Very enjoyable. It kept me on the edge of my seat. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Cole and Lisa Shipley’s plans to adopt their baby daughter Jade were suddenly disrupted when Jade’s birth mother knocked on their door in the middle of the night with a desperate plea. Bleeding profusely from knife wounds, her final words to them were that he was coming for Jade, and they must save her.
Under assumed names, they fled to a small town in Colorado that they believed would be safe. Thirteen years later, someone tipped the authorities of Cole’s whereabouts. He finds himself framed for murder and is now being chased by a relentless FBI agent and a mysterious killer who is out to get him. He and his family are once again on the run.
It all turns back to that fateful night thirteen years ago when Jade's birth mother was brutally murdered. Her murderer was still on the loose. Was her killer out to get Cole now?

I so enjoyed Chad Zunker’s last few
Books but this one was a bit slow. The story line about a family hiding with a child they were protecting from a politically powerful man was a good one. The characters could have been developed a bit more but the action in the book was solid. This one just was okay but I still look forward to each of the authors new books.

This was exactly the kind of book I was looking for. Fast paced, interesting characters, what the hell is happening....really good.

First off, thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

So picture this: a woman shows up at your door, injured, and before she dies, she says, "Take her, he’s coming." After that, you take the woman’s daughter (who you lost custody of), grab the most important stuff, and run far away while the FBI thinks you killed the kid's mom.

Now, the couple in the book "Not Our Daughter" doesn’t need an introduction—they’ve been living in fear for 13 years and then they’re on the run again.

This is my first time reading this author, and it’s probably not the best introduction since I love intense plots, and there's definitely tension here with the police chase and a hitman after them.

But I also want that shock factor in a story—that’s important to me—and honestly, nothing really shocked me here. It felt a bit predictable and easy.

The plot moves fast, which is a plus, but it also felt a bit naive for my taste.

Another good thing is that the chapters are from different characters' perspectives. I love seeing different viewpoints, even if they come to decisions pretty quickly.

If I’m remembering right, this is the second book I’ve read with the theme of living a secret life, and maybe that’s just not for me, though I would check out a movie adaptation.

The author's style is light and, if I can put it this way, kind of tasty, haha.

If you like thriller vibes, chases, family secrets, and want something quick to read in the evening, this is perfect!

I’ll give this book a 3.5 for the vibe.

A new author for me, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but this was a great read,with plenty of fast paced action, and it held my attention so much that I found it hard to put down.The length of the book was perfect not overly long so the story flowed well.
With a good plot and characters, this made a really good cat and mouse thriller.
A new author now added to my favourite list.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for the ARC.

Not Our Daughter by Chad Zunker ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was my first read by Chad Zunker so I wasn’t sure what to expect.
Not Our Daughter was an action packed thriller! I went in blind and was pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns.

Cole and Lisa along with their daughter , Jade, have been living under false identities for the past 14 years. Jades birth mother was brutally murdered on their doorstep and they were the main suspects. Cole decides to access his bank account to pay for Jades back surgery she desperately needs. Little does he know this account is being monitored by the FBI. They must clear their names before Jade is taken away from them.

Great book. Hard to put down was so interested in the why the murder happened, why they were being targeted, and so forth. So full of close calls. In the end I’m glad it all came out.

Buckle up tight! As you get ready to enter the story, be prepared for a ride that will have have you racing to stay ahead of the police, the FBI and others who are out to do harm. Cole and Lisa Shipley will do anything to protect their teen daughter, Jade, who they fostered since infancy and were hoping to adopt. When Jade’s birth mother showed up bleeding profusely at their doorstep, her last words were to protect the baby from the danger that was near. Thus begins a life of changed identities for the family as they hide from the FBI who think they were responsible for the murder. After thirteen years, just when they were feeling settled and safe, the past comes back to disrupt their comfortable life and cause them to be on the run once again.

Chad Zunker is a masterful thriller storyteller with tales that will keep you on the edge of your seat and turning the pages at a furious pace. You will play armchair detective as you gather clues as to who committed the crime and why.

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer and Chad Zunker for proving me with a digital copy of Not Our Daughter in exchange for my honest opinion.

Action packed from the very beginning and doesn't slow down. Cole and Lisa run and hide to protect their infant foster daughter on the night the real mother told him to take the baby and run! 13 years later Cole thinks they are in the clear and gets access to some money he had in an offshore account and the chain of events explode. The FBI is on the hunt as well as some other dangerous people; FBI wants them alive....the others do not.

