Win an ARC of Deadly Design by Debra Dockter at ReadingAfterMidnight [US only] and get some insights into the inspirational process behind the story.

 

Book description:

Genetically engineered identical twins Kyle and Connor McAdams were born two years apart. Their parents figured it was safer that way, to increase their odds of survival.

 

Connor was born first, paving an impossibly perfect path for Kyle to follow. He was the best at everything—valedictorian, star quarterback etc. Kyle never thought he’d be able to live up, so he didn’t even try.

 

But when Connor, 18, suddenly drops dead of a heart attack, and Kyle learns of other genetically modified kids who’ve also died on their eighteenth birthdays, he’s suddenly motivated—to save his own life. Like Connor and all the rest, Kyle was conceived at the Genesis Innovations Laboratory, where the mysterious Dr. Mueller conducted experiments on them.

 

The clock’s ticking as Kyle searches for answers: who was Dr. Mueller really, and what did he do to cause their hearts to stop at eighteen? He must unravel the clues quickly, before, he too, becomes another perfect, blue-eyed corpse.

 

The emotional power of If I Stay meets the survival story of Maze Runner.

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I got this as a free kindle book. Expected a mystery. Didn't realize there was a Christian mystery genre.

The main character was grating and a bit annoying. The animosity of the Dutch character was a bit overboard. And I'm not sure how accurately the psychiatrist was portrayed.

I'll admit who did it was a twist bit overall - meh.

"Deadly Design" is a mix of history and suspense. As a non-American, I don't know much about American history, and appreciated this insight into the life and time of Thomas Jefferson. However, I did feel that the suspense part of the story lacked some polishing. Everybody seemed to have a motive and/or a secret to keep, and Millie was rather too obvious a wanna-be detective in her musings as she mentally evaluated each person's motivation.Still, the history/suspense mix was well balanced and the mix worked well. The plot was interesting enough to keep me well entertained, and I finished the book in just a couple of days, undeterred by the fact that I hadn't read the first book in the series.