The Year We Disappeared: A Father-Daughter Memoir

by Cylin Busby, John Busby

When Cylin Busby was nine years old, she loved Izod shirts, the Muppets, and her pet box turtle. Then, in the space of a night, everything that was normal about her life changed. Her police officer father, John, was driving to his midnight shift when someone pulled up alongside and leveled a shotgun at his window. The blasts that followed tore through his face and left him clinging to life. Overnight, the Busbys went from being the "family next door" to one under twenty-four-hour armed guard, with police escorts to and from school and no contact with friends. Worse, the shooter was still on the loose, and it seemed only a matter of time before he'd come after John-or someone else in the family-again. With their lives unraveling around them and few choices remaining for a future that could ever be secure, the Busby family left everything and everyone they had ever known...and simply disappeared. As told by both father and daughter, this is a harrowing, at times heartbreaking, account of a shooting and its aftermath-even as it shows a young girl trying to make sense of the unthinkable and the triumph of a family's bravery in the face of crisis.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, True Crime, Biography, Crime, Biography Memoir, Adult

329 pages, Hardcover

First published August 5, 2008

About the author

Cylin Busby is the author of several teen books and numerous articles as well as the acclaimed young adult memoir, THE YEAR WE DISAPPEARED,which was a Wall Street Journal bestseller, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, and a Cybils Award winner.
Her latest novel, THE NINE LIVES OF JACOB TIBBS, has earned starred reviews and was an Amazon Best Book of the Month. The former Senior Editor of Teen Magazine, Cylin now lives in Los Angeles with her family.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I live in the town where this incident took place and remember only too well when it happened. What I never imagined was the sheer terror that the family lived with for months and years afterward. It was harrowing to read John's description of the night he was shot, but it was heartbraking to read Cylin's story of the fear, confusion, and pain that she and her brothers, and her mother, went through. There are good people in this book, who stepped up to help the Busby's, but sadly there are also bad people, including some of his fellow cops, who should hang their heads in shame.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember when this book came out (same publisher, even the same editor I had at the time) and I thought, "That looks so sad! Those people's lives are messed up for good! I'm not sure I could read that!" Fast forward like, ten years, and I'm in a Pandemic Zoom Book Club and thinking, WHY is this woman's name so familiar? And I look her up and it's Cylin, the daughter of this father-daughter memoir! And she's DELIGHTFUL. And I think, I should try this book, and find out about her crazy childhood.

And BOY HOWDY is this crazy. This is the kind of thing that, if I pitched it to my editor as fiction, she would say it was too unrealistic.

John Busby was a police officer in a small town where many of the cops were friendly with, if not afraid of, a local criminal who regularly made threats to the police if anyone got in his way. John, tough, honest, isn't going to put up with it. And one night someone shoots him in the FACE with a shotgun, destroying his lower jaw . . . and he survives.

But that's the not the end. That's the beginning. Because while John is healing, having numerous operations, learning to live with his mouth wired shut, Cylin is learning to live with her life being turned upside down.

Just nine years old, Cylin has to deal with the worry of her dad never being the same again, in addition to the fear that whoever shot him will finish the job . . . or come after her, her mother, and brothers, too. Police guards, security systems, and lies to friends, teachers, even her parents to keep things safe and normal become her life literally overnight.

I loved how honest this was. John isn't excited to seize each new day like a gift. Instead, he's consumed with justice, if not vengeance, and frustrated that the guy he knows was behind his shooting isn't immediately arrested. He writes down everything he remembers, even undergoes hypnosis to see if there were more details hidden in his subconscious, and then finds that no one wants to press ahead with the investigation. I understand this 100%. It's absolutely infuriating.

Meanwhile, Cylin remembers things like getting to eat cookies before dinner, stay up late and watch TV, eat ice cream every night and stay for a while with their cool cousins who have a pool. It's great, at first. But kids aren't dumb, and they recognize that they're being given treats, presents, and indulgences because something is terribly, terribly wrong. She swings between enjoying the spoiling and the notoriety to raging at the overall crappiness of their new situation.

Really well done, it was truly fascinating to see this situation from both sides. Some of the chapters repeat, showing John's take on an event, then Cylin's, a very unique form of he said-she said.

I do wish they had included some pictures. The pictures on the cover are of John's police ID, and Cylin on the day he was shot(!), but what about a recent picture of each? Anyway, small complaint!

