A riveting new story of heroism, heartache, and the power of love to heal all wounds.Murphy Shepherd is a man with many secrets. He lives alone on an island, tending the grounds for a church with no parishioners, and he’s dedicated his life to rescuing those in peril. But as he mourns the loss of his mentor and friend, Murph himself may be more lost than he realizes.When he pulls a beautiful … realizes.
When he pulls a beautiful woman named Summer out of Florida’s Intracoastal Waterway, Murph’s mission to lay his mentor to rest at the end of the world takes a dangerous turn. Drawn to Summer, and desperate to find her missing daughter, Murph is pulled deeper and deeper into the dark and dangerous world of modern-day slavery.
With help from some unexpected new friends, including a faithful Labrador he plucks from the ocean and an ex-convict named Clay, Murph must race against the clock to locate the girl before he is consumed by the secrets of his past–and the ghosts who tried to bury them.
With Martin’s trademark lyricism and poignant prose, The Water Keeper is at once a tender love story a heartrending search for freedom, and a reminder that the needs of the one outweigh those of the ninety-nine.
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The Water Keeper was my first book by Charles Martin but I doubt that it will be my last! This book has action and love from beginning to end! Murphy Shepherd seeks to find the one lost person rather than tending to the ninety-nine! There is lots of action and danger as Murph searches for a girl taken by sex trafficking slave masters. You will enjoy the rescued dog and an old ex-con. Your heart will go out to Summer, the mother of the girl Murph is seeking. You will get a new look at Florida’s Intercoastal Waterway and it’s secrets. Murph has to face his own past as he faces new dangers. The Water Keeper is a story of different faces of love. I received a complimentary e-book through NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.
Loved this book! Reread it immediately!
This book deals with sex traffic. so if you are sensitive to that, read with caution. As much as I love Charles Martin’s book, having read all but one of them, this one left me frustrated. Good, but too many things seemed beyond belief and the ending left me saying “What?!!!”
This was my first Martin book, which, depending on who you talk to, is either a good thing or a bad thing because supposedly it’s different than anything he’s written before. I personally like it when authors change it up a little, but hey… what do I know? I’m just a book addict.
Now, I’ll admit… it took me a couple chapters to become invested in this story. It started off way over my head and I just wasn’t connecting. But I gave myself “one more chapter” and, I’m glad I did because that chapter sunk its teeth into me and the whole thing just ramped up in intensity the further I read. It was suspenseful, fast-paced, hard to read at times (b/c of the subject matter), with a decent message and a hint of romance. (I wouldn’t call it a romance, however, which I was told it was. Not a total deal breaker though.)
I’m not quite sure I understand what happened in the end–the story twisted and turned, then twisted again, so I lost track and my simple brain may need someone to explain it to me someday, but…is it weird that I’m actually okay with that? lol
Now I’m curious about Martin’s other books, because… well, I want to see if they’re all this intense! I personally loved that aspect of The Water Keeper. If you’re looking for a book recommendation that might be outside *your* norm… I hereby give you my official recommendation (for whatever that’s worth.)
Charles Martian’s books are always fantastic. He has never disappointed me.
I have read almost all of Charles Martin’s books and enjoyed everyone of them. This one just fell a bit flat for me. There was a lot going on which made it hard to keep up with at times and to understand what was real vs. reality. There was a lot of action which was sometimes unrealistic. I personally didn’t care for all of the sailing details. I appreciate the subject matter (human trafficking) that was brought to light, and I liked Summer and Murphy. Over all, it was just a bit too busy for me and not one of my favorite books by Charles Martin.
**I was given a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.**
I haven’t read a book by Charles Martin that has not satisfied. His books are wonderful. Try one and you will be hooked.
I can’t say enough about books by Charles Martin! Since I read When Crickets Cry,I have devoured anything he has written.Great storylines and always Faith based thread running through them. Can’t wait to read his new book that just came out cause I have read his previous books.
It has been a week since I finished The Water Keeper. Despite reading other books, it is still on my mind. It takes a lot for a book to stay with me like that.
I have really enjoyed all of the Charles Martin books I have read or listed to on audio. The Water Keeper is totally different than the subject matter of his other book, and this one took me on an emotional roller coaster ride.
I saw some of the twists coming, but that did not diminish my overall enjoyment or appreciation of the book. The topic of human trafficking was so heavy and heartbreaking to me, because it is so real. The topic was handled in a delicate and tactful way, while giving you a picture of what was really going on.
I loved the characters but will admit, there was one I got, and stayed, angry at.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Net Galley. All opinions are my own.
This is the second book by Charles Martin I’ve read and loved. The subject matter of this book is difficult. The story starts off leading you to believe one thing about the characters and I wasn’t sure I’d be interested. It quickly changes and you start to realize who the characters really are. And you sort of do but there is a big twist later in the book. It ends with a couple of cliff hangers so I’m hopeful that means there will be a part 2.
This is a well written book that holds your attention. This is the first fiction book I’ve read by Charles Martin, now I’m hooked. This book tackles a hard subject, but it is a beautifully written, emotional read. I can’t wait to read more books by this author. This book is 5 stars all the way! Thank you Thomas Nelson–FICTION via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Water Keeper is a wild ride. The complex plot and broken characters put me through the emotional wringer.
Charles Martin is an off-the-charts amazing writer. His stories are rich with imagery and complex characters that work their way into your heart. Murphy Shepherd takes his boat down the coast of Florida, picking up off the wall, broken misfits with more baggage than his boat can carry. But Murphy has his own secrets, as he’s made it his life’s mission to hunt down missing women who’ve been trafficked.
