Book Review | And There He Kept Her by Joshua Moehling

When two teenagers break into a house in search of prescription drugs, a simple burglary turns into a nightmare. Because their victim is a man with secrets of his own. After the teens go missing, Detective Ben Packard is tasked with investigating the dark past of the place he now calls home.

He shined the weak penlight across the blistered pink walls again. He felt like he was staring into the mouth of something that wanted to swallow him. When he killed the light, the darkness inside seemed to go down and down to a place that had never known the sun.

And There He Kept Her is a grounded, slow-burn mystery and an excellent debut! The story involves a burglary gone wrong and the fallout from decisions made by desperate people. I thought the writing nails the details and authenticity of the Minnesota setting and the characters. They are morally complex, where the line between the victim and the villain blurs. The different POVs make the story feel more suspenseful.

The book tackles drug abuse, murder, and violence against women in unflinching terms. Some of the scenes are bloody and harrowing. It also looks at the small-town mentality that isn’t terribly welcoming to outsiders. One of whom is the acting sheriff, Ben Packard, who has taken over the mantle while the sheriff undergoes cancer treatment. He’s handling the case of the missing teens while also keeping an eye on the various incidents in town.

I really liked Ben! He lives a solitary existence, still grappling with the death of his boyfriend Marcus and keeping a stoic presence in the town. But the book shows his growth, including befriending an elderly gay man with a colourful history, reaching out to his estranged cousin, and allowing himself the chance to date someone new. He’s kind of awkward too which is funny and endearing to read. The ending leaves something open regarding his own family mystery. I can’t wait to read more of Ben (and his three-legged corgi).

And There He Kept Her is an addictive debut and a suspenseful psychological thriller where you’re kept constantly guessing. This is the first in a series and I’m looking forward to more!

CW: physical violence, sexual assault, drug usage, homophobic slurs, animal death

I received a copy from the publisher and Times Reads for review purposes.

About the author: Joshua Moehling

Photo by Alexander Rumpel