I didn't realize that this is book 3 of a series when I read this book. I do believe you should read the series in order, as it must provide background that I didn't have. That being said, the book is very well written and describes a true bond of friendship and brotherhood between the characters.
I will read the first 2 books and re-read this so I can get the full storyline.
I did enjoy the interaction between the characters, but I need to understand what caused the tension between Bones and his nemesis. I was amazed at the compassion of Murphy and Bones, and was thrilled to read about all the people they saved from a destructive situation.

A very hard topic to read about. There is a lot packed into this story and most of it is heartbreaking. I know we need to learn more about this topic so we are aware of what goes on outside of our own circles in life but this is hard.
I appreciate the information in this story and the advanced copy.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction for the ARC of this audiobook for my honest review

This is probably my favorite from the series , the action was riveting, it didn’t feel as repetitive as the previous books and the characters were amazing. The way the writing is done in this whole series is so incredible and you can tell that this writing is so thought out and detailed. The only reason I don’t usually enjoy this series is because of the repetitiveness so I feel if this author wrote non series books it would be so incredible and possibly even become a classic. It felt very logical and thought out throughout all of the action scenes and I would recommend.

Really tried to compete but it was quite distressing hearing about the repeated sexual trafficking as a SA survivor. But wanted to review what had read out of respect to the author and NetGalley.

Otherwise the book was incredibly well written and read.

I didn’t love that some of the survivors/victims are expressed as “servicing clients” - which denotes consent. Any form of sex trafficking counts as rape and none of those encounters are consensual -especially when they are *children*, and shouldn’t be insinuated as so, as it’s disrespectful to those who go through this trauma. Whilst it was referred to as rape in many other parts of the book, I felt at least this one part was an oversight.

Trigger warning - discussions of sex trafficking.

An Exceptional Book. I enjoyed it , even though it was very emotional when Frank pulled Bones down with him.

I love this series! Here Murphy is faced with the terrifying situation, where Bones, the man who taught him everything he knows about rescuing victims of human trafficking, is himself kidnapped, by his own evil twin. Bones has left clues, anticipating this shocking event. Bones shows the ultimate example of leaving the 99 to try to rescue the 1 lost, much to the shock and grief of Murphy, all those Bones has rescued, and the reader, like me! Is there hope? Is the cost of freedom worth the sacrifice? This story will really touch you!

Love, love love Charles Martin Books! I'm so glad a coworker introduced me to his work! As I stated in another review, I just think his books are great! I love the stories of the books, but I love how he incorporates our Lord and Saviour in his books.

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 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*

In this third book in the Murphy Shepherd series (which was apparently thought to be a trilogy - until it wasn't) we learn more about Murphy's story. But this one is also as much about his mentor and friend, Bones, as it is about Murphy. Bones' backstory is pivotal not only to our increased understanding of Bones, but to Murphy's rescue attempt after Bones disappears. It's another story of heroism in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, the "importance of leaving the 99 to save the one", and the embodiment of Murphy's favorite saying, "Love always wins". But does it? Another well-honed installment in this series, made more enjoyable by the excellent narration by Jonathan K. Riggs.
My thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Audio for providing a digital copy for an unbiased review.

The Record Keeper is the third and last book in the Shepherd Series. To get the full impact of this book, you need to read the first two - The Water Keeper and The Letter Keeper. This series is awe-inspiring, gut wrenching, emotional, moving, powerful. This is some of Charles Martin's best work, in my opinion. This is a story you don't want to miss out on. And while he has said this is the final book in this series, I pray he will continue on.

I listened to this audiobook, and I really liked it. The narrator was very good, and the book kept my attention.

This is the third book in Charles Martin's "Keeper" series. Many of the characters from the first two books of the "The Keeper" series continue in this book, which I think is great. It also introduces some new characters that add some depth to the story. Even if you didn't have the opportunity to read the first two books of the series, this book does well to read on its own.

The same protagonist, Murphy, continues to be a great guy. The book dives into the relationships and history of the people introduced in the first books. It dives into one of the main character's ugly family history and the black sheep of the family.

The author continues to do a great job bringing a Christian perspective to ugly situations. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to the next book in the series. If you enjoy a good, suspenseful, well-written book, I think you'll enjoy "The Record Keeper."

