Murphy Shepherd has prepared for years for his job of saving the victims of human trafficking, and does it incredibly well, despite the cost. But his success has made him powerful enemies, and when his family is kidnapped, it's a race against time, fighting against fiendishly powerful and skilled enemies, to save them - and may be his last mission. Will he succeed once again, or die trying?

I didn't realise when I started reading that this was book 2 of a trilogy, but it soon became clear that I was missing some background. I'd like to go back and read the first book to fill in those gaps, but I felt like I had enough of the story to make sense. The ending, however, is not particularly satisfactory, relying on book 3 to finish things off. So, this is a series best read as a full series rather than considered as standalone stories with shared characters. All of that aside, this is a book with lots of action, lots of emotion, and periods of introspection that can get almost lecture-y (occasionally feeling a little over the top to me). It deals with some horrible topics, though always sensitively and in a clean way - but it's definitely not a light read.

Summary: it's a well written, heart-wrenching and thought-provoking book, best read as part of a series and well worth a read, but includes non-graphic violence and some clean discussion of human trafficking and its horrors, so I'd be a little careful who I recommended it to. I look forward to reading book 3!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book is the second in the Murphy Shepherd series that started with The Water Keeper. I really enjoyed The Water Keeper and this book picks up where that one left off.

As with all of Charles Martin’s books this one is full of amazing imagery, suspenseful action and the kind of emotional turmoil amongst characters that keeps your heart thumping and your face scrunched in empathy as you turn the pages.

Like the book before it this one focuses on human trafficking and is a battle of good vs. evil. Murphy also begins to open up more and a love story emerges. I don’t want to give too much away here. I’ll just say that when I thought the book was starting to get kind of sappy Charles Martin would switch gears and the action would jerk me back into suspense.

I didn’t quite enjoy this one as much as The Water Keeper but it is still a great book and I’ll definitely be reading the third! (And anything else CM ever writes, to be honest)

3.8/5 ⭐️ - I like it slightly less than the first book(I gave that one 4 ⭐️) but this is an amazing second! 👏🏼

The Letter Keeper by Charles Martin is his follow-up novel to the Water Keeper. The reader gets to continue following the life and adventures of Murphy Shepherd. Murphy is a very likeable character that is part preacher, part Rambo. The novel flows very well and keeps the characters from the previous novel. Readers will have to read The Water Keeper first to follow the story. (but that's an added bonus!). While The Letter Keeper is not a fun, laugh-out-loud beach read, it is very heartfelt, and endearing with a touch of adventure thrown in. Fans of Martin are going to love this one! The fact that he leaves the ending open for another novel in this series is a great way to finish it off.

When I picked up this book I wasn't aware it was the second of a series. The author makes a good job of keeping us informed about what happened before, so you could read this one as a stand alone even though it would be better to read both in the right order.
I struggled with this book, it is very well written, but the theme is very dark and violent, though there's also hope and a sense of good winning against evil.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a powerful, moving book! Murphy and Bones have dedicated their lives to finding and freeing survivors of sex trafficking. It was incredible seeing how they tried to help with the spiritual and emotional healing as well as the physical healing that needed to take place. Their sacrificial efforts were beautiful beyond words. I don't know if there are people out there doing this in real life but I hope there are.

This book was helpful in that it showed how devious sex traffickers are...the lengths they will go to to befriend someone. It also showed how hard can be the recovery for someone who is rescued from it. It was heartbreaking. Yet I felt this book showed that there is hope.

I loved getting to know the characters in this book. I haven't read book one yet but am going to go back and do so now. There was a lot of action, poignant moments, danger, and suspense. It was a great read that dealt with a very hard topic in a sensitive, illuminating, helpful manner.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. I'd highly recommend it. All opinions are my own.

The Water Keeper was one of my top reads from 2020. The sequel starts off in spectacular fashion with bigger than life Murphy Shepherd rescuing those in need amidst a lot of action. The novel then transitions into reflecting back on Murphy's life at a young age and gives readers what led him to his current career choice. The reflective parts of the novel kept my interest as it shed light on what made Murphy into the hero we love.

