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All He Has Left
Power, money, and dark family secrets are a killer combination in a propulsive novel of suspense by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Family Money.
After Jake Slater’s wife dies in a tragic hit-and-run, all he has left is his daughter, Piper―nearly lost, too, in a brutal custody battle with his wealthy in-laws. A year later, Jake reluctantly agrees to a reunion with the estranged family for Piper’s thirteenth birthday. Then a single gunshot rings out, and a new nightmare begins.
Piper is kidnapped, and her cousin Caitlin is murdered. Caitlin’s cryptic dying words: Piper knows the truth. Jake is the only witness to the murder―and the only suspect. For an innocent man trapped in a world conspiring to crush him, the only way to clear his name and find Piper is to do it on the run.
Crucified by the media, pursued by the FBI, and hunted by an assassin, Jake can feel his desperation escalating with every tick of the clock. The closer he gets to the truth, the more he risks uncovering family betrayals so sinister they’re worth killing for.
After Jake Slater’s wife dies in a tragic hit-and-run, all he has left is his daughter, Piper―nearly lost, too, in a brutal custody battle with his wealthy in-laws. A year later, Jake reluctantly agrees to a reunion with the estranged family for Piper’s thirteenth birthday. Then a single gunshot rings out, and a new nightmare begins.
Piper is kidnapped, and her cousin Caitlin is murdered. Caitlin’s cryptic dying words: Piper knows the truth. Jake is the only witness to the murder―and the only suspect. For an innocent man trapped in a world conspiring to crush him, the only way to clear his name and find Piper is to do it on the run.
Crucified by the media, pursued by the FBI, and hunted by an assassin, Jake can feel his desperation escalating with every tick of the clock. The closer he gets to the truth, the more he risks uncovering family betrayals so sinister they’re worth killing for.
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2023
About the author
Chad Zunker
12 books643 followersCHAD ZUNKER is the author of the David Adams legal thriller, An Equal Justice, as well as The Tracker, Shadow Shepherd, and Hunt the Lion in his Sam Callahan series. Chad has worked for some of the country’s most powerful law firms and serves at Community First! Village, a 51-acre master planned community that provides affordable, permanent housing and a supportive community for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness. He lives in Austin with his wife, Katie, and their three daughters, and is hard at work on his next novel. For more information visit www.chadzunker.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 729 reviews
February 12, 2024
Jake hopes to start over after a vehicle accident killed his wife and injured his daughter. A hit and run collision made even worse given the driver was never brought to justice.
After an ugly custody battle with his late wife’s parents, Jake takes his daughter Piper and moves far away in order to start a new life. But, it’s Piper’s birthday and against his better judgement he allows her to return to celebrate the day with her grandparents.
Well Jake… today's life lesson is this. Always go with your gut!
Piper’s cousin Caitlin has been shot! And wait for it...Piper has been kidnapped!
Who’s targeting his family? And why? Heavy with guilt for letting her go, Jake is focused on finding answers and bringing his daughter home.
I really enjoyed this book but you do have to be willing to suspend some believability here. I kept pleading with Jake…come on! Just work with the authorities and everyone might come through this unscathed. But oh no, stubborn Jake would not take my advise! Men!🙄(JK😜)
This is the second book I’ve read by this author and will definitely be looking for more!
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer
After an ugly custody battle with his late wife’s parents, Jake takes his daughter Piper and moves far away in order to start a new life. But, it’s Piper’s birthday and against his better judgement he allows her to return to celebrate the day with her grandparents.
Well Jake… today's life lesson is this. Always go with your gut!
Piper’s cousin Caitlin has been shot! And wait for it...Piper has been kidnapped!
Who’s targeting his family? And why? Heavy with guilt for letting her go, Jake is focused on finding answers and bringing his daughter home.
I really enjoyed this book but you do have to be willing to suspend some believability here. I kept pleading with Jake…come on! Just work with the authorities and everyone might come through this unscathed. But oh no, stubborn Jake would not take my advise! Men!🙄(JK😜)
This is the second book I’ve read by this author and will definitely be looking for more!
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer
March 26, 2023
Damn... That's emotional!
Fast paced writing with really short chapters, I just flew through this one.
Jake loses his wife in a hit-and-run incident and he's facing a custody battle for their only daughter with his powerful in-laws.
The daughter gets kidnapped and she's the only possible witness to the murder of her cousin Caitlin.
What follows is a crazy life for Jake who's hunted by the media, the FBI and an assassin!
Totally heartbreaking but also crazily fast-paced, the book is a treat for thriller lovers.
Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for the advance reading copy.
Fast paced writing with really short chapters, I just flew through this one.
Jake loses his wife in a hit-and-run incident and he's facing a custody battle for their only daughter with his powerful in-laws.
The daughter gets kidnapped and she's the only possible witness to the murder of her cousin Caitlin.
What follows is a crazy life for Jake who's hunted by the media, the FBI and an assassin!
Totally heartbreaking but also crazily fast-paced, the book is a treat for thriller lovers.
Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for the advance reading copy.
July 2, 2023
*4.5* This thriller/action showcases the lengths a father would go to rescue his daughter.