The story is complex and at times weird. It took me a while to wrap my head around what was happening. So many plot twists kept me guessing, and this story is much darker and seedier than other Martin novels. The author drags readers right into the ick and evil of human trafficking.
This book has a lot of high action scenes. But at times I struggled with the reality of some of the scenes. The hero and his dog both seemed to be bullet and fire proof, and several times I found myself saying, “Really? How can that happen?” While some of the scenarios didn’t seem plausible, the story was so good that I willingly suspended my belief. Other parts made me question, “Why would that happen?” as there were a few uncomfortable moments that made me question character motives. I don’t want to give spoilers, but the author isn’t going to deliver you a tidy story wrapped up in a bow. It’s going to leave you with questions and unsettled feelings.
Despite my thoughts above, I enjoyed this novel. It’s one of those stories that sticks with you long after you’ve put it down. I love when authors take chances and write something different. Some Martin fans might not hang in there through this one, but I enjoyed the characters and the overarching themes about love and evil. I like that the novel isn’t what I expected, and hope readers will embrace it for being “off the beaten path.” Figuratively, and literally – because much of the story takes place in alligator infested swamps, rivers and back-woods Florida.
Overall Rating: 4 stars (I liked it a lot and would definitely recommend)
Suspense Rating: 4 stars (lots of action and suspense to keep me intrigued)
I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own
If you’re a Charles Martin fan, you should be excited about this one! The Water Keeper, the first in a new series, is a multilayered story woven together with grace and redemption, and packed tight with tension and achingly real characters.
Once again Charles Martin has turned me into a soggy sobbing mess. I do not know how he continues to come up with new ways to reach into the depths of my soul with such finesse. His ability to tackle current day issues and give them a personal twist is amazing.
The emotions you experience once you find yourself immersed in the story are varied. From anger, fear, love, loss, shock, to physical and emotional pain … you will travel with Murph and his motley crew of characters down the intercoastal waterway of Florida. You will feel the breeze blow as the boat travels along, smell the brackish waters, bathe in the warmth of the sun. But all of this is part of the journey to redemption…and not just redemption for Murph.
The tension builds the more you find yourself flipping the pages and there are times you’re not sure you can take much more. But the journey with Murph is worth is and the twists and turns along the way will have you gasping in shock. (I love when that happens in a book!)
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. When I am asked who my favorite authors are, Charles Martin is always on the list. His gift with words is astounding and something for which I am grateful.
My first read from this author, and I can honestly say that I haven’t read anything like it before.
A mix of action adventure/romance/intrigue, I found the story a bit confusing in the beginning. The story is written in first-person narrative and revolves around the life (past and present) of a priest/government agent/best-selling fiction writer.
Murphy has dedicated his life to finding lost souls, more specifically those taken in human sex trafficking, while also struggling with his own personal loss. This books contains some exquisitely-written prose, deeply-felt insights and thought-provoking passages. However, it can also get a bit convoluted, switching between real life and his fictional character’s life. There are also quite a lot of descriptive passages involving Florida’s waterways, boat jargon, etc. that at times straddle the line between interesting and tedious. But while this book had its moments of unbelievable feats/plot points, overall I found myself liking and rooting for Murphy to beat the bad guys, save the day and reach some inner peace for himself. I did have some issues with the two female leads in their neediness and questionable tactics, but tried to keep my focus centered on Murphy and his growth and development.
This is the first of a series, and I’m intrigued to see where it leads. I will say that I hope to see further info and insights into Murphy’s childhood and growing up years in future books.
My thanks to #NetGalley and #ThomasNelson for providing me the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.
Journey deep into the intracoastal waters of Florida and a dark, shadowy world filled with evil in this captivating tale that explores the international world of human trafficking. In spite of the evil and darkness in this multi-layered story, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love play a prominent role as well.
Murphy Shepard is a blend of Good Samaritan, Rambo, and Charles Martin. A retired priest who lives reclusively on a semi-deserted island crosses paths with a beautiful young girl who doesn’t realize the danger in which she placed herself. As Murphy finds himself drawn into a time sensitive search for the girl, he acquires a disparate crew of assistants that he encounters one-by-one along the way. Each unique person has a story and a purpose.
Emotional, heartbreaking at times, and memorable, this story will stay with you long after that last page turns. Charles Martin continues to refine his extraordinary storytelling skills with each new book. Don’t miss this one! Stunning read!
This ARC copy was received from Thomas Nelson and Netgalley. The above thoughts and opinions are wholly my own.
5/5
#TheWaterKeeper #Tnzfiction #NetGalley
I think this is my first book by this author and what a book it was! It was intense, fast paced , and full of some twists.
It was hard to put down! I really enjoyed it! Definitely recommend! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy
Another amazing story from Charles Martin. Riveting text. Hope that shines in the darkness of evil. Vibrant–broken yet strong–characters with a main character who believes the ‘needs of the one outweigh those of the ninety-nine.’ The story revolves around sex-trafficking in the Florida coastal areas and looks at the question–the heart’s cry of humanity–‘Whose am I?’ It is a reminder that love writes over old memories and writes what can be. What a marvelous story from an author who has quickly become one of my favorite writers. I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are my own.
I am undone. Really. This book is amazing. Can someone be in love with a fictional hero? I fell hard in 8 hours time. More like 5 minutes. This story is about love. Unconditional love. It’s about going after the one and leaving the 99 behind. This book is soul stirring. It deals with pure evil, sex trafficking. It has action, suspense, and mystery, with a kick butt hero. And did I mention unconditional love? This book will appeal to both men and women. This is typical Charles Martin drop-a-bomb ending that will leave chills and warm your heart. Just click buy now and be blessed.
*I was given a copy of this book by Thomas Nelson publishing. This is my honest opinion.