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A Pot Thief Murder Mystery #7
The Pot Thief Who Studied Georgia O'Keeffe
This Southwest-set tale about a hunt for a precious relic offers a “nice mix of comedy and mystery” from an award-winning author ( Booklist ).
A dealer in traditional Native American pottery, Hubie Schuze scours New Mexico in search of ancient treasures. The Bureau of Land Management calls him a criminal, but Hubie knows that the real injustice would be to leave the legacies of prehistoric craftspeople buried in the dirt.
In all his travels across the state, there is one place that Hubie hasn’t been able to Trinity Site at the White Sands Missile Range, where the first atomic bomb was detonated. Deep within the range are ruins once occupied by the Tompiro people, whose distinctive pottery is incredibly rare and valuable. When an old associate claims to have a buyer interested in spending big money on a Tompiro pot, Hubie resolves to finally find a way into the heavily guarded military installation.
But Hubie has more on his mind than just outwitting the army’s most sophisticated security measures. He’s in love with a beautiful woman who has a few secrets of her own—and his best friend, Susannah, may have just unearthed a lost Georgia O’Keeffe painting. It’s a lot for a mild-mannered pot thief to handle, and when his associate is murdered and Tompiro pots start replicating like Russian nesting dolls, Hubie suddenly realizes he’s caught up in the most complex and dangerous mystery he’s ever faced.
The Pot Thief Who Studied Georgia O’Keeffe is the 7th book in the Pot Thief Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
A dealer in traditional Native American pottery, Hubie Schuze scours New Mexico in search of ancient treasures. The Bureau of Land Management calls him a criminal, but Hubie knows that the real injustice would be to leave the legacies of prehistoric craftspeople buried in the dirt.
In all his travels across the state, there is one place that Hubie hasn’t been able to Trinity Site at the White Sands Missile Range, where the first atomic bomb was detonated. Deep within the range are ruins once occupied by the Tompiro people, whose distinctive pottery is incredibly rare and valuable. When an old associate claims to have a buyer interested in spending big money on a Tompiro pot, Hubie resolves to finally find a way into the heavily guarded military installation.
But Hubie has more on his mind than just outwitting the army’s most sophisticated security measures. He’s in love with a beautiful woman who has a few secrets of her own—and his best friend, Susannah, may have just unearthed a lost Georgia O’Keeffe painting. It’s a lot for a mild-mannered pot thief to handle, and when his associate is murdered and Tompiro pots start replicating like Russian nesting dolls, Hubie suddenly realizes he’s caught up in the most complex and dangerous mystery he’s ever faced.
The Pot Thief Who Studied Georgia O’Keeffe is the 7th book in the Pot Thief Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
- GenresMysteryCozy Mystery
300 pages, Paperback
First published February 9, 2016
166 people are currently reading
494 people want to read
About the author
J. Michael Orenduff
19 books122 followersMike Orenduff grew up in a house so close to the Rio Grand that he could frisbee a tortilla into Mexico. Despite such antics, he ended up in higher education, teaching at thirteen colleges in eight states and three countries. He was also an academic dean three times, an academic vice-president twice, a president four times, and a statewide chancellor once. His supporters say he welcomes new challenges. His critics say he cant hold a job. Newt Gingrich, in his book, To Renew America, called Orenduff A hero to the American People for his pioneering work in distance education.
After taking early retirement form higher education, Mike embarked on a new career as a fiction writer. His play, The Christmas Visitor, has won numerous awards. His murder mystery series has also received many accolades. The first in the series, The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras, won the Dark Oak Mystery Contest and the Kindle version won the 2010 EPIC Award as the eBook of the Year in the Mystery/Suspense Category. The second book in the series, The Pot Thief Who Studied Ptolemy, was recently selected as the Fiction Book of the Year by the Public Safety Writers Association. Although the Pot Thief books are humorous murder mysteries, they also contain serious treatments of the issue of race and ethnicity.