Non-stop intense action
Murder mystery
Abduction
Zero filler or boring fluff
Family drama
HEA
I do wish this had a little romantic suspense in it, but it’s strictly balls-to-the walls thriller. You have to suspend reality at times. Could a grieving high school football coach have the skills to evade so many people throughout the story? Just read it for the high entertainment value.
Non-stop intense action
Murder mystery
Abduction
Zero filler or boring fluff
Family drama
HEA
I do wish this had a little romantic suspense in it, but it’s strictly balls-to-the walls thriller. You have to suspend reality at times. Could a grieving high school football coach have the skills to evade so many people throughout the story? Just read it for the high entertainment value.
August 14, 2022
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer, as well as NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of All He Has Left.
The title of the book is in reference to Jake's daughter being kidnapped after he's already lost his wife in a hit-and-run car accident. Piper is all he has left. To say that Jake is feeling crazed is not an exaggeration! To say that Jake will do whatever he has to in order to save Piper is also not an exaggeration!
I liked this book better than I liked Mr. Zunker's other stand-alone, Family Money. The pace of All He Has Left is crazy-fast!! While desperately searching for Piper, Jake finds himself a suspect in the murder of Piper's cousin. Before he knows it, this high school football coach is being pursued by the police, the FBI, and also an assassin! I liked seeing how Jake's mind worked as he searched for Piper, and I especially loved Jake's disguises. I didn't want to put the book down!!
My only complaint is that Jake was repeatedly hustling here and hustling there. Please use some synonyms, Mr. Zunker.😉 Still, a four-star book for me!
The title of the book is in reference to Jake's daughter being kidnapped after he's already lost his wife in a hit-and-run car accident. Piper is all he has left. To say that Jake is feeling crazed is not an exaggeration! To say that Jake will do whatever he has to in order to save Piper is also not an exaggeration!
I liked this book better than I liked Mr. Zunker's other stand-alone, Family Money. The pace of All He Has Left is crazy-fast!! While desperately searching for Piper, Jake finds himself a suspect in the murder of Piper's cousin. Before he knows it, this high school football coach is being pursued by the police, the FBI, and also an assassin! I liked seeing how Jake's mind worked as he searched for Piper, and I especially loved Jake's disguises. I didn't want to put the book down!!
My only complaint is that Jake was repeatedly hustling here and hustling there. Please use some synonyms, Mr. Zunker.😉 Still, a four-star book for me!
March 2, 2023
Unfortunately, “All He Has Left” was disappointing. I had been hoping for a good thriller. What I found was a poorly written story that strained credulity at every turn.
High school football coach Jake Slater is married to Sarah, the daughter of rich, powerful Lars Kingston who has always hated Jake for being not good enough for his daughter. On the drive home one night, Jake, Sarah, and their daughter, 11-year-old Piper, are hit by a truck that flees the scene. Sarah is killed. Jake and Piper survive.
Grief-stricken, Jake turns to drink and loses his job after drunkenly punching a referee during a game. Lars attempts to gain custody of Piper in a bruising court battle but fails, Jake having stopped drinking. One night, Piper visits her aunt Caitlin (Lars’s daughter). A man shoots Caitlin dead and absconds with Piper just as Jake arrives to pick Piper up. Jake chases the man but loses him and returns to the scene. The police detain Jake. Desperate to find Piper, he escapes and the hunt for Piper is on.
While there’s tons of conflict here—essential for any good story—the characters are so thinly drawn and so cliched that it’s really tough to believe in them, much less care about them. We’re not shown very much about the various worlds they inhabit or how they operate in those worlds. For example, we learn very little, if anything, about coaching high school football or managing investments or law enforcement--the specifics of which could have helped mightily to reveal the characters and bolster their credibility. In fact, errors regarding police and FBI policy and procedure are glaringly obvious (not to mention unbelievably coincidental). Jake is able to escape police custody by faking nausea? A 13-year veteran of the FBI, who once was Jake’s lover, now investigates Caitlin’s murder at the behest of her boss with whom she was romantically involved, where the FBI has little if any basis for taking on the case (since no federal law seems to have been broken)?
And the prose is far from a pleasure, filled as it is with questionable word and grammar choices, a wholesale reliance on unnecessary adjectives and adverbs, and figures of speech and cliches. Not to mention that there's more than one "backstory dump." As a matter of fact, there's actually a backstory within a backstory.
By the end of Chapter 8, some 50 pages in and more than a quarter of the way through, I had finally had enough.
Amazon “First Readers” may well want to skip this in favor of another selection.
High school football coach Jake Slater is married to Sarah, the daughter of rich, powerful Lars Kingston who has always hated Jake for being not good enough for his daughter. On the drive home one night, Jake, Sarah, and their daughter, 11-year-old Piper, are hit by a truck that flees the scene. Sarah is killed. Jake and Piper survive.
Grief-stricken, Jake turns to drink and loses his job after drunkenly punching a referee during a game. Lars attempts to gain custody of Piper in a bruising court battle but fails, Jake having stopped drinking. One night, Piper visits her aunt Caitlin (Lars’s daughter). A man shoots Caitlin dead and absconds with Piper just as Jake arrives to pick Piper up. Jake chases the man but loses him and returns to the scene. The police detain Jake. Desperate to find Piper, he escapes and the hunt for Piper is on.
While there’s tons of conflict here—essential for any good story—the characters are so thinly drawn and so cliched that it’s really tough to believe in them, much less care about them. We’re not shown very much about the various worlds they inhabit or how they operate in those worlds. For example, we learn very little, if anything, about coaching high school football or managing investments or law enforcement--the specifics of which could have helped mightily to reveal the characters and bolster their credibility. In fact, errors regarding police and FBI policy and procedure are glaringly obvious (not to mention unbelievably coincidental). Jake is able to escape police custody by faking nausea? A 13-year veteran of the FBI, who once was Jake’s lover, now investigates Caitlin’s murder at the behest of her boss with whom she was romantically involved, where the FBI has little if any basis for taking on the case (since no federal law seems to have been broken)?
And the prose is far from a pleasure, filled as it is with questionable word and grammar choices, a wholesale reliance on unnecessary adjectives and adverbs, and figures of speech and cliches. Not to mention that there's more than one "backstory dump." As a matter of fact, there's actually a backstory within a backstory.
By the end of Chapter 8, some 50 pages in and more than a quarter of the way through, I had finally had enough.
Amazon “First Readers” may well want to skip this in favor of another selection.
April 18, 2023
Jake’s wife was killed in a hit and run and the only thing he has left is his young daughter, Piper. Jake not only lost his wife but his job as a high school football coach as well. He also went through a nasty and difficult custody trial led by his prominent and Influential father-in-law.
Jake goes to pick his daughter up from her cousin's house and finds the cousin dying and Piper being driven away in a van. Jake will stop at nothing to find his daughter, but his search will put him in danger and uncover dark family secrets. -Jennifer C.
Jake goes to pick his daughter up from her cousin's house and finds the cousin dying and Piper being driven away in a van. Jake will stop at nothing to find his daughter, but his search will put him in danger and uncover dark family secrets. -Jennifer C.
July 30, 2022
All He Has Left was remarkable. I never expected anything when I read this book. But it was so good!
All He Has Left by Chad Zunker is fast paced, action-packed and has really short chapters. I was unable to put this book down but be real, there’s just so many things to do. Anyways, it was worth it.
Jake lost his wife after the tragic hit-and-run, all he has left is his daughter, Piper who he was nearly lost too. A year later, Jake brought his daughter to his in-laws house to celebrate her daughter’s birthday. He was reluctant at first but he didn’t want her daughter to hate him because everything has changed after she lost her mother.
The night on his daughter birthday party, his daughter was kidnapped and Jake became the most wanted guy and he also hunted by an assassin. Jake was so desperate to find his daughter. The closer he’s gotten to the truth, the more family secrets and betrayals he found out. So much conflict, affairs, family drama and mistrust.
This was absolutely a thrilling crime and mystery book. The storyline was perfect to me. The plot twist was so good. Such an emotional read too. I had a blast reading this book, all the time I was imagining the situations and how the actions playing in my head. Even the small details, like I was watching a crime movie.
It is highly recommended. Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing this book. If you are lucky, maybe this is still available on “Read Now” shelf.
All He Has Left by Chad Zunker is fast paced, action-packed and has really short chapters. I was unable to put this book down but be real, there’s just so many things to do. Anyways, it was worth it.
Jake lost his wife after the tragic hit-and-run, all he has left is his daughter, Piper who he was nearly lost too. A year later, Jake brought his daughter to his in-laws house to celebrate her daughter’s birthday. He was reluctant at first but he didn’t want her daughter to hate him because everything has changed after she lost her mother.
The night on his daughter birthday party, his daughter was kidnapped and Jake became the most wanted guy and he also hunted by an assassin. Jake was so desperate to find his daughter. The closer he’s gotten to the truth, the more family secrets and betrayals he found out. So much conflict, affairs, family drama and mistrust.
This was absolutely a thrilling crime and mystery book. The storyline was perfect to me. The plot twist was so good. Such an emotional read too. I had a blast reading this book, all the time I was imagining the situations and how the actions playing in my head. Even the small details, like I was watching a crime movie.
It is highly recommended. Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing this book. If you are lucky, maybe this is still available on “Read Now” shelf.
March 12, 2023
Longwinded
I 'read' this book in 2 hours. Not hard when you can skim 5 pages of predictable rambling before you come across anything that moves the story forward. Disappointed.
I 'read' this book in 2 hours. Not hard when you can skim 5 pages of predictable rambling before you come across anything that moves the story forward. Disappointed.
August 25, 2022
Power, money, and dark family secrets are a killer combination in a propulsive novel of suspense by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Family Money. After Jake Slater’s wife dies in a tragic hit-and-run, all he has left is his daughter, Piper―nearly lost, too, in a brutal custody battle with his wealthy in-laws. A year later, Jake reluctantly agrees to a reunion with the estranged family for Piper’s thirteenth birthday. Then a single gunshot rings out, and a new nightmare begins.
I really enjoyed the last book 'Family Money' and this one did not disappoint either. Jake soon becomes a suspect and he has to endeavour to find out what really happened so that he can clear his name. He ends up being on everyone's hit list including the local police department, the FBI and then an assassin - makes for interesting reading. Jake loves his daughter with his whole being and will do anything to keep her safe. A great plot, strong characters and overall a very good story, highly recommended and I will be looking out for the next book by Chad Walker.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book.
I really enjoyed the last book 'Family Money' and this one did not disappoint either. Jake soon becomes a suspect and he has to endeavour to find out what really happened so that he can clear his name. He ends up being on everyone's hit list including the local police department, the FBI and then an assassin - makes for interesting reading. Jake loves his daughter with his whole being and will do anything to keep her safe. A great plot, strong characters and overall a very good story, highly recommended and I will be looking out for the next book by Chad Walker.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book.
June 18, 2023
#abrknpoet reviewed All He Has Left
All He Has Left by Chad Zunker is a fast-paced thriller that follows Jake Slater, a widowed father who becomes the prime suspect in a murder and a kidnapping. Jake must go on the run to clear his name and find his daughter, Piper, who holds the key to a dark family secret. Along the way, he faces danger from the media, the FBI, and a ruthless assassin.
The book is well-written and engaging, with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. The characters are realistic and sympathetic, especially Jake and Piper, who share a strong bond. The plot is gripping and suspenseful, with a satisfying conclusion that reveals the truth behind the mystery.
All He Has Left is a book that fans of thrillers and mysteries will enjoy. It is a compelling and exciting read that explores themes of family, loyalty, and justice.
3.7 Brkn Stars
All He Has Left by Chad Zunker is a fast-paced thriller that follows Jake Slater, a widowed father who becomes the prime suspect in a murder and a kidnapping. Jake must go on the run to clear his name and find his daughter, Piper, who holds the key to a dark family secret. Along the way, he faces danger from the media, the FBI, and a ruthless assassin.
The book is well-written and engaging, with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. The characters are realistic and sympathetic, especially Jake and Piper, who share a strong bond. The plot is gripping and suspenseful, with a satisfying conclusion that reveals the truth behind the mystery.
All He Has Left is a book that fans of thrillers and mysteries will enjoy. It is a compelling and exciting read that explores themes of family, loyalty, and justice.
3.7 Brkn Stars
March 8, 2023
This was my Amazon First Read for March. Fast read. Lots of suspense. I really liked this one! First time reading this author, as well.
May 10, 2023
This is just not a very good book.
The execution was not done well. It felt like very basic writing and very much tell instead of show. The writing left much to be desired. You could skip pages and not miss anything with the story. The flashback memories were not done very well and took you out of the story. The conversations were basic and all the character were 1 dimensional.
Do not recommend
The execution was not done well. It felt like very basic writing and very much tell instead of show. The writing left much to be desired. You could skip pages and not miss anything with the story. The flashback memories were not done very well and took you out of the story. The conversations were basic and all the character were 1 dimensional.
Do not recommend
March 6, 2023
PUBLICATION DAY: April 1, 2023
Jake Slater was involved in a terrible hit and run accident one year ago. His beloved wife was killed and his pre-teen daughter Piper injured. Today, he is trying to pick up the pieces after a brutal custody battle with his rich in-laws, the loss of his job, and a tense relationship with his daughter due to having moved her away from her hometown. Returning for her birthday, things quickly go awry when Piper is kidnapped, and her cousin is murdered. Who would do this to her? And why? Jake will stop at nothing to save his daughter and find the answers.
PROS and CONS:
If I’m being (super) picky, I thought the writing was a bit weak in this one. The casual prose wasn’t to my taste - that could just be me. How many times can one man fall/vomit/waste time/refuse to involve the FBI (even when the agent is someone you trust) before you begin to lose sympathy for him? In his defense, he had a lot going on and a handy bag of disguises to help. Anyway - it’s full of action, a very quick read and it has an extremely tidy ending!
READ IT?
If you’re looking for…a quick, action packed read - then this one’s for you!
3 Stars
Jake Slater was involved in a terrible hit and run accident one year ago. His beloved wife was killed and his pre-teen daughter Piper injured. Today, he is trying to pick up the pieces after a brutal custody battle with his rich in-laws, the loss of his job, and a tense relationship with his daughter due to having moved her away from her hometown. Returning for her birthday, things quickly go awry when Piper is kidnapped, and her cousin is murdered. Who would do this to her? And why? Jake will stop at nothing to save his daughter and find the answers.
PROS and CONS:
If I’m being (super) picky, I thought the writing was a bit weak in this one. The casual prose wasn’t to my taste - that could just be me. How many times can one man fall/vomit/waste time/refuse to involve the FBI (even when the agent is someone you trust) before you begin to lose sympathy for him? In his defense, he had a lot going on and a handy bag of disguises to help. Anyway - it’s full of action, a very quick read and it has an extremely tidy ending!
READ IT?
If you’re looking for…a quick, action packed read - then this one’s for you!
3 Stars
March 11, 2023
What could have been a “feel good” ending missed the mark terribly. A high school football coach performs miraculous feats, always ahead of authorities and a hired killer, to reunite with his kidnapped daughter…to renew an old love and continue a strong relationship with his teenage daughter. Ultimately so unbelievable, it makes for disappointing read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2023
Not great
Terrible unbelievable but I kept reading since it was short . I wanted to see how it got resolved but this is not a book I would recommend.
