The author reflects on a terrible tragedy that forever altered the fabric of her family in this story of love, violence, coming of age, secrets, justice, and forgiveness.
A slim, immensely moving book. Johnson skips back and forth from her teenage years to the present, telling her story in plain-spoken language and examining her own reactions to Karen’s murder from both perspectives ... Johnson ponders pain caused by the killer, her father, even herself, especially after losing the religious faith that once provided a framework. When you live in a family forever experiencing 'the background buzz of lifelong mourning,' the only way to peace is to find a path to forgiveness.
Screen writer Johnson debuts with a beautiful and emotional memoir of a family tragedy ... By researching the case and revisiting her past, though, she finally found forgiveness, for the robbers and her own father. Assured prose bolsters the personal insights. This searing story deserves a wide readership.
Powerful reflections on crime, murder, punishment, and redemption ... The outcome of this poignant and provocative story arrives after numerous compelling twists and turns and many revelations, including the fact that the scenario of her cousin’s killing was very different in reality from the one she had remembered for all these years. Still, the central truth remains: A young woman who would now be in her mid-50s has long been dead, her killers live, and Johnson is left to ponder whether—and how—justice has been served. A remarkable exploration of forgiveness by a veteran storyteller.
