Living with the Unimaginable: Life in the Aftermath of Murder-Suicide

This is the book that Tawna Righter never wanted to write. But as she recovered after two profound tragedies, she realized that there were men, women, and children who had suffered this same heartbreak-that of a murder-suicide of friends, loved ones, fellow students and co-workers-yet had no printed guide from which they could derive support, information, and resources. Living With the Unimaginable; Life in the Aftermath of Murder-Suicide is Tawna Righter's answer to this need. In 1990, her best friend's husband killed his wife and then himself, leaving behind small children and friends who were confused and distraught. How could this happen? The author could not imagine such an act. And yet, eight years later, her own son killed his girlfriend and then himself. Struggling with profound grief, Righter followed a path toward recovery, a path culminating with this supportive, compassionate, and valuable guide. Each section in this book acts as a support mechanism, addressing the myriad emotions-from anger to loss-that survivors inevitably experience. From the nightmare of the tragic event to the quest to understand why; from learning to live with the grief to providing comfort to the survivors, everything is explained through Righter's own experiences and those of the people she interviews. There is nothing lightweight about her approach-she tackles the hard issues head-on-and yet readers find hope and compassion, and they soon understand that life goes on, albeit in a different and newly defined way.