Not Our Daughter by Chad Zunker

Fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller alert! From the very first page, Not Our Daughter grabs you and doesn’t let go. This one kicks off with a bang and never slows down, making it the kind of book you devour in one or two sittings.

Did I see the ending coming? Yeah, a little. But did that take away from the ride? Absolutely not. Zunker delivers an addictive, high-stakes story that keeps you flipping pages, perfect for when you need a quick, thrilling read. This is the kind of book I’d call a perfect palate cleanser—fast, gripping, and satisfying.

Would I recommend? Yes! If you love thrillers that hook you from page one and keep the momentum going, this is a great pick.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for allowing me to opportunity to read and review.

Wow, what a wild ride they takes you places you don’t weren’t prepared for!! Full of action that will suck you in and keep you second guessing every step of the way!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

You are in safe hands with Zunker, delivering a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat while also tugging at your heartstrings. Recommended for fans of domestic thrillers and those who enjoy a lighter mystery. Cole and Lisa have experienced the unimaginable. Their baby’s birth mother just died on their doorstep. Her last words were to grab their daughter and run! But who are they running from? And why? Now, thirteen years later the family is living in a small town in the Colorado Rockies. But the past has caught up to them and they once again find themselves running for their lives. This time it’s not only from the unknown, but the FBI as well. Wonderful action packed read.

Wow! This one sucks you in and takes you for a ride! I listened to and read this one. Both equally enjoyable!!

Not Our Daughter is an explosive crime thriller that delivers non-stop suspense. Cole and Lisa Shipley's desperate fight to protect their foster baby after her birth mother's murder, sets the stage for a thrilling cat-and-mouse game.

Thirteen years later, their past catches up with them, forcing them to run again. This fast-paced thriller kept me on the edge of my seat, continuously making me second guess what I thought I knew. While some plot points required a suspension of disbelief, the heart-pounding action and constant tension made it an incredibly entertaining ride!

Not Our Daughter by Chad Zunker, FBI agent Mark Burns has been on the lookout for Cole and Lisa since they took an 18 month old from its dying mother. Cole Shipley knows the only way to avoid going to jail for a murder he didn’t do is to find the real culprit so when their location is blown that’s exactly what he does with Lisa and his teenage daughter in tow. this is a fast paced game of cat and mouse between the FBI, desperate parents and a cowboy outlaw and only the cowboy knows why. I love this author’s books it is always written from the father‘s point of view into there’s nothing better than a man who will give everything including his life to save the ones he loves. In this book that’s not just Cole, but agent burns as well this was a great book and one I highly recommend.#NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #ChadZnker, #NotOurDaughter,#ThomasNelsonBooks,

This was a wild ride! The suspense kept me hooked as Cole and Lisa desperately tried to stay ahead of their past. The tension of being on the run, paired with the emotional family dynamics, made this a compelling read. I enjoyed the twists and turns, even if some moments felt a bit far-fetched. Overall, a solid thriller that kept me turning the pages!

This was a quick little thriller, and that's about the gist of it. It's my first Chad Zunker book and it was a quick read. His writing is clear and concise and moves at a quick pace, but, ultimately, I feel like this a book I'm going to forget about an hour after I finish it. There's nothing wrong with the book. It's got all the hallmarks of the genre, but it just feels very cookie-cutter. The best thing about it is it's length as the plot moves quick before you can really complain about it. None of the characters are too memorable and there's some glaring holes in the plot. It feels like there wasn't enough story for a full-length book, so Zunker does his best to just move it along before you can be bored and bail. That being said, it doesn't dissuade me from trying another one of his books. I think his writing is fine enough to try another. And even if that's a dud too, it's not like I'm spending days on it. He's got the talent. He just needs the story now.

This is a solid thriller! I was engrossed from the first page and had a hard time putting this down! The pacing is good and the suspense is enticing. I would recommend this! Special Thank You to Chad Zunker,
Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for allowing
me to read a complimentary copy in exchange
for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It had my attention from page 1. The action in this book was none stop and they way the author described things made the scenes come alive. I kept wanting to read more to find out what happened next.

A family on the run from the FBI and from a mysterious man who wants to kill them. Fifteen years earlier, a couple were devastated when they lost a court case to adopt a baby they had been fostering. . In the middle of the night, the birth mother pounds on the door and is covered in blood. She dies on their doorway with her last words asking them to take care of her baby and to run far away. Now, Cole and Lisa are living a quiet but happy life in a small Colorado town with their teenage daughter, Jade. The only tie with their old life is a secret bank account which contains the money they need for surgery for Jade. But little do they know that accessing that account will start a chain of events that has them running in the night, not only from the FBI and police but from a mysterious cowboy who will stop at nothing to get rid of them.

Most of the book was spent with Cole and Lisa trying to flee with Jade and trying to outwit the FBI agent who has long been on their case. They are also being chased by a man in cowboy boots that has a link to Jade's birthmother. I liked this family and found myself rooting for them as they fled in a hidden van and tried to evade police checkpoints and blocked off freeways. The suspense rises when daughter Jade uses a restaurant restroom and the family is identified. I held my breath as the family was cornered in a shopping mall. The end tied everything up a bit too easily but I was with the Shipley's on their journey the whole way. This would make a good TV. movie or mini-series. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC for review.

Thank you to Chad Zunker, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was good. It kept me on the edge of my seat and held my attention.