The current day thread following the initial action scenes is where my interest waned a bit. Some of it seemed difficult to believe and the flow of the novel was disjointed.

Star of the novel...canine Gunner. What a fabulous inclusion in the series.

The cover is lovely and complements the initial novel's cover. Overall, it was a good novel.

Thank you to @netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Last month I read The Water Keeper, the first book in this series. This second book, gave us a lot more background of the characters. It was a lot slower, with more character growth than full time action like the first one. However, there is still some great action and DEFINITELY left open for another book!
This series is focused around modern day slavery and the horrors still inflicted on people and often children! However, it is a book about hope and love, family (those we choose and those that are chosen for us), friendships, commitment, and so many more positive things. The horrors are alluded to, but not described in details, but I would give a trigger warning for anyone who has been in an abusive, controlling relationship.
You will need to read The Water Keeper before The Letter Keeper to understand what's happening, but you definitely should read them both!
The Letter Keeper will be published on 8 Jun!
#NetGalley #TheLetterKeeper

The first half of the book gives a lot of background and is a little slow and hard to get into, but still an easy read. Once I hit the middle though, I could not put it down.

It is at times heart wrenching, suspenseful, full of pain and also full of hope. As the sequel, you will definitely want to know the storyline from The Water Keeper. I am also hoping that there is a 3rd one coming, because the cliffhanger at the end was crazy.

Reading this book will make you angry, because it is hard to read about the evil in the world. It will also encourage you, because darkness cannot stand the light and there are so many fighting for good in this world.

I am a big Charles Martin fan, and I can’t wait to follow Bones, Murph, and Summer and where the story takes them next to see if they can once and for all defeat evil!

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for giving me the chance for an early review!

First, I have not read the first book in this series, but I wasn't lost, the author did a wonderful job of keeping me informed.

This is a tough subject, but what a need, which has becomes more evident in the past few years with the news reports and headlines, sick individuals and a fallen world.

Murphy Shepherd is awesome, what a heart, and I loved he would leave the 99 to find the 1, yes!

There is some sweet romance here, but mostly your heart goes out to those who had been trafficked, the healing if possible, I can't even imagine. Maybe this should be a required reading book?

There is another book to come, and we hope for a good out come, there is a bombshell dropped at the end of this read!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.

Thanks NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Charles Martin for an ARC to review.
The second book in a series which I haven't recognised when I first picked the book, you would easily though follow since lots of explanation of the first book is narrated.
The writing style is excellent and despite the dark theme the book discusses _ human trafficking _ , it's full of uplifting stories of hope and New beginnings.
I absolutely loved it.

It has taken me a couple of days to figure out how to word my review. When I finished the book I was totally and utterly speechless, crying like a crazy woman and couldn't possibly write a worthy review of this book. I still don't feel like I can adequately put into words a review that will give glory to this book and to the amazing author that Charles Martin is.

The Letter Keeper is a sequel to The Water Keeper. Both books tackle the tough and painful subject of human trafficking, but with the most delicate of hands. The main character, Murphy Shephard and his coworkers have made a living of saving the un-savable. They find them, no matter how hard it is, no matter how dangerous it is, no matter the costs and they bring them back to life, heal them, protect them, help make them whole again. Remind you of anyone? They leave the 99 to go after the one. Just as Jesus goes after his one sheep who is lost, who needs Him, so do they. Charles Martin does a perfect job of putting into words, into a beautiful story a way to show Jesus' love for us. It doesn't matter how many times we need rescuing, how far we've gone, His love shows up. Always. And in that same fierce and relentless way, Murphy goes after all of the kids who are taken and lost.

This story really moved me emotionally. So many times in this book I felt like God was reaching back for me again. He was leaving the 99 to come for me. And that's what is so awesome about Charles Martin and his writing. He took the gift God gave him and has amplified it to God's glory. It's beautiful, it's heart wrenching, it gives you hope, it's a reminder that there are people fighting evil everyday and will show up.

I honestly cannot recommend Charles Martin's books enough to the world. I will read anything and everything he writes, every book has inspired and touched me in a different way. He is hands down my favorite author. I encourage you to read one of his books, I promise you will get hooked.

