On the trail of Thomas Jefferson in DEADLY DESIGN, second in the Deadly Past Mysteries series that began with DEADLY WILL, history-buff protagonist Millie Kirchner and her young son, Danny, spend a summer in Virginia visiting sites connected to the third U.S. president, including Monticello, University of Virginia, and Williamsburg.

While she volunteers in the archaeology lab at Poplar Forest, Jefferson's little-known second home near Lynchburg, VA, Danny attends an educational camp for youngsters near the restored octagonal dwelling.  A mystery to do with a similar old house called Highgrove, possibly another Jefferson-designed building, leads Millie into a world of murder and intrigue.  To save both herself and Danny, she must connect clues involving a centuries-old grave in Lynchburg, the famed Lewis-and-Clark Expedition, and archaeological digs at both Highgrove and Poplar Forest.

Review:
"Hill weaves all this together with a plausible plot with a multitude of suspects, a plucky and personable heroine, several characters who recur from DEADLY WILL--and a wealth of Virginia history.  A rich and complex story, DEADLY DESIGN works on multiple levels.  Mystery fans, history buffs and people who revere Mr. Jefferson will find it irresistible."

Jay Strafford, reviewer, RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH.