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THE KEEPER by Martha Carr

THE KEEPER

The Second Book in the Wallis Jones Series

by Martha Carr

Pub Date: April 16th, 2014
ISBN: 1620309904
Publisher: MRC Publishing

In Carr’s sequel, a woman struggles to keep her family safe in the middle of a centuries-old battle between two secret societies.

Carr (The List, 2013) continues the story of Wallis Jones, who’s still in the crosshairs of two secret societies that have been fighting for power for hundreds of years: Management and the Circle. The early part of the story centers on the search for the legendary Keeper, a person of mysterious significance for both organizations. The Keeper may be Wallis, or her son, Ned; either way, Wallis and her family aren’t safe. Wallis’ brother-in-law, released from a basement prison, abducts Ned and brings him to a Circle meeting, where he’s introduced as a savior and hailed by many Circle members as their best hope. Soon, an attempt on Wallis’ life leads to tragedy, and tensions increase as various parties try to keep themselves safe and hidden, and also find the Keeper once and for all. There are many characters at play here, all with dubious allegiances, which adds to the book’s thrilling pace. However, this fact can make it hard for readers to keep track of who everyone is, and who is loyal to whom. Also, this is the second book in a series; as such, the first several chapters make reference to events from the first book, and this repetition bogs the story down instead of placing readers back in the action. Overall, it’s not recommended for those who haven’t read The List. As a part of an ongoing series, however, it works both as a political thriller and as a story about a mother trying to do her best for her son.

An intriguing, family-oriented take on the political thriller.