An Equal Justice

David Adams #1

by Chad Zunker

Inside a prestigious law firm, a rookie lawyer is pulled into a dark maze of lies and violence.

An ambitious Stanford graduate, David Adams has begun a fast-track career at Austin’s most prestigious law firm. It’s a personal victory for the rising superstar—a satisfying reversal from his impoverished and despairing childhood. Now he has the life he’s always wanted: an extravagant salary, a high-rise condo, a luxury SUV, and no limit to how far he can go in the eyes of the top partners.

But after the shocking suicide of a fellow associate—one who, in his final hours, offered David an ominous warning—he feels the pull of powerful forces behind the corporation’s enviable trappings. The suicide leads unexpectedly to David’s discovery of a secret enclave of the city’s homeless, where he can’t help but feel an affinity to these outcast souls. Nor can he ignore the feeling that they hold the key to the truth behind a dark conspiracy.

When one of his new street friends is murdered, David’s clear doubts about his employer start shifting into a dark reality. Now torn between two worlds, David must surrender all that he’s achieved to fight for a larger cause of justice—and become his firm’s most dangerous acquisition.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Legal, Legal Thriller

223 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2019

About the author

CHAD 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.

Reviews

[Kaceey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*
Congratulations are in order for David Adams! He just graduated from law school. As the new up-and-coming super-star, he’s taken a position at one of the top law firms in Austin, Texas. He has one singular goal. To be the best new attorney the firm has ever seen. If that means working himself to the bone, day and night - so be it. Even putting aside everything in his personal life as well. Including those valued traits that made him such an upstanding young man... morals... values...a sense of what’s right or wrong.

It’s not long before David realizes that flying high may not be all he imagined. That there’s a huge price to pay. So is young David willing to pay up for the life he always dreamed of?

A light legal thriller that was a quick weekend read! This is set to become a series with the next release An Unequal Defense is due to be released May 2020. I’ll be curious where the author takes the character next!

Thank you to Goodreads Giveaways!

[Joey R. · Rating 1 out of 5]

“An Equal Justice” by Chad Zunker is a Kindle First selection that I thought sounded interesting by an author I never had read before. The book starts off promising with Stanford law school graduate, David Adams, beginning his new employment with a huge corporate law firm in Austin, Texas. The author does a good job of describing the competitive world within this high dollar firm and all of the drama that comes with it. Unfortunately, the author then decides to write a different story that has already been written about thousands of times with all of the cliches and boring storylines that have been written about so many times before. For instance:
Lawyer “discovers” he does not like his job because of the greed and arrogance of the people around him.✅
Lawyer “discovers” happiness by working with the homeless community and finds a beautiful woman he falls in love with who has given up everything to work with the homeless too.✅
Lawyer is taken into the homeless community with “open arms” where everyone there is as “good as gold” with all of them having catchable lovable nicknames like the Seven Dwarves of the street.✅
Lawyer overcomes traumatic deaths within his family and poverty to rise up above it all✅
Ridiculous coincidences and discoveries all coincide to ferret out corruption and murder within the horrible law firm — allowing the now better on the inside attorney to save the day and bring down the firm✅

This is just the tip of the cliche iceberg, but I won’t bore you with the many other problems this book has. I will just end it with this book was not for me.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Adams had just graduated from Stanford and was immediately headed to a prestigious corporate law firm in Austin, Texas, where he planned to knuckle down and work hard, hoping to rise to the top before too long. But with a young lawyer committing suicide after having giving David a warning about the firm, David was puzzled, but kept his head down. It wasn't long before David's first encounter with one of the city's homeless - Benny - a kind, caring man who welcomed David into the Camp, where David discovered much more than he'd imagined.

David's burgeoning suspicions about his new employer continued to escalate. He needed to discover more, and he needed proof. When one of his homeless friends was brutally murdered, David and another friend Jen, began their investigations in earnest. What would they find? The mystery was deepening, but David was determined...

An Equal Justice is #1 in the David Adams series by Chad Zunker and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Having read #2 some time back, I was intrigued to learn of David's beginnings and found it a perfect start. David is an excellent character - kind, caring, compassionate, and filled with purpose. I am looking forward to #3 in the not too distant future. Highly recommended.

[Kathi Defranc · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an inspiring book! Yes it is about a lawyer, new to a high-powered firm, just starting his journey when he meets some folks who live on the street. There are murders. crime and plenty of back-stabbing individuals, but through it all you find a different way to go...A real connection to others, and a decision to go the tough but worthwhile route..
A simply amazing story by an author I have enjoyed since I read his very first book- And could Not believe it was his first! I enjoy legal stories, and read many, but none has ever given me the emotion and clarity easily carried by this wonderful story!
5 Golden Stars from me, and am so excited this is just the beginning of a series! I highly recommend this book to Everyone!!!

