The Water Keeper

Author: Charles Martin

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: May 5, 2020

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Martin’s writing never ceases to draw me in.  This was like a cross between Taken and RED.

Murphy Shepherd lives a very unique life.  Mostly in solitude, he lives on a island of the Florida Intercoastal Waterway in a seemingly abandoned church.  He has a lot of past and present secrets.  He is content with where he is at in life until he meets a young girl of about 16 named Angel.  She barges into the church one night while a ship is docked up by his island.  It quickly becomes obvious that she is drunk and likely high.  Murphy figures that she is being trafficked out of Florida but doesn’t want to get involved anymore as he is trying to put that life behind him.  There are only so many you can save.  As he sets out to spread the ashes of his mentor in the sea, he begins to pick up a few strangers along the way.  First is the most well-trained dog swimming along in the waterway.  Next is a former dancer turned waitress who wrecks a small craft in the waterway, and finally is a terminal disease-stricken man found lying in an alley.  As the story of his new shipmates unfold, he finds that they link to this young girl that stumbled in and out of his life a few nights ago.  Murphy finds that he has one last adventure left.

Charles Martin books are so enjoyable.  You can’t pick one up and not be drawn into the story almost immediately.  This book was no exception. I quickly found myself wrapped up in a story that was almost a bit like watching the movie Taken with Liam Neesen.  Then as the story tracked further, it was he picked up a few pieces from Island of the Misfit Toys that developed into RED.  Needless to say, it was a thrill ride of a story. 

Although the story deals strongly with human trafficking in the sex industry, there are several redeeming qualities throughout.  Some readers may be a bit squeamish during some of the scenes, but the story that unfolds is well worth it.  Murphy finally lets his wounds heal throughout the story and readers get to see the real side of him.  I’m thoroughly excited to see that this is the first in a series.  I can’t wait to find out what happens to these characters in the future.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher.  The views and opinions expressed within are my own.