Here are two in a series of four books by author Charles Martin. The series (so far) includes “The Water Keeper”– which I gave to a friend — “The Letter Keeper” and “The Record Keeper,” which I’ve read and still own. The fourth, “The Keeper,” I’m waiting for it to come out in paperback.
One of my blogging friends suggested these books to me. I wish I remembered who. (If it was you, thanks! Please let me know in the comments.) Because the subject matter is rescuing and helping sex-trafficked children recover, my blogger friend knew that I donate time to a sex-trafficking residential recovery center. If you missed reading about my visit last week to the Phoenix Dream Center — Where Hope Lives, and the ribbon cutting for our Mother’s Kitchen — you can read it HERE.
In the “Murphy Shepherd” series, also known as the “Keeper” books, the protagonist hero has helped develop and support an entire town in the Colorado Rockies dedicated to sex-trafficked victims recovery. Not only that, but he makes the dangerous rescues. There’s also more to his story and what he does, but in the reverse of a spoiler alert, I’m not saying another word.
Here’s a snipped of a review of “The Water Keeper” from Charles Martin’s website, written by one of his son:
I can’t explain to you enough the rollercoaster of emotions I faced while reading this… I laughed. At times I didn’t breathe. Other times I read really fast in anticipation and suspense- and then re-read to make sure I didn’t miss anything important. At times I fist pumped in celebration. I even shouted a couple times in celebration and relief. But then yes, I also shed a tear or two. Then I cussed. Then I cussed at my dad. Then I cussed out my dad because he did the whole “rip-your-heart-in-half-thing” that we all love/hate him for. Then I repented of those because the next scene was usually one where he pulled the whole “blind-side-rug-out-from-under-you” move and I was fist pumping in celebration again.
Here’s a snippet from the description from Amazon:
With Charles Martin’s trademark lyricism and poignant prose, The Water Keeper is at once a tender love story, a heartrending search for freedom, an exploration of the terrible cost of human trafficking, and an anthem to the power of love to create change when it shows up regardless of the cost.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced, well written series of novels with characters you can’t get out of your head, I highly recommend Martin’s Murphy Shepherd series. He’s also written a number of other books. I’ve read a couple including “When Crickets Cry,” which I recommend. Martin writes beautifully and does his research.
If you’ve read Charles Martin’s books, which one did you like best?
What books are you reading now and what can you recommend?
