Deputy Ben Packard takes his job very seriously, and he wants to hold the bad characters accountable, but this time he’s up against a formidable villain who will exterminate anyone in their path in A LONG TIME GONE by Joshua Moehling. This third book in the Ben Packard series delivers all the thrills, crime scenes, twists, politics, internal conflict, and family drama readers covet in a police procedural.

Ben Packard has been reassigned to court duty after losing the sheriff’s race in Sandy Lake County, Minnesota. While on duty, he shoots and kills a man who opened fire in the courthouse. Now on leave, Ben has too much time on his hands. But new information on his missing brother’s 30-year-old case resurfaces and gives Ben a new direction to investigate. Meanwhile, Ben learns that an old family friend died months earlier in the basement of her house, a place where Ben spent time as a child when his grandparents owned it. The initial investigation into the woman’s death ruled it an accident, but something doesn’t feel right to Ben. Taking a second look, Ben believes it was murder, and some unscrupulous locals are hoping to use the woman’s home and land to enrich themselves. As Ben looks into the matter further, he uncovers another dead body and a massive fraud scheme that involves several locals. One of them wants Ben permanently off the investigation. Will Ben solve the mystery and also learn the truth about his missing brother before a ruthless killer takes their best shot?

LONG TIME GONE is an exceptional police procedural thriller with an admirable main character who cares deeply about his career in law enforcement and the people he is sworn to protect. No stone goes unturned when Ben investigates, and no suspect avoids detection. The mystery is multi-layered and revolves around a real issue that is rooted in current times. The bad actors are unscrupulous, amoral, and greedy, preying on unsuspecting victims and using their positions in power to enrich themselves. The plot is intelligent and riveting as Ben deals with professional drama, family obligations, and his own internal conflicts with the profession he has chosen. The action is spot on with narrow escapes and skillful villains. This is the first book in the series I have read, but I will definitely seek out previous stories with Ben Packard as the lead.  A LONG TIME GONE delivers a well-constructed, thought-provoking, expertly written thriller that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series.