Customer Reviews

In Plain Sight: The Startling Truth Behind the Elizabeth Smart Investigation

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Let me start off by saying that I have a 15 yr old daughter, and that this is every parent's nightmare... I picked up this book, generally aware with the fact that Elizabeth Smart was abducted and eventually found alive. Other than that, I didn't know much.

"In Plain Sight" (380 pages) is written by and from Tom Smart's perspective, the oldest brother of Ed Smart (Elizabeth's dad). It doesn't necessarily make for an easy read. Tom Smart comes across as a heavy-bearing guy with an healthy ego, even if all he has in mind is the best for everyone and wants nothing more than the safe return of Elizabeth. The first half of the book covers the first 10 days or so of Elizabeth's abduction, and is not compelling, as much as we all feel for the family. The book really takes of in the second half, when the weeks and months fly by. Even though the author makes clear he has not interviewed Elizabeth for the book, we do get a good sense of what her captors and Elizabeth were doing, drifting in Salt Lake and near San Diego.

The Salt Lake City Police Department does not come across well in this account, being referred to at one point as the "Keystone Cops", as it eventually steadfastly focuses on Richard Ricci, who is arrested and eventually dies while in prison of a ruptured aneurysm, while all along the true abductors remain shockingly "in plain sight" around SLC and later in San Diego. "America's Most Wanted" John Walsh, instead, gets very positive write-up, and for good reason.

The latter part of the book is most riveting, up to the eventual confrontation with the abductors and Elizabeth in suburban SLC. Even then it looked like things might go wrong, but when the author describes Ed Smart being reunited with Elizabeth at the police station, I admit I had tears running down my face. My prayers are with Elizabeth, that she can find a "normal" life as she grows older, after having suffered such a terrible ordeal.

This book is riveting, shocking, and highly recommended.

I have read all the books on the Elizabeth Smart case and this is buy far the best. Contrary to what some people have said, this book does not violate Elizabeth's privacy.There is really no new information on her in it. In fact, the book focuses on the investigations and the mistakes made by police in going after Richard Ricci long after Mary Katherine had said that it wasn't him. It gives many new details on the case that were not available in news reports or the other books. I attended a book signing given by the authors and Mr. Smart said that the LAPD had requested that he donated copies of the book so their officers could read it and benefit from the mistakes of the SLPD. If this book can help police departments in saving another missing child, it will be well worth it. Another thing that I liked about the book is that it gave a lot of background on the kidnappers and their twisted reasons for doing what they did.

In Plain Sight, by Tom Smart (Elizabeth Smart's Uncle) & Lee Benson, is a fast-paced, heart-pounding account of the search for kidnapped Elizabeth Smart. Although I, and the nation, knew how this story ended; I found myself holding my breath in anticipation as I turned the pages. This is the behind the scenes story of the search for Elizabeth. It is not yellow-journalism; it is a respectful tale written with love for Elizabeth that is as pertinent in information as it is engrossing. It should be required reading for all law-enforcement. The near-misses in finding Elizabeth sooner, false stories about the Smart family and the lack of cooperation between the police and FBI left me distraught. Tom Smart is as honest with the readers about his own foibles and anguish as one could be. I've read the other reviews that seem to say this book was a gratuitous effort. I disagree. I think that it is a thank you letter to the thousands of people who helped to find Elizabeth and to those like me who followed the story and cried at the news that this little girl was found alive. Those who let their own egos overule the fate of a little girl must look in the mirror at themselves everyday and live with that. The brave heroes in this story, like John Walsh, can feel proud and deserve to be lauded. Much can be learned from this all too real tale. It seems to me that if Tom Smart and his family had not been so persistent then Elizabeth may not have returned. I walk away from reading In Plain Sight realizing that blind-faith in the authorities will not bring a loved-one's fate to light. This book clearly promotes being proactive. Aside from that, it is an extremely good book.

I was completly stuck on the Elizabeth Smart case when it was all unfolding. I was graduating high school at the time and couldnt imagine with all the dreams I had having them all stolen in the middle of the night. The book is a good read and really details the case well. The only problem I had is the book seems very very one sided. The brother talks all about how much he did and the others did and I kinda felt like he was acting as if he was the parent. It may just be the way I read it but I did find it interesting to get a good profile of the people that took her. Its worth a read but dont forget to read her parents book too.

