I always love a good Christian mystery/suspense, and this did not disappoint. This is the fourth book in the sires, and I feel I need to go back and start from book 1. But overall this was a great book.

This is literally one of my favorite series!

Murphy Shepherd is one of a kind…he tracks down people that have been kidnapped and brings them home and in his spare time he’s a best selling author.

This book concentrates on working to break up the organization founded by Frank. We get more of the story about several different characters from Free Town and of course lots of action but thankfully without unnecessary sex or language thrown in. Charles Martin if definitely an auto buy for me!


I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion

So many emotions were felt while reading this book, happiness, sadness, and anger. I don't know if this will be the final book in the Murphy Shepherd series, if it is, it ended on a high note. If this is not the end, then I look forward to reading where Charles Martin takes us next.

Jonathan K. Riggs, once again, did a great job narrating this series.

Charles Martin’s The Keeper is a masterclass in emotional storytelling, and the audiobook elevates it to an unforgettable experience. Narrated with depth and nuance, the voice performance captures every ounce of Murphy Shepherd’s grief, grit, and grace as he embarks on his most personal and perilous mission yet.

This fourth installment in the Murphy Shepherd series is a powerful blend of suspense, heartache, and hope. With Bones gone, Murph is left to navigate a world still riddled with the evil they fought so hard to dismantle. The stakes are sky-high when the daughters of a presidential hopeful are abducted, and Murph must act swiftly, without his mentor, but with unwavering resolve.

Martin’s prose is poetic and piercing, and the audiobook format brings it to life in a way that feels intimate and immersive. The themes of sacrifice, redemption, and the relentless pursuit of justice are handled with sensitivity and strength. The human trafficking storyline is harrowing but necessary, and Martin approaches it with compassion and clarity.

What truly sets this audiobook apart is the emotional resonance. You don’t just hear Murph’s journey—you feel it. From the quiet moments of reflection to the pulse-pounding action, every scene is delivered with authenticity and heart.

Whether you're a longtime fan or new to the series, The Keeper is a must-listen. It’s a story of courage, love, and the enduring power of doing what’s right—even when it costs everything.

Thank you to NetGalley, Charles Martin, Harper Audio Christian Publishing- Thomas Nelson Fiction, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

On paper, The Keeper had everything that usually draws me in—military themes, emotional fallout after the death of a friend, a high-stakes kidnapping plot, and the heavy reality of sex trafficking. But despite all that, I struggled to connect with it, and I’ve been trying to pinpoint why.

Ultimately, the story was confusing. There was a lot of jumping back and forth in the timeline, and a huge cast of characters whose names alternated between real ones and military code names—it was hard to keep track. I also went into the book blind, and for a while, I couldn’t even tell if it was a novel or nonfiction. The narration (I listened to the audiobook) didn’t help either—it was delivered in a way that made it sound like a true story, which added to my confusion.

The cover also didn’t align with the content for a good chunk of the book, and that threw me off too. And while the pacing started off promising, it dragged on. I thought I was close to the end, only to realize I was just 65% through.

The narrator’s obsessive reverence for his fallen friend—who was clearly an important figure in his life—ended up feeling repetitive and overdone. We’re reminded constantly how revered he was, to the point that it began to feel idolizing and unnecessarily intense.

At times, the book leaned heavily into moral lessons and personal convictions in a way that felt more like a lecture than a story. It pulled me out of the narrative and made the tone feel a bit heavy-handed.

Add to that a surprising number of references to cellulite (which got old fast), and I found myself losing patience.

I also didn’t realize this was book four in a series, but honestly, I’m not sure reading the earlier books would have helped much.

All in all, The Keeper was a tough read for me, and I found myself forcing the finish line.

ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Murphy Shepherd series is simultaneously 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 when it shows up regardless of the cost. 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.. This was part of the synopsis and sums this story up succinctly.

I love all the main characters. Mr. Martin certainly took me on an emotional roller coaster. I’ve read the first in the series and plan to read books 2 and 3 soon. The ending leaves an opening for the next book. There were several unexpected turns in this book. Outstanding narration. Highly recommend the entire series.

I was blessed with an ARC and these are my own, unbiased opinions.

Martin is a gifted writer and I was glad to see the continuation of the Murphy Shepherd series and how Martin brings forgiveness and redemption into his stories. In The Keeper Martin has some beautiful prose and, once the plot starts rolling, the story is intriguing. My problem with the story was that so much of the story was mourning and loss and re-hashing of the previous novels. Perhaps the author felt it was necessary in order for the novel to stand alone, but it slowed movement considerably.
Recommended for fans of Christian fiction.

This was an ARC audiobook I received from NetGalley.

I just adore this series, and book 4 did not disappoint. The author keeps a good pace, and I love the religious pieces throughout. It is not overly preachy, and he makes it fit in seamlessly. I plan to read everything Charles Martin writes.

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.

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.

Love Love Love this book. The Narrators are good. The storyline compelling. Going to read the rest very soon.

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.

I can’t wait to read the next installment of the Murphy Shephard series! Listening to this audiobook has been such a joy. I love how invested I became with the characters, mostly because Martin does an excellent job of character development. While I had an idea of the ending, it was still a good ending and well written. I need to see how the story of Bones ends up!!! Thanks to #NetGalley for the audioARC of #TheKeeper.

