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Clay and Crime #3
A Fatal Slip
When the nasty building inspector who gave them a hard time is found murdered and her husband is the prime suspect, potter Carolyn Emerson, attempting to open her own paint-your-own pottery studio, conducts her own investigation to clear her husband's name. Original.
- GenresCozy MysteryMysteryCozy
214 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 2, 2008
8 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Glazer
5 books16 followersA pseudonym used by Tim Myers.
Series:
* Clay and Crime
Series:
* Clay and Crime
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 12, 2025
In A Fatal Slip, we meet potter Carolyn Emerson, who is trying to open her own paint-your-own pottery studio. Her plans are immediately complicated when the nasty building inspector who was giving her a hard time is found murdered, and her husband becomes the prime suspect. To clear his name, Carolyn decides to take matters into her own hands.
The book has a charming premise, and the pottery setting is a fun element. It's a straightforward cozy mystery that gives you exactly what you'd expect from the genre: a likable amateur sleuth, a small-town feel, and a plot centered on a quirky profession.
It was a pleasant and solid read. While the mystery itself didn't offer too many surprises, it was an enjoyable way to pass the time. It is a good fit for anyone looking for a comforting and light mystery.
★★★☆☆
#AFatalSlip #MelissaGlazer #ClayAndCrime #CozyMystery #BookReview #Bookstagram #CraftMystery #AmateurSleuth #Whodunnit #MysterySeries
The book has a charming premise, and the pottery setting is a fun element. It's a straightforward cozy mystery that gives you exactly what you'd expect from the genre: a likable amateur sleuth, a small-town feel, and a plot centered on a quirky profession.
It was a pleasant and solid read. While the mystery itself didn't offer too many surprises, it was an enjoyable way to pass the time. It is a good fit for anyone looking for a comforting and light mystery.
★★★☆☆
#AFatalSlip #MelissaGlazer #ClayAndCrime #CozyMystery #BookReview #Bookstagram #CraftMystery #AmateurSleuth #Whodunnit #MysterySeries
September 28, 2023
Very enjoyable end to the series. These are good characters and I enjoyed the mystery. There were definitely some twists and turns as Carolyn worked to solve this mystery. I also always like to see what she has going on at her pottery shop.
April 12, 2018
A light read. Very formulaic .
June 17, 2019
I read the other books in this series so I had to read this one. I really enjoyed it.
October 7, 2012
A Fatal Slip is named for slip, the combination of clay and water that is used in making ceramics. The protagonist, Carolyn Emerson, is a potter who has just purchased her own shop, Fire At Will. This book is the third in the Clay and Crime series.
It's a quick and easy read- not great, but better than a lot of the themed-rubbish out there. The author certainly enjoys her clever themed named (In the Grounds, Rose Colored Glasses, and Fire At Will being the names of some of the shops in the book), but doesn't emphasize their names to point out how clever she is.
Although it's the third in the series, it's the first of the series I've read. After reading a streak of not very good (pretty bad) themed-cozies ("Bye-Bye, Black Sheep," "A Death In the Orchid Garden," and "Click Here For Murder"), it was nice to have that streak broken by this pleasant little book. It was a quick read, but did not necessarily setup all the back story that would've been helpful for people who haven't read the first two books. For example, I have know idea how the Firing Squad, Emerson's group of lay-investigators came together and why they enjoy being her servants so much at the risk of even their paying jobs.
In place of a best-friend-side-kick, Emerson has the "Firing Squad," a continued play on words that she refers to other working-class people in the town. It was certainly different to have a sleuth that didn't do the leg work herself, but instead had a group of people research and report back to her. For a single book in a series, I think the change of format could be good. However, if this is how the entire series is, I think I would be frustrated that the protagonist doesn't do her own leg work, instead relying on others off-screen.
I definitely think the lack of a best-friend side-kick does hurt a little bit. The protagonist could use a bit more sympathy. Other characters in the book point out how harsh she's being and how she's leaving hurt feelings in her wake. Repeatedly the protagonist mentioned how since her husband is the suspect, she can't care about other peoples feelings. Repeatedly justifying this to herself doesn't change the fact that she's a bit of a cold-hearted bitch to other townsfolk. I know I would have appreciated a the ability to feel a little more sympathy for the main character. At the very least, after rudely interrogating all of her suspects, she could've felt a little more guilty.
That being said, I really enjoyed how non-perfect Emerson is. She does get upset, snap at her husband, and is sometimes a little greedy- sometimes charging annoying customers extra, getting dessert (guiltily), and even having a second sliver of pie. Like her interactions to most of the characters in the book, I think I could be friends with her. However, like all the characters in the book, I don't feel like I could be good friends with her. And if she ever interrogated me in her usual way, I'd call the cops for harassment. She's a nice enough and cozy enough character, and almost reminds me of a lesser version of Susan Wittig Albert's China Bayles, however she really could be a more sympathetic character.