Tom Smart writes a book that is hardly about Elizabeth Smart at all but is about her family and community. Missing Elizabeth hangs over the entire book as a specter but this is, most of all, about the efforts and love, heart ache and pain a family and community went through to find a missing girl. Some members of the press and law enforcement look pretty bad in the light the book shines on their efforts and especially their selfish motives but the author is also not above showing his own failings. I found the book capivating, informative and valuable as a learning tool in how to handle media and deal with law enforcement in the face of tragedy. Clearly there could be some bias here but there are heros and falable humans presented from the point of view of one man and the book succeeds on several levels.

This is an important book. It illustrates how one family successfully mustered its resources to strengthen the chance to recover their child. Within these pages are examples of family mutual support, broadcasting of the cirme to the entire country, assisting the police (and at times giving them a push), and laudable perservierence. Illustrating the possible is a way to put tools in the tool belts of others. In the case of child abduction people deserve all the tools they can get.

IN PLAIN SIGHT is the story of the investigation to locate Elizabeth Smart, the teenage girl who was abducted from her home in Salt Lake City. Journalists, Tom Smart and Lee Benson wrote the book. Tom also happens to be Elizabeth's uncle and served as the spokesman for Elizabeth's family during the horrible kidnapping ordeal of his niece.

The search for Elizabeth went on for nine long months and this book is an account of what took place during that time period. Aside from the shocking fact of a young woman's abduction, is the story of the local police and FBI who searched for her, but often seemed to ignore the information that was brought forward by family members and volunteers. The authors also claim that the investigating agencies didn't seem to share the information that they had obtained with each other. There were several sightings of the girl, and the man who had taken her. At one point, after breaking into a building, he was arrested, but released when he said that he was just trying to make a home for his wife and daughter.

This book presents one side of the story, but the FBI and local police probably had other things to take into consideration with their examinations of the events. Apparently the family was investigated and we've all seen enough news stories to know that everyone is looked at when a crime is committed. Unfortunately, we've also heard a lot of stories about the lack of cooperation between different police agencies.

This was an informative book and hopefully the Smart family can overcome the horror that took over their lives. I'm sure the heart of every parent in the world goes out to Elizabeth.

Written by two prize-winning journalists in Tom Smart's voice, this account of the investigation, search, and media coverage following the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping is the most detailed, engaging, and straightforward account yet. This book should come with a warning: Do not open unless you have time to finish!

Only a family member could describe the wrenching hours that became months for Elizabeth's sleep-deprived but determined extended family; even so, the compassion, even-handedness, and humor are exceptional. The authors protect Elizabeth's privacy by saying little more about her ordeal than she and her parents have said publicly, yet they illuminate the increasingly deranged background of her alleged abductors.

Tom Smart relates his own misguided (and eventually right-on) attempts to develop suspects as honestly as he expresses the inevitable frustrations with weary investigators and over-zealous reporters.

This case delineates most clearly the complex interplay between law enforcement, media, the family, and the public around a major crime. And that combination, despite its failings, ultimately brought about Elizabeth's rescue. The reader sees the re-assignment of the FBI agent who isn't riveted on the wrong suspect; the search joined by thousands--until salacious innuendoes appear in national and local media accusing the Smart men; and the chilling near-misses when Elizabeth or her abductors are almost, but not quite, identified.

Even those who think this case has been over-exposed are likely to find this behind-the-scenes account as enlightening as it is moving.

Tom Smart and Lee Benson are journalists and every page in the book shows it. The have taken a story that we thought we all knew and have showed us how little we really knew. I don't think there was a parent or child in America who did not feel less secure in their homes at night after Elizabeth was taken. As such the truth behind what happened and why is must reading for everyone.

For those of us who say it can't happen to us you will not feel the same after reading this book. The most impressive part of what I read is that it is all fact not fiction. If it were fiction we would say no way that it could happen for real. The book also shows how the ratings driven media will do anything for a scoop on a story even to the point of makeing things up. It also shows how misleading the TV talking heads are when they have very little facts and how quick they are to blame someone without anything to support their ideas.

But it did happen and this is a textbook on how not to handle a child gone missing. This book is also about faith and the never give up attitude that is so much about what has made our country great.

We all know the book has a happy ending, right out of Hollywood. What we also now know after reading "In Plain Sight" is that happy endings don't just happen they require a lot of hard work, pain and luck and in this case an Irish FBI agent who knew what he had to do at a cruical time.

What a wonderful book. It's about a family through love and faith who never gave up looking for their daughter, niece, sister, and cousin. If Elizabeth was my daughter I would want her to read this book to get an understanding on how many people gave up their time, their lives to find her. A true story of the day to day that the Smart family endurance and how they never gave up hope that they would one day bring her back to them. It brought tears to my eyes. One day Ed and Lois will thank Tom Smart for this book!