Edited to add: the paperback DOES have more pictures.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the book. It was very well written and I liked the way one chapter would be from John's point of view and the next from his 9 year old daughter's point of view. John Busby was a policeman who was shot by an "unknown shooter" almost 30 years ago. The thing about it, is everyone in the town knew who did it but the shooter got away with it. This is a true story and whether you live in the town or not, I think you will find it a great read.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harrowing, horrifying, eye-opening and utterly enthralling. Do NOT start reading this book when you've got other things on your to-do list! Odds are you won't be able to put it down.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started this book on Wednesday and haven't quite finished it yet. I have enjoyed the storyline, but I am kind of puzzled why this book is considered to be for young adults. Both voices in the book (the father's and daughter's) are very moving and filled with emotion about how their family's lives were forever changed when an unknown person tried to kill the father in a drive-by shooting. The father didn't die, but he sustained major facial damage to the point where most of his jawbone was destroyed. The story is pretty intense and I am not sure if young adults would be the best target audience for this book. I mean, I'm really enjoying it, but then again, I'm a media specialist (a.k.a. librarian) and stories like this are interesting to me. I guess you've got to read it for yourself to make a decision on the audience. I am curious to see if anyone else thinks this is a young adult book.

[emilia borg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a good read, once you pick it up you can’t put it down. This is my second time reading and it still tugged on my heartstrings just as much as the first time.

[Abby Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, daughter Cylin and father John share the story of what happened to their family in 1979 when John, a police officer, was shot in the head. John wasn't killed, but the bottom of his jaw was shot off and he had a long, painful recovery ahead of him. Worse was the fact that he was certain that the man behind his attempted murder was a local criminal who thought he had the police force in his pocket. John refused to give in to this man's threats and as a result he almost lost his life and his family was put in danger.

The really neat thing about this book is that you get two different perspectives. John writes his story - his painful recovery and crippling anger and frustration at an investigation that went much too slowly. Cylin writes her story - constant fear that her dad might die or that someone might be coming to kill her too, social ostracism because police officers followed her wherever she went.

I found it totally compelling and didn't want to put it down. Highly recommended for high schoolers and adults.

Read more on my blog:
http://abbylibrarian.blogspot.com/200...

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A retrospective glimpse into a year of intense fear and physical and emotional pain and dislocation in a family -- after an attempted murder of the police officer father -- from the alternating POVs of the father and the 10 yo daughter. I was riveted. In the end I found myself wishing for more of a shape to the book -- it just ends -- but that's the deal with real life, isn't it? Don't read this looking for more than workmanship writing; it's the story that is so fascinating here, not the way it's told.

[Mary Coliet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book changed my life, that's all I can say. It bothers me that so many reviewers on here and other places have said they didn't like the ending or were let down by it. If you haven't seen the "48 Hours" special on this family and the killer who came into their lives then I suggest you see it. The ending of the book is the end of their story, it hasn't ended yet! That's the whole point. Everyone wants the happy ending for this family after what they went through. Yes, we want to hear that the police department sent John a check for a million dollars or that Ray Meyer was put away for what he did to them, but that's not what happened in real life. Sorry folks. Go back to your fiction crime books for an ending like that. I think it does this family disrespect when you say you "didn't like the ending" or were let down by it. Think about they feel--that's their lives your talking about! I say bless them for coming through this "Storm" as Polly called it, intact. By the way, they are still married after all this, and that's all the happy ending I needed!

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

My daughter had to read this for a law enforcement class, and recommended it. Since it takes place right in my back yard, I thought I'd give it a try. It was a tragic, but well written and very informative story. I'm disheartened that a small police station would have such corruption, and am sad for the Busby family that justice to the guilty party was never served, and even sadder for the many other victims I'm sure there were because this monster was left on the streets.

[fpk · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something special about reading a book that takes place in your home state during your childhood years. (1970's) A lot of the details are familiar, the descriptions of clothing, habits, cars, etc.. This book is a memoir written by father and daughter, which tells of a horrifying event that took place in 1979 in a town in Cape Cod, Falmouth. John Busby was a 36 year old married father of three, a Falmouth police officer, who was shot in the face by an assailant with a vendetta. The shooter's intent was to kill, but Busby survived. Cylin is Busby's daughter, who was 9 years old at the time of the shooting. They each tell their story, giving their unique perspective, on what it was like to go through this life changing event. Officer Busby had to undergo almost 20 surgeries for the next two decades or so. Cylin shares what it was like to be a policeman's daughter, to have to go into hiding and be with armed security 24/7. The family eventually had to relocate to an undisclosed location, for their safety. The end of the book includes an epilogue, which was very satisfying to read. Well written, sad story but very good read. 5 stars.

