Most Popular Books by Charles Martin

Twelve years ago Matthew "the Rocket" Rising had it all. Married to his high school sweetheart and one of the winningest quarterbacks in the history of college football, he was the number one NFL draft pick. But on the night of the draft, he plummeted from the pinnacle of esteem. Falsely accused of a heinous crime with irrefutable evidence, it seemed in an instant all was lost -- his reputation, his career, his freedom, and most devastatingly, the love of his life. Having served his sentence and never played a down of professional football, Matthew leaves prison with one goal -- to find his wife, Audrey, whom no one has seen since the trial. He returns to an unwelcoming reception from his Gardi, Georgia, hometown to learn that Audrey has taken shelter from the media with the nuns at a Catholic school. There she has discovered a young man with the talent to achieve the football career Matthew should have had. All he needs is the right coach. Although helping the boy means Matthew violates the conditions of his release and -- if discovered -- reincarceration for life, he''ll take the chance with hope of winning back Audrey''s love.

Ten years into their marriage, Doss Michaels and Abbie Coleman face Abbie''s life-threatening illness, and they steal away from the hospital to embark on a 130-mile trip down the St. Mary''s River, a voyage that he had promised her early in their courtship. Reprint.

USA TODAY bestseller | Christy Award Book of the Year Cooper O''Connor thought he could make it big as a musician, but he promptly lost it all. Can he repair his relationship with the father who never stopped calling him home? A Prodigal Son retelling where Redeeming Love meets Walk the Line. At the age of eighteen, musician and songwriter Cooper O''Connor took everything his father held dear and drove 1,200 miles from home to Nashville, his life riding on a six-string guitar and the bold wager that he had talent. But his wager soon proved foolish. Five years after losing everything, he falls in love with Daley Cross, an angelic voice in need of a song. But just as he realizes his love for Daley, Cooper faces a tragedy that threatens his life as well as his career. With nowhere else to go, he returns home to the remote Colorado mountains, searching for answers about his father and his faith. When Daley shows up on his street corner twenty years later, he wonders if it''s too late to tell her the truth about his past--and if he is ready to face it himself. With powerful themes of redemption and forgiveness, second chances, and the power of music, Long Way Gone is a story that sticks with readers long after the last page. "Cooper and Daley''s story will make you believe that even broken instruments have songs to offer when they''re in the right hands. Charles Martin never fails to ask and answer the questions that linger deep within all of us. In this beautifully told story of a prodigal coming home, readers will find the broken and mended pieces of their own hearts." --Lisa Wingate, New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours

Stranded in a frigid mountain wilderness after a plane crash, a gifted surgeon and a young magazine writer are forced to rely on each other for survival while confronting painful truths about their personal lives.

The debut novel from New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin is a bittersweet yet triumphant love story--a tale of one man''s journey through the darkness of despair and into the light of hope. Perfect for readers looking for the emotional resonance of Nicholas Sparks or Lisa Wingate. In a sleepy rural town in South Carolina, Dylan and Maggie Styles are a young couple in love, preparing eagerly for the birth of their first son. But events take a tragic turn in the delivery room, and their child is delivered stillborn. When Maggie hemorrhages and slips into a coma, Dylan slips into what can only be described as a walking coma, holding vigil at his beloved wife''s bedside. Usually tough and self-reliant, an outdoorsman and a farmer, Dylan finds that everything he has known is suddenly thrown into doubt. Refusing to give up on Maggie''s recovery, a devastated Dylan takes a job as an English professor in order to pay for Maggie''s medical bills. Dylan connects with his students despite himself and offers hope to others amid his own disappointment and grief. As Dylan waits for some change in Maggie''s condition, he reflects on his life and hers. Through friends and grace-filled moments of insight, Dylan slowly begins to heal, but it will take a second tragedy--and an anxious period of wrestling with God--to truly awaken him from his stupor and open him up to a new life. Deeply emotional and filled with themes of enduring love, loss, struggles with faith, and redemption, The Dead Don''t Dance is not to be missed. "This is the story of a real person''s real struggle with the uncertainties of faith, unadorned with miracles of the deus ex machina sort but full of the sort of miracles that attend everyday life if you bother to notice. Charles Martin notices, and for that I commend him. He''s unafraid of tackling the crucial questions--life, death, love, sacrifice." --Duncan Murrell "[The Dead Don''t Dance is] an absorbing read for fans of faith-based fiction . . . [with] delightfully quirky characters . . . [who] are ingeniously imaginative creations." --Publishers Weekly

