The premise was so intriguing, I had to request this one. It was a good story dont get me wrong on that. It was so suspenseful and intriguing. It kept me hooked and engaged but it was mostly action throughout which is not typically my go to, I tend to get a little tired of it after a while. But don't miss out it's a really intriguing story and it's a lot of fun!

Cole and Lisa will do anything for their daughter, even if it means spending their lives on the run. After her mother died on their lawn, they’ve been trying to stay under the radar. Moving place to place and never setting down roots. All the while being followed by and FBI agent thinks they are murderers and the actual murderer. Implausible at times, but a good thriller.

"Not Our Daughter" by Chad Zunker tells the story of devoted adoptive parents who become desperate fugitives in a heart-racing novel of suspense. The parents and their teenage daughter are propelled on a cross-country chase, unaware that the actual killer is hunting them all. Although the plotlines are predictable, the book is an enjoyable beach read.

Every FBI Agent probably has that one case that haunts them, the one never resolved, the fugitive never brought to justice. For Agent Burns it’s been thirteen years since the Olsen family disappeared. They’re suspected of murdering the mother of the girl they planned to adopt. Agent Burns is sure they got away with murder. On the opposite side of this scenario imagine being the one listed on the FBI’s most wanted list for a murder you did not commit. The constant moves, new identities, new school, new job, no close friends or neighbors, persistent fear of being found. Two very different sides to the story, what’s the truth, what really happened the night that forever altered lives? I sped through the pages to find the answers with my heart pounding. There were a few implausible situations which didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the plot. It’s a thriller folks! I’ve read many of the author’s books and this one is oozing with tension filled drama and hold your breath action scenes. I liked the characters and felt emotions from both perspectives.
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer (via NetGalley) for providing an Advance Reader Copy of “Not Our Daughter“ by Chad Zunker, on Sale Feb, 2025. These are my personal honest thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

A heart pounding action thriller with non stop suspense. They will do anything to protect their daughter even though she isn't really there's. Hiding in disguise with new identities and on the run from the FBI but the danger may be closer to home than you think. This is one of those thrillers that you can easily stay up all night to read and still be processing it long after you have finished reading.

Many thanks to Netgalley for this arc. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.

Chad and Lisa finally have a child, a little girl named Marcey until a judge rules that Marcey will go back to her mother. Later that night Chad hears the doorbell and goes to answers the door and finds Marcey’s mother bleeding to death and before he can call anyone she tells him that someone is coming and to take Marcey and run and then the mother dies. Thirteen years later they are celebrating Marcey’s fourteenth birthday and Chad takes money out of an abandoned account to pay for Marcey’s back surgery since she has severe scoliosis (I have it as well and understand the pain). The FBI find out and a manhunt is under way since they believe that Chad and Lisa murdered a mother and kidnapped Marcey. A police officer corners Chad and the officer is killed by the man that killed Marcey’s biological mother. Do the manhunt intensifies and the family has some near misses with getting caught. Special Agent Burns tries to talk to Chad and Chad tells him that the FBI has it wrong and tells them about the man trying to kill them and who tried to kill Burns. Burns figured out that the FBI has a mole and learn that the mystery man is actually a hit man for the Nelson family and Marcey’s biological father is about to a Supreme Court judge and the FBI arrest him and kill the hit man before he can eliminate Chad, Lisa, and Marcey. The family is finally safe and are being taken to somewhere else where they will not get recognized while the lose ends are tied up. And Marcey’s surgery will take place after Special Agent Burns puts in a call for the best surgeon to oversee Marcey’s operation. I think that is so sweet and that the family is able to live in peace after years of watching their backs.

A nonstop action thriller and mystery story, featuring an innocent couple on the run from the FBI after being suspected of murdering a woman and kidnapping a baby. This is a well-crafted tale filled with action that keeps you engaged until the end. The author knows how to create the perfect setting for an intriguing story, making you eager to turn the pages... There are no surprising elements or crazy twists. As you follow this family's struggle, you'll find relatable and well-developed characters. If you love mysteries packed with action, this book is for you!

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the ARC.

Fast paced and full of mystery! A great story about protecting your family at all cost. Chad Zunker’s writing never disappoints.

eARC Review: Not our daughter by Chad Zunker

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pub date: Feb 11 2025

I read this book in just a few sittings and it was a very good read. It kept me guessing as to what was going to happen next and had me on the edge of my seat. I kept wondering if the family would be caught by the FBI and how they would manage to escape jail time in the end if they were. The overall story wrapped up nicely and had a wholesome feel to it type of ending. I would recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley as well as Thomas & Mercer for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Really good fast paced book. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review!!!

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.

I discovered Chad Zunker when he wrote “All He Has Left” and now I’ll read anything that he writes. Zunker is a master at creating decent, strong male main characters who rely primarily on their wits instead of brute force. In “Not Our Daughter” he has two dads of teenage daughters, one a divorced FBI agent and the other a fugitive that the FBI agent has been chasing for thirteen. This thriller isn’t a typical good guy vs. bad guy story — in fact, at the beginning you won’t be rooting for Agent Burns to capture Cole Shipley/Greg Olsen. You’ll be on the edge of your seat hoping that Cole can get his wife Lisa and daughter Jade to safety far, far away from Burns and a mystery killer.

It’s a fairly short book that you’ll be likely to consume in one sitting. This is a twisty, thrilling chase from start to finish, and every time you relax, Zunker ratchets up the action again. I couldn’t put it down! 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Lisa has green eyes, and Jade has bluish-green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO We do get a car chase from Colorado to Texas that covers mountains and deserts.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer/Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!