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zunker's first offering featuring the attorney David Adams has the recent Stanford Law School grad working for a very prestigious corporate law firm in Austin, Texas. However, he starts to question the firm’s ethics when one of his fellow lawyers warns him to ‘leave the firm before it’s too late’ and then commits suicide the following day (or was he murdered?). It is no surprise that the law firm, and particularly his boss, are up to ‘no good’. [This is a predictable plot-line that readers have seen before, but Zunker moves the action along smartly.] The more that David learns, the more he puts himself in danger.

Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Laura Wonderchick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one kind of reminded me of Grisham’s The Firm but with a different ethical level with homelessness. A quick and thoughtful read.

[Ashley Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh... 2.5/5 stars

This book was short. I wanted more. I wanted the story to be more flushed out and detailed. I wanted the characters to have more depth and know more about their background and why they are the way they are.

With that said, I think the bones are good here. This book could have been great if Zunker could have expanded on what he already had here.

I actually really want to pick up another novel by Zunker because again I think the plot was interesting and the characters had promise, I just wanted more.

[Nursebookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful quick read full of excitement, blackmail, murder and mystery at every turn. This thriller had me at the edge of my seat ala John Grisham style. I am so excited that this book will be a series and I cannot wait to read the next installment. You will fall in love with David Adams’ character and his next case!

David Adams, a rookie lawyer and a Stanford graduate, has begun a fast-track career at Austin’s most prestigious law firm - which gives him the life and a lifestyle he never thought he could ever have. With his extravagant salary with bonuses, he could now afford a fancy condo and his dream luxury SUV. His work ethic earns him top hours billed in his firm and everyone is taking notice. A fellow associate, Nick who gives him an ominous warning, turns up dead the next morning. A friend he made, Benny who saves him from an attempted robbery, also turns up dead. As they dig through these suspicious deaths, things may be connected to his employer.

I love the pacing and how the story reveals what is needed at just the right time with a wonderful fulfilling ending. Highly recommend this fantastic thrilling read!

[Valleri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I. Loved. This. Book.

I was enthralled from the first page through the last! The plot flows smoothly as we see the main character striving to make a place for himself in the world. And yet, despite his desire for worldly possessions and success, he has a moral compass that is admirable. I can't wait to read the next book in the series! I'm officially hooked!!

PS. The author's note at the end of the book totally touched my heart.

[Laur · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS - This was a decent read, and I enjoyed it overall because I liked the characters. The story itself was NOT ”a buckle in for the ride”, full of nail-biting suspense, no gigantic thrilling moments, no courtroom legal arguments drama.

What it DID have was clean writing, a decent mystery, and a positive message for looking at the big picture of things.

[Tracy P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent thriller and insight into the lives of those marginalized by society because of homelessness. Author, Chad Zunker is a true advocate who doesn't just talk the talk, but rather walks the walk. . .getting out and actually making a difference, and helping to open the eyes of our society (which all too often chooses to look the other way) and "seeing" beyond the stigma and into the individual. A little compassion can transform life for someone down on their luck. It is our obligation as human beings to pay it forward! Thank you, Mr. Zunker!!

[Aristotle · Rating 3 out of 5]

1991 The Firm by John Grisham 30 years later

Straightforward plot and storytelling.
Reads like a Lifetime movie.
Not necessarily a bad thing but no real depth to the book.
Only 217 pages so give it a try.

[Cathy Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a case of if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. From a poor background, newly qualified attorney David Adams has been recruited as an associate at Hunter & Kellerman, the most distinguished law firm in Austin, Texas. He was offered 20% more than much larger firms in San Francisco and New York, plus $20,000 for joining the team. Believing he has secured his dream job David makes the most of his change in fortunes. But the supposed suicide of another intern gives him pause for thought.

'“I drove Nick home that night, helped him get into his house.”

“Damn. Really? You may have been the last person to see him alive. Police said his girlfriend found him yesterday morning.”

David thought about the guy he’d spotted outside Nick’s house.'

Mentored by Thomas Gray, David is soon working punishing hours, to keep on top of his workload and ahead of the competition, unaware he’s being monitored. After a rare night out he is threatened at knifepoint. A homeless man, Benny, comes to his aid and through him David is introduced to the other homeless people who live at ‘The Camp’, tucked away on the outskirts of the city.

An Equal Justice showcases the best and worst of human nature. The story is entertaining, and as David begins to realise all is not as it seems at Hunter & Kellerman, one of his new street friends is murdered.