[Ayat Husseini · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the book The Year We Disappeared by Cylin and John Busby, there is not a plethora of narrative nonfiction tools used in the writing. One common tool in narrative writing is the balancing between the telling of the story and the author’s reaction to it. In the narrative, John Busby is shot in the face and is being treated in a hospital in Boston. His kids, Cylin Busby and her brother are hiding incase their father’s attacker returns for them. Cylin describes the scene thoroughly. She states that they “... crossed through the dark up the steep ladder... Without talking, without making a plan, Eric opened the small door that led into the crawl space. We made our way across the rafters in our pajamas on prickly sharp insulation, and we hid, silently, in the pitch black,” (The Year We Disappeared, p.37). In this section of writing, there is no reaction, no feelings described. Often in this style of writing, part of the author's purpose is to engage the reader by allowing the reader to feel what they felt in the moment. This section of writing would have been more effective had Busby included something describing the fear she and her brother were feeling or the closterfobic feeling of being in the crawl space. An example of this would be to have written something such as, “The darkness of the room, the tightness of the space, the feeling of Eric’s breath on my arm, it all made the situation worse. With each sound, each squeak of the wood, only heightened our fears.”
At many points in the narrative, the nurses change John’s gause. Busby describes the experience by saying that it was excruciating. He says that his “jawbone had been pulverized, and ... sometimes it just felt like [he] was on fire,” (The Year We Disappeared, p.58) Another tool often used in narrative nonfiction that may have been used here to enhance the story was descriptive imagery. Instead of simply stating that it felt like his face was ‘on fire’, Busby may said something like, “... it just felt like I was on fire. It was a feeling consistent with that of a flame hitting my face over and over again until it was just too unbearable. I could just about smell the smell of burnt skin and hair through my nose.” Furthermore, Busby may have given us a simile or a metaphor, saying that the burning was “like sticking my face above a lighter.”
Overall, this text is not a wonderful mentor text because there are many opportunities to insert and use literary tools that are not taken. There is neither a great balance between reaction and summary, nor a vast usage of literary elements to enhance the story.

[JayeL · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was surprised that this was classified as a YA book, but after I read it, I realized that it was good that I read the YA version. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book, and it turned out to be not at all what I expected. I am glad this was a YA book, because a memoir with this content for adults could have been extremely, and unnecessarily violent.

After starting to read, I realized that it might be a little violent and not my cup of tea. I read past the most difficult part and I have to say that the authors handle the physical parts very well. They don't idolize violence and settle, quite well, into a realistic telling of real people dealing with an unbelievable tragedy. I found that I really got a sense of the fear that developed as the situation unfolded as well as the coping skills the family developed to deal with the fear.

The back and forth of father and daughter is well done and not gimmicky at all. I also think the feelings the authors describe seem quite real. It seems authentic the way the dad thinks about keeping his family safe while the daughter is trying to puzzle out what is going on in her family. I think the reasoning she does, based on the information she gets from her mother and other family, shows how children try and create answers in stressful situations even if they don't have all the information.

I was glad the authors selected a short time period and included an epilogue rather than trying to write about the rest of their lives. I would have liked a little bit longer epilogue in order to know things like did Cylin and Amelia stay in touch?

[1ShalayaW · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Interesting So Far...alot has happened in the first 40 pages cant wait until the end. This is book i would definently reccomend.


Review:

Even though im not finished "The Year We Disappeared" its a fantastic book. There are a few main/key characters Polly and John Busby and their 3 children Cylin, Shawn, and Eric Busby. This is a story of how a family is so far gettin through a tragic accident.

The father ,John Busby, was shot and hit by a car. This wasn't an accident it was intentionally done. After he was picked up by the ambulance he was in critical condition. He pretty much didnt have a jaw or chin anymore. He was rushed to the emergency room and lost lots of blood. His children and wife had no idea what had happened until after his surgery.

The audience for this book is for teens - adults. I wouldn't reccomend any children read this because it is a little scary and uses profanity. But more so as mature young adults and up should definently consider reading this book.

