This is the second book in the Sam Callahan series and it starts off with a bang! Fast paced, action packed and full of surprises just like the first book in the series. This follow up definitely does not disappoint and from the ending it is clear that is not the last that we will be hearing about Sam Callahan!

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC.

This book felt like "Jason Bourne Lite" to me..... or that self-healing robot in the Terminator movies. I mean really? The guy falls 40 feet, cracks a rib and a scapula and keeps on running, only to be shot in the arm, lose a lot of blood and keep on running (through a Mexican drug tunnel no less with Mexican drug cartel members chasing him) get to New Orleans (magic carpet ride maybe?) only to be shot at some more and finally escape to Washington DC where he's reunited with the love of his life all the while he's wallowing in self-pity over his rough childhood? Then he's reunited with a bunch of "bad guys" who were "testing" him to see if he would be a good fit for their CIA team..... the team leader being his Daddy. And then this fool tosses the love of his life to the side of the road and joins this super secret, off the books CIA team All of this is supposed to have happened over 3 days.

Really???

I not only found the "action" beyond implausible, but Sam Callahan (and his past) juvenile and unsympathetic as well. But then I haven't read The Tracker (1st book in this series). Maybe I should have, but I just don't have the stomach for it right now.

All that said, this was a fast read for me. But that was the non-stop action of the story. Had it started to get a little draggy, I never would have finished the book.

Just about all of this is completely preposterous but I'll admit it's a real page turner because Sam is such an engaging character. Not a chance that a junior attorney would be sent to Mexico City to meet a client, not a chance that he'd be able to do some of the things he does (reserve comment re the porous border), not a chance that everything would converge the way it does (assassins, CIA, kidnapping of Natalie) but even as I found myself poo-pooing it, I kept reading. I enjoyed the first book for the same reason. There's an odd joyousness (given the genre) to Dunker's writing. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. You will like this if you enjoy thrillers with a lot of bad guys, some conspiracy, and an intrepid hero trying to save himself, his love, and lots of others as well.

Loved it - read it in one sitting - couldn't put it down

Kindle Unlimited suggested The Tracker as a book I might enjoy - and I did. I thought Sam was a likeable character: he's a modern-day Horatio Alger hero who has faced hardship and poverty but was fighting for a life other than what he had. From the beginning, the plot grabs you with who, what, why? On just the aspect of the political/lawyer thriller, the plot is good and has some unseen twists and turns. On top of that, Zunker does quite a bit of character building with flashbacks to Sam's childhood and youth. While this book isn't marketed as a faith-based book there are elements of Christianity in the story that I also enjoyed; Zunker added this element in a genuine, raw, grace-filled way instead of as extra fluff or sugary sweetness. I knew that there was the potential for the book to launch a series and that I wanted to see how faith would continue to impact Sam as he grew into adulthood.
When I saw the sequel, Shadow Shepherd, appear on NetGalley, I quickly requested it and was happy to not have to wait any longer to catch up with Sam. With this book, Zunker switches from first person to third person. I tend to enjoy first person less but it didn't drive me crazy like many do. It definitely worked in the first book to show how quickly Sam was having to act and react as the story unfolded. The move to third person added more detail and depth as the story unfolded. It was a nice shift but it does give a slightly different experience as a reader: instead of knowing just a little, you have a broader view. All that to say, I enjoyed the second book as well. The mystery of this book felt a little more disconnected and then suddenly it was the end. I felt a little cheated by the resolution, although I do understand that it's not so much an ending as a pause to transition to the next book. What I really loved about Shadow Shepherd was seeing Sam working as a lawyer and how his relationships with the people in his life are growing/changing/ending. I can't wait to know what's next for Sam and how he is going to continue to grow and face the challenges that are sure to come.

Sam is back and Natalie is along for the ride! I thoroughly enjoyed Chad Zunker’s first book and when I had to opportunity to read a pre-release copy of this one, I jumped at it.
As I remember The Tracker, it was pretty action-filled. That is nothing to this new one! Sam starts off in Mexico and immediately is in trouble. From there, he goes from one nail-biting experience to another, in multiple locations. At first, I thought, “OK, this just isn’t very real.” But as the story went along and I got more and more into it, I didn’t care how realistic it was—I was just hooked and couldn’t stop reading.
In between Sam’s adventures, we find out things that are happening with Natalie which are very tense, too. And Chad continues to give us more of Sam’s history which helps explain the kind of person he is. So many thrillers often fall back on one dimensional characters and let the plot create all the interest. Chad’s characterizations are very well done and make this an even better book.
The only disappointing thing was the ending. While it answered a lot of questions, it created a lot, too.
If you haven’t read The Tracker, I’d advise reading that first as Shadow Shepherd is definitely a sequel and builds on the first book. If you are looking for a real page turner that you’ll enjoy, read Shadow Shepherd!

This is a fast-paced, action packed novel with engaging characters. It requires you to suspend belief a bit, but it's a fun read.

A random rookie attorney, an infamous German assassin, a political reporter, and the CIA. What was the thread that tied the puzzle all together? Sam Callahan is the only one that can solve the puzzle, but he has to get out of Mexico with no passport or money, go to New Orleans to find a man who may be tied to his past, and save his kidnapped girlfriend in D.C., all while trying to escape an assassin’s bullet.

Even though I did not read Mr. Zunker’s first book in the Sam Callahan Series, his second book stands on its own. His plot descriptions are so vivid and engaging that I felt like I was watching a film. In addition, the main characters to the supporting characters are very diverse and well-defined. I relished this fast-paced and thrilling story and will definitely recommend it to friends. I look forward to more books in this series.

Thank you to Mr. Zunker, NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer Publishing for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

Please visit Mr. Zunker’s website at http://www.chadzunker.com for more information about the author and his works.

** spoiler alert ** I was such a fan of The Tracker, I pre-ordered and could not WAIT to get Shadow Shepherd. I got an early copy for review courtesy of Netgalley.com and the author's mailing list.

Chad Zunker notes in the preface that he switched from first-person to third-person. I understand his stylistic choice and his reasons from a writer's point of view. As a reader...I really think some of the appeal, and some of the most engrossing action, of the first book is lost in this one with the switch in POV.

POSSIBLE SPOILER: I was really disappointed in the ending, but only because I am now so invested in Sam and Natalie's happiness...I am already tired of them constantly on the run and in fear for their lives. I'm tired of Sam being manipulated by outside events, and people using him for their own ends. Instead of already looking forward to the next book, I am anxious about what awaits Sam (and all who love him at this point).

Kudos to Zunker for making me care so much about someone who doesn't actually exist! That's some good writing right there.

Recommended: for fans of political and/or tech thrillers

Sam Callahan is a lawyer, after some wild adventures over the last two years he is ready to do his job well and marry his girlfriend, Natalie. He gets an assignment to travel to Mexico City to meet a new client, a man with lots of money who seems to have a problem he thinks the law firm can assist with. As the two men meet and begin to talk, an assassin shoots his way into the room and murders the client, with Sam barely able to escape. Now he is making his way through Mexico with assassins on his tail,hit men, cops, and no sooner does he stop to take a breath when he finds out his girlfriend is kidnapped and he is given a person to find in 24 hours to save her life! Sam has been through this type of frantic life before, but he can't believe he is using his old instincts and friends again , stealing cars,breaking into places, and calling on Tommy, a very intelligent hacker who lives on the dark web. A very addicting read, as I could not find a spot to 'stop for the night', you keep turning the pages while catching your breath, ready to run with Sam or surf through the web with Tommy, even fighting alongside Natalie as she outsmarts the person holding her! Any people who enjoy adventure thrillers, in the category of Jack Reacher,John Milton, or Adrian Hell, will enjoy this smart new series! I received a copy from Netgalley, the author Chad Zunker, and publisher Thomas and Mercer, from which I am able to give my honest review and I thank them . Grab this book, give 'Sam Callahan' a listen, I believe you will be enthralled with what he is 'saying'!!

Shadow Shepherd is the second exciting book in the Sam Callahan series written by author Chad Zunker. Looking forward to book three. Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for the advance copy.