'He couldn’t believe it. They’d found him. He’d been so careful. The plan had seemed perfect. But he’d clearly underestimated their reach.'

David faces a clear choice—ignore what he suspects or give up his dream and all that goes with it to fight for justice. It’s a well written book, maybe tied up a little too neatly but it highlights a social issue that needs addressing. I love that Benny’s dream has become a reality in Austin. There’s a good mix of topics, including homelessness, murder, a mystery from the past and deciding what are the most important things in life. There’s a definite Christian feel to the story, which isn’t overwhelming. A quick, easy and clean read that keeps a steady pace and I think this book says a lot about the author’s own principles.

I chose to read and review An Equal Justice courtesy of Katie Olsen (Little Bird Publicity) via NetGalley

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like my crime/mystery books with a bit more meat on their bones than this one. At only about 200 pages, I flew through it in a couple of hours. David Adams is the poor-boy-made-good young hotshot lawyer who turns to drugs to keep himself working through the night. He falls in with a homeless man called Benny who saves him from an assailant in a dark alleyway.

People are getting killed off left, right and centre. David's boss is clearly a drunken, womanising 'wrongun', and there's a sinister blond man up to no good.

The plot is pacey and enjoyable and things just fly along but there's something oddly unsatisfying. It's as if somebody has written a screenplay or a synopsis rather than a full book. There's very little detail and plenty of that old chestnut of 'telling rather than showing'. It reads like a beginners attempt to deliver cut-priced John Grisham so I was surprised to read that this wasn't the author's first book and he had a whole series already under his belt.

This would be ideal to read on a long train or plain journey or for somebody who likes to keep their books short.

[Jan Brattain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Received this as a free Amazon First reads book. I chose it because of the positive reviews it had. Maybe the reviews were written by the authors friends, I found it to be a poor imitation of a John Grisham novel, the Firm. The characters were poorly fleshed out, I was sick of the money grubbing aspect of this lawyer. The only reason I continued to read it was because it was short and I was able to finish it quickly. The story line was mildly interesting but predictable. Since I did finish it, I give it two stars. It was okay.

[Dan Lawton · Rating 4 out of 5]

David is a new lawyer, fresh out of school, making big bucks for a prestigious law firm in Texas. Out of the gate, it's reminiscent of John Grisham's The Firm, and in many respects it stays that way. David meets a group of homeless men who change his life for the better, and we grow with him through an explosive ending.

Overall, the writing is concise and with very little fluff, which is something to appreciate about a short and easy read. And while the story arc was typical for a thriller, the mystery we uncovered with David was certainly entertaining. It is what it is: A fast-paced and entertaining thriller.

[Bonnye Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

October's Prime First Reads

An Equal Justice" gives us a look into lives lived on the streets of cities big and small. We focus for the most part on Austin, Texas, a large, wide-spreading community with 5 facilities of higher education and the state capital as well. Considered by most westerners as a progressive community, it certainly has much to offer younger adults, families, and some of us ancient ones who go there for the music and the million bats that live downtown under the bridge over the Colorado River. Set down in the middle of the Hill Country, Austin has a great deal to offer. But it has a large community of homeless of all ages, of all colors, and all too broke to afford housing other than tents or cardboard boxes on public land. One of the factors that draw the homeless to the south and west is the prospect of mild winters and larger cities often can provide medical assistance, soup kitchens, and cheap transportation options. And many cities are now looking at setting up areas where the homeless will be safer, and still central to the things they need access to - grocery stores, mass transit, medical facilities, laundromats, and employment opportunities.

We spend time with assorted lawyers and many of the homeless in Austin, focusing on the pluses and minuses of both of those lifestyles. "An Equal Justice" is quite an eye-opener. I found much pleasing, and many downfalls, in the pages of this book, for both our homeless and our attorneys. The perspective on both 'careers' was telling. I will be adding Chad Zunker to my favorite author's list.

Reviewed at Goodreads and AmazonSmile on October 16, 2022. Reviewed on November 1, 2022, on Barnes&Noble, and BookBub. Not available on Kobo.

[Jenny Winter · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was slow going to get into. But once I did, it was pretty intense.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book from Amazon First Reads, because it had great reviews. Unfortunately, the book did not live up to the reviews I read. The plot was far too extravagant to be realistic (the author is an attorney, he should know being a brand new lawyer is not so glamorous...). The focus on money and buying expensive things is not realistic and is annoying. The character development was nonexistent. I find it unlikely that a young man so indoctrinated with the need for money and status could have such an immediate about-face. The homeless angle, and deviation from big law to help the less fortunate seems to be a near copy of John Grisham's The Street Lawyer (which I coincidentally just read...maybe the universe is trying to tell me something???). This was a quick and easy read that I did not particularly enjoy, but was far more interesting than the all day CLE I was in while reading it! Two stars.

