Author Michael J. Collins, MD

The Shieling

Now Available from Friesen Press

What does a doctor do when he realizes he has lost his way? The Shieling tells the story of David Carroll, a young surgeon who abandons the principles that brought him into medicine and falls prey to the lure of money and prestige. But when he realizes he has betrayed his ideals and his profession, David swears to turn his life around. He takes a courageous stand against a family of Russian mobsters who are threatening to take over his practice.

But David’s decision exacts a terrible price. The Russians invade his home and kill both his wife and the FBI agents assigned to protect them. Although David survives the attack, he is forced to flee, pursued not only by the Russians but also by the FBI who believe he is the murderer. The object of an intense international manhunt, David finds refuge in a shieling—an abandoned shepherd’s hut—on a remote island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.

Just when David thinks he is safe, his isolation is interrupted by Catriona Gordon, a young anthropology student doing research on shielings. At first resentful of each other’s presence, David and Catriona begin to warm to each other, unaware that the mobsters are closing in on their island hideaway.

The Shieling
[A] high-stakes narrative [and] taut cat-and-mouse thriller…. A superbly rendered actioner with an intriguing setting.
Kirkus Reviews