With their biggest win since manager Gary Peters took over at Gay Meadow in November 2004, Shrewsbury laid out their promotion credentials with a magnificent display that saw Boston taken to pieces by some superb flowing football and lethal finishing.
Brought crashing down to earth following their own demolition of Darlington last week, Boston, after starting brightly, fell behind to a Ben Davies penalty on 27 minutes, before livewire striker Derek Asamoah put Shrewsbury further ahead three minutes before the break.
This was a double blow for the visitors as Asamoah could well have been ordered off on the half-hour when the former Chester man was penalised for diving - after earlier being booked for a foul.
Referee Shoebridge, to the surprise of many, declined to show a second yellow card – much to the annoyance of the Boston bench who made their feelings quite clear to the official when he left the field at half-time.
Worse then followed for Boston as Asamoah scored his second and Shrewsbury's third in the 67th minute, before late goals from substitute Michael Symes and Dave Edwards completed a rout.
There was no sign of the Shrewsbury goal rush that was to follow as Boston made the early running.
It required a point-blank save from Ryan Esson on 11 minutes to deny Paul Tait's downward header as the visitors seemed the most likely to score.
And in the 20th minute Boston saw an effort from on-loan Glasgow Rangers front man Bob Davidson hacked off the line.
But when central defender Sagi Burton was sent crashing in the box as he contested a Davies free-kick, Shrewsbury went ahead from the ensuing penalty - Davies scoring from the spot for the second successive week.
In the 42nd minute Asamoah put the hosts further ahead when he drilled home a neat angled drive.
The outcome was put beyond all doubt on 67 minutes when Asamoah's pace allowed him to capitalise on some hesitant defending and slide the ball home.
Shrewsbury's first League victory in seven attempts against Boston had long been ensured when Symes pounced on Burton's downward header to notch his first goal in Shrewsbury colours eight minutes from time.
But the best was saved until last with Edwards completing a brilliant passing move by rifling home the fifth in stoppage time.