The Record Keeper

by Charles Martin

A Murphy Shepherd Novel

Scott County Library hardcover 288 pages

Published: 2022

Genre: Christian realistic fiction

 

This trilogy is action-packed and intense, dealing with commando-style rescuers going for the victims of sexual trafficking. We had a good book club discussion on Monday night. And some different opinions about the meaning of the ending! 

 

Page 9 - "I, as much as anyone, knew that hope is what feeds us. It's the currency of mankind. The fuel of the soul. Without it, we wither and die."

 

This is something I agree with wholeheartedly! Hope is so powerful and necessary. One of my favorite t-shirts from Feed My Starving Children has a nautical theme and the saying "Hope is an anchor for the soul."

 

Page 62 - "We didn't know who we were, and more importantly, we didn't know whose we were - forever proving that identity precedes purpose. You can't know who you are until you've settled whose you are."

 

Identity is a strong theme in this book. Knowing "whose" you are - the power of knowing I am a child of God has made all the difference in my life!

 

Page 137 - "From the first page, I knew you were the one. Maybe the only one. I would have given anything to publish you, and yet you were so easy on me. In all my professional life, I have loved nothing more than giving your beautiful, innocent, powerful words to the world. To this day I don't know how you do it. How you string them together and suck us all in."

 

In this scene, David Bishop / Murph Shepherd's agent is gushing over him. It made me giggle, thinking of Charles Martin having a conversation with his editor about this. 

 

Page 171 - "'Round here, you don't think about it much when you're young, but as you age, you start to thinking that the end is closer than the beginning, and one thing all us old guys think about a good bit is who's going to lay us to rest. A friend, or just some guy sent to dig a hole?'"

Oh my! This scene with Clay and Murph at the prison cemetery is so powerful. Life and death, aging and eternity . . . big things to think about.

Page 208 - "Of course. I'm a woman. You're a man. I swear, sometimes you're dumb as a bag of hammers."

Angel is such a great character! Her "bag of hammers" comment made me laugh.

Page 219 - "'Your training is officially over. Congratulations. You've graduated.'"

I don't want to put a spoiler here, but this conversation between Bones and Murphy . . . ah.

Page 229 - "A sow can reproduce three times a year and birth eight or more piglets each time, proving to me that they're just overgrown rats."

Again, a little levity helped balance the incredibly intense content and action. He has just described the violence the pigs wreak on the island. 

"Then Bones." - I am curious about what Martin is writing next.