Mike and Lai, his high school sweetheart, wife of forty-five years and noted art historian, have two grown children. Jay is a dean at Columbia University in New York, and Claire teaches art history at Georgia College and more importantly is the mother of their grandson, Bram.
After taking early retirement form higher education, Mike embarked on a new career as a fiction writer. His play, The Christmas Visitor, has won numerous awards. His murder mystery series has also received many accolades. The first in the series, The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras, won the Dark Oak Mystery Contest and the Kindle version won the 2010 EPIC Award as the eBook of the Year in the Mystery/Suspense Category. The second book in the series, The Pot Thief Who Studied Ptolemy, was recently selected as the Fiction Book of the Year by the Public Safety Writers Association. Although the Pot Thief books are humorous murder mysteries, they also contain serious treatments of the issue of race and ethnicity.
Mike and Lai, his high school sweetheart, wife of forty-five years and noted art historian, have two grown children. Jay is a dean at Columbia University in New York, and Claire teaches art history at Georgia College and more importantly is the mother of their grandson, Bram.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
August 25, 2021
I guess that I am in the distinct minority here! I thought this was, by far, the worst book of the series. I began this series with such high hopes (and ratings!), and slowly but surely they have gone done in both believability and likability. Yes, Hubert Schuze is one of the most unique lead characters for a book series, and yes his friend Susannah is a super sidekick. But earlier on in this series we had many more fascinating side characters make their way into the Pot Thief orbit, and for the 2nd book in a row they have disappeared. Oh sure, we get Hubie's diverse love interest, and we get way too many word games and silly dialogue. Not only that, we get a story that just is way too complicated, way too unbelievable and just plain boring. Susannah has become nothing more than a mystery book quote machine, and even their fun evening over margueritas at Dos Hermanos has changed and become a shell of their former self. Sure a writer wants to bring in new characters, but the quirky folks who used to inhabit these books are gone. I have one more left to read out of the first 8 and I am not sure I want to bother with the newest book unless Mystery 8 is a lot better read and effort from this author. Such a shame that he lost me in this book!
November 19, 2015
There are so many things to like about this book. The hat tip to The Maltese Falcon as,well as many other literary references. The interracial romance and it's realistic depiction. The tidbits of New Mexico's history. The character who resolves her breast cancer on her own terms. The art history of O'Keefe and that guy she married. The history of pottery. So much is covered but it is done well. This is the first of Orenduff's mysteries that I have read, but I will read more of this series. A fast read with vibrant witty characters, an overall success!
Provided by the publisher
Provided by the publisher
January 17, 2016
I read this book at the invitation of Open Road Integrated Media and Net Galley. Thank you to both parties. This title is one of several in a series that I had not encountered before. The pot in question is the ancient artifact sort, not the type that people grow and smoke. The author manages to work several disparate and esoteric topics into a single novel, but not necessarily to its benefit. My own viewpoint is that a high profile editor might be of great use here.
The protagonist, Hubie Schuze, is an archaeologist who has decided that ancient ruins are wasted if they are left where their owners chose to bury them, or if they are made available to everyone by placing them in a museum. He likes to dig them up and sell them to private collectors, and this is how he makes a living; he regards himself as “a short Indiana Jones”, but recognizes that the similarities are superficial at best.
Of course, anyone that makes a living through illegal means will tell you that there’s very little recourse if the client stiffs him; he can’t report them to the cops, and he can’t take them to court, either. It’s a dubious situation at best, but the protagonist is enthusiastic, and chooses to continue digging up artifacts and selling them. There is one place he hasn’t been able to access, however, and that is the area cordoned off on the nuclear reservation. Through various nefarious methods, he manages to sneak onto the reservation and find some treasure.
In this story, Hubie has partnered himself with Sharice, a beautiful African-Canadian who’s had a mastectomy. She is also a virgin when the story begins.
The enjoyable part of this story is the way the author incorporates word play into his protagonist’s snappy narrative. Also, I haven’t read many novels set in New Mexico, and so the setting was a refreshing change from more frequently chosen locations.
