Thomas Jefferson's violin is stolen at the Raleigh Tavern and he's worried, and not just about his violin. The violin case also contained some politically dangerous private notes he's written, saying treasonous things about the King. The thief must be found, and quickly, but the Sheriff isn't really looking. He thinks he already knows who the thief is - and he's arrested Amelia's best friend. As Amanda, Amelia, and Jacob anxiously search for the real thief, other fateful events are also taking place at Raleigh Tavern. In the aftermath of the Boston Tea Party, Jefferson and the other Burgesses are angry at the Parliament and King George. There is strange, troubling talk of colonists' rights and even something called "independence" - talk that will lead to a Continental Congress and change their world forever more. Mystery at the Raleigh Tavern is the third in the popular Amanda and Amelia "Colonial Girls" series, set in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.