It's a quick and easy read- not great, but better than a lot of the themed-rubbish out there. The author certainly enjoys her clever themed named (In the Grounds, Rose Colored Glasses, and Fire At Will being the names of some of the shops in the book), but doesn't emphasize their names to point out how clever she is.
Although it's the third in the series, it's the first of the series I've read. After reading a streak of not very good (pretty bad) themed-cozies ("Bye-Bye, Black Sheep," "A Death In the Orchid Garden," and "Click Here For Murder"), it was nice to have that streak broken by this pleasant little book. It was a quick read, but did not necessarily setup all the back story that would've been helpful for people who haven't read the first two books. For example, I have know idea how the Firing Squad, Emerson's group of lay-investigators came together and why they enjoy being her servants so much at the risk of even their paying jobs.
In place of a best-friend-side-kick, Emerson has the "Firing Squad," a continued play on words that she refers to other working-class people in the town. It was certainly different to have a sleuth that didn't do the leg work herself, but instead had a group of people research and report back to her. For a single book in a series, I think the change of format could be good. However, if this is how the entire series is, I think I would be frustrated that the protagonist doesn't do her own leg work, instead relying on others off-screen.
I definitely think the lack of a best-friend side-kick does hurt a little bit. The protagonist could use a bit more sympathy. Other characters in the book point out how harsh she's being and how she's leaving hurt feelings in her wake. Repeatedly the protagonist mentioned how since her husband is the suspect, she can't care about other peoples feelings. Repeatedly justifying this to herself doesn't change the fact that she's a bit of a cold-hearted bitch to other townsfolk. I know I would have appreciated a the ability to feel a little more sympathy for the main character. At the very least, after rudely interrogating all of her suspects, she could've felt a little more guilty.
That being said, I really enjoyed how non-perfect Emerson is. She does get upset, snap at her husband, and is sometimes a little greedy- sometimes charging annoying customers extra, getting dessert (guiltily), and even having a second sliver of pie. Like her interactions to most of the characters in the book, I think I could be friends with her. However, like all the characters in the book, I don't feel like I could be good friends with her. And if she ever interrogated me in her usual way, I'd call the cops for harassment. She's a nice enough and cozy enough character, and almost reminds me of a lesser version of Susan Wittig Albert's China Bayles, however she really could be a more sympathetic character.
June 20, 2010
Before I talk about how much I enjoyed this book I must say that this is the third in the series, so it's probably a good idea to start reading them from the beginning. The small town of Maple Ridge has many zany and kooky characters and they are always being suspects, somehow having motive to do the killing in each mystery, with the bones they keep on picking with each other.
So far this had been my favorite book in the series; the character of Carolyn Emerson, a potter who owns her own shop; Fire at Will, always seems to stay close to trouble and even more than ever she is fun, sassy and likable, making this a perfect cozy mystery. In fact I read this book in almost one sitting, barely getting of the couch as my boyfriend decided to spend the day cleaning and rearranging his closets, it was a lot of fun and it was a real treat to spend a few nice hours lost deep in a charming, cozy mystery. The book had some nice food and everyone was drinking coffee so I recommend having some on hand or it gets the tummy growling.
When Carolyn's husband is accused of having something to do with the death of a nasty building inspector who quarreled with him at their freshly purchased place, she takes it upon herself to get to the bottom of the murder in order to clear his name and save her business. As usual her friends and colleagues add a nice touch with their little investigations going on as the story starts to touch more people than she could have believed. This time the suspect was on her list, I simply hate it when a mystery has a solution that almost had nothing to do with the whole book, well in this case it somehow all made sense and I was eagerly awaiting the intelligent conclusion.
I love mysteries, the constant humming in my brain "Who did it? Who?" only increased as the story progressed and I was anticipating the answer till the very end. I must admit that at one point even her own husband came under my suspicions, the story was that well created. I can't wait for the next book, hopefully it comers out soon; Carolyn is developing into a really fun character whom I like to visit through the world of books and her life and friends and her story are a cozy backdrop to each mystery.
So far this had been my favorite book in the series; the character of Carolyn Emerson, a potter who owns her own shop; Fire at Will, always seems to stay close to trouble and even more than ever she is fun, sassy and likable, making this a perfect cozy mystery. In fact I read this book in almost one sitting, barely getting of the couch as my boyfriend decided to spend the day cleaning and rearranging his closets, it was a lot of fun and it was a real treat to spend a few nice hours lost deep in a charming, cozy mystery. The book had some nice food and everyone was drinking coffee so I recommend having some on hand or it gets the tummy growling.
