In Plain Sight starts off with four teenagers stumbling on a dead body late at night. D.mS Hart and her team set upon the task of finding out who the killer could be. Is the killer hiding in plain sight?

This book is number 10 in the DS Hart series, I haven’t read the other books but that didn’t affect me reading this one. I was engaged from the beginning and the end didn’t disappoint.

In Plain Sight was a thrilling ride from start to finish. The discovery of the body during an archaeological dig immediately pulled me in, and DS Karen Hart’s investigation was both gripping and full of twists. I loved how the story kept me guessing with each new lead, from the bitter archaeologists to the mysterious teenage girl.

The suspense really ramps up when a second murder occurs, and you can feel Karen’s growing determination to solve the case. The pacing was great, and the characters were well-developed, especially Karen, who brought a lot of depth to the story.

I did find the resolution a bit rushed, but overall, it was an engaging and well-written thriller. Definitely worth reading for fans of crime mysteries!

Another great addition to the DS Karen Hart series! The premise of the case was great, full of red herrings that had me discounting and recounting suspects left right and centre. As always it was good to catch up with the usual characters- Sophie is back at work if not on duty, Rick is his usual entertainment as well as getting a deeper focus on Arnie which I liked.

A great read
A new murder for Detective Karen Hart
A book that pulls you in and wont want to put it down
Can’t wait for the next in this series
Thanks NetGalley

A great series which I have enjoyed all of them. This time Karen and her colleagues have a murder to solve revolving around an archaeological site. It has plenty of leads and sub plots to keep the reader immersed and wanting to find out who was the killer. I enjoy the subplots and continuing themes running parallel to the story. However the books, I feel, can be read as a standalone. Looking forward to the next in the series to see if any further development in the underlying subplots.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher and author for allowing me to read the arc in exchange for an honest opinion.

Ooh, I do like this series! I haven't read ALL the books but that is ok, I think this novel can be read as a standalone.

Yikes, this is a bit of a gruesome case for Karen to solve. It is a bit twisty, and I had a feeling I knew who the "baddie" was pretty early on and I was right, but it doesn't take away from the story in any case.

Medieval torture devices are being used, which is unsettling in itself. Who knows how to make them and who thinks to attach them to other people?? This is the crux of the case. And, of course, why would anyone want to kill these victims?

Good read, well written. Looking forward to reading the next in the series.

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer.

After finding this author, I have binged this entire series. Seeing it available for ARC on NetGalley I scooped it up! Thank you so much Thomas and Mercer for allowing me a peek. Each book in the series seems to ground me in their community and I feel cozy. Many of these titles can be read as stand alone, so if this is your first welcome! Teens stumble on some remains in a dig site, a body is found, and Karen Hart is on the hunt to find a killer. New torture devices are used in this thriller, not something you or I would want to be used on us. Having a great team, you know they'll solve the case. Butler's writing keeps me engaged and flipping pages so quickly that when it ends, I can only hope her next one will release sooner than later! All opinions are my own.

I used the new Netgalley Reader for this novel as a change from reading on my Kindle. It’s simple to configure and fluid in page-turning. The “Read Aloud” is available in Extensions (MS Edge) for those who prefer to listen. I was concerned that there wasn’t a bookmark, but it holds your page without one. A dictionary might be helpful as an extra innovation.

Nobody deserves the brutality of mediaeval torture served out to hapless victims for the pleasure of a narcissistic psychopath. What an appalling way to die. It’s a harrowing discovery that starts the plot. A dead girl encased in a brutal mediaeval contraption, a shrew’s fiddle. It is excruciatingly painful and employed for control and misogynistic intent, but it didn’t kill her. There is a significant blow to the head that killed her to ensure his identity was unknown.

The author writes with captivating panache. She weaves a macabre but unusual, gripping tale for DS Karen’s congenial team to solve in the face of gruesome finds at an archaeological site. The team has a great rapport and is likeable with their idiosyncracies, humour, backgrounds, and flaws. You feel as if you know them. Sophie would make an excellent Profiler, and DS Karen Hart is on the same page. The author doesn’t waste time on lengthy descriptions and screeds of introspection. She moves seamlessly through the plot at a commendable pace in my favourite third-person chronological format. This gives scope to learn what other characters think, act or have suffered. There’s an excellent balance between narrative and dialogue, which provides depth and complements its authenticity. It’s a predictable story, but it doesn’t lose its fascination. Motive? Why is Christie so unnerved? Who can be trusted? Who is lying? How will the team resolve the crimes?

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley. A review will be posted on GoodReads and Facebook.

Excellent twisty storyline.
Keeps you guessing right to the end.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review

This was a compelling police procedural that dives into a chilling murder mystery involving a medieval torture device and a web of secrets. DS Karen Hart proves to be a skilled and determined investigator, supported by a strong team, making the unraveling of the case engaging and satisfying. The pacing is spot on, and while I correctly guessed the culprit midway through, the surprise ending still delivered an emotional and satisfying twist. Despite being the 10th book in the series, it works perfectly as a standalone, though it left me intrigued to explore Karen's backstory in earlier installments. Fans of crime thrillers will find this a well-written and entertaining read!

In Plain Sight is the tenth book in the Detective Karen Hart series.

After four teenagers are tossed off a bus, they are in the middle of nowhere and attempt to walk through the fields to home. One of the teens recognizes the fields that are being excavated for an archeological dig. But as the cross through it, they find a woman who has been tortured and murdered.

DS Karen Hart gets the call to begin the investigation. There are the usual characters and the press to help along the way. Another fun addition to the series.

This is the second book I’ve read in this series. I do think they can be read as standalones and I quite enjoyed #9. This story didn’t flow as smoothly for me. I enjoyed it; it just wasn’t gripping enough.

I loved reading this, I was immediately drawn into the case and found myself surprised by the twists and turns.

In Plain Sight by D.S Butler is the 10th book in the Detective Karen Hart series. This can be read as a standalone but to get the full backstory on the protagonist you should read the rest of the books first.
Four teenagers cutting through an archaeological dig site discover the body of a woman. But this is no ancient burial, this kill is fresh. The woman is encased in a contraption called a Shrew's Fiddle. This is described as an ancient device that bends the wearer's neck in an unnatural angle, eventually leading to death. When a second body is discovered, Detective Hart must race to piece together the evidence to find this deadly serial killer before another victim is claimed.
Having not heard of the Shrew's Fiddle I did look it up and it seems that it is dramatized in the story probably for better shock value. It seems like this device is uncomfortable yes, but not immediately deadly. Other than that aspect I did enjoy this book on the whole as a crime fiction novel. I probably should have read books one through nine in preparation but that's just my personal choice.
Thank you to NetGalley, D.S Butler, and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC. Expected release day is January 21st 2025.

“In Plain Sight” is the 10th book in the Detective Karen Hart series by author DS Butler. This is an excellent series that I have followed from the start and this latest offering is another gripping crime thriller .An intriguing plot that surrounds the discovery of a woman’s body in a medieval device, resulting with a tense investigation led by Detective Sergeant Karen Hart.

Four teenagers discover the dead body of Alison Poulson at an archaeological dig site locked in a Shrew’s Fiddle, a medieval restraining device. A medieval style murder that has been committed a few hours prior to it’s discovery.
An intriguing case for DS Karen Hart and her team to solve, lots of suspects that includes the victim’s colleagues, her husband, and a teenager who discovered the body. The case becomes more intense when a second murder is discovered and DS Hart must solve the mystery before more deaths occur.

I enjoy the writing of DS Butler, well developed characters, intriguing plots and fast paced. An archaeological dig makes a good setting for the case and this is an excellent addition to the series.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Number 10 in the series and it's great to be back with Karen et al.
An intriguing plot centred around the world of archaeological digs which makes the usual whodunit more unusual.
Lots of potential suspects and you can feel the character’s' frustrations as they get led, and lead the reader, down so many blind paths. When the villain is finally unveiled they are as evil as they were unexpected.
A great read with nice developments in the character subplots.
Looking forward to number 11 for the unfinished business with an old adversary and the promised happy development in the subplot

In Plain Sight by D.S. Butler  is the 10th in the Detective Karen Hart series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Thomas & Mercer, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Series Background:    (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
DS Karen Hart lost her husband Josh and her daughter Tilly in a car accident. She later discovered it wasn't an accident, but it was covered up by some corrupt police officials.  She currently works with DI Scott Morgan,  DS Arnie Hodgson, DC Sophie Jones, and DC Rick Cooper.  Their boss is DCI Churchill.  She is dating Mike, who has also lost a child.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Karen is called to an archaeological dig site when four teens discover the dead body of a woman in a trench.  Her neck and hands are locked into a medieval torture device called a Shrew's Fiddle.

It soon becomes evident that the victim, Alison Poulson, was not popular with either the archaeologists nor the film crew that were planning on documenting the finds.  Not even her husband seemed that concerned.

Everyone seems to be hiding something, and the team does not solve the first murder, before someone else dies.  Will they be in time to prevent a third death?


My Opinions:
This was a complex, interesting mystery.  The plot was quite good. I did identify the killer early on, but the motive escaped me.

The characters had depth,  and as always, Karen and the team were good.  It was interesting to see Arnie in a different light.

My only complaint was the depiction of the Shrew's Fiddle.  I had to google it, and upon researching it further, I was at odds with the author's descriptions.  Yes, it would be horrendous if someone was in it for any length of time, but I can't see that it would lead you to being hunched over, thereby straining your neck and back.  You could easily sit down with it on.  If you found someplace to rest your elbows, it wouldn't be a big deal at all.  It was mainly used as a punishment for people (often women) who were fighting, and each would have one put on, and be forced to look at each other and talk it through.  It was also used to embarrass or mock someone in public.  So, although this medieval device looks frightening, there were much worse instruments for torture.

That being said, it did segue well into one of the main topics of the story, misogyny.  So, perhaps I'm being a little picky on the choice of a torture device.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book.  It's a great addition to the series, and as always, a fast read.

I read books 1-9 to prepare for this ARC and I am very glad that I did. I would have missed so much backstory and been lost. I love DS Karen Hart, she is a take-no-prisoners woman! I can't wait to see what the next book in the series holds for the team.

#InPlainSight
#NetGalley

Part of a series featuring Detective Sergeant Karen Hart and her team A tricky case with lots of suspects and some not very nice people.

Four teenagers find a woman's body in a muddy trench. The body belongs to Allison Poulson who was not a popular woman. But popular or not she didn't deserve to die in a torture device known as a Shrews Fiddle. Can Karen Hart and her team find out just what happened to her and more importantly is she they only person who dies this way.
I quite enjoyed the book but I don't think it was one of her better ones.
It gets a four star from me. Many thanks to NetGalley for my ARC