Murder changed their lives. Faith and hope changed their grief.
On July 13, 2005, newlyweds Marcy and Jeremy woke up to the murder of his mother— just down the hall—while they’d slept.
In this evocative book, Marcy and Jeremy Pusey bring you straight into the heart of their survival story, sharing the hope they found with the shock and anguish of their family tragedy.
This gripping work chronicles the grief journey of the newlyweds, tackles the nature of forgiveness, and shows how they moved through their pain to change the world. Their story demonstrates how faith can move mountains of resentment and hate to rebuild a life of healing, reconciliation, and joy.
While We Slept is a eulogy for a missed mother, a legacy for her children and grandchildren, and a lighthouse of hope for anyone else flailing through a tragedy. This book is not only the story of one mind-boggling murder, but also about how we can find courage in trauma, forgiveness in devastation, and how we can triumph after heartbreak.
And then there’s hope.
*The print book edition contains news articles, used with permission.
Industry Reviews
"This exquisitely written memoir defies genre categorization - part murder mystery, part family drama, part love story. It is a no-holds barred look inside a family before and after a tragic event. The story keeps you turning pages but it is the author's vulnerability and compassion that provide a deep emotional connection to the book. I would warn against reading it if you do not hold (or would find annoying) the same deep felt Christian beliefs as the author. However, you don't need to share the same religious convictions to find the story mesmerizing in its combination of horror and honesty." --Julie
"I am not one to read books quickly, nor one to always finish them even if they are very good, however once I began reading this story, I finished it in one day's time. I admire the author's willingness to share a story that is so deeply personal and tragic with such transparency and grace. What would more often than not tear a family apart, brought these two young newlyweds to rely on the Lord and what they know to be true: his love, his grace, his forgiveness and redemption. To say it is hard to find hope & healing after unspeakable tragedies or losses is an understatement. May the message of hope & redemption in this story serve as gentle, loving encouragement to everyone who needs it." -Homemaking Mama
"This is a story that caught me up from the very beginning. Not only is it about a journey through an exceptionally chilling event that no family should ever have to endure, but it is also a beautiful tribute to a truly special woman.
The book has great spiritual depth and spoke to me on several levels, but its content is such that I believe it will appeal to people of all beliefs and non-beliefs. It is heart-warming in its vulnerability and openness and must have been very difficult to write. I salute this courageous couple and the way in which they have endured. And I also appreciate the many photographs that they included in the book. It made the reading experience far more real, as though I had been welcomed into the family circle itself." --Joy RS