And 2022 cannot come fast enough for me. Book 3 on Murphy!!! I'm dying to know what happens next!!!!

My thanks to Charles Martin, Thomas Nelson Publishing and netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Letter Keeper
Murphy Shepherd #2
By Charles Martin

A Richly Told and Riveting Story

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY
Murphy Shepherd finds girls and women who are victims of human trafficking. His mission in life is to help these women not only find their freedom but he goes the extra mile by helping them recover from the ordeal. When his new wife and daughters are kidnapped, Murphy shifts into high gear racing across the country to find them. One dead-end leads to another and he and his canine partner Gunner find themselves racing back across the country yet again to find the men responsible and make them pay.


REVIEW
The Letter Keeper Is a richly told and riveting story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It’s both a heart-wrenching and action-packed tale, with a protagonist that will leave you speechless.

Murphy Shepherd also known as David Bishop will stop at nothing to save women in trouble. He’s a priest of sorts who is bold, fearless, and determined. The characters in The Letter Keeper are the pillars of the story from Murphy to his new wife Summer, their daughters, his mentor Bones, and his friend Clay all coalesce to form a perfectly well-rounded cast of characters. Once again Gunner, takes the prize for the best partner/dog ever! I hesitate to even call them characters because they feel so real. You can’t help but feel the intensity and heartache and wonder if it’s a true story.

One of life’s pleasures is a book that sweeps you off your feet, a poignant book that you can’t put down until the last page is turned. This is that book. This is the second in a series and while you can certainly read THE LETTER KEEPER as a standalone, why would you want to miss the emergence of the intrepid Murphy Shepherd in THE WATER KEEPER. Besides, there will be a third book, and who doesn’t love a good series.

Charles Martin is one of my favorite authors of all time. His writing is beautiful and descriptive. His novels before this series include Send Down the Rain, Long Way Gone, and The Mountain Between Us, which was made into a major motion picture all of his books are a pleasure to read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


Publisher Thomas Nelson
Published June 8, 2021
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

This book deals with a very uncomfortable topic of human trafficking. I thought I could get through it, but it has too much detail. I know this is a problem of our world, and we all need to be made aware of it. But I read for entertainment and not to be saddened.

While this book is well written, it was not for me. A lot of the story is told from the main character telling it instead of the reader witnessing the action. For me, it seemed to be a very slow read.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC for an honest opinion.

This was my first book by Charles Martin. I don't know where to begin. I love this authors voice, he inspires me. What an incredible storytelling. After the first few lines, I was hooked. My only disappointment, the book was to long and I could not read it in one setting.
Human trafficking is not a subject I usually choose to read about, so I was at first a little hesitant. Mr. Martin painted an adequate picture to show us the nightmare that the victims are going through but he didn't leave us there. He has a special way of drawing hope out of the darkness.
This book has it all, self-less love, drama, hope, laughter and lots of tears and so much more that I can't put into words.
Here is just one quote from David Bishop/Murphy Shepherd, there are many more I find myself ruminating over.
“We are really good at taking the pain of our past and projecting it into our future because it's what we know, and yet our past has almost nothing to do with our future other than being connected by seconds. That's it. So we face a choice. Either shine a light on yesterday and expose it, or forfeit the joy of now and the hope of tomorrow.
…......fear is a liar. Always has been.”

This was a story that kept me guessing until the end. And left me wanting more.
I thank Thomas Nelson through NetGalley for allowing me to read this book. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Again, a good story, but a tough subject to read! Still love the characters. However, the reasons for only 4 stars are these: some of the first book is repeated in this one, and parts of it are a bit unbelievable--one man can only get hurt so much!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance e-copy of this book. All opinions are entirely my own.

Wow!!!! This book is incredible! The stories of the lives of the girls who have been rescued. The strength of Bones and Bishop. The heartbreak and joy. Man, don’t miss this one!

