Cover Image: In Plain Sight

In Plain Sight

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Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. Awesome book! the suspense was good, it kept me on the edge of my seat. I can't get enough of the kidnapping stories.

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This is the second in the new Scottish police procedural series featuring DI Clare MacKay. While the mystery stands alone and is complete within this book, the background stories within the novel are largely carry-ons from the first book in the series. For anyone looking to start a new series, they will benefit from reading the first book in the series before starting this one as much of the character development is in the first novel.
The central story of this book is a child abduction that takes place just as Clare and the community is getting ready to participate in a fun run for charity. To complicate matters, an environmental protest group lays across the starting line in protest of the company that is funding the run. Clare points out that their protest made the abduction easier, although she doesn’t really thing they were part of a grand plot.
From that point in the story, it is a straight police procedural, with Clare and her officers following leads to try and locate the baby. To increase their concern, they learn the baby has a heart defect and requires medication. The powers that be feel a Detective Chief Inspector needs to be brought in, and they tap Anthony McAvetie, with whom Clare and her sergeant have a negative history. This increases the tension, although there is little information provided in this novel about the specifics for the ill feelings. It also complicates matters that McAvetie’s primary focus is on obtaining the new Superintendent position, and to that end pushes to have Clare reach a quick solution to the kidnapping.
When McAvetie determines Clare isn’t moving fast enough to insure he gets the promotion he calls in a second DI. There is a brief exchange of tension between the new Di and Clare, but they soon start moving together to work toward the return of the baby. Along the way there are several deaths as Clare and her officers begin to close in on the perpetrator.
Overall, this is a good police procedural, well written and well plotted. The pacing is good as information helps propel you through the book. As with the first novel in the series, this book is one where it’s easy to find yourself continuing to read “just one more chapter” or to rush back to it if life has interrupted your reading.
There are two small improvements I would recommend. First, highlighting more of the personalities of the secondary characters to enrich the background of the story. Second, there is a rather abrupt ending in the final chapter that, while perhaps slightly foreshadowed could have added more to the story if there had been more of a buildup. As written, the struggles Clare apparently has in her personal life are treated more as an afterthought than a well developed part of the story.
I recommend this book and this series to anyone who likes police procedurals with the caution that to maximize enjoyment they should be read in order. My thanks to Canelo Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Digital Read copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

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It was a coincidence that Detective Sergeant Chris West and DI Clare Mackay were at the beach when the baby was stolen. They were there for the fun run and their attention was taken by the NEFEW protesters who tried to disrupt the race. They're against the planned McIntosh Water bottled water plant to be constructed on Priory Marsh and the firm is sponsoring the fun run. It was Lisa Mitchell's scream which stopped everything. Her daughter, six-month-old Abi, had been taken from her pram whilst no one was looking. It's a major incident when any child is abducted but Abi needs regular medication because of a heart problem: without it, she might have only forty-eight hours to live.

The Scottish town of St Andrews doesn't have a Detective Chief Inspector on the roster and one would have to be brought in the oversee the investigation. Unfortunately for Chris West, it was Tony McAvettie: they have history from when McAvettie was on the wrong end of a punch delivered by West when the DCI slept with his girlfriend. Clare Mackay will have all on to protect West if there's a repetition and she's worried that there seems to be something amiss in the ongoing relationship between West and PC Sara Stapleton. The one point which gives her hope is that McAvettie is planning his next promotion (or pay increase of £10k a year, which seems to be the bit that interests him) and he's not that invested in the investigation.

I first met DI Clare Mackay in See Them Run and I was impressed. It was the first book in a new series and there was an awful lot to like, so it only took me a moment to decide that I was going to read In Plain Sight. There's always that slight worry that the book won't live up to expectations, but I forgot that very quickly. I was only a few pages in before I was completely hooked. The characterisation is excellent: in See Them Run I was a little concerned that only DS West from Mackay's police team really came off the page, but that wasn't the case this time around. At the end of the book, I was looking forward not, just to the next novel in the series, but to catching up with people I felt I knew.

The location is good too - firmly rooted in the area to the north-east of Edinburgh. Once again Marion Rodd doesn't rely - or even really mention - the golfing and university connections: this is simply the place where real people live, work and have their baby stolen. I could walk the streets, smell the sea air and hear the gulls scream.

