that ties into his biggest secret. Ben is a gay man still dealing with his own acceptance of that truth.
As And There He Kept Her opens, two local teenagers—Jesse and Jenny—break into the home of an elderly and infirm resident on a “mission.” What they never counted on was the reckoning that was about to occur when they realize their intended victim has secrets of his own—ones that are worth killing to keep.
From here, the novel progresses as most readers will expect from a procedural. Ben and his female colleague conduct interviews, make connections, and explore new avenues of interest before settling on a suspect. When a new death complicates their missing persons search, the case becomes more complicated.
Interspersed with this investigation are chapters that reflect the thriller aspect of the novel. Told from the perspective of Emmett Burr—the target of the home invasion—these sections increase in tension and add to the ultimate stakes. It seems that Jenny—who is a diabetic in need of insulin—needs to fight several different battles to stay alive.
Another thing that Joshua Moehling does well throughout And There He Kept Her is reminding readers that major cases like this don’t happen in a vacuum. The lives around Sandy Lake continue, with varying levels of angst. Ben is struggling to figure out what his personal life will look like in this small town, some neighbors are constantly having petty altercations, illnesses are plaguing some residents, including the previous Sheriff, and gossip is the fuel that keeps the home fires burning.
And There He Kept Her is the first book in a new series, so Joshua Moehling also gives Ben an unsolved mystery from his family’s past. This disappearance is only hinted at in this debut, but a situation near the end of the book gives readers the impression that this will become a major focus in future novels. Based on the strength of this debut, there is little doubt readers will be happy to join for a few more adventures with Ben Packard.
BUY LINKS: And There He Kept Her by Joshua Moehling
Disclaimer: A print galley of this title was provided to BOLO Books by the publisher. No promotion was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.
