A Long Time Gone

It’s winter in Sandy Lake, Minnesota, and Deputy Ben Packard has been demoted to working security at the courthouse in this third book of the series. Despite being a popular and effective acting sheriff, Ben lost the subsequent election to a candidate championed by powerful businessman and county commissioner Jim Wolf.

The new sheriff is weak and ineffective, determined to make life as difficult as possible for Ben. Unfortunately, Ben’s day is about to get worse when he is involved in a shooting at the courthouse. Placed on administrative leave while the shooting is investigated, he suddenly finds himself with a lot of time on his hands.

When he was twelve, Ben’s older brother Nick disappeared one wintry night and was presumed drowned in the lake, but now new evidence has come to light suggesting his body is buried elsewhere. As the ground is too hard and icy for an exhumation to begin until the spring thaw, Ben decides to spend his time looking into Nick’s case to try to discover what happened the night he vanished.

A nostalgic visit to his grandparents’ empty old house also raises alarms for Ben when he finds evidence suggesting that Louise, the elderly woman who bought the house from them, did not die from an accidental fall down the cellar stairs as initially reported. Suddenly, Ben has his hands full with two cold case investigations, and no one associated with either case is happy about it. However, Ben is a dogged and determined detective, gradually uncovering a complex web of secrets and conspiracy that reaches into the town’s upper echelons.

Initially, the plot builds gradually, setting the scene and introducing the players in the two cases Ben is investigating, but then the tension ramps up to become intense and gripping. Joshua Moehling writes a captivating tale, and Ben, as a gay protagonist, is a terrific character—smart and intuitive, as well as warm and caring, with a quirky sense of humor. Frank, his fearless three-legged corgi, is delightful, and Ben’s mother, who comes to visit him, is a spirited breath of fresh air (although Ben is relieved when she goes back home).

The multilayered crime that Ben eventually uncovers in his second look at Louise’s death is unexpected but well-developed and believable. Ben also finally learns the truth about how his brother Nick died, not only bringing his family closure but also giving him new insights into Nick and all he could have been.

Despite this being the third book in the series, it works well as a stand-alone, although if you haven’t already read the first two books, you’ll almost certainly want to add them to your reading list.

With thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for a copy to read.