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
#reluctantreaderreads
#advancedreadercopies
#ThomasNelson
#ZondervanFictionAudio
#NetGalley

The Keeper by Charles Martin

Murphy Sheperd shows up and shows out in this book! His side kick is the real hero that shows up every time – Gunner is awesome! Every great story has an epic dog and this one is phenomenal!

In this new one, Murphy faces down the worst kind of evil while he is recovering from the loss of his mentor.

“Love shows up!” Best message ever!

This story is heart-wrenching and will keep you on the edge until the end with some mind-blowing twists!

My only critique is that some parts were so long in recounting previous volumes, I sometimes had to heck to see if I was still listening to the latest book.

I truly loved this whole series!

The narrator did a phenomenal job giving depth and personality to the characters. The characters are so beautifully developed. You will fall in love with the whole cast of characters.

Brilliant writing and a beautiful mellow voice in the narration!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review the ARC of this title and thank you so much for introducing me to a new favorite author with an amazing series! 5/5⭐

The Keeper is a gripping installment in the Murphy Shepherd series that blends Christian themes with mystery and romantic suspense. Charles Martin delivers a fast-paced, emotionally charged story centered around grief, healing, and redemption. The plot, driven by a tense kidnapping and layered with heart-wrenching moments, keeps you hooked from start to finish. Jonathan K. Riggs’s narration is outstanding—his voice adds depth and urgency, perfectly matching the suspenseful tone. A powerful continuation of the series that fans won’t want to miss.

A special thankyou to Charles Martin, Thomas Nelson Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This series is the epitome of why I love NetGalley! I am not sure I would have found this series otherwise and it now belongs in my short list of favorites series of all time! ❤
The Keeper is Book 4 of the Murphy Shephard series. I was thankful that it was marked part of a series. I decided to read The Water Keeper first and kept going through to The Keeper. The series follows Bones and Murphy as they tackle the human trafficking trade and rescuing them from the dark underworld of sex slavery. While the series centers around their work, it is so much more! Readers are drawn into the lives of Bones and Murphy and their "dysfunctional" family. It is difficult to write a review without spoilers so I will just say that Bones and Murphy's relationship continues regardless of the tragedy that occurred in The Record Keeper. We get a chance to focus on a few other characters while Bones takes a back seat for a bit. This story tears your heart out one minute and then gives you endless hope and joy the next. I haven't ugly cried like this in as long as I can remember. Charles Martin is a beautiful wordsmith. The books read like poetry more than a novel at times. The Keeper was released April 1st, 2025 and based on the way it ended I will be eagerly waiting the next book!!

The Murphy Shepherd series:
1: The Water Keeper
2: The Letter Keeper
3: The Record Keeper
4: The Keeper

Murphy Shepherd has lost his best friend and mentor, Bones (a significant early part of the book recounts their relationship) , and now must carry on their mission of finding trafficked girls. Austin Ashley is currently the Vice President of the U.S. and the odds on favorite to be elected the next president. Someone manages to kidnap his daughters, leaving nine secret service agents dead. Murph is called in and he and his team set out (on what seems to be be an impossible mission) to save these girls. The search uncovers who has pushed this crime, including high level government officials. This is a long and rambling novel with enough action to keep you interested, but also with deep dives into love and relationships and religion - not to mention the human trafficking. Not overbearing but what I think is Martin’s trademark.

This is the 4th book in Martin’s Murphy Shepherd series. I did not know that when I requested the audiobook from the publisher. I think it would have been an easier read if I had read the earlier editions although the author apparently makes several references to the past books. Two additional thoughts on the audiobook. First, the narrator, Jonathan Riggs, was excellent (something critical when listening to audiobooks). Second, this was a very, very long “listen” - almost 15 hours. I hope I can find the time to go back and read the earlier books in this series - particularly to connect with Bones. My thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for providing the pre-release recording of this book.