On the downside, there are too many side issues. If the interracial relationship is controversial, which the narrative indicates it is, then let’s have a mystery and a controversial relationship. Or, let’s have a mystery and breast cancer. Or, let’s have a mystery and O'Keefe's art. This novel feels as if too many ingredients have been thrown in, and they can’t blend into a cohesive whole as a result.
The protagonist is difficult to like, given that he is pillaging ruins to which he has no legal or moral right, but I have read novels with unlikable protagonists before, and it isn’t necessarily a deal breaker. Sometimes the protagonist becomes more likable as the character is developed; sometimes a side character is developed and we find ourselves drawn to him or her as they interact with the protagonist. Sometimes the whole point of the novel is to watch the unlikable protagonist struggle and develop. That didn’t happen here.
Possibly the greatest hindrance, though, had nothing to do with the characters; every time the plot started to gain momentum, we would have to pause for a cooking lesson. God save us all from story arcs held hostage by one recipe after another. At the 78% mark I threw up my hands, skipped to the end, and called myself done with this novel.
Which I am.
This book is available for sale to the public January 26, 2016.
The protagonist, Hubie Schuze, is an archaeologist who has decided that ancient ruins are wasted if they are left where their owners chose to bury them, or if they are made available to everyone by placing them in a museum. He likes to dig them up and sell them to private collectors, and this is how he makes a living; he regards himself as “a short Indiana Jones”, but recognizes that the similarities are superficial at best.
Of course, anyone that makes a living through illegal means will tell you that there’s very little recourse if the client stiffs him; he can’t report them to the cops, and he can’t take them to court, either. It’s a dubious situation at best, but the protagonist is enthusiastic, and chooses to continue digging up artifacts and selling them. There is one place he hasn’t been able to access, however, and that is the area cordoned off on the nuclear reservation. Through various nefarious methods, he manages to sneak onto the reservation and find some treasure.
In this story, Hubie has partnered himself with Sharice, a beautiful African-Canadian who’s had a mastectomy. She is also a virgin when the story begins.
The enjoyable part of this story is the way the author incorporates word play into his protagonist’s snappy narrative. Also, I haven’t read many novels set in New Mexico, and so the setting was a refreshing change from more frequently chosen locations.
On the downside, there are too many side issues. If the interracial relationship is controversial, which the narrative indicates it is, then let’s have a mystery and a controversial relationship. Or, let’s have a mystery and breast cancer. Or, let’s have a mystery and O'Keefe's art. This novel feels as if too many ingredients have been thrown in, and they can’t blend into a cohesive whole as a result.
The protagonist is difficult to like, given that he is pillaging ruins to which he has no legal or moral right, but I have read novels with unlikable protagonists before, and it isn’t necessarily a deal breaker. Sometimes the protagonist becomes more likable as the character is developed; sometimes a side character is developed and we find ourselves drawn to him or her as they interact with the protagonist. Sometimes the whole point of the novel is to watch the unlikable protagonist struggle and develop. That didn’t happen here.
Possibly the greatest hindrance, though, had nothing to do with the characters; every time the plot started to gain momentum, we would have to pause for a cooking lesson. God save us all from story arcs held hostage by one recipe after another. At the 78% mark I threw up my hands, skipped to the end, and called myself done with this novel.
Which I am.
This book is available for sale to the public January 26, 2016.
November 16, 2015
Rich in suspense, humor, knowledge of New Mexico and the Southwest, and even romance, this well written addition to the pot thief series is perhaps one of the best mysteries of the year.
Pot thief or ‘liberator’ Hubie Schuze, dealer in rare New Mexican pots,
realizes that the kind of pots that are rare and fetch the best money might be found in the little explored White Sands Missile Range, unfortunately well guarded and under heavy security.
Yet on several days during the year, the highly secured missile range is open to the public, usually under close Army supervision, and with his friend, Susannah, for the first quick exploration, he manages to find a rare Tompiro pot, hides it before meeting her on the highway since a MP is with her, and then later, returns to find it missing.
