In Plain Sight

"This is a riveting, emotional narrative of a case that captured the nation's attention." ―Library Journal

This inside story of the intense search for the Salt Lake City teenager reveals details of the largest investigation in Utah state history. 

"The numerous missed opportunities to locate Elizabeth and her captors make for agonizing reading." ―Publishers Weekly

The firsthand account of Tom Smart, Elizabeth's uncle and one-time suspect, reveals the details of the flawed police investigation, the media's manipulation of the family, and the eyewitness account of nine-year-old Mary Katherine Smart that went largely ignored by investigators. New research is presented on the family background of disturbed street preacher Brian David Mitchell, who kidnapped Elizabeth as part of a bizarre polygamous plot. 

Also examined is the critical role of the media, revealing the essential part played by John Walsh and others in facilitating Elizabeth's safe return, and the manipulative influence of Fox News and Bill O'Reilly. 

Going beyond a mere eyewitness account, the book includes information culled from interviews with more than 150 people involved in the search and investigation, notes from family meetings, and memos from law enforcement officials.

Tom Smart, Elizabeth Smart's uncle, is a veteran photojournalist for the Deseret Morning News in Salt Lake City, as well as an award-winning features writer. Lee Benson is an award-winning journalist with 30 years of experience as a newspaper writer, columnist, and author. He is currently a metro columnist for the Deseret Morning News and wrote numerous columns about the case as it was unfolding.