Robin M. (robinmy) - , reviewed on 9/21/2023 + 2106 more book reviews

Ben Packard has returned to his hometown after a tragedy in his past. He takes a job with the Sheriff's department and eventually finds himself working as the Acting Sheriff. Ben is kept busy with the various happenings in this small town. When his cousin reports her daughter missing, Ben knows that time is of the essence. Sixteen-year-old Jenny slipped out of her home in the middle of the night and never came home. Ben interviews her friends and learns that her boyfriend is also missing. Did the two teens run away? Ben and his deputies will not leave a stone unturned until they find them.

This is Joshua Moehling's debut novel. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Linda Jones and found it entertaining. We are told in the first chapter what happened to Jenny and Jesse, so there really wasn't much suspense with this story. I think the story could have been better if it was a traditional mystery and we discovered the clues as they were uncovered. We knew who was behind the teen's disappearance and his reasoning for his actions.

I liked the small-town atmosphere and watching Ben trying to navigate some of the people he had to deal with while working as the Acting Sheriff. I found the feuding neighbors to be amusing and wouldn't mind seeing more of them. This is the first book in a series. I plan to read the second book to see what else is happening in this small Minnesota town. My rating: 3.5 Stars.

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