This story jumps around alot in place and time and is quite confusing as an audiobook. I also struggled to connect with characters or plot because of the robotic intensity of the audiobook narrator. Reading it in tandem with the audiobook would be best in order to keep everything straight.

I could not get into this book unfortunately and it was a dnf for me which I tried my best to push through!

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!

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

I appreciate the opportunity to preview this book, nfortunately it was a DNF for me. There was no hook at the start that was enough to keep me interested as the story plodded slowly onward, and the narration by Johnathan K. Riggs only made it worse. This cannot be the same author with such critically acclaimed work, like When Crickets Cry. Where is that masterful storytelling that makes the reader feel as though they are a part of the fabric of the tale being woven together?

Murphy Shepherd returns.

In this one, he has to rescue his new wife, newly discovered daughter, and girls he has saved once before. The emotions that were missing in book 1 showed in this one. In the first book, it seemed more like it was just a job even though he memorized every victim's name. Murphy showed emotions in The Letter Keeper. Possibly because it was more personal but I want the emotion.

This one was better written. The audiobook was well narrated by Jonathan Riggs.

“The Letter Keeper,” wonderfully narrated by Jonathan K. Riggs, is the third book by Charles Martin that I have listened to. I had never read/listened to anything by Charles Martin before, but now I am a real fan. This is the second book in the “Keeper” series. (#1 is “The Water Keeper and #3 is “The Record Keeper.” In this book, the story of Murphy Shepherd (a best-selling novelist, an ordained Anglican priest, and a person, operating on the outside boundaries of the law, continues to rescue the vulnerable who are trafficked and support those he has rescued in the past. Even though the story is grim, the telling of it is beautiful an I admire Murphy Shephard and all that he stands for. Yes, he is almost superhuman in his powers (and perhaps everything about this novel is quite far-fetched) but it is full of heart and love. I plan to start the third book in the series immediately.

Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of this wonderful book. My opinions are my own.

The Letter Keeper by Charles Martin
Murphy Shepherd is the hope when everything seems lost. He finds the souls drowning in the world of human trafficking. His mission is finding a path to freedom and redemption to the lost soul. Then the tragedy he battles, hits close to home when his wife and three teenage girls are taken, he is left with no answers.
“When all hope is lost, love shows up.”
This is the second in this series and another phenomenal story!
I really enjoyed this one and I will continue reading! Charles Martin has become a beloved story teller and favorite author.
The audiobook is so well done. The mellow voice of the narrator takes the story to a new level. 5/5⭐
I would like to Thank NetGalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook.

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 Letter Keeper is the second 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 Letter Keeper, Murph rescues Casey, a trafficked girl with a long history of trauma. He convinces her to write her stories down and they get published into a book. Murph also finds loves again with Summer, a character we met in book one. Many other adventures take place in his journey throughout the book and resilience prevails as always.

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 the next book in this series.

I was so excited to read this series! It's a gripping story from the beginning, and it's perfect for the reader who wants a mystery that still holds lots of emotion and depth. This is a beautiful story and absolutely worth the read!

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 Letter Keeper is Book 2 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 eagerly started The Letter Keeper right after. 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. 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 today! I will be waiting for more!!

The Murphy Shepherd series:
1: The Water Keeper
2: The Letter Keeper
3: The Record Keeper
4: The Keeper (review to follow this one)

Read The Water Keeper First!

Here’s what to expect from Book 2—with no spoilers—

-We learn more of Murph’s past as he is asked to tell more of his story.
-We gain a glimpse of what it is like to recover as a survivor shares her story.
-Bones gives Murph a letter to explain some of his actions but Murph is not sure he wants to read it.
-Payback has come as those closest to Murph are taken.

Again, the audiobook is well worth purchasing.

This book is suitable for mature 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. I also purchased the ebook version.

This is definitely one of my favorite series (not including fantasy) that I have read in quite a while. I love Murphy's character and that he works to help people who have been affected by human trafficking. While this is a "Christian fiction" book, it is not overly preachy so that anyone that doesn't appreciate Christian fiction should not be put off.

One of the main themes of this book is that you should always leave behind the 99 to go find the one and I absolutely love that theme. I will definitely be moving forward with the series. In my opinion, this one was better than the first book in the series. We still get to interact with Gunner, Summer, Clay, Angel and the other girls living at Freedom Town.

It gives a really good look at characters that don't feel like they are worthy of being saved but Bishop comes after them every time so that they know that there will always be someone there for them when they need it.

Just a beautiful story with lots of action but without the filth that is included in so many good books today.

