The Keeper is the fourth novel in the Murphy Shepherd series and hopefully not the last!
This has been an incredible action packed, suspenseful and emotional experience.
All of the stories addressed the serious issue of human trafficking of children and young women and what extreme measures others are prepared to take to save these innocent lives.
There is love, sadness, hope and friendship throughout the narratives. Charles Martin’s writing is rich in detail, which helps to create an immersive experience. He incorporates local history adding depth to the stories he tells. Jonathan K. Riggs is the most entertaining narrator I’ve encountered so far in my new adventure with audiobooks.
Thank you to the author/publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Charles Martin is such a powerful storyteller! The Keeper picks up where the Murphy Shephard trilogy ended. This beautiful story of grace and redemption deals with the difficult subject of human trafficking with a mix of disgust (for the perpetrators) and compassion (for the victims). There are several flashbacks so you can easily follow this novel of forgiveness and mercy.

Thank you Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the early copy. All opinions are my own.

The Keeper by Charles Martin
This book, number 4 in the Keeper series, was full of surprises. It does contain the same cast of characters as the previous book, with the addition of a few new ones. It rehearses much of the last book to refresh the reader’s memory about the end of Bones’ life. I found that helpful because it had been awhile since I had read the third book. But the surprises take your breath away! And the author keeps the door open for more stories in the series.
Readers who enjoy some action-packed adventure with a true hero—one worthy of admiration—will be glued to this book. I am grateful to the publisher for the arc in return for this, my honest review.

4th in a series. I recommend reading the other three before you pick this one up but definitely take the time to read all four books. The plot in this one is about human trafficking so know this going into this book. Always a great story by this author. I haven’t read one of his stories I didn’t enjoy. Thanks for the advanced copy from the publisher and NetGalley.

As usual with this series, there's a lot going on. In the way of a warning, there's a lot in this story about human trafficking, and although it may not be extremely graphic, it is graphic enough that if you have a problem with this kind of thing, you probably should stay away from this one! Again, as in the last Charles Martin book I reviewed, there is some repetition in this book, and there are some pretty impossible scenarios... Having said all that, if you have read the other books in this series, you may want to read this one too! You'll find out more about Murphy and Summer's relationship, and there are some other good elements to the story that you will want to know!!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance e-copy of this book! All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I've been a Charles Martin fan for years, and he is very popular with our patrons. His writing is lyrical and he draws you right into the story. This one was excellent, and I am grateful for the advance copy. Looking forward to telling our patrons about it!
This can be read on its own, but I do think reading the first three books in the series would enhance the reading of this one.
*This book deals with human trafficking, as do the others in the series.*

Charles Marten has been a favorite of mine for years. I had not read all of the Murphy Shepherd series. These should be read as a series. But I enjoyed the book. The subject of kidnapping and human trafficking is hard to read, even though Charles Marten does a good job of not getting too detailed. Still a difficult reality, and a hard subject to write about. Definitely did not read right before trying to fall asleep. The story was gripping and suspenseful. I appreciated that the author included the Biblical principle of leaving the 99 to go after the one lost sheep. There were elements of romance, well done. There were some surprises, done only the way this author seems to excel at creating. I will read Charles Marten again.

I had the opportunity to meet Charles Martin last year and hear him speak. Needless to say I was doing summersaults and backflips when he told the crowd there would be a 4th Murphy Shephard book. If you are just discovering this book, please go back amd read the first three. There are several references that won't make sense without all of the backstory.

"Because the needs of the one outweigh those of the ninety-nine."

This has been the dominant theme over this series as Martin tackles the harsh, ugly and evil world of human trafficking. We all need a Murphy Shephard and Bones out there who will break down that door and go rescue the one suffering. As in the other books in this series, Martin shines a light on a subject that desperately needs attention with the most delicate hand and showing a way to hope, recover, live and still love.

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

This is another theme that resonates throughout all of the books in this series. Knowing we are all God's children. Without hitting you over the head with a Bible, Martin continues to write Christian lessons that make me dig deeper in my soul, make me think and at the end of the day bring me closer to God. Martin is a magical author in this aspect.

"We all lose our way. Sometimes it just takes somebody else to find us and bring us back. Remind us."

Murphy normally is the one searching for the Lost, but in this book he is lost and broken after losing Bones. While he is still going after those who were taken, he is also finding his way back, getting beautifully reminded of who he is. At some point in everyone's life, they go astray or feel lost. This is a reminder that we can all find our way back home.

There are some new characters introduced and a few unexpected twists that only add to the depth of the story. My only criticism is there is alot of repetition at times. However, for me, this did not detract from my overall view of the story. And it seems as if Martin has left the door open to future books in this series.