The family dynamic was there and done really well.

2.75/5⭐️
Going into Not Our Daughter, I had mixed expectations based on the varying reviews. The premise was intriguing—a mother fighting to prove that her teenage daughter isn’t the monster the world believes her to be. The emotional depth and high stakes should have made for a gripping, suspenseful read. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite live up to the potential.

While the story had its moments of tension and emotional pull, it ultimately felt underdeveloped. The characters, particularly the mother, had potential for complexity, but I found myself struggling to fully connect with them. The pacing also felt uneven—certain parts dragged while others seemed rushed, making it difficult to stay fully engaged.

That being said, there were some redeeming qualities. The premise itself is compelling, and there were moments of genuine emotional intensity. However, the lack of strong character development and a more immersive narrative kept it from being a standout for me.

Overall, Not Our Daughter had the foundation of a great domestic thriller but missed the mark in execution. If you’re drawn to the premise, it might be worth a read, but for me, it was a middle-of-the-road experience.

Not Our Daughter grabbed me from the very first page. The premise is gripping: a couple fostering a baby, only to be thrust into a nightmare when the baby's mother dies on their doorstep, warning them of a threat to the child. The tension is immediate, and I couldn’t put the book down, desperate to find out what happened.

Cole and Lisa Shipley’s life is turned upside down as they run from a past full of danger and secrets, all while trying to keep their adopted daughter safe. The addition of a teenage girl now awakening to the terrifying reality of their situation added a fresh dynamic to the story. Watching her struggle with the truth was heartbreaking yet fascinating.

I loved how the tension built throughout the book, especially with the FBI agent hot on their trail. The suspense is intense, and you feel every mile they travel as they uncover the terrifying truths about what happened all those years ago.

The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because some parts of the plot felt a bit repetitive. Still, Not Our Daughter is a tense, fast-paced thriller, and I definitely recommend it for fans of edge-of-your-seat suspense.

Not Our Daughter by Chad Zunker is a fast paced thriller that keeps readers hooked with its gripping suspense and emotional depth. The story follows Cole and Lisa Shipley, who have spent years in hiding after a tragic and mysterious night that left them fleeing with an infant. When their past catches up to them, they find themselves on the run again, this time with their teenage daughter who is just beginning to uncover the truth.

Zunker masterfully blends action, mystery, and strong character development, creating a narrative that is both heart pounding and emotionally compelling. The twists are unpredictable, and the stakes remain high as the family races toward the truth while being pursued by relentless forces.

With well developed characters and a tightly woven plot, Not Our Daughter is a suspenseful and engaging read that will keep readers turning the pages until the very end.

Not Our Daughter by Chad Zunker is a gripping, fast-paced thriller packed with legal drama and family tension. It keeps you hooked with plenty of suspense, even if some twists feel a bit far-fetched. Overall, it’s an emotional and engaging read, perfect for fans of high-stakes storytelling.

Great read! It was fast paced and suspenseful, keeping you on the edge of your seat. The story was emotional and sucked you right in, making you instantly feel connected to the characters. The ending also leaves you wondering, wanting more. If you’re looking for a book you won’t be able to put down, this is it!

I really liked this one!!

Cole and Lisa had been given a chance to foster a baby while mom was in recovery program. That is until mom shows up on their doorway, bleeding and before dropping dead, whispers to "keep her safe" and leave, as the they are coming for her daughter. They pack up their life as they know it, and leave. The FBI is fast on their trail because from how things look, they killed the mom and took off.

Cole takes them to CO, where they live a life under new names for the next 12 years -- Their newly minted 13 yr old, has a boyfriend, life is going swimmingly, until the feds were tipped off after Cole took money out of a savings account to get his daughter back surgery. He figured they were safe as so much time has passed and he hadn't disturbed a thing -- except for this. That one money move unravelled all of their hard work and now they need to dump their phones and go on the run again!

This cat and mouse chase was well narrated, and it played out like a movie in my head. This is my first from this author and it won't be my last. 4.5 stars rounded up

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advanced copy for a chance to read early and review. Out now!

A huge thank you to Thomas & Mercer and Net Galley for this ARC 💖

Thirteen years ago, Cole and Lisa Shipley were fostering an infant with hopes of adopting her. Overnight everything was turned upside down, when the child’s mother bled to death on their front doorstep. Her last He’s coming here…for her! Save her. Afraid, bewildered, and with a baby in their arms, they fled. The longer they hid, the guiltier they looked.

This is one of my favorite reads of 2025, possibly in the top 10 of 2024! I loved this crime thriller. This read like an action movie. The writing was phenomenal, the visualizations on point, and I was holding my breath multiple times throughout. I feel like Chad Zunker is the offspring of Blake Crouch and TJ Newman and maybe S.A. Cosby is his uncle. Everything I love about those 3 authors is in this one title. There's family, survival, heartache, fear, and triumph. Also, you should read his bio as he sounds like a great human!!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Thomas&Mercer for the book #NotOurDaughter by #ChadZunker. Cole and Lisa are on the run with their teenage daughter, Mandy. When Mandy was a baby, she was being fostered by her now parents. Her birth mother had died at their door while telling them to run and protect her daughter. Now it's thirteen years later and they are on the run again. Can they outrun the past and escape this killer again? This is definitely a book you will want to read, it keeps you on your toes.