The most evil act inflicted upon humanity is not to kill their body but to kill their hope and force their soul to wander through life hopeless.

The Murphy Shepherd series puts a light on human trafficking and the Keeper shows how dark and evil it really is. Murphy has lost his mentor and his navigating his loss when another abduction hits close to home. With the death of brother that help create this deep web of evil, it continues. Powerful people keep it going. There is a spiritual message in these pages that leave a reader with not only more questions, but what is our hope in this evil. Personally, the questions are important as they force us to see the reality of evil and what our hope is found in.

A special thank you to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

Mr. Martin is a cross of Nicholas Sparks and John Grisham with a bit of Pearl S. Bailey. His writing style is a bit wordy as he stresses repeatedly hope, duty, sacrifice, and God through actions. His characters are varied and easy to care about, the dialogues are always positive and clean, and the action is understated, not gory. Evil is definitely present and the reason for the fighting. There is family, community, love, hope, and a gamut of emotions. Source: Netgalley.

THE KEEPER, #4 - Continuing from where The Record Keeper ended, this story is filled with remembrance, family, community, love, and hope while carrying on against evil that has attacked part of the family. The first half s familiar and then this story takes off. Good surprises along with some bad evil deeds. 5*

THE WATER KEEPER, #1 - Intense. Intriguing. Interesting. Wonderful characters, good story lines, and good dialog. Introduction of the work and beliefs of the main characters. 5*

THE LETTER KEEPER, #2 - This book tells the story of Murphy Shepard and David Bishop, their beginnings and life. 5*

THE RECORD KEEPER, #3, AUDIOBOOK - I thought I was getting an eBook. I enjoyed listening, but with this series, it is too difficult to stop and repeat a section. I reread sections of the first two books. This book is about Bones, his beginnings and life. Narrator: Jonathan K. Riggs. The narrator did a good job conveying all the emotions, actions, and thoughts of the characters. A little sappy sometimes, but he did a good job. Length: 10 hours, 6 minutes. 5*

The Keeper is a dynamic book with a mix of slower pace introspection and fast paced action and drama as Murphy Shepherd does his thing - rescue those who have been taken. I found myself doing lots of pondering afterwards - it isn't a book you escape into but rather one that leaves an impact on you as you consider the impacts of modern day slavery, loss and grief and the amazing impact those who love you and really support you can make on your ability to achieve great things.

This is book 4 of the Murphy Shepherd series and I am really hoping (and fully expecting) that there will be more as there were several storylines left hanging! I have fully enjoyed this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Fiction and Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Beautiful book. The way the author captures the emotions of the characters was so good. I loved the way the faith elements are included in these books and this is a fantastic series!

The Keeper by Charles Martin is a beautifully written and emotionally rich story that explores themes of sacrifice, forgiveness, and redemption. Martin has a gift for weaving deep spiritual truths into engaging, character-driven narratives, and this book is no exception.

One of the things I’ve loved throughout this series is the recurring focus on fighting human trafficking and rehabilitating the victims—and The Keeper is no exception. These themes are handled with both honesty and compassion, adding a powerful layer of depth and purpose to the story.

It was bittersweet reading about how Murphy is learning to move on without his mentor and friend, Bones. That emotional thread added even more poignancy and weight to the journey, showing the lasting impact of friendship and the pain of continuing on after loss.

The characters felt authentic and complex, and I especially appreciated the way their pasts shaped their choices and relationships. The emotional depth was moving without feeling manipulative, and Martin’s prose—elegant yet accessible—made for a truly immersive read.

My only critique is that some sections were unnecessarily technical, which occasionally pulled me out of the story. That said, the heart of the novel remained strong and deeply compelling.

A deeply touching read that reminds us healing is possible and grace is never out of reach. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy redemptive stories with emotional and spiritual resonance.

“Because the needs of the one outweigh those of the ninety-nine." throughout the Murphy Shepherd series this is the theme. I truly hope and I know there are because even today I read an article about "the sheep" being rescued, that there are people out there like Murphy Shepherd to rescue the lost. This is such a great series and this book is one of the best, I think I cry through each one and I pray that my daughters would never have to go through this. A very compelling series about child trafficking. The reader experiences what Murphy goes through to find the missing and what the missing are going through and their healing after. A true series about Christ's love and that He will stop at nothing to save us.

