From the back cover: "An earthquake strikes the West Coast of New Zealand. The Lyndon Family, deep in a remote part of South Westland, are cut off from the nearest township and running low on supplies. Unbeknown to them, their father is similarly stranded. And around the bend in the river, the greatest threat of all slowly gathers force... An exciting and suspenseful adventure."
The Lyndon Family consists of mum Christine, dad Tom, and siblings Michael, Anne and Tessa. Also included is the very quiet cousin, Brett. They are on a working holiday in a hut on a secluded West Coast bay of the South Island, white baiting. They have a good season and the freezer is stacked full of whitebait. Tom leaves to get more supplies and calls in a helicopter to fetch the catch. He never makes it to the township and before the family hears from him, a massive earthquake strikes the West Coast leaving the family stranded.
But that's not the only threat. A massive slip further upriver is creating a massive dam that could burst at any time and the family is in great danger.
The story is gripping, terrifying and very realistic. New Zealand's history is full of earthquakes and the author portrays the experience, the aftermath, and the risks realistically. A map is included so you can follow all the landmarks. There is a note at the beginning of the book that the bay and river are fictional, but for an accurate location see the Google Map below:
I particularly liked the way family was portrayed in the story. The mother and her children had to work through their weaknesses and work as a team. They really achieved this by the end of the book. It was rewarding to read.
There is some language to note in this story: Damn and hell are used as well as Oh my G** 2-3 times.
If you studying natural disasters, especially earthquakes, this would be an interesting book to add to your list of supplement reading.