Terrible unbelievable but I kept reading since it was short . I wanted to see how it got resolved but this is not a book I would recommend.
November 28, 2022
3.5 rounding up, it was a good story that I liked. Nothing spectacular here but it was a solid, quick read.
Chad Zunker can certainly tell a fast-paced, high-stakes, tension-filled story. This has all the aspects to make it a super quick read: short chapters, high-stress situations, a big secret that needs to be uncovered before time runs out... I liked this story. This is one of those "Why did that character keep running if they really are innocent" but I TOTALLY got it -- Jake knows how wealthy (read: powerful) his wife's family, specifically his father-in-law, are and what that money and power could do against him. Also, he seems like he will do ANYTHING to get his daughter back and at the time running seemed the only way he was going to be able to get to her (circling back to that wealth that means power his father-in-law has? He knows no one will take him seriously).
Side note: the fact that the FBI Agent is named Dani was icing on the cake; it isn't the most common name I see in books (maybe just the ones I read perhaps, idk) so I immediately showed my husband and said "Look her name is Dani and she's an FBI Agent!" What a great name for a great female lead character ;-)
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for the early copy to read and review.
Chad Zunker can certainly tell a fast-paced, high-stakes, tension-filled story. This has all the aspects to make it a super quick read: short chapters, high-stress situations, a big secret that needs to be uncovered before time runs out... I liked this story. This is one of those "Why did that character keep running if they really are innocent" but I TOTALLY got it -- Jake knows how wealthy (read: powerful) his wife's family, specifically his father-in-law, are and what that money and power could do against him. Also, he seems like he will do ANYTHING to get his daughter back and at the time running seemed the only way he was going to be able to get to her (circling back to that wealth that means power his father-in-law has? He knows no one will take him seriously).
Side note: the fact that the FBI Agent is named Dani was icing on the cake; it isn't the most common name I see in books (maybe just the ones I read perhaps, idk) so I immediately showed my husband and said "Look her name is Dani and she's an FBI Agent!" What a great name for a great female lead character ;-)
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for the early copy to read and review.
August 31, 2022
Thanks To NetGalley for providing me with the ARC copy.
A fast paced thriller which I enjoyed reading
The story is about Jake Slater, a Texas high school football coach who is in marriage with seemingly unmatched Sarah. His In-laws are rich and look down upon him. His boring life gets all chaos the day his wife dies in accident and he becomes sole parent to their daughter Piper.
Things turn ugly when after a year his neice is shot dead and Piper gets kidnapped. In bid to reach his daughter he as to escape not only police but an assassin too. The case is handled by FBI and Jake is prime suspect but the Agent-in-charge has a past secret.
Will Jake reach Piper in time? Was his wife death really an accident?
#ChadZunker #netgalley #bookstagramnewbie #bookstagram
#bookreview #mybookfeatures #booksofinstagram #book #bookaddict #bookworm #bookchallenge #novel #bookaholic #bookstagrammer #arc
A fast paced thriller which I enjoyed reading
The story is about Jake Slater, a Texas high school football coach who is in marriage with seemingly unmatched Sarah. His In-laws are rich and look down upon him. His boring life gets all chaos the day his wife dies in accident and he becomes sole parent to their daughter Piper.
Things turn ugly when after a year his neice is shot dead and Piper gets kidnapped. In bid to reach his daughter he as to escape not only police but an assassin too. The case is handled by FBI and Jake is prime suspect but the Agent-in-charge has a past secret.
Will Jake reach Piper in time? Was his wife death really an accident?
#ChadZunker #netgalley #bookstagramnewbie #bookstagram
#bookreview #mybookfeatures #booksofinstagram #book #bookaddict #bookworm #bookchallenge #novel #bookaholic #bookstagrammer #arc
August 1, 2022
Recently widowed Texas high school football coach, Jake Slater, has always been a disappointment to his uber-rich in-laws who felt he was too lower class for their daughter Sarah and even blame him for her accidental death in a hit-and-run. But even after a bitter custody battle, he’s still bound to them by virtue of his 13 year old daughter, Piper, and after a year, he has finally come to visit them again since they are having an elaborate birthday party for their granddaughter. But as he’s picking Piper up from her cousin’s Caitlin’s home, he finds Caitlin shot and in a dying breath saying “Piper knows the truth.” Jake sees Piper being bundled into a tow truck. Of course, the awful in-laws arrive to suggest Jake may have killed Caitlin. The police view him as a suspect — and Jake takes off.
At this point, the thriller becomes incredibly fast-paced and suspenseful as Jake searches for Piper. Caitlin was an analyst for the FBI, so an agent in her office, Dani Nolan, is quickly assigned to the case. Dani, coincidentally, is a former girlfriend of Jake’s, which complicates her participation in the investigation.
I loved this thriller! It was unputdownable! The characters of Jake and Dani were well-developed and believable. Mr. Zunker really conveys Jake’s love for his daughter. It was impossible not to root for the best outcomes for each character. 5 stars! This needs to be on everyone’s winter reading list!
Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Piper has the “brightest green eyes” according to her dad, until two-thirds into the book, Dani thinks Piper has Jake’s “blue-sky” eyes. Hmmmm.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Nothing more than a broken vase of flowers.