I received a complimentary copy of this audio book through NetGalley. Many thanks to the publisher, Thomas Nelson, and the author, Charles Martin, for the privilege to listen to this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

How can each book in this series be so good! Often, there is a dud in the middle of a series, but with this one, Each one is amazing. These stories and these characters will stick with me for a long time. They have me praying for people in similar situations, with similar hearts. In this one, Murphy has to save his friend and mentor, Bones. And the villian is big one! I listened to this one immediately after finishing The Letter Keeper, because I couldn't wait. Now I am excited to read The keeper. I highly recommend this author, this series! You do not want to miss it!

I loved learning more about Bones and his life. It definitely was not an easy life, but he made it count and saved many lives. The conclusion to this installment of the Murphy Shepherd series was satisfying and sad. I look forward to reading the next book to see what becomes of Murph.

Once again, Jonathan K. Riggs did a great job narrating this series. I look forward to listening to more of Jonathan's work in the future.

Murphy Shepherd series, and this is book 3. I have read book one and left a 5-star review. With that in mind, and reading the synopsis for this book, I thought I would like this book also. Let me say that I do feel the book is written well, and my problem is with the storyline. If it had been mentioned that this book would have child trafficking and child pimping I would have not chosen it. As I see this as a subject that needs light shed on it, I also know what I can handle. I struggled with finishing the book because of the subject. I also struggle with leaving a review, but I will be honest. As I said before, the book is written well, and if I didn't have a personal problem with the subject, I would be able to leave a higher review. I just wish I had been informed as to the subject before committing to listen to the book. The narrator, Jonathan K. Riggs, does an excellent job with the narration.

A touching story to listen to! Charles Martin dedicates a great deal of effort to his books. The third of the series, even though dealing with a touchy subject, will keep you listening or turning the pages until the end. Looking forward to the next book.

The Record Keeper
Murphy Shepherd #3
Charles Martin
This is the last book in the Murphy Shepherd trilogy. It’ s a good read but took me a bit to get into it. I have not read the first two books, “The Water Keeper” and “The Letter Keeper” and that may be why it took me a while to connect. This book is not for the faint of heart. Human trafficking is a large part of this tale. I found it difficult to listen to this story. Human trafficking is evil.
Murphy Shepherd and his cohorts rescue women and children that have been taken for trafficking. There aren’t a lot of graphic details but enough to break your heart. The first two books focused on Murphy, his encounters and operations. This the last book has more of a focus on Bones. His story will break your heart. We learn why Bones has a mission to rescue. Bones’ twin brother is the evil in this tale. Bones and Frank lived a life of hell as children.
This story is well written, so well written that I wondered if the story was inspired by actually events. There is a Christian message within the pages of this book, but it is not an in-your-face message. The message is like the shepherd and the sheep, when one wonders off you go retrieve it. The genre of this book is thriller and deals with issues of integrity, suffering, and faith. One of my favorite quotes from this tale, “You can’t know who you are until you’ve settled whose you are.”
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Emotionally rocked! I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jonathan K. Riggs. I was unfamiliar with this series or really the premise, it gripped me right out of the gate.

It felt like the narrator was telling me HIS story, I felt like someone was telling me their emotional life story. I could feel the pain, the sorrow, and the hope to my core. It had such deep meaning, and impactful metaphors.

It is a Christian Mystery/Thriller so it is clean, off page violence; the story is about human trafficking but again it is told in a way that is raw yet again off page without being in your face details, but you understand the horrors. And it is about the people that are part of an un-named government ops group that save those that are lost, rescue the wounded, and bringing them back to safety, no matter the cost to them and their team.

My only criticism is that the epilogue felt long, but hang in there because it wraps up the trilogy, the ending so good.

Now I need to return to the beginning!!

The Record Keeper by Charles Martin is a suspenseful and emotionally charged conclusion to the Murphy Shepherd trilogy. When Murphy's mentor, Bones, is kidnapped, Murphy embarks on a relentless mission to rescue him. This installment delves into themes of sacrifice, justice, and the profound impact of love. Although I had not read the previous books in the series, I found this novel compelling and impactful as a standalone.

Clearly in the minority with this series. I just found them too similar, similar plotlines, and felt I was being preached at.

I really wanted to like this series but I really struggled to find the heart and emotions behind the words. The narrator has a robotic intensity to his reading that kept me from feeling any connection to the plot or characters. This is the third in a book that deals with difficult topics of human trafficking, grief, parenthood, addiction and faith that has so much potential but It didn't work for me, sadly.
Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to listen in exchange for my thoughts. All opinions are my own.