The Keeper by Charles Martin is a powerful and emotional read that really sticks with you. The characters feel real, the writing is beautiful, and the story is full of heart and redemption. It’s about second chances, healing, and finding hope when things feel lost. Martin knows how to tug at your heartstrings without overdoing it. If you like stories that make you feel something, this one’s definitely worth your time.

This series is one of my absolute favorites. I love Charles Martin's beautiful writing. I love that in the midst of writing about a tough topic (human trafficking), there is always light. I love the way spiritual elements are woven throughout the story that really tug at your heart without feeling preachy or phony -- likely because his characters have messy, relatable pasts.

This is also a story about redemption, the value of a human life, and what it means to love.

This one lands as a 4⭐️ read for me. What keeps it from being 5 stars? Too much repetition. The theme of this one has our main character, Murphy, going through a difficult life challenge that has him replaying events from the past. The flashbacks bogged down this story. I still loved the book though and this series will always be one of my favorites!

While you could probably read this without the first 3, I'd recommend reading from the beginning to get the full history between Murph and Bones and the other characters.

🎧 The narration by Jonathan Riggs narration is superb! I've thoroughly enjoyed this whole series on audio.

Thank you @thomasnelson and @netgalley for the complementary ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. #gifted

Excellent read. Even though it is book 4 in a series it would be a good stand alone book. It does a good job recapping things from the other books so you would know what was going on if this was the first book of the series you read.

Beautiful series and so well written. I received this an audio book and the narration is so well done. Highly recommend!

I Need Book 5, Please!! I couldn’t help myself. I devoured The Keeper as soon as it released so now I am waiting…again…this time for Book 5…because I have to know more…

This series will continue, I’m sure, because it has to. There is still so much to uncover relative to who is dictating this evil. I also have high hopes for budding romances. Ok. I’ll stop.
What I loved about this book?
1. I continue to love Charles Martin’s respect for marriage and thus, God’s design and what that means. We revisit that in this book and to a greater degree in some pages.
2. I love all of the firearms talk. That they are named (I do that, too, but don’t own an armory). Also, the plan execution and the tech team work.
3. The bad guy plot and the view of the extreme damage these people inflict upon the innocent. Everyone should have to understand the cost...not just those who have been through it. Thankfully, some justice is achieved in this series and I also love that.

This book is a bit lengthy in order to fill in some character info from the previous 3 novels, making it a potential standalone read, but I wouldn’t do that. Each character has their own intricate background story, so reading the whole series is well worth it. The Keeper is not as fast paced as some of the other books in this series but keep reading. It gets really good before Martin writes The End.

I also continue to enjoy this series in audiobook format. Jonathan Riggs casts a backdrop of passion these characters have for their work coupled with a little levity to help us catch our breath.

This book is suitable for teens and older with no inappropriate intimate scenes and no bad language. I received this audiobook from the author/publisher free of charge, with no expectation of a positive review.

You can't judge a book by its cover and that continues to hold true with this one too. The Keeper is the 4th in this series by Charles Martin and it can be read as a stand alone (which I did). This was well written and will be a big hit with male readers or anyone who loves action and learning more about weapons.

This almost seems to weave a couple main characters and past and present all in one - so you really have to "pay attention" or it can be a little confusing. The one thing that was a stand out for such (at least in audio format) the author repeats himself - word for word, a few times. The first time, I thought the electronic audio had "skipped" and when it happened again, I looked up reviews and saw, this is a common thing this author does.

This starts out as the Vice President's three daughters are kidnapped and then the ones who come to find them - with stories woven throughout. I read anything Christian Fiction, and the author does do a great job with weaving in faith throughout the storyline, just be aware, the content in some of this story, does go a little on the "dark side" of things and if childhood trauma is hard to read, this may not be the read for you at that point.

Title: The Letter Keeper
By: Charles Martin
Pub. Day: June 8, 2021

Genre:
Fiction, Mystery, Christian, Audiobook,

Trigger Warnings:
Human Trafficking, Sucide, Drugs, Intimate Scenes

Memorable Quotes:

“Stripped bare, the human soul has one real desire: to know and be known.”

“But words are like bullets. Once they exit the barrel, it’s impossible to bring them back.”

“There’s a thing that happens when we start to believe the lies about ourselves, and when we think other people believe them too. Those lies become our prison. The bars we see through. They hold us captive. It’s like some giant hand holding our head beneath the surface of the water. Every few minutes it’ll let us up, only to sink us farther the next go-round. A vicious cycle. In my experience, only one thing on planet earth breaks the power of that hand and flings open the prison doors.” She nodded, whispering, “The truth?” “And until you speak it with your mouth, out loud, you’re bound.”

Summary/Review:
The Letter Keeper another novel in the Murphy Shephard Keeper Series by Charles Martin. In this narrative, Murph has to save the important women in his life from the evil lurking around every corner. Martin masterfully weaves the reader through the pivotal, and harrowing heartbreak of human trafficking, maneuvering the reader through the fast lane of emotions which will echo in the soul of the reader long after the last page. I highly recommend this novel and especially this series! Excellently Narrated! The narrator's tone and ease of voice kept me engaged the entire time!

Thank you to Charles Martin, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio, Boldwood Books , and NetGalley for the opportunity of an Advanced Readers Copy. I am voluntarily leaving my review.

#TheLetterKeeper
#CharlesMartin
#BoldwoodBooks
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#ThomasNelson
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