This was a good book and I need to go back and read the series in order . It was my first Murphy book and I really liked it . I will recommend it to everyone .
I enjoyed the romance . Charles Martin is an awesome author
Thank you for picking me Thomas Nelson for the arc

This is a great finish to the series. Didn't want it to be over. This book is about Murphy dealing with Bones' death and trying to take down those left in power of the dark. The vice presidents daughters have been abducted and Murphy plus Camp have to go find them. This leads them to some surprising things and to figuring out who some of the bad guys are.

I loved the first book in this series. It is a story that has stayed with me over the years and I always recommend it to anyone looking for a thrilling adventure story with a twist of romance and some gorgeous descriptions of Florida.
I missed the next two in the series and was sent the ARC for book four to read and review. The Keeper doesn’t have the same thrills as the first. It is much more introspective covering the main character Murphy’s response to the death of his mentor, his relationship with his wife and also so much about his dog! There was very little action in this one, the story involving the VP and his abducted girls is sparse at best. I found myself skimming pages, finding the endless love story to Bones a little tedious.
This isn’t as good as the first one (to me anyway) but it was nice to remember how much I enjoyed it. I may have to go back and read it again.

To be honest, I thought this series ended in 2022 with The Record Keeper. I was pleasantly surprised to learn there was a new installment, and even more surprised by some of the plot twists in this story that set up likely future books in this series.

For anyone who hasn't read the first three books in the Murphy Shepherd series, I recommend starting at the beginning with The Water Keeper, and continuing from there. While the fourth book recaps the essentials to get a new reader up to speed, I think you’ll get more out of the series reading it in order. And there's a lot of substance to this series. Well worth the time to read it.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an Advance Reader Copy of this book via NetGalley.

I continue to say—I'm a huge fan of Charles Martin’s books, and The Keeper is yet another incredible addition to the Murphy Shepherd series. This fourth book has been the hardest for me to read emotionally, as it centers around Murphy dealing with the death of Bones, a character I’ve grown to love deeply throughout the last three books.

Watching Murphy walk through his grief, trying to figure out how to keep doing the work without the steady presence of his friend and mentor, absolutely pulls at your heartstrings. But as we’ve seen throughout this series, the mission doesn’t stop. There’s still a war to be fought, and someone to rescue—because, as Martin so powerfully reminds us, the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the ninety-nine.

In The Keeper, almost before Bones’s funeral is even over, Murphy is called back into action. Three daughters of a presidential hopeful have been taken, and there are no leads. It’s high stakes, fast-paced, and emotionally charged—but the true heart of the story lies in Murphy’s struggle to figure out who he is without Bones by his side.

If you're an audiobook fan, don’t miss Jonathan K. Riggs’s narration—he continues to do an excellent job bringing this series to life.

If you’ve been walking this road with Murphy from the beginning, prepare yourself: this one hits differently. But it’s a beautiful, powerful continuation of a story I’m not ready to let go of yet.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with a copy of both the book and audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

The book continues the story of Murphy and Bones. Bones' funeral is barely over and Murphy gets an important call. Murphy soon finds himself trying to rescue the vice president's daughters. The plot continues to help the reader learn background information from the other 3 books in the series. The daughters are rescued and Murphy learns of the mysterious intent as to why they were kidnapped in the first place. Martin does an excellent job continuing the story line and helping the reader to learn more from the past in the plot.

Charles Martin delivers another gripping, emotional, and thought-provoking novel in The Keeper, the fourth installment in the Murphy Shepherd series. With faith, family, and honor woven throughout, this book is as much a spiritual journey as it is a high-stakes thriller.

Murphy is reeling from the loss of his mentor, Bones, when he’s thrust into another mission: rescuing the kidnapped daughters of a presidential candidate. The race against time is intense, but the deeper battle—Murphy’s struggle to find his footing without Bones—is just as interesting. As always, Martin masterfully balances action with heartfelt reflection, though the novel leans a bit too introspective.

While the themes of faith and redemption shine, the book relies heavily on flashbacks. Readers new to the series might appreciate them, but for those who have followed Murphy’s journey, they can feel excessive. Martin’s tendency to repeat certain phrases is noticeable and annoying. That said, his deeply reflective writing and the way he infuses faith into even the darkest moments make this a powerful read.

I previewed both the book and the audiobook—Jonathan K. Riggs’ narration was strong. This is not a standalone novel—I highly recommend reading the first three books for the full experience. Though a bit long, it’s another strong, moving entry in the series. 4 stars.