When Carolyn's husband is accused of having something to do with the death of a nasty building inspector who quarreled with him at their freshly purchased place, she takes it upon herself to get to the bottom of the murder in order to clear his name and save her business. As usual her friends and colleagues add a nice touch with their little investigations going on as the story starts to touch more people than she could have believed. This time the suspect was on her list, I simply hate it when a mystery has a solution that almost had nothing to do with the whole book, well in this case it somehow all made sense and I was eagerly awaiting the intelligent conclusion.
I love mysteries, the constant humming in my brain "Who did it? Who?" only increased as the story progressed and I was anticipating the answer till the very end. I must admit that at one point even her own husband came under my suspicions, the story was that well created. I can't wait for the next book, hopefully it comers out soon; Carolyn is developing into a really fun character whom I like to visit through the world of books and her life and friends and her story are a cozy backdrop to each mystery.
April 29, 2012
I like this series and especially like the fact that as a couple, Carolyn and Bill, married for almost 30 years, still appear to love each other, even if occasionally they irritate each other to no end. That is so realistic to me, not perfect but they work hard to take care of each other.
In this book a crooked building inspector gets into a fight with Bill and several hours later is found dead in a bucket of slip clay behind Carolyn's paint-your-own-pottery business. Of course, that makes Bill the number one suspect.
Carolyn puts her group of friends, "the Firing Squad" to work on finding other suspects and background information on everyone involved with the victim which brings to light some long buried and some newly held secrets.
As usual Carolyn ends up in some danger and Bill is exonerated. The killer was on my radar but I didn't have anything to say absolutely "that's the one".
Will be reading more in this series.
In this book a crooked building inspector gets into a fight with Bill and several hours later is found dead in a bucket of slip clay behind Carolyn's paint-your-own-pottery business. Of course, that makes Bill the number one suspect.
Carolyn puts her group of friends, "the Firing Squad" to work on finding other suspects and background information on everyone involved with the victim which brings to light some long buried and some newly held secrets.
As usual Carolyn ends up in some danger and Bill is exonerated. The killer was on my radar but I didn't have anything to say absolutely "that's the one".
Will be reading more in this series.
July 24, 2011
Blah blah bland. I will not be picking up any more from this series. I don't know maybe it is just not meant for me, the 2nd book was good. This is the 3rd. I have to admit I skimmed over a few pages because this just wasn't interesting. It's not horribly written it's just dull. I'm not interested in reading about a husband and wife who are supposed to have been married 30 or so years bicker about pie, and talk about what to have for dinner. They spend almost no time together, they keep all kinds of secrets from each other, and yet he is the love of her life (which is repeated pretty much every time the character sees him). And then the husband is the main suspect in the murder and is barely concerned. Has all the elements of the very rote, formulaic cozy mystery.
November 9, 2016
This is my second foray into this series, and both times I've gone with three stars. These books are good, but not overwhelmingly good. They don't make you want to rush out and buy the next one, but more just a pleasant diversion to lose a few hours to.
I think a lot of that comes down to the characters, and the actual mystery itself. I felt like it was almost too easy a mystery- I guessed it, and then second guessed myself because there was no way it could be summed up so easily. But it was! This was disappointing, I was hoping there might be a little more to things.
Still, I enjoyed the clay work just like in the first book. It was a quick read, it just wasn't something to remember. Three stars.
I think a lot of that comes down to the characters, and the actual mystery itself. I felt like it was almost too easy a mystery- I guessed it, and then second guessed myself because there was no way it could be summed up so easily. But it was! This was disappointing, I was hoping there might be a little more to things.
Still, I enjoyed the clay work just like in the first book. It was a quick read, it just wasn't something to remember. Three stars.
September 19, 2010
About the fifth cute-career-mixed-with-murder mystery I've found lately in our used bookstore, A Fatal Slip stacks up fair to middling with the rest of its pack. Each book brings me closer to figuring out the formula, and I can't help but wonder if their writers are given a set of questions to answer about their daily life and then handed over a murder dossier to slip into their weekly routine.
November 15, 2013
Building inspector Charlie Cobb is creating difficulties for Carolyn's pottery shop, and husband Bill has about had it. After a screaming--and much too public--fight, Charlie is found dead, and Bill is the sheriff's leading suspect. Naturally, Carolyn and her friends feel that they have to investigate, drawing on the local gossip and doing research. But will the investigation put Carolyn herself in jeopardy?
December 29, 2015
I was so sad to see this series end. I loved the characters and miss them. I will read anything Tim Meyers writes no matter what name he uses. He is truly gifted and prolific. Definitely a favorite author!
September 20, 2009
dont look inside a bucket.
Read
May 8, 2010loved it!
March 1, 2017
Good book. Read it in a couple of hours. Couldn't put it down.
May 2, 2013
It was an good book. The ending could have been more exciting than it was..but overall I liked the book.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews