A review by lnocita
Shelter by Harlan Coben

4.0

15-year-old Mickey Bolitar's life has been turned upside down. First, his father dies in a car accident and then his mom, unable to cope, turns to drugs to escape her depression. While Mickey's mom is sent to rehab, Mickey is sent to live with his uncle Myron, with whom his parents did not speak. To make matters worse, just as Mickey is beginning to think he can see the light of day again, the girl he has just started to date disappears mysteriously, leaving his heart in the lurch again. He is determined to figure out what has happened to her and his meddling sets off a domino effect of events that lead to dark secrets, a mysterious and crazy old lady, a tattoo parlor, and a seedy bar.

In his first novel for young adults, Coben delivers a good, fast-paced mystery that is full of action and quirky characters. The style is very similar to his adult novels. And, while the tension never really develops fully, the novel is satisfying and full of action teens will enjoy.