The plot is good too. It wasn't one where I was tempted to try and work the answers out for myself: I was happy to be along for the ride and to enjoy a very satisfying solution. I'd like to thank the publishers for letting Bookbag have a review copy.

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This is such a step up from the debut novel SEE THEM RUN; this is a tighter plotted tale, Mackay is a more rounded character allowed to focus more on her work than the distracting relationship.

The momentum and pacing of the narrative does wonders to bring you into the tale; the first book worked on making you aware of the surroundings, this time the writer trusts the reader enough to know where they are allowing more time on office politics, gender politics and the grief of dealing with a baby abduction.

Loved this book and so pleased to see Todd grow as a writer in this her second novel. Cannot wait for the third book

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This, Marion Todd’s second novel does not disappoint. I am now well and truly invested in the main character and in the well described setting. I look forward to more from this author. My thanks to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

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I would like to thank Netgalley and Canelo for an advance copy of In Plain Sight, the second novel to feature DI Clare Mackay, set in St Andrews.

Lisa and Kevin Maxwell take their eye off baby Abi for a minute and she disappears. Clare was due to take part in the fun run they were watching so is quickly able to organise a search but to no avail. She quickly realises that Abi was selected and the knowledge that Abi is seriously ill adds urgency to an already difficult case.

I thoroughly enjoyed In Plain Sight which is a complicated read with one crime leading to more and a host of suspects and bit players. The novel is told from Clare’s point of view which does reduce the complexity as the reader can concentrate on what she knows and follow her thought processes as she navigates a stream of tenuous connections. It is an absorbing read, full of developments and incidental crimes that are discovered in the course of the investigation. I think that the latter and the tenuous connections give the novel a realism often missing in the genre. I’m not so sure that all the bodies they have to throw at the investigation is quite as realistic in this day and age.

Clare Mackay is a fairly unusual protagonist in that she seems “normal”. She doesn’t appear to have any serious vices or tics and is fiercely protective of her staff. She has one bad incident in her past but it doesn’t define her or have much influence on her behaviour. It is so refreshing to read about a character you could know and like.

In Plain Sight is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

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A very original story line, lots of twists and turns throughout the whole story. Guaranteed page turner. One of my best reads for a long while. Look forward to reading more from Marion Todd’s novels.

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This book series is on my must read list! The last installment is full of intense drama and lots of twists and turns.
Thinking I had the ending figured out, but nope,I was wrong. What I love of about these books is you never know how things will end. Marion Todd keeps her books fresh and captivating!

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Another excellent novel from the pen of Marion Todd. The novel begins with Detective Inspector Clare Mackay and her team taking part in a fun run to raise sponsorship money for a colleague whose wife has suffered from a stroke when a young baby with a heart defect is abducted from its pram near the start of the race. Follow Clare and her team as they try locate the baby in and around St Andrews and the Dundee area.

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I was happy to see that the DI Clare MacKay series by Marion Todd was alive and well in a second book!

A super read for all! This time, Clare and her DS, Chris West, are the stars in a mad dash to find a sick abducted baby. The parents of the baby, Kevin and Lisa, come across as a bit circumspect - mainly Lisa. Lisa's sister, Ashley, had been imprisoned once and also had other priors. Suspicions arise already.The reader is also treated to minor plotlines of protest and personal encounters. Yes, Geoffrey reappears...

As the saga continues, the plot builds and there are many false leads. This includes DCI Tony McAvette - a popular thorn in Clare's side.

The story can certainly be read as a standalone or as Book 2 of the series. Either way, this is one not to miss!

Many Thanks to Canelo Publishing and NetGalley for a fine read - Already waiting for the 3rd in this series!

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I enjoyed the first in the series so was Looking forward to get stuck in to this. It didn't disappoint!. It had well drawn characters and a suspenseful mystery which kept me reading on. Looking forward to reading more in the series.

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I am in literary heaven, a second novel by my fave new author Marion Todd who wrote See Them Run which I reviewed earlier. This second novel doesn't disappoint in fact I think it better than the first. DI Clare Mackay is back with her team which includes DC Chris West when a baby girl is abducted at a charity fun run. It soon becomes apparent that the kidnapping was planned when various secrets come to light. To make matters worst, the baby has a congenital heart condition and without medicine has only 48 hours to survive. A brilliant story and would make a terrific television series.