I think the authors ,Cylin and John Busby, were just trying to tell their life story. But one thing i did catch on to or got from what i read so far is dont take life for granted because you never know what may happen to you everyday that you step out your door and enter the real world. Also think of things in a positive way because if you take every situation in a negative view then you'll never realize your purpose of life. Cant wait until the end.....

[Jeff Raymond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Closer to a 2.5, this is the memoir of a family of a police officer who was shot at point blank range with a shotgun, his recovery, and the constant protection the family needed to be under while the crime was investigated. Half the story is written from the point of view of the officer's daughter, the other half from the point of view of the officer in question.

I'm not generally one for true crime or memoirs of victims of crimes - there usually has to be some sort of interesting hook or oddity to keep me interested, and the hook of corrupt police officers is ultimately unsurprising and uninteresting to me as a subject. The book isn't a total loss by any stretch, though - the tribulations of John as he recovers from the crime is well-documented and fairly matter-of-fact in its graphic descriptions, while Cylin's story as a young girl watching her world violently twist around her feels authentically written, which can be difficult. I just ultimately had a lot of trouble getting interested, and the resolution, as it were, being delegated to a quick note at the end didn't especially help matters.

It's definitely worth reading if this is your type of book. There just isn't a ton to set it apart compared to a lot of the other memoirs that exist out there.

[Neil Mudde · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book extremely difficult to read, even though it is well written. I simply cannot understand the obsession with guns,how easy they are to obtain, what horrific damage they can inflict in this case on a whole family. Policemen ought to be able to bear arms, and use them only as a last resort. How frightening it must be to have a Police force that does not support its own Policemen, due to political manipulation, allowing some citizens to do as they please and never hold them accountable, this Meyer should have been locked up years before, for laws he had broken, avoiding this whole extremely horrific, sad event.
The anger, rage and obsession with taking revenge,(understandably so) really wore me down, that I could only scan the last few chapters since I realized there was no resolve. John is an extremely courageous human being to be able withstand all the physical suffering he had to go through, his Wife Polly is very strong and supportive. I cannot help but feel that their children will be bearing the brunt of this whole ordeal for the rest of their lives.

[Mallory Bourke · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Year We Disappeared was a book I couldn't put down; the fact that this really happened to someone was appalling. There were so many elements that made it a high quality read. I think a lot of people can relate to the injustices that are happening in the book and the theme of eye for an eye. You learn about how life sometimes just isn't fair. I think that this book would be appropriate for junior high and high school students. I would especially reccommend this book to students that enjoy reading non-fiction and memoirs. The book is a long read at 352 pages, but it is a pretty easy read.I think that students would be able to relate to the young girl's point of view and how she felt different and like an outcast after what happened to her father. If I were to use this book in my classroom I would use it as a literature circle read and allow students to discuss important and thought provoking questions that came up while they were reading. I would definitely reccommend this book to my peers.

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 STARS

THE YEAR WE DISAPPEARED is unlike any memoir I’ve read. Alternating chapters between father John Busby and his daughter Cylin tell the story of John’s shooting and his nine-year-old daughter’s perception of the events.

A policeman in a corrupt force on Cape Cod, John throws around his weight, but refuses to allow the town crime boss and his cronies a free pass. He escapes a hitman with his life, but is left gravely injured, his family still targeted. Cylin’s world is turned upside down, her friends’ parents won’t let her play with them, fearing for their safety. Police officers follow her bus to school and stand outside her classroom. Her mom is devastated and overwhelmed, leaving Cylin to try to figure out what’s going on.

I couldn’t wait to see what happened next, knowing only that father and daughter survived long enough to write the memoir. I didn’t want their story to end and was glad for the “where are they now” interview at the end of the book.

[LibraryCin · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1979, Cylin was 9-years old. Her father, John, was police officer in a town in Massachusetts. He was shot in the face and survived, but – even though he was certain who was behind it – the police seemed to not be pursuing it. John believed the person behind the shooting was a local well-known criminal, Raymond Meyer, who also had connections at the police department and was known to be untouchable. Even so, some of the officers, including John, still tried to bring Ray to justice for various crimes.

I thought this was very good. Frustrating about the corruption in the police department and not being able to do anything about Ray for so many different offenses. The viewpoint went back and forth between Cylin and John, so you could read about the happenings from each person's perspective.

