Blue Hen, Feb 2003, 23.95, 288 pp.
ISBN: 0399149880
In Central Asia, American researcher Kathryn Matthews takes in a “wolf” boy who just materialized from the nearby wilderness. The natives believe animals raised the lad as he behaves as such.
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At about the same time, middle aged American Zack McClintock arrives in country seeking his missing son-in-law Zack after recently receiving a ransom note demanding one million-dollars. A second letter also arrived demanding instead of cash that Zack take a boy to America for treatment. The US State Department tells Zack to go home, but instead he goes deeper into the country escorted by the Russian Mafioso, Misha. Zack meets Kathryn and her “ward”, the wolf boy, among other characters carving out a post Soviet enclave, but wonders where his in-law fits in this chaos.
SHELTER FROM THE STORM is an engaging suspense thriller that showcases a nameless post Soviet State country struggling to find its identity in a strange world. The story line is action-packed. However, the plot fails to fully grip the reader because Zack's mission seems not only out of character, but it is also never totally understood why he went overseas and in country for someone he apparently does not like. Still Michael Mewshaw is a colorful author whose latest tale will provide shelter for sub-genre fans from the storms of boredom.
Harriet Klausner
The review of this Book prepared by Harriet Klausner