Murphy has made a life of saving others, especially women, from human traffickers. He's finally found happiness with a wife, her daughter, and two girls he rescued in the first book (it does help to have read it) but now, someone's taken them. This sets off a chase with lots of drama. It also opens Murphy's back story. That's not his birth name and his exploits, well, no spoilers from me. This thriller has a strong faith message, good characters, and. page turning plot. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Martin's fans with be pleased with this.

After reading The Water Keeper, I knew I wanted to read this one. Whew, what a ride! We get a glimpse into the backstory of Murphy Shepherd in a tale woven with love, hope, and redemption. Mr. Martin develops characters so well, when I close the covers of the book, I feel like people are missing from my actual life. Anticipating what he might write next.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a well written book that hooks you on the first page and doesn't let go. It's a roller coaster ride of emotions and is full of action, suspense and drama. Loved it and can't wait for the next book in this series. Thank you Thomas Nelson--FICTION via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Okay. Once upon a time, I would've said that Charles Martin is one of my favorite authors - beautiful prose, engaging plot. Blunt - just like me. *halo* Thing is...I wouldn't quite say so anymore. *Deep breath* So. Let's dive in, shall we?

Mmkay, so, let me say what I didn't like (and try not to turn this into a rant), and get that part over with.

For one...the prose. The first couple of books I read by Martin (When Crickets Cry and The Dead Don't Dance) were absolutely amazing. But then I read books that he published in recent years (Send Down the Rain and The Water Keeper)...and they've only disappointed me. I couldn't put my finger on why, though...so I picked up The Water Keeper from the library and requested The Letter Keeper from Netgalley.

I've figured it out. The 'prose,' to me, isn't really prose anymore. The meaty parts of the story, the parts where the plot really began to pick up and get going, were either short bits between the slow parts, or were broken up by rabbit trails of deep thinking.

Don't get me wrong; y'all know I love books that make me think deeply. But in the middle of a suspenseful sequence is not, in my opinion, a good time to insert "There are times in a man's life when..." *deep thinking that takes up an entire page and interrupts the plot* It seemed like there wasn't enough plot to go around, so hey, let's throw in an insane amount of internal dialogue that you have to force yourself not to skim over, but make the rest of the book interesting enough that you want to keep reading and find out how it ends!

Okay. I think my rant is over. Sorry. *cough*

What else didn't I like? Some of the scenes between Murph and Summer made me downright uncomfortable. Like, it wasn't too bad, it was just...lots of different places. Until that one scene right after the wedding (not gonna say whose wedding, to avoid potential spoilers). I understand that this is supposed to be authentic and real but like...y'all. I've got a vivid imagination. Whenever I read something in a book, I picture it in my mind. And this...this is not something I wanted to picture in my mind. (I suppose I should've learned my lesson from the first Shepherd book. But I didn't, unfortunately.)

The unfortunate thing is, even though the book ended on a cliffhanger, I'm not even sure that I want to read the next one. Which sadly brings the book down from "It was pretty good!" to "It...was good...I think?"

But. What did I like?

The plot was fantastic. Granted, the first half of the book was slow and I was trying to find out exactly where the back cover blurb fit into the whole picture. But then the second half hit and bang, we finally caught some of the action that Murphy Shepherd is known for! (did I just end a sentence with a preposition? Yes. Yes, I did. *bows* forgive me.) Like, that one scene full of InJUrY and pAIn and DEaTh!

"You came after us!"
"I said I would, didn't I?"
"Yeah, but...you actually did." (Might not be exact wording, but super close, anyway)
These words, uttered from a heart so broken that she dared not believe they were true until she saw it put into action in the most sacrificial way possible, sum up my favorite part in the entire book. Someone who didn't see herself as worthy of love...found herself being treated as a most precious treasure (find a parallel in here somewhere?). And I adored it.

I also really loved Casey's character arc. It wasn't the straight-road-to-recovery-with-a-couple-setbacks. No, it was more like we-thought-we-were-recovering-but-then-everything-was-almost-completely-lost-but-it'll-all-turn-out-okay-in-the-end. (I guess I have a thing for hyphens. *shrug*) Like...I really, really loved the entire Casey aspect (including that last scene with her?? IT WAS SOOO GOOD.)

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher from Netgalley for promotional purposes. All thoughts are my own.