A woman’s body is found in an archeological dig site, but this is no ancient burial. The victim was recently killed and her body was encased in a Shrew’s Fiddle. You will not forget its name because it’s brought up incessantly throughout the story. It’s described as this horrific, misogynistic ancient device but when I looked it up, it wasn’t even that bad! It’s not meant to kill you or even torture you, it’s a shaming device for being a nag or a shrew hundreds of years ago. Sure, it’s uncomfortable, but the description kept stating that it tightly bends the person’s neck at an unnatural angle and the thing is, it does not. A person can stand up perfectly straight in one, with their hands each having their own hole, one in front of the other. So once your arms get tired, then yes, you would be bent over, but there’s a clear difference between immediate suffering and eventual soreness.

And guess what? Nothing keeps the person standing, they can sit or lay down to alleviate the strain on their muscles. That’s a big issue I had with the story – the author tries too hard to make this an anti-woman death device. It’s an obnoxious mechanism, but I’d choose it over thumbscrews or an iron maiden any day. If you’re going to use an actual historical device, don’t exaggerate it as a horrendous torture tool akin to the rack when anyone can research it and see that it isn’t. Emphasize the degradation of women in general – that’s something that is and always has been true.

So, because the dig site was part of a reality archeology TV show there are plenty of suspects, and DS Karen Hart has to work with her team to stop the killer before more people suffer. Was it one of the crew? The local council? The experts brought in from the university? Or a family member or friend completely unrelated to the dig? You’ll have to read and find out. Just know there is a lot of unnecessary repetition, maybe to stretch out the length? Phrases and thoughts expressed multiple times by the same characters, enough that it stood out while reading. Whittling that down would help the flow of the story. Which I’m surprised wasn’t called The Shrew’s Fiddle.

Another brilliant case for D S Karen Hart to sink her teeth into. This book is written brilliantly with great characters that bring the book alive and the reader will love this book, I have loved the Karen Hart books thank you D S Butler for fabulous books.

Teenagers taking a short cut through a field stumble on an archeological site. One of the boys falls drunkenly into a trench only to find a body in it. No, not an ancient corpse, a fresh corpse wearing a medieval torture device called a Shrew's Fiddle.
One of the teenager's recognises the victim, but doesn't mention it. She is protecting her family.
DS Karen Hart is shocked at the brutality of the crime.
Soon, there is another killing, just as savage, and Sophie is proved right with her prediction of a serial killer being on the loose.

Another fantastic DS Karen Hart book. I love the way the team work together and recognise each other's flaws, but still get on with the job.
The writing flows beautifully, and the plot keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

I am pleased that this can be read as a standalone, even though it is the tenth book in the series. I really want to read more of the books.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the eARC.
This is the 10th in the Detective Karen Hart series and could be read as a standalone.
The mystery is complex and I didn't guess the perpetrator until about 3/4 into the book. The murders are particularly gruesome, the perpetrator obviously enjoyed the acts.
I like the police characters, after several of the books they have started to feel like family.
It's a good book, but not my favorite. I'd have liked more about the team's private lives, especially Sophie's. Hopefully she will heal quickly from her psychological scars. Looking forward to no. 11!

In Plain Sight by D.S. Butler delivers a gripping mystery that held my interest for most of the story. It did get a bit repetitive in the middle.

The story begins with a chilling premise: four teenagers stumble upon a woman’s lifeless body in an archaeological dig, and things only get darker from there.

DS Karen Hart is a determined and compelling character who faces the daunting task of unraveling the truth behind the murder. The story has credible characters, each with their own secrets and motives. As Karen navigates through a web of lies involving disgruntled archaeologists, an indifferent husband, and a teenager who may know more than she divulges, the tension builds rapidly.

Overall, In Plain Sight is a thrilling read filled with twists and turns that will appeal to mystery enthusiasts.

#InPlainSight #NetGalley @AmazonPub

This is the tenth in the DS Karen Hart series; it is the sixth I have read. It works well as a standalone.

Teenagers cutting through an archeological dig discover a grisly sight. A dead woman is at the bottom of a pit, with a medieval torture device called a Shrew’s Fiddle attached to her.As DS Karen Hart and her team investigate the limited clues and numerous suspects, a second brutal death occurs.

This is a fast paced, well written mystery. I enjoy the main character, as well as her supporting team. Karen is engaging, capable, empathetic, and doesn’t suffer fools gladly. She also displays a good sense of humor.

Fans of British police procedurals will enjoy this story, along with others in the series.

A terrific read with a sense of the Elly Griffiths and Joy Ellis books - gorgeous setting so eloquently described and quirky characters aplenty. I thoroughly enjoyed the different perspectives and seeing how the teenagers who discovered the body interacted with one another and then with their parents. The archeological aspects were also interesting and added an extra rabbit hole to explore. Some of the characters were unbearably annoying, which only added to the sense of credibility and engagement.

Another amazing follow up book, always amazing and didn’t have a clue how it was going to end until it happened, love this series and it was just as good as the rest of them AAA

A medieval torture device. An archaeological dig. Can DS Karen Hart unearth the truth?! Great read!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! It had great suspense, intriguing, action packed, gruesome murders, serial killer, mystery, a great who done it and some wild twists and turns! The story was very interesting! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

I just started listening to this arc today and I want to say that it is a good book so far. I’m excited to listen to more of this book/story today!!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this arc. It is perfect for today.

Pub date is next year on January 21,2025.

Another good sortie in this series, which doesn't need to be read in order. More police procedural this time than focusing on personal relationships of existing characters.

This series works well without mention of DS Hart's romance with Mike, or DC Jones's with Harinder. The storyline focuses on the first gruesome murder, and at first it seems as if it's a one- off, but the second adds confusion and potentially another suspect/s to the tale.

I suspected who the killer was, and whilst his explanation fell a bit flat, it sort of did work because of the sometimes-stereotyped character he was (trying not to Spoiler!). I also wondered why some of the team would start something and leave it incomplete, which could've led to the murderer before, but hey, we're human.

It ends with DC Jones in a better place than in the last book, and with DS Hart's life taking a new direction, and that she sees her worth and has the support of her colleagues. I liked that there wasn't TMI, just characters acting like the grown-ups they are.