At this point, the thriller becomes incredibly fast-paced and suspenseful as Jake searches for Piper. Caitlin was an analyst for the FBI, so an agent in her office, Dani Nolan, is quickly assigned to the case. Dani, coincidentally, is a former girlfriend of Jake’s, which complicates her participation in the investigation.
I loved this thriller! It was unputdownable! The characters of Jake and Dani were well-developed and believable. Mr. Zunker really conveys Jake’s love for his daughter. It was impossible not to root for the best outcomes for each character. 5 stars! This needs to be on everyone’s winter reading list!
Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Piper has the “brightest green eyes” according to her dad, until two-thirds into the book, Dani thinks Piper has Jake’s “blue-sky” eyes. Hmmmm.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Nothing more than a broken vase of flowers.
March 23, 2023
I Will Always Be There for You...
No spoilers. 3 stars. Jake Slater has found himself in a world of hurt since marrying into the wealthy Kingston family...
... His wife Sarah mysteriously died in a car accident for which his in-laws blame him...
... One of the Kingston nieces has been murdered, and his 11 year old daughter Piper has been kidnapped...
And what's worse is...
Someone has hired a hit man to kill Jake and Jake doesn't even know who would want him dead...
Immediately...
The police suspect that Jake is behind all the murder and mayhem of late, and have put the FBI onto his trail...
But...
Jake had made a vow to his daughter that he would always be there for her and would never leave her...
This story wasn't as bad as it was preposterous. To avoid spoilers, I'll just say that a lot of serendipity was employed in this story to facilitate progress in the plot as well as the endgame solution.
This novel was my Amazon First Reads selection for the month of March.
No spoilers. 3 stars. Jake Slater has found himself in a world of hurt since marrying into the wealthy Kingston family...
... His wife Sarah mysteriously died in a car accident for which his in-laws blame him...
... One of the Kingston nieces has been murdered, and his 11 year old daughter Piper has been kidnapped...
And what's worse is...
Someone has hired a hit man to kill Jake and Jake doesn't even know who would want him dead...
Immediately...
The police suspect that Jake is behind all the murder and mayhem of late, and have put the FBI onto his trail...
But...
Jake had made a vow to his daughter that he would always be there for her and would never leave her...
This story wasn't as bad as it was preposterous. To avoid spoilers, I'll just say that a lot of serendipity was employed in this story to facilitate progress in the plot as well as the endgame solution.
This novel was my Amazon First Reads selection for the month of March.
August 17, 2023
4.5 Stars
I honestly picked this book up on a whim after some random Amazon recommendation. I gotta admit this was one hell of a read with almost non stop action. While the book may not be long it certainly packs a punch in just over 200 pages. The hero Jake is easy to root for and you cant help but want him and his daughter to be reunited safely in the end. When it comes to the villain I think most of us can and will guess who’s behind it all. Personally though this did nothing to take away from the overall crux of the story and it ends with justice being served. I always love a good thrilling mystery where amateur characters piece the entire case together on their own because the actual law is useless. Plus it makes me feel as if somehow I have the mindset to solve anything at all when in reality I’m utterly useless in a crisis. Bonus as of my reading it, this book comes on KU as an audio as well and is very well spoken so you’re quickly engaged & invested.
I honestly picked this book up on a whim after some random Amazon recommendation. I gotta admit this was one hell of a read with almost non stop action. While the book may not be long it certainly packs a punch in just over 200 pages. The hero Jake is easy to root for and you cant help but want him and his daughter to be reunited safely in the end. When it comes to the villain I think most of us can and will guess who’s behind it all. Personally though this did nothing to take away from the overall crux of the story and it ends with justice being served. I always love a good thrilling mystery where amateur characters piece the entire case together on their own because the actual law is useless. Plus it makes me feel as if somehow I have the mindset to solve anything at all when in reality I’m utterly useless in a crisis. Bonus as of my reading it, this book comes on KU as an audio as well and is very well spoken so you’re quickly engaged & invested.
March 1, 2024
3.5 stars (rounded up)
September 2, 2023
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Jake Slater lost his wife and almost lost his daughter, Piper, in an appalling hit-and-run accident. Then his affluent inlaws fought him for custody of Piper but Jake prevailed. He packed up their life and moved away. A year later his wife’s parents want to host a party to celebrate her 13th birthday. He grudgingly allows his daughter to attend but he doesn’t stick around.
He arrives to pick Piper up at her cousin’s when he hears a gunshot. Inside he finds her cousin Caitlyn had been shot and Piper missing. Caitlyn breathlessly tells him “Piper knows the truth”, before she dies. He then sees a man taking Piper away. He gives chase but is too late. The police arrive and Jake is the only witness to what happened. From their questioning, he sees he is their prime suspect and no one appears to be concerned about Piper. He has to find her. When he gets the chance he runs.
Now his face is all over television and social media. The FBI has been brought in. And he is being tracked by a killer. He can’t let anything get in the way of finding his daughter and he has no one to trust. When the truth starts to be revealed he is blindsided but doesn’t give up. He just hopes he can survive long enough to save his daughter.
I discovered Chad Zunker last year and when I was offered this book to review I jumped at the chance.
Jake Slater loved being a high school football coach. His wife and inlaws wanted him to get involved in the family business and he turned them down. Then his life implodes. My grandsons play football and I know the dedication the coaches put into the job personally so the character of Jake resonated with me right away. I also understood his downfall on the job he loved. He returned to work too soon and didn’t allow himself time to grieve. He also had to fight his inlaws to keep his daughter which added to the stress. He did what he had to do. I felt like I was right on the emotional roller coaster with him.
Mr. Zunker sets a quick pace and uses short chapters making this book impossible to put down. Readers follow Jake through every step of this tragic story. My heart was racing almost the entire time. Jake’s mind worked in fascinating ways to stay ahead of those trying to capture him. He was on a mission and faced many obstacles. The twists would have been hard for anyone to face but he kept going to get to the truth.
My only drawback of the story was a twist that put Jake’s high school girlfriend as the FBI Agent in Charge of his capture. Her actions did not follow protocol and the ending they had was just too predictable.
All He Has Left is an action-packed story where family secrets and powerful wealthy people crash together in a powerful plot. An engaging main character quickly draws readers into his life and forces them to hang on tight until the last page.
For me, Chad Zunker is an author to watch. I am excited about his next book set to be released on February 27, 2024. The Wife You Know sounds like it’s going to be another wildly emotional and suspenseful journey.
Jake Slater lost his wife and almost lost his daughter, Piper, in an appalling hit-and-run accident. Then his affluent inlaws fought him for custody of Piper but Jake prevailed. He packed up their life and moved away. A year later his wife’s parents want to host a party to celebrate her 13th birthday. He grudgingly allows his daughter to attend but he doesn’t stick around.
He arrives to pick Piper up at her cousin’s when he hears a gunshot. Inside he finds her cousin Caitlyn had been shot and Piper missing. Caitlyn breathlessly tells him “Piper knows the truth”, before she dies. He then sees a man taking Piper away. He gives chase but is too late. The police arrive and Jake is the only witness to what happened. From their questioning, he sees he is their prime suspect and no one appears to be concerned about Piper. He has to find her. When he gets the chance he runs.
Now his face is all over television and social media. The FBI has been brought in. And he is being tracked by a killer. He can’t let anything get in the way of finding his daughter and he has no one to trust. When the truth starts to be revealed he is blindsided but doesn’t give up. He just hopes he can survive long enough to save his daughter.
I discovered Chad Zunker last year and when I was offered this book to review I jumped at the chance.
Jake Slater loved being a high school football coach. His wife and inlaws wanted him to get involved in the family business and he turned them down. Then his life implodes. My grandsons play football and I know the dedication the coaches put into the job personally so the character of Jake resonated with me right away. I also understood his downfall on the job he loved. He returned to work too soon and didn’t allow himself time to grieve. He also had to fight his inlaws to keep his daughter which added to the stress. He did what he had to do. I felt like I was right on the emotional roller coaster with him.
Mr. Zunker sets a quick pace and uses short chapters making this book impossible to put down. Readers follow Jake through every step of this tragic story. My heart was racing almost the entire time. Jake’s mind worked in fascinating ways to stay ahead of those trying to capture him. He was on a mission and faced many obstacles. The twists would have been hard for anyone to face but he kept going to get to the truth.
My only drawback of the story was a twist that put Jake’s high school girlfriend as the FBI Agent in Charge of his capture. Her actions did not follow protocol and the ending they had was just too predictable.
All He Has Left is an action-packed story where family secrets and powerful wealthy people crash together in a powerful plot. An engaging main character quickly draws readers into his life and forces them to hang on tight until the last page.
For me, Chad Zunker is an author to watch. I am excited about his next book set to be released on February 27, 2024. The Wife You Know sounds like it’s going to be another wildly emotional and suspenseful journey.
April 21, 2024
4.5⭐️.
I devoured this fast paced thriller in one day. It was short, engaging, and fulfilled all of my needs for a good suspense novel.
Although some parts were unrealistic, I could not put this one down. I appreciated how there was literally not one dull moment throughout this book. Nothing felt slow or boring. Jake deserves Dad-of-the-Year award for going to the extents that he did to track down his daughter, Piper, throughout this tension filled story. Loved!
I devoured this fast paced thriller in one day. It was short, engaging, and fulfilled all of my needs for a good suspense novel.
Although some parts were unrealistic, I could not put this one down. I appreciated how there was literally not one dull moment throughout this book. Nothing felt slow or boring. Jake deserves Dad-of-the-Year award for going to the extents that he did to track down his daughter, Piper, throughout this tension filled story. Loved!
April 11, 2023
4 1/2 ✨ Wow this was fast paced! My hubby doesn’t get the chance to read so I sometimes tell him about the books I’m currently reading. This one he would ask me nightly for updates!
