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

From beginning to end, this series has been captivating and thought-provoking. The Keeper is the fourth book in the Murphy Shepherd series and I would recommend it to everyone. Unless, maybe, you're a victim of sex-trafficking, this is a series that all people should consider reading. Because, you know what, sometimes the truth is uncomfortable. There are people in this world that are sick and cruel and need to be stopped.

The theme of these books is, "Because the needs of the one, outweigh the ninety-nine." In this story, Murphy is one of the lost. He's broken over the death of his mentor and friend, and needs to be reminded why he does what he does. There are some twists and turns that will keep you turning pages until the very end.

All I can say is, I truly hope there's more to come in this fantastic series!
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Keeper is the 4th in the Murphy Shepherd series so if you've made it this far, you're invested in this story.

In The Keeper there's a lot of review of the story from the first 3 books which is helpful to refresh what happened, but felt much like rereading the previous books. For anyone reading this as a stand-alone it will help make sense of the history.

There was a lot of reflective moments for Murphy, which again is so opposite of the fast-paced action that it takes a little getting used to the slower pace but Murphy has a lot to reflect upon given all he's been through.

It struck me that a parallel kept coming to mind with current political situations for some of the characters.

Many thanks for the ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and the author/publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

Great story. Even though I did not read the previous books in this series, it was still great. Will defnitly start reading the other books.
You have a new fan!!

The Murphy Shepherd series is one of my favorites, so I was surprised and delighted to hear that a fourth one was coming out!

This one didn't quite stack up to its predecessors for me.

It contains much rehashing of the events from the third book and hyper-technical details about guns that I skimmed or skipped.

With that being said, this is Murph we're talking about! You can't have a bad book with him as the hero.

There are some deliciously twisty parts that I enjoyed, and overall it was a great read!

Thank you to #netgalley for this ARC of #thekeeper

Those readers who have enjoyed the first three books in the Murphy Shepherd series will enjoy this addition. Readers will want to read the previous books to fully understand the story. There is lots of repetition from the previous book that makes this one a long read. Human trafficking is a harsh reality as portrayed in this story.

I was not very interested in this story until I got more than halfway through it. There were just so so many details that were of no interest to me. Details about weapons, tunnels, people. Perhaps many of the details were to let the reader understand the very close relationship between Murphy and Bones, as well as to help the reader understand the level of loss Murphy had at losing his mentor and friend, Bones.
I had not read the previous books in this series, so the any references to previous events, etc. had me at a loss.
I was tempted to give up on finishing this one, however, somewhere after the halfway mark it did get more interesting to me.
The author was very good at describing how the loss of Bones affected those close to him and making the reader feel the pain. Bones was one of a kind, for sure.
I was given an advanced ecopy by the publisher, Thomas Nelson, through Netgalley. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review.

Title: The Keeper
By: Charles Martin
Pub. Day: April 1, 2025

Genre:
Fiction, Mystery, Christian, Audiobook,

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

Memorable Quotes:

"You can't know who you are until you know whose you are."

“…the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the ninety-nine”

Summary/Review:
In this fourth installment in the Keeper series, Murph is torn between mourning the loss of Bones, and the demands of the next mission. The presidential hopeful Aaron Ashley is eager for Murph’s help since his three daughters have gone missing, and their whereabouts remain unknown.

Charles Martin is an author who writes suspenseful, engaging and character driven novels, with the perfect mix of Christianity. Martin’s writing triggers a wave of heart-wrenching emotions as the main character, Murph, continues to battle with the decision of sacrificing his life to save others, in this case, the daughters of Mr. Ashley. Although this is not my favorite novel of Martin’s, it is another portrayal that prompts deep reflection in the reader while additionally offering insight into the devastatingly hidden world of human trafficking.

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.

#TheKeeper
#CharlesMartin
#BoldwoodBooks
#reluctantreaderreads
#advancedreadercopies
#ThomasNelson
#ZondervanFictionAudio
#NetGalley

I have to say that I was a bit disappointed in the conclusion of this series. Charles Martin has been one of my favorite novelists: cerebral without being overly flowery. Most of his work that I have read can appeal to either gender. There is always a strong male character who is still in touch with his softer side.
In this novel, it felt like there was a lot more stuff about guns and much more that appeals to male readers (I know this sounds a bit sexist). There were moments that bring out Murphy Shepherd's softer side but many fewer. For those who have read his earlier books, he is a guy that writes romance fiction that women love and this always fit in before but I think it was only raised once in the conclusion and nothing was done with it.
Martin's writing, when at its best is pithy and terse but still says so much but I felt like this went on too long, perhaps because it didn't feel like his earlier work. Maybe next time, Mr. Martin.
2 1/2 stars rounded up.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for providing me with this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a warning, this series really needs to be read in order, otherwise, you will not understand the relationships and history of each character.

This novel is a quick acting tale of recovering the Vice President's three girls. The primary character, Murphy Shepherd, well known for the community he leads in Colorado of saved victims of human trafficking, leads the investigation and recovery plans.

The deep conspiracy of Frank, the brother of Murph's mentor, Bones, along with people invested in keeping the VP from running for President, make the task nearly impossible. This is the fourth book in this series, and is even more fast-paced than his others. The only reason I decided to rate this a 4 instead of a 5 is the need to read the other three books in order to deal with the character without confusion.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy.

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
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WOW, WOW WOW! As always Charles Martin does not disappoint! This in my opinion is the Best book of the series! Could not put this one down. Huge thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for giving me the opportunity to read this book. This book had all the "feels" and I can see a fifth book coming "fingers crossed".

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.
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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.

When I saw this book was available I was absolutely doing a happy dance. This Murphy Shepherd series has been one of the most wonderful, emotionally-satisfying reads I have found in a long, long time. I couldn't wait to tear into this one. This is the fourth book in the series, and yes you can read it as a stand alone, but I would recommend you start at the first one and savor each one as the story of Murphy Shepherd unfolds.

Description:
In this fourth book in the Murphy Shepherd series, 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:
This book is both heart-warming and gut-wrenching as are all of the books in this series. Murphy is grieving badly at the loss of his friend and mentor Ekekiel Bones Walker. He doesn't know how to handle moving on without Bones. When his friend, Vice-President Ashley, calls and asks for his help as his three daughters have been abducted, Murphy has to find a way to pull it together and try to find them without Bones. He doesn't know if he can. I was sobbing as I read and felt Murphy's pain and grief and loss. I was smiling as Summer showed Murphy her love and her faith in him. There's also a beautiful, wonderful wedding in Freetown! Then there are also seven generals Murphy must find and put away to break up a large sex trade group. I love the characters. I love Summer's twirls. I love Murphy's heart. And I love Bones and his steadfast love. Anyone with a heart will love this book and the entire series.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson through Netgalley for an advance copy.

I was so excited to receive the fourth book in the Murphy Shepherd series from Net Galley. This book has Murphy reeling from the loss of his friend and mentor, Bones. Then he kicks in high gear to search for the Vice President's kidnapped girls. There's action and twists and turns as Murphy and his team continue the fight against human traffickers.

I love Martin's writing style, how he develops the characters thus keeping me interested in how the plot develops. I also love how he recaps the previous book and how the end ties it all together.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review.

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.

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.