• Shelter

  • A Mickey Bolitar Novel (Mickey Bolitar, Book 1)
  • By: Harlan Coben
  • Narrated by: Nick Podehl
  • Length: 7 hrs and 13 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (4,022 ratings)

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Shelter  By  cover art

Shelter

By: Harlan Coben
Narrated by: Nick Podehl
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Publisher's summary

NOW A PRIME VIDEO SERIES from internationally bestselling author Harlan Coben

Mickey Bolitar's year can't get much worse. After witnessing his father's death and sending his mom to rehab, he's forced to live with his estranged uncle Myron and switch high schools.

A new school comes with new friends and new enemies, and lucky for Mickey, it also comes with a great new girlfriend, Ashley. For a while, it seems like Mickey's train-wreck of a life is finally improving—until Ashley vanishes without a trace. Unwilling to let another person walk out of his life, Mickey follows Ashley's trail into a seedy underworld that reveals that this seemingly sweet, shy girl isn't who she claimed to be. And neither was Mickey's father. Soon, Mickey learns about a conspiracy so shocking that it makes high school drama seem like a luxury—and leaves him questioning everything about the life he thought he knew.

First introduced to readers in Harlan Coben's adult novel, Live Wire, Mickey Bolitar is as quick-witted and clever as his uncle Myron, and eager to go to any length to save the people he cares about. With this series, Coben introduces an entirely new generation of fans to the masterful plotting and wry humor that have made him an award-winning, internationally bestselling, and beloved author.

©2011 Harlan Coben (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about Shelter

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,920
  • 4 Stars
    1,332
  • 3 Stars
    574
  • 2 Stars
    128
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Performance
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  • 2 Stars
    53
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Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,692
  • 4 Stars
    1,086
  • 3 Stars
    542
  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
    72

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

What is a 70 year old man doing reading..

a book for young teens? I have 5 grandchildren in the young teen age group; and I suppose I'm in my second childhood. So I listen to the Audible versions while they read the same books. With Shelter Harlan Coben demonstrates his talent for the genre is as great as John Green. The book is excellent! The character development with Mickey, Ema and Spoon is superb. I recommend this book without reservation to all lovers of fiction regardless of age.

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66 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Flat,Dull, Sophomoric, Absurd... Unlikable

If you enjoyed Myron Bolitar, stay way away from this drivel. I'm guessing someone decided to take the Bolitar franchise to the children. Children who can read this aren't this stooooopid! Nick Podehl has the perfect voice for young characters. But this ensemble is simply less believable than a Castle TV show, and more contrived. You want to believe in international conspiracies that just happen to ooze from a haunted house down the street? One that gathers players from the local tattooist through NAZI survivors and the steamy jungles of the high exotic mountains? Want to believe in superboy? In every cliche ever crammed into 50s comic? Hey... this is your book. Problem is it is too young for its intended audience of middle schoolers and too insulting to their imaginations much less intelligence.

Who was the audience that whoever wrote this had in mind? I say whoever-wrote-this because I cannot... WILL NOT believe it was Harlan Coben. He is a gifted writer, and this was turned out on some kind of assembly line by robots who screwed in the different pieces as it went from station to station.

Just stay away... but do look for Nick Podehl again... He deserves to survive this mess.

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42 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Got it by mistake!

Where does Shelter rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I have been a huge Coben fan for years. I bought this on that basis, but almost sent it back to audible when I realized in the first two chapters that it was for teens. I kept saying I was going to shut it off, but before I knew it I was hooked and completed the book in a few days! Coben is BACK! Great stuff, looking forward to reading the next one in the series. I really like the character Spoon.

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42 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A teenage adventure for everyone--sequel, please?

Book definitely WI! (worth it)

I turned on this book, laid back, and never wanted to turn it off. The reader was awesome. The setting small town USA. The likable young hero primed for conflict and adventure. I knew right away this was going to be great! I was right. The story flowed effortlessly from Beginning to E.

And I didn’t forget the “ND” from the end. The book didn’t end. It just kinda stopped. I was shocked, and was sure I was wrong, even as I heard the familiar words, “Audible hopes you have enjoyed this program.”

What?

I immediately went back to Audible to see if this was Part 1 of a series, but could’t find anything about it. Bummer. I’d really like to know what happens next. I really hope Harlan Coben has more coming.

The story was set in high school, with a 15-year-old Mickey Bolitar as the hero. He is at a new school in an unfamiliar town, and is thrust into 2 separate mysteries he must unravel, with help from his new, courageous, talented, outcast, lovable friends. Though he doesn’t know the town, the folks there seem to know him…freaky.

Good for most ages, this book shouldn’t be classified for teenagers only just because the cast is young. Most people in The States have been to high school, and everyone can identify with part of the story.

My only wish is to hear more! And 7 hours was not nearly enough. We just got to the center of the story, found the bad guys, the monsters, the secret society. Time for the hero to bare his basketball muscles and save the day! “Audible hopes you have enjoyed this program.” Arg.

You can read more of my reviews online

PS Love these $4.95 sales for members. I would never have bought such a short book with one of my credits, so I would have missed this gem. Will definitely listen to it again. It is now in my re-run bucket, so to speak.

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38 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Coben Is Back!

I was disappointed with his last couple books but this one was really good. I couldn't stop listening, loved the characters and the tangents it took. Lots of mystery with more to come by the way it ends. Keeps you guessing. Can't wait for the next one. Love the narrator.

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26 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Intricate plot, well read - really surprised!

The story picks up where the last Myron Bolitar story left off, only this is told from Mickey's perspective. Although none of the familiar Myron Bolitar characters are involved, Mickey stands on his own, with his own well-developed sidekicks to save him from himself. I listened to this with my 17 yr old daughter, and we both appreciated how the narrator was completely believable as a 15 year old without descending into stereotype. The story starts out almost like a halloween tale, but is actually quite intricate, from the disappearance of Ashley to the true identity of the bat lady. The story is compelling beyond the mystery - Mickey's loss of his father, his mother's addiction relapse, the resentment of his uncle, are woven throughout and create the image of a young man who is aching with loss, almost overpowering the mystery at times. A good listen!

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21 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

"Shelter: A Mickey Bolitar Novel- IS for EVERYONE!

Where does Shelter rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Shelter ranks in the top five among all audiobooks I've listened to so far.

What other book might you compare Shelter to and why?
I would compare Shelter to Variant, and the Maze Runner Series. Both of the above series had primo narration as well, and are seemingly directed towards the teenager. Yet, all were just as exciting and riveting as any "adult' book I've listened to.

Have you listened to any of Nick Podehl’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
Yes. He just has fantastic use of his voice and nails all his characters. I'm never thinking it's him doing several characters. They ALL take on a unique life of their own.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
A thriller based on a boy coming of age, who will go to any length to protect the ones he loves!

Any additional comments?
I compare Nick Podehl to Holter Graham, who happens to be my one of my all time favorite male narrators', and Nick is just as talented and multi-dimensional in his performances.

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19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Teen fun? I think not!

A+ all the way. I'm 70 years old and just bought the next one! Love the young characters.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Coben Goes YA

Well, it worked for Patterson, what with Maximum Ride and all.... And, thank goodness, it worked for Coben, as well! Mickey is Myron's nephew, his Dad dead, and his Mom in rehab. He's the New Kid in School, gets crosswise with the jocks, starts hanging with a Goth girl and a nerdy guy....But then the Big Mystery comes along. Mickey and his friends solve it, save the girl, and share the exciting romp with us. This is a typically gripping Coben yarn interpreted by Nick Podehl, who does a very good job. Mickey's well worth following!

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

good, but...

A really good listen, though a little far fetched at times. The ending...well, I'll just say I didn't like it, so as not to spoil it for someone who hasn't read it.

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7 people found this helpful