An Equal Justice (David Adams, 1)

4.4 out of 5

24,273 global ratings

An Amazon Charts bestseller and finalist for the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction.

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.

222 pages,

Kindle

Audiobook

Paperback

First published October 31, 2019

ISBN 9781542043083


About the authors

Chad Zunker

Chad Zunker

Chad Zunker is the Amazon Charts bestselling author of the stand-alone novel Family Money; the David Adams series, including An Equal Justice, which was nominated for the 2020 Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction, An Unequal Defense, and Runaway Justice; and The Tracker, Shadow Shepherd, and Hunt the Lion in the Sam Callahan series. He studied journalism at the University of Texas, where he was also on the football team. Chad has worked for some of the country’s most powerful law firms and has also invented baby products that are sold all over the world. 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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Reviews

Bonnye Reed Fry

Bonnye Reed Fry

5

Compelling tale told very well

Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2022

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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 authors list.

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Shell Vera

Shell Vera

5

Loved The Mix of Human Services, Law, and Mystery

Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2024

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Very unexpected perfect read for me. I read two of his other books and decided to try this series. I was NOT disappointed. I’ve enjoyed all three.

I love the characters and how they engage with each other. I enjoyed learning of their backgrounds just enough to know them better.

I love the human service and law elements combined with the good mystery. Truly a wonderful read!!

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maidenm

maidenm

5

Clean language and great touching story.

Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2023

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I have enjoyed all of Chad Zunker’s exciting books. His language is clean so I never have to worry about swearing making the listening uncomfortable. His storylines are always fast paced but not so intense that reading isn’t enjoyable. He’s an author that I can relax and read for downtime. If you’re looking for really dense storylines, with lots of plot twists and deep character development, Zunker is not going to meet expectations but if you’re looking for a good exciting story that you can follow without causing a headache, Zunker is worth looking into. He has lots of series and they’ve all been great reads.

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Amazon Customer

Amazon Customer

5

A Fast Pace Page Turner

Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2020

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I chose this book because I like legal thrillers and I was definitely not disappointed. This is a fast-pace, page tuner that holds your attention and keeps you wanting to read way into the night.

This book is about a young bright attorney who recently graduated at the top of his class and was offered a job with a prestigious law firm in Austin Texas. David Adams came from humble beginnings and even experienced homelessness as a child. He lost his parents at an early age and had to work really hard to accomplish his dream of becoming an attorney. Though he had other great offers, he chose L&K because he had previously interned with them and had a great mentor named Thomas Gray. Not only that, the salary and bonus package was excellent and would give David the life he always wanted. Little did he know that this new lifestyle would be very short-lived and exposed him from the start to a dichotomy of situations he least expected. His new boss and Sr. Partner Marty Lyons' (to whom he had become prodigy) association with a wealthy political client and his chance meeting with a homeless ex-military named Benny Dugan, pulled him unwittingly into a blackmail and murder plot that he felt compelled to investigate. His friendship with Benny, though formed under false pretenses was genuine, and the need to protect him and his homeless camp buddies with whom he had quickly bonded, placed David at serious risk. It also threatened the life of the charming young reporter Jen, whom he had come to depend on and admire. Between the two of them, this story came to life and presented a nice easy read.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves a well written, clean, page turning legal thriller.

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Kaitlyn Hinkle

Kaitlyn Hinkle

4

very good

Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2024

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This is the third book I’ve read/listened to by Chad Zunker and I gave really enjoyed all them. I had never heard of a legal thriller but I really enjoyed it. It was fast paced and didn’t have any complicated legal stuff in it. Highly recommend!

Katherine Galvez

Katherine Galvez

4

Super fast read/ audio

Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2024

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This was a quick read/audio on kindleUnlimited! Love the story! It’s about a newly law school graduate David, who recently moved to Austin to start working at a prestigious law firm. There are some dark secrets involving the owner of the firm and some old friend of his, and David is caught in the middle of all the mess, where even his live is in danger. But he didn’t stop until he reveal the truth and put the not so nice people in jail.

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Jim M

Jim M

4

#abrknpoet reviewed An Equal Justice

Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2023

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An Equal Justice is a gripping legal thriller that follows David Adams, a young lawyer who lands a dream job at a powerful law firm in Austin, Texas. However, he soon discovers that the firm is hiding a dark secret that involves corruption, murder and betrayal. David finds himself torn between his loyalty to the firm and his conscience, as he befriends a group of homeless people who may hold the key to exposing the truth. Along the way, he also learns valuable lessons about justice, compassion and happiness.

Chad Zunker delivers a fast-paced and engaging story that explores the themes of greed, power and morality. The characters are well-developed and realistic, especially David, who undergoes a remarkable transformation throughout the book. The plot is full of twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the end. The writing style is clear and concise, with vivid descriptions of the settings and emotions.

An Equal Justice is a highly recommended read for fans of legal thrillers and social issues. It is the first book in the David Adams series,

4.3 brkn stars

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Sabinadl

Sabinadl

4

Story with a message

Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2024

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Not only is the story engaging but it also comes with a hefty dose of humanity. Loved it and the special characters.

Shellebelle

Shellebelle

4

Good read

Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2024

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A great legal thriller that was a little confusing, but kept me entertained and on my toes. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters.

T. Campbell

T. Campbell

3

Fast paced thriller with a thought provoking subtext

Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2020

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An Equal Justice is a quick read, a crime drama centered around a hotshot new lawyer in a big legal firm who, unlike most of his soulless coworkers, is a good guy. He befriends a homeless man who opens his eyes to the fact that there is more to life than the acquisition of wealth. While I found most of the characters to be hackneyed tropes....the evil law partner, the materialistic girlfriend, etc...there was something heartwarming about the homeless b story that made me keep reading. I didn’t find the religious undertones to be preachy as some other reviewers have mentioned...it was a nice plot device that allowed a ragtag group of men to find peace on the streets. The author is involved in homelessness outreach in real life which is probably why those characters were better developed than the others. The book is the first in a series, but can stand alone with no real cliffhangers. I haven’t decided yet if I’ll continue on with book #2

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