Then follows a bewildering time of pots stolen and reappearing,
his fake appearing and then, seemingly, reappearing in another’s collection, until Hubie begins to wonder who is selling what to whom.
At last he returns to the White Sands Missile Range at night to dig for another rare pot, with the help of the very MP who stole his buried first one.
This is an absorbing, suspenseful, laugh out loud tale of adventure, romance, and a never boring but deep knowledge of the New Mexican Southwest.
NOT TO BE MISSED!
Pot thief or ‘liberator’ Hubie Schuze, dealer in rare New Mexican pots,
realizes that the kind of pots that are rare and fetch the best money might be found in the little explored White Sands Missile Range, unfortunately well guarded and under heavy security.
Yet on several days during the year, the highly secured missile range is open to the public, usually under close Army supervision, and with his friend, Susannah, for the first quick exploration, he manages to find a rare Tompiro pot, hides it before meeting her on the highway since a MP is with her, and then later, returns to find it missing.
Then follows a bewildering time of pots stolen and reappearing,
his fake appearing and then, seemingly, reappearing in another’s collection, until Hubie begins to wonder who is selling what to whom.
At last he returns to the White Sands Missile Range at night to dig for another rare pot, with the help of the very MP who stole his buried first one.
This is an absorbing, suspenseful, laugh out loud tale of adventure, romance, and a never boring but deep knowledge of the New Mexican Southwest.
NOT TO BE MISSED!
July 7, 2017
Review: THE POT THIEF WHO STUDIED GEORGIA O'KEEFFE
This exciting series continues, as pottery purveyor Hubert Schuze finds himself both at gunpoint, and at cross purposes with the U.S. military for trespassing on White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. In the meantime, Hubie may have stumbled upon true love, and best friend-confidante Susannah stumbles on to an untrained, discarded painting which may be a genuine Georgia O'Keeffe. Hubie' s trademark humor, creative intuition, integrity, and historical wisdom keep the plot rolling along, as Hubie keeps on keeping on.
This exciting series continues, as pottery purveyor Hubert Schuze finds himself both at gunpoint, and at cross purposes with the U.S. military for trespassing on White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. In the meantime, Hubie may have stumbled upon true love, and best friend-confidante Susannah stumbles on to an untrained, discarded painting which may be a genuine Georgia O'Keeffe. Hubie' s trademark humor, creative intuition, integrity, and historical wisdom keep the plot rolling along, as Hubie keeps on keeping on.
February 22, 2016
I hadn't read any of the series previously, but don't let that deter you from jumping in at this book. The chat is casual and the wit sharp, the characters human and quirky.
A dealer in antique native pottery and arts has a brainwave; no archaeologists will be sifting through the White Sands Missile Range, home of Trinity where the first atomic bomb tests were held. If you've read Stallion Gate by Martin Cruz Smith you'll know exactly where I'm talking about; then add Tony Hillerman's book A Thief Of Time. Because this pot hunter doesn't seek permits for archaeology. He just digs up and sells to any appreciative art lover.
Aided and abetted by a lady pal, with his shop minded by a newcomer in town from England, the rather too trusting dealer makes several short ventures into Trinity. His love life is finally hotting up as the French-Canadian lady he adores comes to trust him. So we could say that this book is essentially about trust. Oh, and killing. Because when big money is at stake, someone does get killed. The lady of the title is apparently a genuine Southwest artist and one of her unsigned paintings is in circulation; that's something of a decoration in an already busy plot.
Read, have fun, find more of the series. You'll feel right at home.
A dealer in antique native pottery and arts has a brainwave; no archaeologists will be sifting through the White Sands Missile Range, home of Trinity where the first atomic bomb tests were held. If you've read Stallion Gate by Martin Cruz Smith you'll know exactly where I'm talking about; then add Tony Hillerman's book A Thief Of Time. Because this pot hunter doesn't seek permits for archaeology. He just digs up and sells to any appreciative art lover.