If you have not discovered Charles Martin or read any of his books, please do so. I promise you will not be disappointed.

My thanks to Charles Martin, Thomas Nelson Publishing and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I received a copy for review purposes; all opinions are honest and mine alone.


Book #4 in a series, THE KEEPER, by Charles Martin, is a political thriller that can be read as a stand alone but will be more rewarding if read along with the other volumes in the Murphy Shepherd series.

Even tho’ he has what seems like impenetrable security, someone has managed to kidnap the Vice President’s daughters without leaving a clue or any trace evidence behind. He’s the lead candidate in the upcoming election and the only way this happens is with insider assistance at the highest levels. Was it someone in Congress? The Senate? POTUS?

Murphy and his team are called to find the girls, bring them home and restore justice.even tho’ they haven’t really mourned the death of their beloved team mentor, Bones. As with other books in the series, there are subtle romantic relationships that provide much needed relief to the dark subjects of trafficking, kidnapping and political espionage.

Martin delves into the smarmy underbelly of the political elite. While this story isn’t based on real events, I found it difficult to keep from putting actual Washington characters into the various roles. This series would make a great movie or series project.

The character, Murphy, faces life changing challenges. Because of this, there is an extraordinary amount of self chatter and review of events that happened in previous books. If it occurred once, first time readers would be well clued in but Murphy is struggling and some events are replayed multiple times, bogging down the prose and bulking up the volume unnecessarily.

Faith, family, country and honor are strong themes. Martin’s writing is free from foul language, descriptive sexual content and explicit violence. It’s also replete with technical details about guns, ammunition and security technology. If you’re interested in these things, you’ll be in heaven. If not, break out your scan & flip skills as the descriptions can go on for multiple pages.

Originally, I tho’t this was going to be the final episode for Murphy and his crew but the ending leaves a door for them to once again stealthily pass thru📚

Read and Reviewed from a NetGalley eARC, with thanks

I have not read all of the books in the series, and I would strongly suggest that you do read them in order. In general, there seems to be a lot of info dumps. That is good in some ways, to refresh the reader, but it was too much at other times. Overall, there is just a lot going on. As a result, there were many scenes that dragged along. There were a lot of good scenes, as well, but it was a bit unbalanced for me. Perhaps a tighter edit could have helped this. The subject matter is a serious one, but it is also a difficult one. There is definitely a spiritual angle to the book, along with key themes of grief, healing, and love.

Another great Murphy Shepherd book by Charles Martin! After Bones gives his life to stop his brother's evil, there is still work to be done. But Murphy doesn't know how to go on without his friend and mentor, Bones, But the daughters of the vice president have been taken and there are no leads, so Murphy has to get to work with or without Bones. How can he focus on this rescue while grieving? Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I always appreciate Charles Martin's lyrical style of writing that flows with grace and simplicity. The story, also, is compelling, particularly as part of the Murphy Shepherd series. The biggest challenge here is the while this story stands on its own, the significant flashbacks/summarizing of past stories might leave those who enjoy the series saying "I already know this; let's move on." I think that is a major difficulty when writing books in a. series. Others may think differently than I do.

In addition, while I know the twist in the third act probably made a lot of fans of the series happy and definitely sets up another book, I would have been curious what would have happened if Martin would have left things going in the direction they were going, wrapped up the Murphy Shepherd stories and began something new.

Again, I think Charles Martin is one of the best writers in his genre. These are just some musings of a long-time fan.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

I was so thrilled to know that a 4th book was added to The Keeper series, and this one was just as much of a beautifully insightful, twisting journey as all of the others!! Murph is trying to get his feet under him after the loss of Bones, and struggling to do so. When he’s called upon to rescue the kidnapped daughters of the vice president, he throws himself into his natural role of rescuer, despite his grief. Deeper layers of evil are brought to light as Murph and his team do what they do best. The surprises in this one are delightful, and true to form, Charles Martin weaves Christ’s love for His Bride all throughout the story. I’m hoping for a 5th book (at least), as the ending seems to leave an opening for more to come!

Murphy Shepherd has been well trained by his mentor, Bones, to take on the daunting task of rescuing young victims of human trafficking. The problem is that he has never done so without Bones by his side. When Bones is lost while trying to free his evil twin brother from the chains of his depravity, Murph does not know how to carry on alone. He is caught up in grief and an endless replay of memories where Bones was everything to him. Though Murph is finding it difficult to move forward, he knows he must because the seven deputies under Bones' brother will be looking for greater power to enslave others. Fortunately, Murph has the love and support of his wife and close associates, as well as the unquestioned support of the Vice President.