** Thanks to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and HarperCollins for review copies of this novel. The opinions are my own.

Bones--Murphy Shepherd's teacher, mentor, priest, and friend--is gone. Devastated by the loss and unsure how to continue the rescue work they started, Murph has no choice but to jump back in when his longtime friend and current United States vice president, Aaron Ashley, who has been a silent partner in the fight against trafficking. has his three daughters taken bound and blindfolded from their home by an extraction team that left no clues and no trace--just an empty house, a bereft mother, and nine dead Secret Service agents. Only Murph and his team have a hope of finding them. Bones taught Murph that the needs of the one, the lost one, outweigh those of the ninety-nine. In his first rescue without Bones beside him, Murph's fight against human trafficking takes him across the globe and through the halls of government to destroy the network and save the lives and souls of those taken.

The Murphy Shepherd series is a tender love story, a heartrending search for freedom, an exploration of the terrible cost of human trafficking, and an anthem to the power of love to create change. The Keeper raises the stakes even further, so be ready--you won't want to put it down until you reach the very last page. I was introduced to this series in Book Club and have immediately read every one of the Murph Shepherd series. I love his characters and this book introduces new characters to help in the Murphy's fight against human trafficking. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for offering me the latest installment in this wonderful series.

Another wonderful book by this author, a great ending to the series. I was drawn right back in and couldn't stop reading. it's a long book which was wonderful because then you get to really delve into the story and the characters. Just the way I like it. Can't wait to read another book from this author again very soon!

I received a complimentary copy from netgalley but was not required to read it. All opinions are my own.

The Water Keeper series by Charles Martin is my most favorite series of books that I have ever read so I can't explain my excitement when I learned that there was a fourth book added into the series. This series centers around the heavy topic of sex trafficking yet Martin handles it in a way that is informative of the horrors sounding it and also hopeful for those who are rescued out of it. Martin's line "the needs one the one outweigh the ones of the ninety nine" will stick with me for a long time.

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

Charles Martin is an amazing writer and his writing and use of words is so poetical and beautiful that I look forward to reading anything he writes. The Keeper is both heart wrenching and inspirational as it centers around human trafficking. I loved all the characters and it takes you on a roller coaster of a ride in emotions. This book is spectacular and I will hold my breath for the next one

The Keeper is book four in the Murphy Shepherd series. I have read the first three and was excited about this book. The story was good overall, but there were a lot of flashbacks and technical information regarding weapons, IT, etc. Some of the scenes dragged to me. The turning point in the story was around half-way through when I felt that usual emotional tug and shed a few tears. Do I recommend this book? Yes, but it might be beneficial to read the first three to get the full backstory on Murphy's relationship with Bones to feel the impact of the loss of Bones had on Murphy..

I really wanted to love The Keeper. The cover is amazing, the premise sounded as something I would like, and I’d heard great things about Charles Martin’s Murphy Shepherd series. But unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me.

First off, this is the fourth book in the series, and wow—did I feel it. From the very beginning, I felt like I’d walked into the middle of a conversation where everyone else already knew what was going on. After checking out some other reviews, it turns out a lot of readers strongly recommend reading the first three books before diving into this one. I definitely understand why now.

The story jumps around a lot with flashbacks, and it felt more like a long recap of past events—especially focused on Murphy grieving the death of Bones—than a new adventure. The pacing was super slow, which made it hard for me to stay engaged. I kept putting the book down and picking up something else instead, which is never a great sign.

Also, there were too many characters, referred to by both real names and military code names, which made it tough to keep track of who was who. That added to my feeling of being lost most of the time.

In the end, I actually had to DNF this one. I just couldn’t bring myself to keep reading. I wish I’d connected more with it, but The Keeper just wasn’t an enjoyable read for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed the plot, the characters, and the many settings of this book by Charles Martin. It is the story of a man who hunts human traffickers and the man who trained and recruited him. The main character is also a romance/thriller novelist. It is a story worth telling but is full of philosophy and detail that made the story distracting. While I recommend the book, it took me longer than usual to get thru it because of all of that but the plot and main characters are so interesting I kept plodding thru the very long pages of it. This is my first book from the author and I think this one may be one in "Keeper" series. Main character Murphy Shepherd. is held together in this book by his mentor, his wife, his children, and the many he has rescued. Thanks to #NetGalley#CharlesMartin#TheKeeper for the opportunity to be introduced to this series.