Joyce Owen is depressed and alienated from her neighbours as her son Robbie, aged 34, causes havoc outside the house. Reeve Hadfield narrowly escapes being shot as the small town in Washington State is turned into a crime scene. Acadia Henderson leans that her father has been killed, and David Owen drives grimly to where his mother mourns her mentally-ill son. Robbie had refused to take his medication and could not be committed against his will.

In A HOMETOWN BOY the police, the hospital, the news agencies all crowd the situation and the townsfolk say that they knew Robbie had been a problem and they could see trouble coming. The evil deeds rebound on his family while the families of the victims receive flowers. Acadia bravely stands beside David during a press conference and insists that his family was not to blame. Now working in Sacramento, Acadia only intends to stay at her father's home long enough to clear and sell it.

David, who used to be pals with Acadia when they were at school, wishes he could just get to know her as adults, but they seem to keep connecting over the deaths. She has a funeral to arrange while he has to clear his disturbed brother's basement apartment. Can they ever see some good come of the tragedy? Reeve too is determined to change his life and takes a serious step away from the town.

A HOMETOWN BOY is an unusual take on a bitter crime, with no complex police investigation, no suspense, just the stories of love and loss and trying to rebuild lives. Janice Kay Johnson has looked hard at the small-town scene and felt her way into the hearts of the inhabitants amid chaos and despair. While not an easy read at times, the story puts forward the necessity for access to better care for those with serious mental illness, showing that the benefits will outweigh the costs.