By John Romano

(YBH) – “We Have Your Husband” by Jayne Garcia Valseca and Mark Ebner is a book about people.

Sure the plot is simple: A wealthy (at least in the eyes of the kidnappers) businessman is abducted in broad daylight in Mexico. His family fights to get him back. The husband is either killed or set free. The end.

The difference with this book is that the above plot happened to one of the co-authors (Garcia Valseca) which makes the story personal. Basically, if you’d like to know what it feels like to be on the business end of a kidnapping, this book is for you.

Co-written with investigative journalist Mark Ebner, Ms. Valseca lays bare the full range of emotions of living through a terrible ordeal. From, obviously, sadness to fear to even joy (during the ordeal Ms. Valseca takes belly dancing lessons to relieve the stress. She apparently becomes quite good), you are along for the whole ride. Mr. Ebner has a way of writing that gets to the cold hard truth of the matter. His past books have focused on Hollywood’s fast life and Paris Hilton. Both books I’ve read by him have taken a brass knuckle approach to the truth. No sugar coating here.

For Ms. Valseca’s part, she relays a great tale. In the end you can’t help feeling for her and her family.  Occasionally, she gets a bit too touchy-feely. It’s hard to fathom or read about her seeing visions of benevolent angels as her husband is beaten senseless while living in a piano box (they even shoot the guy at one point!). However, make no mistake, Ms. Velseca is a transformed woman by the book’s end.

Overall a great read.

John Romano is the publisher and editor of Yes, But However!, a musician, a former political correspondent for BBC Radio London, and a serial web entrepreneur. Follow him on twitter: twitter.com/yesbuthowever

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