July 28, 2022
“All He Has Left” is a thrilling, quick read by author Chad Zunker. I was initially intrigued by the premise: Jake Slater’s wife dies in a hit-and-run accident, but one year later, another family member is murdered and another one is kidnapped, so was it really an “accident” after all? The pacing of this book is quick: it is full of action and devoid of slow parts that detract from the story. It was an easy and fun afternoon read. I’d read more by this author! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
August 9, 2022
This was a great story of greed, family secrets, judgement and a father's fight to save his daughter. There are many actors at play, all with their own motives. This is all woven together so well that it makes a wonderful whodunit! Just as you think you are pulling back the layers on this one, you find another level to the intrigue. There is so much action and discovery - you'll be sitting on the edge of your seat. You will wonder how a home-town coach can be so resourceful; but he is not fantastical or a super-hero, just a man with the conviction to persevere. There were just a few things in the story that made me think, 'hmmnn,' but they were not integral to the story and easily glossed over. This book was entertaining and I very much enjoyed it!
March 31, 2023
Too much murder-not enough mystery
He can do better. This was nothing but bloodshed. No real suspense, no character development. This book is amateurish and poor reflection of the author.
He can do better. This was nothing but bloodshed. No real suspense, no character development. This book is amateurish and poor reflection of the author.
August 14, 2022
The high school football coach, Jake, marries beautiful Sarah who's from a wealthy business family. They have a 12 year daughter, Pipper.
On an unfortunate night, Sarah is killed on the spot in a hit-and-run accident and her family blames Jake for it and there starts the custody battle for Piper.
A year later, everything is settled and Jake reluctantly agrees to take Piper to meet her grandparents on her thirteenth birthday. When he comes back to pick her up, a single gunshot rings out, Piper is kidnapped, and her cousin Caitlin is murdered. Before dying, Caitlin says that 'Piper knows the truth.'
Jake is the only witness to the murder―and the only suspect. Jake as to find Piper before he looses her too. Meanwhile, police, FBI and an assassin are on his trail.
OMG!!! What an action packed thriller. It glued me to my Kindle. There was no unnecessary dragging and no time is wasted. Every chapter in the plot is going forward with a pace I liked. The characters were likable and in between, the snippets of memories of father-daughter relationship felt sweet. The ending was tied up with no lose ends.
I thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for giving me ARC copy for my honest review
On an unfortunate night, Sarah is killed on the spot in a hit-and-run accident and her family blames Jake for it and there starts the custody battle for Piper.
A year later, everything is settled and Jake reluctantly agrees to take Piper to meet her grandparents on her thirteenth birthday. When he comes back to pick her up, a single gunshot rings out, Piper is kidnapped, and her cousin Caitlin is murdered. Before dying, Caitlin says that 'Piper knows the truth.'
Jake is the only witness to the murder―and the only suspect. Jake as to find Piper before he looses her too. Meanwhile, police, FBI and an assassin are on his trail.
OMG!!! What an action packed thriller. It glued me to my Kindle. There was no unnecessary dragging and no time is wasted. Every chapter in the plot is going forward with a pace I liked. The characters were likable and in between, the snippets of memories of father-daughter relationship felt sweet. The ending was tied up with no lose ends.
I thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for giving me ARC copy for my honest review
September 13, 2022
All He Has Left is about greed and power. Jake Slater thought he had a good life with the woman he loved and his beautiful daughter Piper. However, everything changes when his wife dies in a hit-and-run accident. Jake Slater knew his in-laws did not like him, and he did not expect the hostility and to have to fight for his daughter with his in-laws. The readers of All He Has Left will continue to follow Jake Slater and Piper to find out what happens.
All He Has Left is the first book I have read by Chad Zunker, and I did enjoy reading this book. I am pleased that Chad Zunker was writing about issues that can affect single fathers and their in-laws, which allowed me to engage with this book's story and characters. I loved Chad Zunker's portrayal of the characters and the way they intertwine with each other throughout this book. All He Has Left is well-written and researched by Chad Zunker. I like Chad Zunker's description of All He Has Left's settings complimenting the book's plot.
All He Has Left readers will understand the consequences of someone using violence and money to control people around them. Also, the readers will learn about living in Austin, Texas.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my free ARC copy for an honest review. I recommend this book.
All He Has Left is the first book I have read by Chad Zunker, and I did enjoy reading this book. I am pleased that Chad Zunker was writing about issues that can affect single fathers and their in-laws, which allowed me to engage with this book's story and characters. I loved Chad Zunker's portrayal of the characters and the way they intertwine with each other throughout this book. All He Has Left is well-written and researched by Chad Zunker. I like Chad Zunker's description of All He Has Left's settings complimenting the book's plot.
All He Has Left readers will understand the consequences of someone using violence and money to control people around them. Also, the readers will learn about living in Austin, Texas.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my free ARC copy for an honest review. I recommend this book.
April 24, 2024
What a thrilling adventure! I binge read this emotional roller coaster suspenseful thriller. This was the second book I’ve read of Chad Zunker. The mystery and intrigue he weaves into his stories are riveting and creative. He always has you pondering what will happen next. I feel Zunker is not befittingly recognized, yet is one who has quickly become one of my favorite authors.
In all, I devoured the power, money, and dark family secrets of this suspenseful story. These were a killer combination in this fast paced thriller and utterly unputdownable. I recommend this adventurous mystery to anyone who is up for a snappy, suspenseful read.
In all, I devoured the power, money, and dark family secrets of this suspenseful story. These were a killer combination in this fast paced thriller and utterly unputdownable. I recommend this adventurous mystery to anyone who is up for a snappy, suspenseful read.
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