The Letter Keeper by Charles Martin

Murphy Shephard’s story continues with this book. He pursues the bad guys who are trying to traffic young people. Only this time, it becomes very personal. His wife and daughter are taken.

Along the way, the author fills us in on much of the history of the relationship between Murphy and Bones, as well as some of Murphy’s past. After having read The Water Keeper, I appreciated having some of my questions answered.

For those who have not read the previous book, which I recommend, Murphy is a real hero, even better than James Bond. He has the same kinds of resources, skills and abilities, but completes his missions with a pure heart to unselfishly help others. In his spare time, he is a very popular author and loving father. Ok, so maybe he is too good to be true, but this is fiction, after all!

Charles Martin is at the top of his game with character development and plot pacing. I must say that I could hardly believe how quickly I read this book! The ending surprised me and left me with hope of a sequel. If you are a Charles Martin fan, this one will not disappoint.

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

THE LETTER KEEPER is a character rich story. My favorite kind. Charles Martin has delivered another great read.

All the pieces of the puzzle were well thought-out. In my opinion, it is rich in every other way as well. I love a book like this. This book was better than the first in its series, THE WATER KEEPER, though I enjoyed that one as well.

The chunks of back story slowed me down, for a while. But I can see how necessary they are to understanding the motivations for the choices made. I will be reading the next one!

I first heard about author Charles Martin on the That Sounds Fun podcast with Annie F. Downs in March 2020 when he was promoting The Water Keeper. I thought the book sounded interesting and when I had a chance to download the audiobook later that spring, I grabbed it. In Summer 2020 I finally took the time to start listening and it didn't take long before I was completely hooked. When I had the chance to snag an egalley in January 2021 of The Letter Keeper, I could hardly believe my luck. I devoured this book and can't wait for the next one! I love the characters and the storyline speaks directly to my heart. It is well-plotted and fast-paced but doesn't neglect character development. One of my all-time favorite series. Five stars.

First things first, this is the second book in a series, and I would highly recommend not reading this without reading the first book. The story might make sense as a stand-alone but I full believe that a lot of the nuance and background will be missed for those who have not had the chance to read The Water Keeper first.

Much like the first book, I am not sure how I would classify this book, but it has left me impressed once again. We learn much more about Murph's background and his rather special relationship with Bones. We learn more about Freetown and the psychological aspects and considerations of providing a home and safe haven to all those girls (and boys). In that sense this book reads a bit more like a contemporary novel than a full-on action book, truly depicting the long-lasting influences of sex-trade and rescue on the different characters. Charles Martin writes with flair and his characters jump of the page. I was a bit sad to see the action really only return much later in the book, but upon reflection I do feel that this was the only way to provide the intended story. And that ending...

If you are looking for a page-turner, relatable characters, difficult topics of grief, longing, recovery being touched on with respect, humor and a bit of romance, I would highly recommend the Letter Keeper as a follow-up to the Water Keeper.

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read the sequel to The Water Keeper; a book I absolutely loved. The Letter Keeper follows the lives of Murphy Shepherd, the girls he rescues in the first book, and his friend/colleague, Bones. This book has two very distinctive halves - the first which tells the story of the their lives after the Water Keeper, and the second which contains the bulk of the conflict and climax of the plot. I felt it difficult to connect with the first half. In other words, I didn't really buy into the narrative. In turn, I absolutely loved the second half; it was more reminiscent of The Water Keeper.

I would definitely recommend The Letter Keeper IF you liked or loved The Water Keeper. If you struggle with the first half like I did, stick with it. It's worth it! Thank you NetGalley for an arc of the sequel to a book I love.

The Water Keeper is the first book on the series and The Letter Keeper is next in the series.

The series continues to follow Murphy Shepherd who goes searching for the one who is taken due to human trafficking. We learn a little more about the priest, Bones and his relationship with Murphy. There are 4 main women in this story-2 girls that Murphy has rescued-Casey and Angel. Summer is the mother of Angel and Ellie is Murphs daughter. Gunner is the faithful dog and he rocks it in this book!

Most of the story centers around Freetown, this is the safe place that the people who are rescued from trafficking are sent.

There is so much thought that goes in to these books. There are so many new facets that we learn about the characters and the redemption that takes place.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

This thrilling sequel to "The Water Keeper" is both poignant and captivating. I could not put it down! The plot is completely enthralling with plenty of twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

This is the sequel to Martin’s The Water Keeper. If you have not read it yet, you definitely will want to before reading The Letter Keeper. Once you’re ready to start this new book, hold on to your seat! Again Martin takes his readers on a wild ride through the dark world of human trafficking. There’s more on Murphy Shepherd’s background, as well as what happens after the end of The Letter Keeper. Gut-wrenching plot twists make it hard to put down the book. Insights into the true nature of sacrifical love lead to thoughtful introspection.

Be warned – you won’t like the ending, because it’s a cliffhanger! I don’t want to wait another year to find out what happens next!

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