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Another great book in the D.I. Clare Mackay series. I loved the first book in the series so was hoping this would be just as good and I wasn’t disappointed! Although a sad storyline featuring an abducted child i was still engrossed from start to finish so I read the book in a day. Plenty of twists and turns and red herrings, just as I thought I knew who the culprit was something happened to prove me wrong. A great series and one I would recommend to anyone who likes this genre of books.

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In Plain Sight is the second book in the DI Clare Mackay series. I loved the first book and couldn’t wait to get started on this one. A baby is stolen from it’s pram during a fun run in St Andrews. Clare and her team are on the case, with many hurdles and heartbreaks on the way. Marion Todd’s characters are very well written, each developing more with each book. There is a real kindness in her writing, which compliments the darkness of the stories. Brilliant stuff. Marion is one of the best new Scottish crime writers. I highly recommend this series. Thank you to Canelo and NetGalley for my advanced copy

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When baby Abigail is snatched from her pram at a charity fun run DI Clare Mackay knows she has to find her fast. Abigail has a heart condition and needs regular medication, she has 48 hours at most to live without it
DCI Tony McAvetti is brought in to oversee the enquiry. Unfortunately rather than helping Clare and the team Tony is only out for himself, desperate to make Superintendent and convinced that a successful conclusion to this case with ensure that. Clare just wants him to stay out of her way and let her get on with her job.
As Clare and the team dig deeper it becomes apparent that Abi wasn’t taken at random, someone knows far more than they are willing to tell and that could put them and Abi in grave danger.
With time running out Clare faces a desperate race to uncover the truth and save an innocent child.
See Them Run was great but this one is even better.

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A twisted read in what is turning out to be a well written new series, looking forward to seeing how the characters continue to develop

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Loved the first publication by Ms Todd which introduced Clare MacKay.
Thought it would be hard act to follow and the author might struggle with second book syndrome.
Well thanks to NetGalley and the publishers providing me with an ARC in return for a honest unbiased review, I can confirm that if anything this book is even better than the first.
Main trust of the story is the search for a baby stolen in broad daylight. Time is of the essence given that the child has a serious medical condition. As well as the chatacters relevant ownlky to this story, the author takes the opportunity to develop the characters that featured in the first book also.
Cracking read, devoured over a couple of December evenings.
Here's to number three in the series.

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In Plain Sight is the second book in the DCI Clare Mackay series, you don’t have to have read the first book to enjoy this but your missing another treat if you don’t!
A baby is abducted in broad daylight in an area where a charity run is about to start but held up by environmental protesters, no one seems to have noticed anything so Clare and her team have their work cut out for them particularly as this baby has a heart condition and need regular medication, so time is not on their side.
The police investigation is well and entertainingly described. As usual we have this excellent DCI leading her team and motivating them to go above and beyond. Claire’s boss is basically lazy and only interested in a promotion that is coming up, so no help just wanting the baby found so he can claim all the kudos for it.
A really good read, well structured with great characters throughout and you are kept guessing throughout to a very satisfying ending.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

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Yayyyyyy what a brilliant read and a great follow up to book one this a real winner !!
So the brilliant Marion Todd does it again and writes another excellent police procedural in the DI Clare Mackay series and in my opinion I think it’s even better than the first book.
We start with the abduction of a baby from her pram in broad daylight while everyone is distracted by the start of a fun fun being disrupted by protesters, but matters are complicated by the fact the baby has a serious heart condition and needs regular medication so the race is on for Clare and team to find out who would snatch a baby and why.
I just love the way Marion Todd writes it always feels so real and the characters are always very believable. It’s a fabulous plot that really does keep you guessing till the end and makes a total can’t put it down read.
So massive praise to Marion Todd and please hurry up with the next instalment of this wonderful series.that I really love.
Highly recommended, a five star read and would say don’t miss out on the first book either.
My thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

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Marion Todd is firmly establishing herself on the Scottish crime fiction scene with the first two novels in the DI Mackay series. With "In Plain Sight" she's played another blinder. In this second installment, DI Clare Mackay is authoritative and in control from the outset (loved the opening line!). The plot is engaging, exciting and tense throughout. I also enjoyed the character development of the main players. Short chapters make it easier to sell yourself the "just one more chapter" lie in the middle of the night. I have the eyebags to prove it! Another great read.

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