I have been a huge fan of Charles Martin since my bookclub read, When the Cricket Cry. That pulled me in and I have read every book written since then. And the Murphy Shepherd series has been one that has touched me and had me sobbing tears as I got lost in the story of Murphy, Bones, the people of Freetown, and the other characters who are rescued by the people who feel that the “needs of one outweigh those of the ninety-nine.” You have to read the book to really understand the depth of that statement. But, before I go any further, you need to go back to the first book and start at the beginning to understand the lengths Murphy and Bones go to in order to tackle the harsh reality of human trafficking. Charles Martin takes a difficult topic and weaves through the hope of being found and God’s love will never give up on you. There are some twists and turns and your heart will ache as Murphy learns how to navigate life without Bones being a part of his support network and encourager. His heart is broken and his struggle to deal with this loss is heartwrenching. I love what one reviewer, Ebos Aifuobhokhan, wrote: People hurt by others, but transformed into a beautiful mosaic by love of the Shepherd. A story of grief, healing (physically, emotionally, and spiritually), love, and loss ... you will not want to put the book down until you have absorbed every word and emotion and closed the back cover with a sigh. Put this one at the top of your to-be-read list!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Adult
Christian
Contemporary
Inspirational
Suspense

I love these books. I sat here trying to figure out how to start this review and all I could land on was that. These books encompass adventure, romance, hope, and have the gospel threaded throughout.

This is a four book series and although you could probably read this as a standalone, you don't want to. This series is full of rich character development, building on previous plot lines, and complexities you would miss out on enjoying reading them out of order.

I'm selfish and want as much of this series that Charles Martin is willing to write.
---
At the end of the first three, we as readers and Charles Martin as a writer said he was done with these books. But we all needed to return. We needed to go through the journey of emotions the closing of book 3 sent us on and this story is so rich and doesn’t pull any punches that by the end, I could not see how this series could exist without this edition. Plus, we not only got a continuation of the story of the first three books, but we got backstory on the two main characters that added a whole new layer of meaning to it all.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson for the gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Letter Keeper by Charles Martin has it all! Action, adventure, emotions, a little romance, spirituality, good against evil, and underlying stories of resilience courage that prevails no matter what.

The Keeper is the fourth book of the Murphy Shepard series. “Murph” is our hero how rescues young, sex-trafficked girls across the world for the US government and is also a trained priest. He’s already been through so much as a child and teen and then enrolls in the government program to use his skills to find missing girls who no one cares about anymore.

In The Keeper, Murph is assigned a new task of helping find the kidnapped daughters to the Vice President. He is still reeling with the emotional trauma of losing his mentor and best friend “Bones”, who he could not save in book 3. He is lost without his friend and mentor as his guide and does a lot of soul searching as he continues to do his job of rescue kidnapped kids and get to the bad people behind it.

This story has twists and turns throughout the entire story that keep you glued to storyline and you are guessing what comes next the entire time.

In my opinion, this fourth installment of this series has been the best!

The pace of the book is perfect. It’s fast and exciting to keep you waiting for what is next. I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator was great. He kept the pace and momentum going perfectly. He wants you to feel as you are in the story with all the characters.

I am looking forward to seeing if there is more books in this series.

Another great addition to the Murphy Shepherd series. The author delivers the same poignant, thought-provoking story that I've come to expect, and he delves some more into the history of the main characters. I enjoyed the addition of new characters and a slightly different storyline - it all came together perfectly, and I'm looking forward to more books in this series in the future.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves a crime/thriller novel. I'm a new fan of this style of Christian fiction - it's not too intense on religion and still packs a punch with the action. Each book has played out like a movie in my head while I'm reading and has left me reflecting on life. I did find this story a lot more repetitive and has more 'flashbacks' than the previous books, but it's possible that I noticed it more because I'd just finished the first 3 books in quick succession. I feel that this book can be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel as there is enough backstory introduced to allow new readers to follow the story. I do recommend reading the entire series though to have better understanding and enjoyment.

Johnathan K. Riggs once again delivers impeccable narration of this story.

Thank you to NetGalley, HaperCollins Christian Publishing, and the author for a complimentary arc for review. My review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.

