Most Popular Books by Charles Martin

"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 "Colorful, memorable characters; Southern regional flavor that''s drop-dead accurate; and lyrical, intelligent writing make Chasing Fireflies an exceptionally good read." --Aspiring Retail When paramedics find a malnourished six-year-old boy near a burning car that holds a dead woman, they wonder who he is--and why he won''t speak. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Mountain Between Us and The Water Keeper comes a story of self-discovery, healing, and hope. On a stifling summer day, an old Chevy Impala ignored the warning signals and was annihilated by the oncoming train. What no one realized until much later was that the driver had paused just before entering the tracks and kicked a small boy out of the car. A small boy with broken glasses who is clutching a notebook with all his might . . . but who never speaks. Chase Walker was one of the lucky ones. He was in foster care as a child but finally ended up with a family who loved and cared for him. Now, as a journalist for the local paper, he''s moved on and put the past behind him. But when he''s assigned the story of this young boy, painful, haunting questions about his own childhood begin to rise to the surface. And as Chase Walker discovers, learning the truth about who you are can be as elusive--and as magical--as chasing fireflies on a summer night. Chasing Fireflies is an emotional, powerful story of family, finding your place in the world, and healing.

Featuring three of Charles Martin''s most beloved novels--including When Crickets Cry, which has touched the hearts of more than 500,000 readers--this binge-worthy collection will quickly become a favorite. From New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin comes a trio of stories that capture the beauty of love, loss, and redemption. With his trademark blend of lyrical prose and soul-stirring insight, Martin writes of ordinary people finding extraordinary grace through heartbreak, faith, and forgiveness. In When Crickets Cry, a man haunted by tragedy meets a young girl whose strength and innocence awaken him to the healing power of love. In Chasing Fireflies, a journalist in search of his past discovers that belonging often grows from the most unexpected places. And in Wrapped in Rain, a renowned photographer is forced to confront his painful childhood and the enduring prayers of the woman who raised him. For fans of Nicholas Sparks and Francine Rivers, this emotionally rich collection offers a tender exploration of faith, family, and the moments that change us forever. Whether you''re revisiting a favorite or discovering Martin''s work for the first time, these three novels will leave you profoundly moved--and longing for more.

He shows up when all hope is lost. 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.

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.

A priest changes the lives of an actress running from her past and a man hiding from his future in this heartfelt novel about loss and redemption. When someone wants to be lost, a home tucked among the Ten Thousand Islands off the Florida coast is a good place to live. Take a couple decent boats and a deep knowledge of fishing, and Sunday can get by without ever having to talk to another soul. It''s a nice enough existence, until the one person who ties Sunday to the world of the living asks him for help. Father Steady Capri knows quite a bit about helping others. But he is afraid Katie Quinn''s problems may be beyond his abilities. Katie is a world-famous actress with an all too familiar story. Fame seems to have driven her to self-destruct. Steady knows the true cause of her desire to end her life is buried too deeply for him to reach. But there is one person who still may be able to save her from herself: Sunday. He will show her an alternate escape, a way to write a new life, but Katie still must confront her past before she can find peace. Ultimately, Sunday will need to leave his secluded home and sacrifice the serenity he''s found to help her.

A day to turn from my sins And accept His condition for life. Eternity in the heavenly Where there''ll be no sorrow or strife. He gave me strength and courage To do what I''m called to do... Write praises to Him that He gave me And pass them along to you. So I pray His blessing upon you As you read what''s given to me. Words of truth from the heart That will bless and set you free.

The most popular of the Roman poets, Catullus is known for the accessibility of his witty and erotic love poems. In this book Charles Martin, himself a poet, offers a deeper reading of Catullus, revealing the art and intelligence behind the seemingly spontaneous verse. Martin considers Catullus''s life, habits of composition, and the circumstances in which he worked. He places him among the modernists of his age, who created a new ironic and subjective poetics, and he shows the affinity between Catullus and the modernists of our own age. Martin offers original interpretations of Catullus''s poems, viewing the love poems to "Lesbia" as a unified, artfully arranged poetic sequence, and the short poems, often dismissed as unworthy of serious critical attention, as the irreverent products of a sophisticated poetic innovator. Unlike Horace, Virgil, and Ovid, Catullus did not influence our literary culture until the beginning of the modern era, but he is now regarded as a poet who speaks to our age with a singular directness. Pointing to Catullus''s self-awareness, playfulness, and comic invention and to the elaborate complexity of his experiments in poetic form, Martin gives both the scholar and the general reader a fresh appreciation of his poetic art.

Examines the Indian Creek Massacre and the kidnapping of the Hall sisters during the Black Hawk War of 1832.