Can two people brought together by desperate circumstances help one another heal, and maybe even begin a new life? New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin’s Send Down the Rain answers the questions of what it means—and what level of sacrifice it takes—to truly love someone. Allie is still recovering from the loss of her family’s beloved waterfront restaurant on Florida’s Gulf Coast when she loses her second husband to a terrifying highway accident. Devastated and losing hope, she shudders to contemplate the future—until a cherished person from her past returns. Joseph has been adrift for many years, wounded in both body and spirit and unable to come to terms with the trauma of his Vietnam War experiences. Just as he resolves to abandon his search for peace and live alone in a remote cabin in the Carolina mountains, he discovers a mother and her two small children lost in the forest. A man of character and strength, he instinctively steps in to help them get back to their home in Florida. There he will return to his own hometown—and witness the accident that launches a bittersweet reunion with his childhood sweetheart, Allie. When Joseph offers to help Allie rebuild her restaurant, it seems the flame may reignite—until a forty-five-year-old secret begins to emerge, threatening to destroy all hope for their second chance at love. Send Down the Rain will take you on a journey that spans the sweltering migrant worker routes of south Florida, muddy battlefields of Vietnam, thickets of northwest North Carolina, and the idyllic shores of America’s most beautiful beach (Cape San Blas). At the story’s center lies the question: What does it mean—and what level of sacrifice does it take—to truly love someone? Praise for Send Down the Rain: “Charles Martin understands the power of story and he uses it to alter the souls and lives of both his characters and his readers.”—Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author Full-length, stand-alone novel Includes discussion questions for book clubs Also by bestselling author Charles Martin: The Mountain Between Us, Chasing Fireflies, When Crickets Cry, and The Letter Keeper

USA TODAY Bestseller | ECPA Bestseller Combining the heart-wrenching emotion of Nicholas Sparks with the edge-of-your-seat tension of John Grisham, New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin explores the true power of sacrificial love in this second book in the Murphy Shepherd series. Murphy Shepherd has made a career of finding those no one else could--survivors of human trafficking. His life''s mission is helping others find freedom . . . but then the nightmare strikes too close to home. When his new wife, her daughter, and two other teenage girls are stolen, Murphy is left questioning all he has thought to be true. With more dead ends than leads, he has no idea how to find his loved ones. After everything is stripped away, love is what remains. Hope feels lost, but Murphy is willing to expend his last breath trying to bring them home. With Charles Martin''s trademark lyricism and poignant prose, the Murphy Shepherd series 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. The Murphy Shepherd series: Book 1: The Water Keeper, Book 2: The Letter Keeper, Book 3: The Record Keeper, Book 4: The Keeper (coming April 2025!)

The moving sequel to bestselling author Charles Martin’s The Dead Don’t Dance. After slipping into a four-months-long coma following the tragic loss of their son in childbirth, Dylan’s wife, Maggie, finally awakens—but can the young couple pick up the broken pieces of their lives and move forward? In a sleepy rural town in South Carolina, Dylan and Maggie Styles were a young couple in love, preparing eagerly for the birth of their first son. When the child was delivered stillborn and Maggie hemorrhaged and slipped into a coma, Dylan’s entire world shattered, but he never gave up hope that she would awaken. And four months later, she did. “When Maggie opened her eyes that New Year''s Day some seventeen months ago, I felt like I could see again. The fog lifted off my soul, and for the first time since our son had died and she had gone to sleep–some four months, sixteen days, eighteen hours, and nineteen minutes earlier–I took a breath deep enough to fill both of my lungs.” Life begins again for Dylan when his beloved wife wakes, but so many things have changed. In this poignant love story that is redolent with Southern atmosphere, Dylan and Maggie must come to terms with their past before they can embrace their future. Full-length emotive Southern fiction The sequel to New York Times bestselling authorCharles Martin’s debut novel Part of the Awakening series Book one: The Dead Don’t Dance Book two: Maggie Also by Charles Martin: The Mountain Between Us, Chasing Fireflies, When Crickets Cry, and The Water Keeper

Life is a battle, but you can''t fight it with your fists. You got to fight it with your heart.

"Original poetry by Charles Martin, inspired by the works of Khayyam"--

Nearly 500,000 copies sold! | A Southern Living Book of the Month Selection From New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin comes the moving story of a heart surgeon who''s hiding his own heart, a little girl whose heart won''t last much longer, and a shared journey toward healing for both of them--for fans looks for the emotional depth of Fredrik Backman and the Southern atmosphere of Delia Owens. It begins on the shaded town square in a sleepy Southern town. A spirited seven-year-old has a brisk business at her lemonade stand. But the little girl''s pretty yellow dress can''t quite hide the ugly scar on her chest. Her latest customer, a bearded stranger, drains his cup and heads to his car, his mind on a boat he''s restoring at a nearby lake. The stranger understands more about the scar than he wants to admit. And the beat-up bread truck careening around the corner with its radio blaring is about to change the trajectory of both their lives. Before it''s over, they''ll both know there are painful reasons why crickets cry . . . and that miracles lurk around unexpected corners. With its beautiful, lyrical writing, engaging characters who stick with you, and a storyline that will touch your own heart, it''s no wonder why so many readers adore When Crickets Cry. "If you read any book this year, this is the one." --Coffee Time Romance "Charming characters and twists that keep the pages turning." --Southern Living