EXCERPT: PROLOGUE
Somewhere on the dark web in an encrypted chat room:
MAN 1: "Money received. Target address?"
MAN 2: "See attachment."
MAN 1: "Security protocols?"
MAN 2: "Same package."
MAN 1: "House schematics?"
MAN 2: "Same."
MAN 1: "Target?"
MAN 2:"Three. And I want them all."
MAN 1: "Collaterals?"
MAN 2: "The mother. Hands off. Not to be harmed."
MAN 1: "Dogs?"
MAN 2: "Yes."
MAN 1: "Trained?"
MAN 2: "Very."
MAN 1: "Father?"
MAN 2: "Away."
MAN 1: "Secret Service?"
MAN 2: "Make a statement."
MAN 1: "Define 'statement'."
MAN 2: "Leave bodies."
MAN 1: "Orders following extraction?"
MAN 2: "Photographed. Then taken and held at this address until further notice."
MAN 1: "And once there?"
MAN 2: "Keep them alive."
MAN 1: "Any restrictions? I need to be specific with my men."

A pause.

MAN 2: "The spoils of war. Enjoy the fruits of your labor."
MAN 1: "Much obliged."
MAN 2: "Pleasure doing business with you."

ABOUT 'THE KEEPER': Murphy knows Bones didn't hesitate to give his life to stop the evil perpetuated by his brother, but there's still work to be done. Though Frank is gone, his organization is not, and almost even before Bones's funeral in Arlington is complete, Murph receives a call that the three daughters of presidential hopeful Aaron Ashley have been taken and there are no leads.

The girls' lives on the line and time is of the essence. But Murphy has never done this without Bones. How can he grieve his friend and mentor, figure out who he is without Bones, and navigate a new role for himself with team . . . all while putting total focus into finding these daughters?

When his daughters are finally rescued, Ashley steps back from the presidential race. But Murph knows something about the timing is a little too convenient for the senator who steps in to take his place. The far-reaching tendrils of Frank's organization are entangled even here, and Murph and his team will stop at nothing to root them out.

MY THOUGHTS: I love Charles Martin's writing and have enjoyed this series but think this may just be my last visit with Murphy Shepherd.

The Keeper is very long and repetitious. There is one very long section basically pasted and copied from the previous book, The Record Keeper. I commented in my review of The Record Keeper that I had 'a few rolled eyes at the pages detailing bullet trajectories and other technical information (just a tad TOO MUCH, Mr Martin), and I have exactly the same comment on The Keeper - FAR TOO MUCH TECHNICAL INFORMATION, Mr Martin. If you are a reader and not an aspiring marksman, just how many lectures on bullet trajectories does one person need?

And again, far too much information in the blurb. It's okay to know that the three daughters of the US presidential hopeful, Aaron Ashley, have been kidnapped. It ruins the tension of the read knowing, before we even start, that they get rescued.

Other than the unwarranted repetition and excess of technical information, The Keeper is action packed and beautifully written. I applaud Charles Martin for his recurring themes of the fight against human trafficking and the rehabilitation of the trafficked. In The Keeper, Martin also highlights the abuse of power and trust.

I love Charles Martin's beautiful and empathetic writing. Even during the darkest moments of this narrative, the was always the light of faith, love and hope shining. While I may be parting company with this series, I will continue to read his stand-alones, of which 'Chasing Fireflies' is so far my favorite.

If you are a fan of technical thrillers, the Murphy Shepherd series is for you. But please do start at the beginning to get the full benefit of the history between Murph and Bones and their relationships with the other characters.

I was able to complement reading with listening to The Keeper by Charles Martin and narrated by Jonathan Riggs. As always, Riggs narration is superb. Please note that the repetition of large chunks of information and all the technical intricacies detailed mean that this is an extremely long book. The audio is 14 hours and 52 minutes in length, the book in excess of 400 pages.

⭐⭐⭐.5

#TheKeeper #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Christy and I married in 1993. If you include dating, I’ve known and loved her for more than half my life. She is and always will be the home for my heart. We have three boys. Charlie, John T. and Rives. Folks often ask me, which of my books do I like the best. You might as well line up my sons and ask me who I love the most.

My hobbies are bow hunting, working out (a blend of old school stuff and martial arts, called Fight Fit) and Tae Kwon Do. In October 2012 I earned my black belt but I’m still the least flexible person you’ve ever met. The guy that trains me, laughs everytime I start warming up. My boys are far better at Tae Kwon Do than I but I doubt they have as much fun – I get to do and watch. They just do.

I also like to write, but that’s another story. (source - charlesmartinbooks.com)

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC and an audio ARC of The Keeper by Charles Martin for review. The audio ARC is narrated by Jonathan Riggs. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.