The Year We Disappeared by Cylin Busby and John Busby

The extraordinary true story of a family, a brutal shooting, and the year that would change their lives forever. When Cylin Busby was nine years old, she was obsessed with Izod clothing, the Muppets, and her pet box turtle. Then, in the space of a night, everything changed. Her police officer father, John, was driving to work when someone leveled a shotgun at his window. The blasts that followed left John’s jaw on the passenger seat of his car—literally. 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. 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, and 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.
This book is an amazing contribution to the world of true crime writing. Cylin and her father John’s perspectives seamlessly tie together, illustrating their story of survival and triumph. I was appalled at the neglect from Law Enforcement towards Officer Busby and his family. To think that there are people out who we believe are out to protect us, but in fact our willing to cover up a serious crime. John Busby has now become an advocate for extending the statute of limitations on crimes against police officers. How the Busby family stuck together through everything shows great courage and love. I am so glad that everything turned out the way it did and that justice was served in the end. The Year We Disappeared is a riveting, true tale that should be read by all. (I am hoping it will be turned into a movie at some point!)