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice way to bring attention to the homeless. I’ll read another of his.

[Tino · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basically the equivalent of a Jason Statham movie in a loose legal setting. Quite boring too. 2 stars.

[Yelena · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have never felt this bad giving a book one star review. I could just feel author trying to write a really great thriller. But it wasn't good at all. Story was super predictable. Writing was very juvenile. And of course, the whole homelessness angle - it was not done well either. It was too much of "good poor guys" and "bad rich guys".

May be he did better with his second installment? I don't know, I am willing to give it a try.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

3 of my favorite things

This is the third novel I've read by Zunker. The novels filled with action and suspense, set in Austin Texas and point to Jesus, which are three of my favorite things.

[Shan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listen to this one on audible. The narrator was awesome! He read each chapter with so much emotion making the characters come to life.

I wouldn’t call this a legal thriller nor a mystery. It was kind of both. Highly entertaining, heart warming and a lesson to be learned. There was a plot twist at the end I wasn’t expecting at all. This was one of those stories I didn’t want to end.

All David ever wanted was everything. Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it.

[Sandy Foote · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page Turner

He grabs you from the first page, you’ll be hooked. David is an awesome character a real life good guy. Actually all the characters are so well written it pulls you into the story you feel like your living the story real time.

[pagesofchapters | demi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across this book randomly recently and decided to pick it up, and let me tell you, I am so glad that I did!! I absolutely love crime/mystery books so this was right up my alley!

Firstly, I really really enjoyed the plot of this book. It was interesting, unique, and I had no clue what the end would result in, and for me, that’s very rare as I’m unusually good at guessing endings. I absolutely loved the mystery built into this book. I struggled to put this book down because I needed to see all the pieces being put together. I think the ending of this book was very satisfying, seeing all the different pieces of the puzzle finally coming together and seeing all being revealed.

Secondly, I think the author did such an incredible job weaving in the matter of money not being a cause for your happiness, but what you do and the people you are surrounded by being the leading factor. I loved the different characters we got to know in this book from both ends of the wealth spectrum, and seeing how each group of people lived their lives and how it impacted their happiness. I really loved that although this was an incredible crime/mystery novel, it also held really incredible and important messages for the readers to delve into.

Overall, I highly recommend An Equal Justice if you are a crime/mystery lover like myself. I will definitely be picking up the sequel when it is released next year!!

[Darcia Helle · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Equal Justice is like the perfect recipe with all the right ingredients, but then the chef forgets to add the spices.

The story starts with several unconnected narrating characters whose stories eventually converge. It's easy to follow, but the pace is slow, meandering along as we spend way more time than necessary dwelling on David's poor childhood and his current obsession with wealth.

When we finally get to the heart of the story, it feels too contrived, too much of a plot-by-the-numbers. Something's missing. I experienced this story intellectually but not emotionally. I didn't feel anything.

The final quarter of the book picks up, rushing us toward a dramatic conclusion.

In the end, this is short, quick read that doesn't live up to its potential.

[Paul Cantwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good. I read it in 24 hours because I couldn’t put it down. Definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat, wondering what is going to happen next. I highly recommend reading it - you won’t be disappointed!

[Diane Merritt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book.. First for me from this author. Like the homeless connectiin. And anything about lawyers and I'm in. Can't wait for the next one.

Thanks to the publisher abs netgalley for an early release of this book.

[Janice Spina · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Equal Justice is a memorable and touching story about a young lawyer, David, who came from nothing but managed to obtain a prestigious position in a formidable law firm. What he always yearned for was to be rich. Be careful what you wish for.

David realizes soon how much money and power can corrupt. He wants no part of it but is thrown into this corruption first hand when he meets a homeless man, Benny, who changes his life but also puts David’s life into danger when he tries to help this man.

This story was deeply emotional and touched my heart and brought me to tears. The reader is taken through the life of this homeless man who is not what he seems. If we look at the homeless and just see a dirty and unkempt person we are wrong. They each have a story and a life before they became homeless if we only take the time to listen and learn about them and do what we possibly can to help.

The author tells a story that will change many lives through his own interaction with those who are homeless. He has founded a camp for the homeless and continues, along with his wife, to help those in need. He is a true humanitarian.

I already downloaded the sequel and look forward to reading it and once again being moved and inspired by this talented and kindly author.

This was a quick read and I couldn’t put it down! I highly recommend this book!