In The Letter Keeper: A Murphy Shepherd Novel, book 2, Charles Martin has done it again! This action/adventure, romance series is jam packed with danger and heart. Somehow he's able to achieve this combination with a surprisingly calm pace for this particular genre. Though this one does move a bit faster than the 1st book.
If you like a lot of details in your books, along with a slower pace, I think you'll enjoy this one.
I read the audible version of this book. The narrator, Jonathan K. Riggs, does a good job managing each of the characters and keeping the story going at a fairly steady pace. I found his voice to be calm and soothing in a way that worked well with the story.

After dedicating his life to rescuing others, Murphy faces a personal nightmare when his wife and her daughter are abducted. The search becomes intensely personal, pushing him to his limits as he navigates a path filled with dead ends and danger. This installment delves deeper into Murphy’s past, revealing the experiences that shaped his pursuit of justice and his unwavering commitment to those he loves.

Second in the series, this one seemed slightly disjointed with two distinct story lines with a lot of monologue in the middle. While I still enjoyed both plot lines, I would have liked more apparent through line. I still love the action and the emotional storylines.

Book #2 in the Murphy Shepherd series. You could read this as a stand alone and enjoy it but you'd miss most of the back stories of the principal characters. These characters have all suffered through difficult challenges and come out better on the other side. Murphy in particular has gone from a lonely person living apart from the world to a man with a family. In THE LETTER KEEPER, Murphy's new family is threatened, then taken. He will do what he does best and rescue them while stopping a trafficking ring. While this my not sound like an original story line, you don't know Charles Martin's works. Yes, this series is thrillers. No, it's not just any thrillers. Martin develops the characters into real people, the descriptions of the Florida coastal waters is so well described, you "see" it. I listened to this book on audio and the narrator does Martin's works justice as only a person who loves reading could. Whether you read the book or listen to it, Murphy Shepherd is a character you need to know.

4.5 stars rounded up

A great second instalment in the Murphy Shepherd series that had me on the edge of my seat and took me on an emotional rollercoaster ride. I didn't read Christian fiction until I stumbled across Charles Martin, and I'm loving it. It's very refreshing to have an action thriller novel without all the usual profanities and crass remarks - proof that you can still portray 'real' scenes and characters without all the ugly words, and still capture a reader's attention from start to finish.

I enjoyed getting to know the characters from book #1 better and the new additions fit well within the story. They all feel so real, and their experiences are believable. The subject matter is current, traumatic, heartbreaking, and beautiful all at the same time. Reading this series has opened my eyes to the world of trafficking, and it terrifies me. I particularly enjoy how the author 'gets inside the head' of his characters, resulting in a very insightful and thought-provoking read. The author manages to educate the reader and gets the reader to think - I often stopped listening just to take in the profound message that I'd just heard. I started on book #3 as soon as I finished this one!

I'm enjoying the narration by Jonathan K. Riggs. He breathes life into each character and doesn't overdo voices. He conveys the emotions well and adds depth to each character that I myself might not have done so well had I read the book rather than listened to it.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a complimentary audiobook for review. My opinions are unbiased, and my review is voluntary.

This book is so good. I am listening to it and the narrator sounds just like what Murphy I would image what Murphy would sound like with a concerned voice with care and love emphasized. Also, this story feels in the blanks of how all this started for Murphy and Bones.
Such a good listen and story.

I wasn't aware this was the second book in this series, and if I knew that I would have first read book one in order to be able to understand what was happening. So I have to say that it was my mistake for not making a research before requesting this audiobook. I didn't like the narrator, and for obvious reasons, I didn't understand what was happening as I didn't know the characters. I might try to give a second chance after reading the first book as a physical book, but unfortunately, at this point, I had to DNF it.

thank you Netgalley for the ALC in exchange of my honest review.

Once again, an absolutely amazing, gut wrenching, beautiful story. This series just keeps getting better and better. I listened to the audio and love how well the narrator brings the story to life. I cannot wait to start the next in the series!!

This is booked 2 in Charles Martin’s Murphy Shepherd Series. The Letter Keeper pretty well continues where The Water Keeper ended. This is definitely a series that you need to read in order.

This is only my second Charles Martin book, but already I know that he writes emotional stories with heartbreaking subject matter. His writing again tackles the subject of human trafficking, but done with respect and compassion, while at the same time tells it like it is.

No longer on the Florida coast Murphy has returned to Freetown with those he rescued in The Water Keeper, there is hope for these women in Freetown, however evil is still crowding in on him. Here we get more backstory into his relationship with Bones and his first wife Marie. I have found that his stories tend to have a tell verse show to them which works perfectly fine here. Especially since I was given the audiobook from the publisher, it's like Murph is telling me his story.

Not to say too much about The Letter Keeper, because honestly, I am still reeling from the next book in series (review coming soon)..

I highly recommend the audiobook which is read by Jonathan K Riggs, who did another amazing job.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Audio for the audiobook
in exchange for a honest review.