USA TODAY Bestseller | ECPA Bestseller A riveting story of heroism, heartache, and the power of love to heal all wounds by New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin that combines the intrigue of John Grisham with the heart-wrenching emotion of Nicholas Sparks. Murphy Shepherd is a man with many secrets. He lives alone on an island, tending the grounds of 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 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 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 show up regardless of the cost. "Martin excels at writing characters who exist in the margins of life . . . Readers who enjoy flawed yet likable characters created by authors such as John Grisham and Nicholas Sparks will want to start reading Martin''s fiction." --Library Journal, starred review "The Water Keeper is a wonderfully satisfying book with a plot driven by both action and love, and characters who will stay in readers'' heads long after the last page." --Southern Literary Review "Charles Martin fans rejoice, because he''s done it again . . . a multilayered story woven together with grace and redemption, and packed tight with tension and achingly real characters." --Lauren Denton The Murphy Shepherd series: Book 1: The Water Keeper, Book 2: The Letter Keeper, Book 3: The Record Keeper, Book 4: The Keeper (coming April 2025!)

Three powerful novels about identity, belonging, and unconditional love from New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin are now available in one e-book collection. When Crickets Cry It begins in a sleepy Southern town. A spirited seven-year-old has a brisk business at her lemonade stand. But her pretty yellow dress can’t quite hide the ugly scar on her chest. Her latest customer understands more about the scar than he wants to admit. And the beat-up bread truck careening around the corner is about to change the trajectory of both their lives. A man with a painful past. A child with a doubtful future. And a shared journey toward healing for both their hearts. Chasing Fireflies They have one summer to find what was lost long ago. “Never settle for less than the truth,” she told him. But when you don''t even know your real name, the truth gets a little complicated. It can nestle so close to home it''s hard to see. It can even flourish inside a lie. And as Chase Walker would discover, learning the truth about who you are can be as elusive—and as magical—as chasing fireflies on a summer night. Wrapped in Rain Famous photographer Tucker Mason captures things other people don’t see. But what Tucker himself can’t see is how to let go of the past. Tucker and his younger brother, Mutt, were raised by their housekeeper, Miss Ella Rain, who loved the motherless boys like her own. Hiring her was the only good thing their father ever did. But when Mutt escapes from a mental hospital, Tucker is forced to return home and face the agony of that tragic past. Though Miss Ella has long since passed, Tucker can still hear her voice—and her prayers. But finding peace and starting anew will take a measure of grace that Tucker scarcely believes in. Martin’s characters overflow with rich truisms that you’ll reread or rewind and relisten. Look for additional inspirational fiction from Charles Martin: The Record Keeper Long Way Gone The Mountain Between Us

USA TODAY Bestseller | ECPA Bestseller With heart-stopping clarity, New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin continues to combine the heart-wrenching emotion of Nicholas Sparks with the edge-of-your-seat tension of John Grisham in this third book in the Murphy Shepherd series--exploring the true cost of leaving the ninety-nine to find the one. Murphy Shepherd''s last rescue mission very nearly cost him his life. He''d like nothing more than to stay close to his wife and daughters for a while. But Bones''s nemesis must be stopped, and there are so many who still need to know they are worth rescuing. As the cat-and-mouse game moves into the open, Murphy is tested at every turn--both physically and mentally. Then the unthinkable happens: his beloved mentor and friend is taken. Gone without a trace. Murphy lives by the mantra that love always shows up. But how can he rescue Bones when he has no leads? With Charles Martin''s trademark lyricism and poignant prose, the Murphy Shepherd series 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. The Murphy Shepherd series: Book 1: The Water Keeper, Book 2: The Letter Keeper, Book 3: The Record Keeper, Book 4: The Keeper (coming April 2025!)

New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin''s breathtaking novel of love and redemption. Charlie Finn had to grow up fast, living alone by age sixteen. Highly intelligent, he earned a life-changing scholarship to Harvard, where he learned how to survive and thrive on the outskirts of privileged society. That skill served him well in the cutthroat business world, as it does in more lucrative but dangerous ventures he now operates off the coast of Miami. Charlie tries to separate relationships from work. But when his choices produce devastating consequences, he sets out to right wrongs, traveling to Central America where he will meet those who have paid for his actions, including a woman and her young daughter. Will their fated encounter present Charlie with a way to seek the redemption he thought was impossible -- and free his heart to love one woman as he never knew he could?

As a result of his hard exterior and lonely tendencies, Tyler Steele finds himself a single father alone in the world - until a stranger and her daughter show up and change his life. Third generation Texas Ranger Tyler Steele is the last of a dying breed-- a modern day cowboy hero living in a world that doesn''t quite understand his powerful sense of right and wrong and instinct to defend those who can''t defend themselves. Despite his strong moral compass, Ty has trouble seeing his greatest weakness. His hard outer shell, the one essential to his work, made him incapable of forging the emotional connection his wife Andie so desperately needed. Now retired, rasing their son Brodie on his own, and at risk of losing his ranch, Ty does not know how to rebuild from the rubble of his life. The answer comes in the form of Samantha and her daughter Hope, on the run from a seemingly inescapable situation. They are in danger, desperate, and alone. Though they are strangers, Ty knows he can help-- protecting the innocent is what he does best. As his relationship with Sam and Hope unfolds, Ty realizes he must confront his true weaknesses if he wants to become the man he needs to be.