Lilly McNabb -- a young woman in her late teens -- is a rebel in rebellious times. Colonial society in the Upper Canada in 1835 is highly stratified, but radical political change is brewing. And Lilly, strong minded and strong willed, is chafing against the social structures confining her. Lilly lives in Maitland, a small village between Brockville and Prescott in the Upper St. Lawrence River area. A milliner by trade, Lilly has a nose for trouble that draws her irresistibly towards her other calling -- that of amateur detective. When Lilly stumbles across the battered corpse of clerk John Reed, she is determined to find his killer. Both Stephen, the young man who is courting her, and Lilly's father do their best to discourage her, but Lilly persists in her investigation, and is drawn closer and closer to danger. Susan Cliffe's instincts for storytelling are backed by a profound knowledge of the fascinating, pivotal time and place uncovered in this novel. "Thread of Deceit" blends a wealth of historical detail with a suspenseful, enthralling mystery.