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Taken from the synopsis on the inside of the book jacket cover. "When Cylin Busby was nine years old, she loved Izod shirts, the Muppets, and her pet box turtle. Then, in the space of a night, everything changed. Her police officer father, John, was driving to his midnight shift when someone pulled up and leveled a shotgun at his window."
I did not like the layout of the book for starters. Each chapter is the voice of John or Cylin, this made it hard to follow what was going on. The book lacked closure, had a lot of loose ends which left me with many unanswered questions.
The subject is fascinating and haunting, just wish the book could have been more cohesive.

[Bill reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The format here is alternating chapters told by a girl of nine and her then thirty-six- year-old father. John Busby was a police officer on Cape Cod when he was blasted by a shotgun in a drive-by shooting. A local man with connections was untouchable and most of the book deals with John's excruciating medical procedures. Feeding and breathing tubes kept him alive and the reconstructive surgeries were beyond description.
The father and daughter combine for a page-turning story but the final short chapter is much too abrupt. No explanation is given to the why or how the crime was finally solved. A follow-up book would help to solve my curiosity.

[Old_airman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read. A father and daughter's perspective of an attempted murder. Would rate this 3.5. The ending was disappointing and sudden.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the late summer of 1979, Cylin Busby and the rest of her family's lives were changed forever when her father, a police officer,was shot while on duty with the Falmouth, Massachusetts police force. The single bullet miraculously did not kill him, but instead ripped off his lower jaw and severed his tongue. He required years of specialized surgery and recovery, and was forced to live off of a stomach tube while the police protected his family. His jaw was wired shut for years. The family was guarded around the clock by the city police for some time until something more had to be done.

This is a true crime / memoir type of story which is told in alternating points of view by John Busby, the police officer who was shot, and Cylin Busby, his nine year old daughter. It is an incredible story of resilience and perseverance. John writes about the medical recovery and his deep need for revenge, to get the man that he is certain did this to him. Cylin writes about the things that mattered to her as a nine year old child: going to see the Muppet Movie, wearing a new Izod shirt to school, and getting to play with her friend Amelia. The story is set in 1979 and into the 1980's in Falmouth, Massachusetts. I liked this book, though I wish that the story would have gone on a bit longer; I would have liked to know more about the family adapting to their new home. The title of the book, or the idea of it really appears rather late in the story. For that reason I am giving this book four stars.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
What a story! Written by both father and daughter, the story begins when Cylin Busby was nine years old and living a very normal life until her police officer father was shot in the face while driving to work. Unable to speak (as his jaw was literally shot off), and while clinging to life, he managed to write down the name of the only person he thought could have done this. The suspect is a local ex-con with rumored mob & police connections.
Overnight, the Busbys went from being the "family next door" to one under 24-hour armed guard, with police escorts to school, and no contact with friends.
A heartbreaking and brave tale, that would be difficult to believe if it really didn't happen; my only criticism is the ending felt a bit rushed and incomplete.

[Brandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deducted a star for making my neck feel weird. 😕 John’s descriptions of his injuries and subsequent recovery were excruciating to read for someone like me with a “neck phobia.” (Sorry ya’ll I don’t know how else to describe it...sometimes my neck just feels weird okay?!?) However, this is a fascinating, frustrating, and heartbreaking true story of crime, police corruption, and the tragic impact of violence on a family. Recommended...but seriously not for the squeamish. Bonus - shoutout to Cookeville, TN!!

[Alexis Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really like how this book shared 2 point of views. This book just goes to show how the law enforcement system is corrupt. This guy served his time protecting his town just to have them all be let down during the investigation process *on purpose*. There were definitely more people in on this but I was glad to read he confessed at the end of the book. Sad to hear the guy got dementia and died wish he would’ve served more time !! I also wish they would’ve elaborated more on his confession and why/how he confessed. This poor family went through so much it’s really sad!

[Tahlia Micoley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book and all of the interesting details that were depicted when such a traumatic event like this occurs. However, often times I would find myself really enjoying Cylin's retelling more. this made the parts were John was telling the story dull by comparison. Both parts were good, but not equal. The ending is very predictable, considering they hint at it a couple of time, but it was still a very interesting read.

[Nikki Leibforth · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn’t horrible, but it was boring. I mean the family did go through a tough and terrible time I don’t doubt or make light of what they went through. But the story was boring and I should have DNFed it but when I wanted to I was already 50% in and I didn’t want to quit with only half of the book left. So I will be donating this one to a little free library in the future.

[hamptonenglish10 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily Sosso
Ms. Brooks
Academic English 10
7 January, 2013

The Year We Disappeared: A Father - Daughter Memoir by Cylin Busby and John Busby is a thrilling, yet touching memoir that tells the story of an event that changed the Busby Family life forever. john Busby, father of Shawn, Eric, and Cylin Busby, and husband of Polly Busby, was a police officer on Cape Cod in Falmouth, Massachusetts. He works the night shift, from 11 o'clock at night to 8 o'clock in the morning. On the way to one of his shifts, John noticed a strange vehicle passing by him. Little did he know, the next few moments of his life would not just change his life, but his family's life. The man in the car shot John, three times. After trying to get away, he thought he was going to die. With the help of a woman near the incident, fellow police officers, and EMTs, he safely gets to the hospital. However, the shooter is still on the loose. The family is under 24-hour protection, living in fear of the shooter coming back to hurt them.

This memoir would fall under Narrative Non Fiction because it tells a story of how a family grew closer together after a tragic event. It shows how they value life more than they did before, knowing that it could be taken away from them in an instant. At the end of the memoir, there is a section entitled "Where They Are Now," explaining where the people throughout this book have ended up. In 2003, the shooter came out and confessed. James and Raymond Meyer were the ones trying to kill John Busby that night. Also, this confession the police link more murders and disappearances to Raymond Meyer. Also, Cylin was just nine years old when this occurred.

I would recommend this book to my peers, that love a thrilling crime story, for many reasons. It does not only describe a traumatic event in a regular family's life, but it also is a touching story showing how something like this can bring families so much closer. The memoir keeps you on your toes, and warms your heart. It has you guessing what will happen next, who was the shooter, and predicting the end of the story.

Jessica Riley
Ms. Brooks
Academic English 10
7 January 2013
“The Year We Disappeared” is a father-daugther memoir about the events leading upto biggest shock of this families life. This shock will change their family and their friends in ways that they never imagined. Cylin is a normal eight year old girl; she worries about her clothes and her annoying older brothers. Cylin is coerced into a much more mature and dangerous world when her father, John Busby, is shot multiple times while driving his car. Immediately after John is shot, he writes on a piece of paper to warn the police on the scree while they wait for an ambulance. “I could tell I was going to bleed to death before EMTs arrived. I wanted them (the police) to know that I needed a transfusion of O+ blood. This was all I could think about, that I had to write this down somehow. There was something else I had to let everyone know; it was more important. I scrawled the words ‘not an accident’ on the paper, smearing blood on it as I wrote...,” John panicks thinking he is going to die before EMTs arrvie (Busby 22-23).John suffers a lot of psychological and physical trauma. He recieves treatment away from his kids and hometown but the children are not left to fend for themselves. A cousin, Kelly, comes to stay with them as well as a couple of police officers for a protective detail. After John returns home, it becomes clear that people from the town are more cautious to seen with anyone from the Busby family in fear of getting shot like John. Cylin loses some friends who’s parents are scared to have their child be associated with her escpecially with her police detail following her everywhere she goes. The ending is twist that will shock the reader!
Since this book is nonfiction, facts are presented throughout the book. One interesting fact I read was about the treatment of gunshots wounds to the face and neck. John’s injuries were not easy for doctors to repair because there was so much damage. Another interesting fact is about police procedure and corruption, many police officers with known ties to the suspect that shot John refuse to visit John in the hospital. Also, people respond in defferent ways to John’s injuries. For example, the first time the kids see their father after the attack, they are scared and a little disgusted by how gruesome his injuires look. Cylin even asks her mother if that is really her father. It is hard for people to see John the same way when he looks different. This book is an memoir and more specially a narrative because it is written about Cylin and John Busby’s life and they are telling their own story with memories.
Finally, I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the medical field or law and justice. However, this book may be too gruesome for some people so I would not read this book is talking about blood, bone fragments, or feeding tubes is going to upset students. Personally, I liked this book and think that it is very well written. There are no really complicated words that are not explained by the authors at some point in the story.

[Katie Zebedeo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having just moved to Massachusetts and working on Natick, it was very interesting to read about something that happened so close by. I would have liked to hear more about the investigation and what happened on that side of things. But overall it was a good read.