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.

After reading and loving the first 3 books in Charles Martin's "Murphy Shepherd" series I could hardly wait to get my hands on book 4 The Keeper. I was not disappointed! Like the others, The Keeper is a perfect page turner.
Once again we are in the world of Murphy Shepherd who has devoted his life to finding survivors who have been taken. This time Murph receives a call from presidential hopeful Aaron Ashley, his three daughters have been taken and there are no leads.
Murphy must battle evil in this unputdownable novel with multiple surprises, many plot twists, edge of your seat suspense and wonderfully endearing and unique characters.
I am totally captivated with Charles Martin's story-telling!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Charles Martin always tells such a good story and this one is no different. The Keeper is well written, the characters help you feel connected to the story and leaves you thinking about the story long after you've finished it.

A reason why you should try the first book in a series before you request all of them.
I just can't get on with these. The narrator is great, but plot wise the subjects are so similar, and the Christian angle is too much for me at the moment.

I discovered Charles Martin and I haven't looked back since. When he writes, it's almost like you're reading poetry or prose. This is the first in the series I'm reading and I will definitely be going back to read the previous 3 books.

I'm not going to give anything away but you truly can feel emotions coming off the page as you read and it all points back to Christ on the cross.

As our protagonist deals with losing his mentor, the vice president's children get kidnapped and off he goes on the hunt, while dealing with his loss. It's always about that one lost sheep, not the 99 left!!!!!

Keep em coming and I'll keep on reading!

Solid 5 stars!!!!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this ARC, BEYOND GRATEFUL AND HUMBLED 🙏🏾🙏🏾
THE KEEPER OUT NOW!!!!!

Please do not read this book until you have read the other books in the series.

This was my first book I read from the series and although I enjoyed the book, I was felt lost sometimes. I must say I am in love with the cover of the book as it is very beautiful. The book had a balance of action-filled moments and emotional moments.

I enjoyed the narration as it fitted the main character and really brought the story to life.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins Christian Publishing and Charles Martin for the ARC.

In this 4th book in the Murphy Shepherd series, Bones has lost his life and without him Murphy does not know a way forward. All his life he has rescued the Lost ones and now he must forge his way alone. Even now he's not allowed to grieve in peace. The Vice President's three daaughters have ben taken by the traffickers, proving no one is safe. With a dedicated team and a lot of fervent prayers, Murphy will rescue these young women and find himself facing a new adversary.
There is no indication of another book, but no indication this is the ending. Charles Martin keeps giving inspiration to everyone fighting human trafficking.

I was thrilled when I saw there was going to be another book in this series. I loved this continuation of the story. There were tears of joy and tears of sorrow. I rarely re-read books but, after reading The Keeper, I will be going back to re-read the rest of the series. I cannot recommend them enough.

I can hardly put into words how incredible this series is or the range of emotions this book took me through. I put off reading it for so long because I didn’t want it to end before it even began — and when I finally picked it up, it completely wrecked me (in the best possible way). Reading it during Holy Week made the experience even more profound. The allegory between Bones and Jesus is chef’s kiss — absolutely stunning — and it broke my heart in all the right ways. This series has forever secured its spot as my #1, whether I’m reading it or listening to it. The audiobook is just as beautiful as the written word, with Jonathan's narration being absolutely perfect for any role — but especially this one. This story will stay with me forever.

This is an intense story that both rips your heart out, then inspires and provides hope.

This story is about very dedicated, loving, good guys and amazingly horrible bad guys. The people that are rescued heal over time and become people that help others. So the group helping others just keeps growing. There is also an amazing dog in the story that is by the side of one of the main characters.

This is my second book by Charles Martin. I have not read the first three books of this series. The author gave enough information that this book can stand alone, but others said it would be better if you read the whole series. This is not an easy book to read. The lows are really tough to read. The highs are just amazing and you want to celebrate!

While I am a die hard Charles Martin fan and he remains one of my favorite authors, this fourth installment of the Murphy Shepherd series was a bit unnecessary. His beautiful writing shows through and the story is action packed, reading more like an adventure movie, however it is also long and repetitive. I admire his desire to shed light on human trafficking but I'm not a fan of reading books so dark and somewhat disturbing. I'm ready to move on from Murphy Shepherd and get back to the family dramas and faith filled messages that I fell in love with years ago. My thanks to Thomas Nelson for providing a review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Having read most of Charles Martin's fiction and the other three Murphy Shepherd books, I was very interested in reading The Keeper. It is another amazing story, one that will not soon be forgotten. I want to believe there are men like Bones and Murphy who will leave all to rescue the lost, men who know the vulnerability of love; that there are men in the nonfiction world who understand that we cannot know who we are until we know whose we are, and that belongingness matters. The characters are unforgettable. The ugliness of the trafficking world is almost unbelievable and unbearable...to think that greed and power bring people to commit the unthinkable. And yet the story is one of hope. I am reminded of Jesus, the Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to rescue one lost sheep. I was given a complimentary copy of the book through NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are my own.

Charles Martin is an excellent writer . The Keeper is part of a series that really should be read in order. Know it will be enjoyed by any one who is a fan of Charles Martin.

The fourth in the Murphy Shepherd series and, whew, Mr. Martin takes us on an emotional ride! These cannot be read out of order! Do NOT read this one before any of the other, but especially not #3 as you will give yourself a huge spoiler from the end of #3. I’ll try to review this without any spoilers from any of the books.
Throughout this book Murphy is dealing with the grief of the events at the end of book 3. He’s trying to understand who he is, in light of these new circumstances. But his job isn’t over. No matter what grief he is dealing with, there is still evil out in the world trying to continue down evil paths, and taking innocent victims along the way. Including, a direct hit on a close influential friend. Murphy has to work through his grief, while working through this evil plot, and trying to figure out who is behind it all before it’s too late.
I appreciated seeing even more how Murphy’s community and the team he has built throughout this series comes around him to help hold him up. It emphasized the need for community. I struggled with some of the events in the later part of the book being pretty unrealistic. It helped the characters, but almost seemed like the wrong way to resolve some of Murphy’s problems (I can’t say more, but if you have read it too, I’d be curious how you felt about it!). I haven’t heard if Martin has plans for more books in this series but I see a clear path he set out for possibly up to 6 more, and maybe even starting to transition to a different lead? Not that I don’t love Murphy, but I could see how that would be a fun way to further the series.
Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. It is already published, but as stated, the fourth in a series. So if you haven’t started the series yet, go check out #1, The Water Keeper, and this one will be waiting for you when you get here!
#NetGalley #TheKeeper