There is no lack of suspense and twists at every turn. The characters are well written and very well developed and I found them very relatable. The best part about this book is how the action never stops and makes you want to turn the page. The only disappointing issue I had with the book is that while there were twists and action, the plot was predictable. But I still throughly enjoyed the book and would definitely read more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Riveting thriller.
Absolutely had my rapt attention from. page one.
After losing a petition for custody of their infant foster baby daughter, Cole and Lisa Shipley disappear with her when her real mother shows up at their house, mortally wounded and tells them to leave immediately with her daughter, to protect her.
They do just that.
Fast forward 13 years and the Shipleys are living with a new identity and in a semblance of normal life.
Until Cole accesses their hidden bank account and all of a sudden they are back in the system and both the FBI and others are hot on their trail, as once more, they uproot their lives and take off.
The thrilling action never stops and you cannot put it down.
Great story.
Great characters.
Great read.

This book was SO GOOD and Chad Zunker is quickly becoming a new favorite author! This was a fast-paced and gripping thriller that was impossible to put down! The family’s quest for safety was a nonstop adventure that kept me on my toes.

I loved this heart pounding thrill ride this book took me on . It was so fast paced and heartbreaking and yet keeps you pulled into the story till the end
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review book

My students like adventure, attempts to escape stories and this one is a pretty straightforward one, with clear "good guys", some very bad people and law enforcement, misguided and thinking they are guilty vs victims in the situation. Fast moving and easy reading, like a tv show

This book was mostly a chase story. An innocent family on the run from the FBI. the police and a contract killer. They have been hiding for 13 yrs after they were suspected of killing a woman and kidnapping her baby. The writing was fun, but the storyline was mostly action which isn't my personal favorite. I have liked other of his books more 3..5

Cole and Lisa are forced to flee in the middle of the night to protect their foster baby. Living under false identities for years, their past catches up to them and they are expected to flee once again. This time however, they are determined to figure out the truth of that fateful night 13 years ago.

This book was an amazing quick read. It was action packed and super engaging trying to figure out what was going to happen next. It was not much of a thriller as it was fairly straightforward with no real twists but I was okay with that.

The story and writing were fairly simple, but that's partly why I enjoyed it so much. The author wasn't trying to pull something out of left field just for some shock value, which I appreciate. The story flowed really well and left my wanting to continue flipping the pages.

There were a few plot holes and parts where you had to suspend your belief, which is ultimately why it did not receive a full 5 stars, but the story was so fast paced, and the characters so easy to connect to, that it was easy to forget it didn't all make sense.

Will definitely be reading more books from this author.


Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Mercer for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Not Our Daughter" is a fast-paced, page-turning crime-thriller! The characters quickly draw you in, making you root for them and hold your breath as you hope things work out in their favor. While I didn't find the twists particularly shocking, it didn’t stop me from staying up late, eager to see what happened next.

I do wish the ending had been a bit more fleshed out—I would have loved more details on what became of the villains and how the final pieces came together. That said, the conclusion was satisfying, with all the loose ends neatly tied up.

If you're looking for a gripping, action-packed read, this is your book! Be sure to pick it up when it releases in February 2025.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

Lo disfruté. Este libro sería perfecto para una adaptación cinematográfica: es entretenido, tiene misterio y te mantiene atento a lo que va a pasar, hay algunas sorpresas, el ritmo es ameno y tiene un buen final.

A pesar de que la trama es bastante predecible, el autor supo cómo mantener la atención del lector (al menos la mía) y en ningún momento se volvió aburrido.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not Our Daughter hooked me immediately and kept me engaged until the end. This was a quick read for me, about 2.5 hours, and I wish it had been longer. The entirety of the story takes place over a few days. Some parts of this book reminded me of other works, but it's not anything that I was upset about. I enjoyed that the FBI agent was having issues with his teenage daughter and it allowed him to have a little more empathy for Cole and Lisa.

The length of this was perfect - When I come across a new author for me and see it's under 10 hours, I will give it a try. I am glad I did. This was an edge-of-my-seat story. From the first chapter, I was hooked. Trying to figure out why the Shipleys were being targetted as well as how they would evade capture!
I read this in a few days - and gave up my Saturday morning chores so i could finsih it!

Thank you for the advanced copy, and Chad Zunker is now on my "read more of this author" list.