The first three books in the Murphy Shepherd series are brilliant. This fourth one, though still beautifully written and painting a hopeful picture for the one out of a hundred who is lost, has a much slower pace. It includes a lot of flashbacks of Murph's recruitment and training by Bones, as well as a lot of trawling through Murph's psyche as he grieves. Readers will definitely want to go through the books in sequence as one builds upon the next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Charles Martin just has a way with creating a story with emotion, action and an uplifting message that never disappoints. This book is the fourth in the series and dealt with loss and grief as well as the evils of human trafficking.

Murphy has lost his mentor and tries to build a team to help him take down the evil that has taken the daughters of the Vice President. I absolutely love Murphy Shepherd and I really enjoyed how deep Martin went into the life of faith a person lives. The addition of Camp to the series adds even more interest and another amazing character in the series. As each event happens you learn more and more about unconditional love and how Murphy grapples with some hard truths.

I highly recommend this book as a great page turner with twists and turns as well as some deep insights into dark topics.

Charles Martins has my heart any day and anytime with his book. This was an amazing read.

This is the fourth installation of the Murphy Shepherd series, and it did not fall short.

My heart went out to Murphy. His pain was so palpable through the pages after the loss of Bones and trying to feel his shoes. Even through his pain, he still found the strength to do what he did best; finding the one. When Ashley's daughters were taken, I thought my heart was going to stop.

The inhabitants of Freetown are my favourite people. People hurt by others, but tranformed into a beautiful mosaic by love of the Shepherd.

The overarching theme of God's love for us was the highlight of this book for me.

I received a copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion.

This is book 4 of the Murphy Shepherd series. I didn’t realise this until I was about 12% into the book. I felt a bit lost at first but fairly quickly caught up. Still, I wish I had read the first three, which I plan to do.
This story is about rescuing, mostly female, children from the atrocities of human trafficking. Murphy Shepherd puts his life on the line to rescue these children.
The Keeper begins with Murph at Arlington National Cemetery, where his mentor and best friend, Bones, is being laid to rest. Although he is dealing with his own agonizing grief, in Bones honor, he vows to continue with the mission of saving innocent children. Already in the works is a plot to take the three daughters of a high-profile family.

Lots of plot twists and tense scenes will keep you turning pages with themes of sacrificial love and the healing power of love in this heartfelt story.

Fans of Martin will enjoy the 4th installment in this beloved trilogy. I'm not sure what I was expecting but this exceeded them. Well done.

I have recommended it on social media in a private group with thousands of members.

Charles Martin always delivers an excellent novel and this one was no exception. The Keeper is the 4th book in the Murphy Shepherd series, and is based on human trafficking. The story has many twists and turns and will keep you guessing till the very end. Martin shows the web of deception and evil that is in our world today. The story is also about redemption, healing, sacrificing, love, and good against evil.

The keeper starts with Murphy mourning his best friend and mentor, Bones. He is trying to deal with such an enormous loss and carry on to rescue boys and girls who have been trafficked by evil people. Murphy is in a race against time to rescue the Vice Presidents 3 daughters. Will he be able to without Bones by his side guiding him. I liked the way the author talked about spiritual things in a natural way dealing with grief, healing, love, etc.

I highly recommend this book and all of Charles Martin’s books. He is an exceptional author. Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for an advanced copy of this book.

The Keeper
Charles Martin
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In this fourth book in the Murphy Shepherd series, Murphy is still reeling from the loss of his mentor, Bones. Knowing that Bones sacrificed himself to take down an evil empire created by his brother, Frank, doesn't make it any easier. Although Frank is gone, his underlings are not, and someone has kidnapped the three daughters of presidential candidate Aaron Ashley.

Murphy is called on to find the missing girls, but he's never completed a rescue mission without Bones. In spite of his grief, he assembles a team and determines to not only find the girls, but to take down whoever ordered their abduction.

The overwhelming theme of this book was love, but not in the romantic sense. Instead, it is the deepest love imaginable that overcomes darkness. Love that willingly sacrifices at great cost. Love that binds hearts together beyond friendship or family. Intentional love that invests in the lives of others. Love that invariably leads to deep pain.

Martin is a master storyteller writing on the outskirts of human depravity that crushes the soul. Somehow he makes his story about light and about love. He challenges our conceptions of true love and whether we are willing to risk all to gain something priceless. Martin illustrates the real truth of a shepherd leaving the ninety-nine in search of the one who is lost. It’s more about the shepherd being willing to leave the security and comfort of the flock to let the one sheep know he is valued. The shepherd must be willing to sacrifice himself.

The Keeper is a beautiful story that will make you long for a friendship like that between Bishop and Bones. More importantly, it is a story that produces great thankfulness for our Shepherd, Jesus Christ, who sacrificed Himself as the Lamb of God.

We received an advance copy from NetGalley. This is our honest review.