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

In the dead of night, four teenagers taking a shortcut through an archaeological dig site find a woman’s lifeless body in a muddy trench, her hands and neck locked in a medieval device known as a Shrew’s Fiddle. It doesn’t take long to see that these are no ancient remains - the woman was killed just hours earlier. Called in to unearth the truth, DS Karen Hart learns that the victim, local woman Alison Poulson, was unpopular with the archaeologists and the TV crew filming the excavation. Then there’s another murder.
The tenth book in the series & it could be read on its own. I really like Karen who is down to earth, she works well with her team & I like the balance between her home & work life. The case was intriguing & as you would expect there are twists & turns as well as plenty of suspects. I thoroughly enjoyed the book & look forward to the next one

I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

4.5 stars
Teenagers discover a body at the site of an archeological dig. The victim had been tortured as well, but she is NOT an ancient Roman. Now it's up to Karen Hart and her team of detectives to find this dangerous killer. This is an engaging series with likable main characters, and this book in particular is fast-paced and suspenseful. This is the tenth book in the Detective Karen Hart series. I've read all of the prior books, but I really think this one also works well as a standalone mystery/thriller. Karen works well with her team and has learned to balance her job with her family life, which hasn't always been easy for her. The killer is very creepy, and the mood is tense while the team tries to narrow down the suspects. The case has a satisfying resolution and the overall ending of the book is fantastic. I highly recommend this book and the series.

I received an advance copy of this ebook for review consideration from NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

Who killed Allison Poulson and put her in a medieval torture device ? That's what DS Karen Hart must solve and fast. I'd only read one of the earlier books so I likely missed nuances especially among Hart and her team. That said this is a nicely twisty and atmospheric procedural.

Detective Karen Hart book 10.

Just about to go to bed Karen receives a phone call to say a body has been discovered. Arriving on scene she is horrified by what she sees. Getting the team together they must work quickly to identify the victim. Meanwhile Sophie is back at work but is she really coping?

I love this series and this one had me hooked. I can't wait for the next one.

A medieval torture device. An archaeological dig. Can DS Karen Hart unearth the truth?

In the dead of night, four teenagers taking a shortcut through an archaeological dig site find a woman’s lifeless body in a muddy trench, her hands and neck locked in a medieval device known as a Shrew’s Fiddle. It doesn’t take long to see that these are no ancient remains: the woman was killed just hours earlier.

Called in to unearth the truth, DS Karen Hart learns that the victim, local woman Alison Poulson, was unpopular with the archaeologists and the TV crew filming the excavation. Digging further, she finds bitter colleagues, an angry farmer and an oddly unmoved husband. Then there’s the teenage girl who found the body, who seems to know more than she’s letting on…

After a second murder rocks the investigation, it seems the killer will stop at nothing to cover their tracks. Can Karen unravel the mystery before another life is lost?

In Plain Sight
D.S. Butler
January 21, 2025

The four teens who were riding the bus home were breaking rules that irritated the driver. It was close to midnight and although Christieś new friends collaborated in violating the directives posted on entrance to the vehicle, she tried to join. When the driver pulled over he told the students to get off the bus. Phones didn't respond, so the group started walking the long path through the field. Although the guys ran ahead in glee, the girls hoped they would make it home.
Thus begins the very unique suspense-filled tale of Detective Karen Hart´s latest tale in book #10 of D.S. Butlerś series. In Plain Sight will be published by Thomas & Mercer on January 21, 2025. I was honored to be selected to read the ARC of Butler´s latest novel via NetGalley. This latest Detective Karen Hart investigation of a tale into the pre-production of a British Historical Treasure TV series. Itś extremely well written in details that keep the reader on edge. Who did this - and how did it happen? I have become a true fan of D.S. Butlerś books working on reading the other 6 books in the series. This latest is one suspense-readers should not miss!

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘In Plain Sight’, book 10 in the Detective Karen Hart series written by D S Butler, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

DS Karen Hart is called out to an archaeological dig site when four teenagers find a woman’s body in a muddy trench with her neck and arms locked in a medieval torture device known as a Shrew’s Fiddle. The body is that of Alison Paulson, an unpopular woman who’s been involved with a television crew filming the site, who it appears was killed just an hour before being found. When a second body is discovered, Karen realises she could have a serial killer on her hands.

‘In Plain Site’ is an excellent addition to this series that’s gone from strength to strength. I like the character descriptions of Karen and the hardworking team of Arnie, Sophie, Rick and Morgan, and even their CSO Tim Farthing who proves he has a kind heart although he rarely shows it. There’s a gripping plot with a number of suspects but not enough evidence, and with plenty of twists and turns together with some red herrings thrown in, things are about to become even more confusing and at times dangerous. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading this thriller set in Lincoln and its surrounding towns and it’s good to know how Karen’s relationship with Mike is progressing. As there are characters that have been mentioned and are sure to arise in the future, I’m very much looking forward to the next in the series.

Enjoying the Karen Hart series and this new one is on the same track to be equally as good. Enjoyed the backstories and characterisation. Plenty of twists, turns and suspense throughout. Would definitely read the next edition. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Number 10 in the series about Karen Hart and her team. This is an intricate plot involving an archeological dig and the making of a TV programme about the finds. Lots of possible suspects and motives keep the team guessing for a while. Mostly well paced, though the team were a little stuck around the middle of the book, the story is told from different points of view, including a young girl who was part of a group of friends who found the first body in a field.
I like this team, their way of working together and the description of the places and people. Not too graphic but you get a good picture of who these people are, where they are and what has happened . A great read and I look forward to the next in the series

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC