Uncommon Clay

Someone is killing off the Nordans, a family of potters as deeply entrenched in the North Carolina Piedmont as the clay they use to produce their famous Rooster Ware. Deborah Knott, Maron's wonderfully realized no-nonsense judge, finds herself entangled in family secrets and up to her elbows in grisly murder. Narrator C.J. Critt remains firmly in control of each character even as the bullets fly and the bodies pile up. Critt invests Deborah with equal parts inspiration, insinuation, and insouciance. Secondary characters become distinct personalities, easily identified by voice alone. Maron's thorough research into the business of pottery and Critt's expert performance combine to provide an unflinching look into the tenuous bonds within families, professional jealousy, and not-so-sweet revenge. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine