Book chronicles a family's ordeal

'The Year We Disappeared" is a riveting, true story written by a father, John Busby, and his daughter Cylin Busby.

Tragedies like the Sofa Super Store fire and the deputy who was killed responding to a routine call near Smoaks raise our consciousness and appreciation for the men and women who risk their lives to keep their communities safe.

This book gives us an up-close and personal look into the life of a police officer and his family after he is shot while on night duty. Father and daughter alternate chapters, so the reader understands both the child and adult perspectives. "All locations, dates, events, and people in this book are real. Some names have been changed."

John Busby was driving his police car in his peaceful little hometown on Cape Cod when he was blasted in his face with a shotgun at close range. The shots were intended to be the end of Officer Busby. Instead, they marked the end of anything "normal" in the Busby family's life.

Immediately after the shooting, even before the ambulance arrived, Officer Busby managed to write "not an accident." He also wrote the name "Ray Meyer," who was the only person Busby could think of who would want him dead. He knew Meyer hated him for being an honest cop. He knew Meyer's criminal history and the crimes of which he was capable. Busby suspected that Meyer, an accomplished arsonist, would kill his family and burn down his house that night while the police were concentrating on Busby's shooting. So the last thing Busby wrote was, "Polly and the kids — not safe."

Starting that night, the Busby family was under 24-hour armed guard. The police escorted the children to school. Friendships were strained to breaking points. Stress and fear dominated every aspect of their lives.

Of all the frustrations and stress, the worst was that Ray Meyer was still free. And despite increasing evidence that he was the assailant, nobody seemed to be doing anything about it.

Woven throughout this account of a family's hardships, bravery and eventual "disappearance," is the story of exactly what it's like to be on the police force in a small town. There are good guys and bad guys on the force itself, and some thoroughly bad guys committing crime after crime. Staying honest and uncompromised is a full-time job in itself.

Even reluctant readers, especially boys from eighth grade up, would be drawn into this book.

P.S. The ending is unexpected — and excellent.

Contact Fran Hawk at franbooks@yahoo.com.