Thank you to NetGalley and Linden Tree Press for this free copy. In exchange I am providing an honest review.

Jacobs is a relatively new author and for her debut she tackles crime and does it fairly well. She features crime in a different way, an interesting way.
Tsara hasn't seen, or spoken, to her Uncle in about 25 years. Family rifts and feuds led to the silence between them. Out of the blue, in an attempt to make reconciliations, he invites her to a gala and she decides it might be time for amends so she goes. The weekend starts off with a confrontation between her Uncle and a stranger which Tsara thinks nothing of until the stranger appears in her bedroom and abducts her. But this is not a hardened criminal who has stolen Tsara away, it is a man desperate to get his son back. His son was abducted by Tsara's Uncle and being held at the very estate she was at. Mike, Tsara's abductor, wants to do a prisoner exchange but her Uncle, in an effort to self-protect, isn't exactly cooperative. While Tsara and Mike are on the run, her brother and husband have called in the FBI. Everyone is looking for someone. Once everyone is returned to where they are supposed to be Tsara has recovery from traumatic experience ahead of her. Part of her closure, and shalom, will be if she can eventually forgive Mike for the things he felt he was forced to do to get his son back.
What I like about Jacobs story on abduction is the aftermath. She focused a good half of the book on the aftermath of a violation of self. She also created a sincere and genuine sympathy/empathy for Mike, the father trying to get his son back. The villain isn't who you think it should be and even Tsara at one point makes a statement about the need to fumigate her DNA. The story becomes an interesting look at redemption, forgiveness, and recovery.

"Wrong Place, Wrong Time" another mystery by Tilia Klebenov Jacobs, was just so enjoyable. Ms. Jacobs is a wonderfully creative wordsmith and her writing truly creates a three dimensional mystery with enough details to describe complex characters and situations.

The mystery starts out by introducing our heroine, Tsara Adelman as a smart woman with and idillic life filled with a loving husband and two young children. We soon learn that Tsara's uncle Cass, who has been estranged from the family since Tsara's mother died, is giving a gala at his mansion. Tsara and her brother Court are invited to attend. With some grumbling, Tsara decides to go and try and burry the hatchet with her uncle, she remembers when they were close more than twenty years ago and she hopes to rekindle the familial relationship. Tsara travels to a small town in New Hampshire where her uncle Cass, seemingly, is thought of as some kind of benevolent monarche, employing many in the small town. That night Tsara is kidnapped from her bedroom in the mansion. Michael Westbrook, her kidnapper, claims Cass has kidnapped several children from the village, including Michael's own six year old son. Michael plans to trade Tsara for the children.

So starts "Wrong Place, Wrong Time", an aptly named mystery. Tsara and Michael end up running for their lives as two warped local police officers, who are owned by Cass, begin murderously pursuing both Michael and Tsara. Tsara's brother Court calls the FBI who begin searching for her and Michael. It is a race to find out who will find Tsara and Michael and whether they'll be found dead or alive.

This thriller not only contains a terrific mystery but also includes the aftermath of what happens to victims of traumatic events. The author writes excellently about the effects of kidnapping on the victim. Jacobs also adroitly makes the reader even have pity for Micheal. Yes he did the wrong thing in kidnapping Tsara but through wonderful prose, Jacobs helps the reader see why he did what he did. I have found that an author must be very good to make psychological issues in their characters come off as real and believable.

Tilia Klebenov Jacobs successfully built complex and multiple layered characters in Tsara and Michael. It was a pleasure to read such an excellently rendered novel that was full of mystery, action, angst, pathos, regret and even redemption. Jacobs has written such a beautifully wrought novel that it certainly isn't just a mystery. It's so well worth the time. "Wrong Place, Wrong Time" has already been published so you're able to purchase it now. It is certainly worth your time and would make a perfect summer or fall read. I thought it deserved five stars, a truly compelling novel.

A book worth reading. The author's writing kept the story in motion and made me able to visualize the characters and actions for most of it. There were a few areas where it was slow and a little weak. The beginning was a little slow out of the gate but did keep me interested in the story. I liked that there was very little unnecessary dialog.

This book was *not* what I expected.

It was an entertaining read in many ways, but the summary is somewhat misleading.

Tsara Adelman visits her Uncle at his vast estate for the first time in many years to attend a party he's holding. While there, she's kidnapped by Mike Westbrook - a local man who believes that Tsara's uncle is holding his child captive.

Mike intends to trade Tsara for his son, but the two rogue cops Uncle Castle sends after them have other plans. Deep in the wilderness, Tsara and Mike must fight for their lives while negotiating their own complex relationship.

