Author Charles Martin hooked me with his first book and I’ve been a fan ever since. His novels contain deep wisdom and turns of thought that make me pause, mouth open. I’ve often said I would read a grocery list if he wrote it.
I put off reading his newest release. I’d heart it dealt with human sex trafficking and, honestly, I thought I’d read enough books on that topic. But he is a master storyteller and his approach was different than anything I’d read before. As Murph, the main character, goes in search of a young girl he met briefly, he picks up a collection of strays who join his hunt for the girl named Angel. The girl’s mother, a dog that could be an Olympic swimmer, and an old man who appears to be on his last breath but turns out to be the dog’s owner. Each one contributes to achieving the goal.
Martin weaves in Biblical ideas and truths in ways that are intrinsic to the story without being pushy. He has so many story threads going, I’m amazed he can keep them all straight. And this leads me to my first disappointment with the story..
At times, it’s just too much. Too many stories going on. Too many details. The story takes place in Florida and those who live in or are familiar with Florida will probably enjoy all the local names of cities and waterways and where there are no-wake zones and the local lore. Personally, I found it confusing and rather boring. I suspect he included all that to add realism, but the names meant nothing to me and I skimmed over a lot of those parts.
The fight scenes probably thrill male readers, but I had a hard time believing a man (or a dog) could be so injured and still accomplish all the things Murph and Gunner did. Even though I cheered them on, the author lost credibility with me there which kicked me out of the story and I put the book down when I could no longer believe what what happe
ning.
The same is true when one character dies. I neglected to count how many times her eyes rolled back in her head, yet she still had enough strength and consciousness to place her hand against the guy’s chest and pull his head down for a last kiss. I’m not the romantic I once was. I kept thinking, “Just die, woman!”
However, despite my objections and disappointments with The Water Keeper, I can still say the story is riveting, frightening, and well worth the read. It is classic Charles Martin with a strong male lead who loves his woman beyond measure and fights to rescue the damsel(s) in distress. If you like love stories without a lot of romance, you’ll like Charles Martin.