Now, here's what I thought would happen. Tsara and Mike would fall in love / have sex, there would be drama from that unintended consequence of two attractive people thrown together in heightened emotional circumstances. I also believed that a huge focus of the tension would come from the children hidden in Uncle Castle's wine cellar, and the repercussions from whatever nefarious things he was up to with them.

Instead, the book went in the opposite direction, and I was baffled by some of the narrative choices.

1) Tsara being happily married, for one. There wasn't any urgency or complexity there - it just *was*. Realistic, perhaps. Entertaining to read about? Not so much.

2) Mike was another wasted opportunity for me. He could have been so much more. I just didn't believe in his reasons for doing anything he did. Not to mention, it was obvious from the get go that he wasn't going to hurt Tsara - so any danger or sexual tension dissipated under the weight of that kind of apathy. I just couldn't bring myself to care if he got his child back, or what happened to him.

3) The reasons Uncle Castle was keeping the kids captive. NOT exciting.

4) The book was much too long with some needless description and it became to meander toward the end. I think it could be trimmed down with careful editing.

The good?

1) Tsara was a likable character, with spunk and guts. She also had a dry sense of humour and was a stickler for grammar, which I appreciated.

2) The writing is solid, with few mistakes - if any - and once I became aware this book wouldn't quite live up to the summary, I enjoyed the story. Especially the trial. That was an interesting choice. I'm not sure I completely believed any of it, but still, it's nice to see an author take risks with a tale.

3) Tsara's decision in the end, which I won't go into here. It made me respect her as a person all that much more.

Generally speaking, this was a promising debut, however I think it needs a new summary (I thought the book would be a breathless journey through the wilderness - it isn't) and editing to trim down some of the excess descriptions. I would be interested in reading more from this author. I think she has potential to write good mysteries - but I would recommend as an author, that more personal conflict is always juicy for a reader. Just my two cents.

3 stars.

See my full review of this title on my blog: Books Under the Blanket (with a flashlight): https://booksundertheblanket.com/introverts-need-dialog-too-book-dialog-that-is/

4. Solid. Stars. This was a surprisingly good one. It had great elements of a storyline: character development, good description of people and places, and a satisfying ending. I literally laughed, teared up, and gasped throughout it all. And there were numerous lines that I've highlighted, which will be pondered for sometime later. I will enjoy looking forward to more of this author's work.

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A solid 3.5 stars. Enjoyable but not a wild thriller like I expected. Read my full review at http://www.booklovinalicia.blogspot.com


I received a digital copy to read and review via NetGalley

I really wasn’t sure how I felt when I was reading this. It was just kind of predictable and was slightly slow moving. The ending is what really changed my mind and made me give it 5 stars. It really stirred my emotions and my empathetic heart loved it. There were parts of the story that I wish were expanded on, but ultimately it was Tsara and Mike’s story.

Tsara Adelman was definitely in the wrong place at the wrong time. After years of estrangement, she agrees to visit her Uncle Cass for a gala event at his home. That night while she was preparing for bed, she was abducted from her room at his chateau in New Hampshire. She then embarks on the most harrowing experience of her life.

The heart of the story
Details about Tsara's life and the reasons she and her brother hadn't seen their mother's brother for years unfold throughout the story. I liked that method as it helped me understand the characters filtered through the ensuing events. The story also presented points of view about the abductors, which really helped create conflicted opinions about them and Tsara.

One of the best things about this story was Tsara. She's five foot nothing and was no victim! She initially took out one of the kidnappers and fought them throughout her ordeal. Her struggles following her rescue were extremely realistic, even though at times I thought her a little callous considering some of the circumstances. I also appreciated how aspects of her Jewish faith were integral to the story and her evolution. It was enlightening and informative, explaining a lot about the woman and the people in her life. I especially liked her rabbi.

My "nits"
The one distraction was what I felt was an inordinate amount of description that slowed the pace. A lot seemed unnecessary and I found myself skimming routinely through a lot of passages. A bit of trimming would make this a much more satisfying read. Also, I never knew what city Tsara lived in...it was never mentioned and it bugged me a lot!

The bottom line
This was a very good story that I'd recommend for those who appreciate a book full of suspense and complicated characters and issues. And, the ending was so very satisfying. 3.5 stars

(I received an ARC from NetGalley)

I typically don't read suspense/thriller books such as these but I found myself really enjoying it. I love how the protagonist though being small put up a fight, as well as being older, where they are usually young women in these types of books. I would recommend this book as a easy kind of breezy read.