Aided and abetted by a lady pal, with his shop minded by a newcomer in town from England, the rather too trusting dealer makes several short ventures into Trinity. His love life is finally hotting up as the French-Canadian lady he adores comes to trust him. So we could say that this book is essentially about trust. Oh, and killing. Because when big money is at stake, someone does get killed. The lady of the title is apparently a genuine Southwest artist and one of her unsigned paintings is in circulation; that's something of a decoration in an already busy plot.
Read, have fun, find more of the series. You'll feel right at home.
January 23, 2020
I have read a couple of "Pot Thief" books - very interesting, good characters, and some education about the New Mexico/archaeological world.
January 1, 2016
This is not an interstate kind of a story; it’s a back road drive with a raconteur at the wheel.
There’s a wonderful pot in a remote place, and it takes a bit of a hike and some excavation to find it. Brush off another layer, and there it is, an intact marvel of original workmanship. The old pots which the narrator, Hubie Schuze, admires were made by hand, not on a wheel, and their shape shows it. Not perfect—and not meant to be. That’s part of their character. This book is not shaped like a standard mystery novel, either. Don’t expect it to be. Just ride the back road. Hubie knows where he’s going (though you may wonder about that at times).
The prologue takes off like a rocket. Then, during the first few chapters, new readers may go through what I’ll call “orientation to Hubie,” getting used to the flow of his entertaining and often educational ramblings on topics historical, artistic, culinary, and unclassifiable. (Established fans of the series already enjoy this as much as solving the mysteries.) If you’re new to the Pot Thief and decide to start here, don’t worry, keep reading. Once Hubie gets out in the desert to illegally “rescue” an ancient pot, the story, his character, the setting and his deep reverence for the artifacts he finds and sells come together into a lively, colorful tale that’s both a clever mystery caper and a sweet, delightfully off-beat love story. There’s a lot of wordplay, for fans of that type of wit. However, the humor I liked most in this book was that which came authentically from characters and situations, and there’s plenty of it. Hubie’s sincere and awkward attempt to put his girlfriend at ease in a delicate situation is hilarious, all the more so because it comes from his heart. A sudden turn of events near the end is so perfectly timed and phrased for comic effect, I think my neighbors heard me laugh when I read it.
The New Mexico landscape and locations—from Albuquerque to Truth or Consequences to the vast emptiness of the White Sands Missile Range—are portrayed well. Hubie’s idiosyncratic meanderings are part of the New Mexico feel of the book. I can easily see him in the mini-park in the median in Truth or Consequences across from Black Cat Books and Rio Bravo Fine Art. I can’t decide if he would get on my nerves or amuse me if I sat with him—probably both—but he fits perfectly. (There seem to be a lot of smart, eccentric, single, middle-aged men in T or C.) Orenduff has created a unique character in Hubie, and his own style of mystery—intelligent, non-violent, and funny, with the murder aspect secondary to other puzzles. The red herrings are effective, the clues are laid well, the solution is surprising, and the end is satisfying.
There’s a wonderful pot in a remote place, and it takes a bit of a hike and some excavation to find it. Brush off another layer, and there it is, an intact marvel of original workmanship. The old pots which the narrator, Hubie Schuze, admires were made by hand, not on a wheel, and their shape shows it. Not perfect—and not meant to be. That’s part of their character. This book is not shaped like a standard mystery novel, either. Don’t expect it to be. Just ride the back road. Hubie knows where he’s going (though you may wonder about that at times).
The prologue takes off like a rocket. Then, during the first few chapters, new readers may go through what I’ll call “orientation to Hubie,” getting used to the flow of his entertaining and often educational ramblings on topics historical, artistic, culinary, and unclassifiable. (Established fans of the series already enjoy this as much as solving the mysteries.) If you’re new to the Pot Thief and decide to start here, don’t worry, keep reading. Once Hubie gets out in the desert to illegally “rescue” an ancient pot, the story, his character, the setting and his deep reverence for the artifacts he finds and sells come together into a lively, colorful tale that’s both a clever mystery caper and a sweet, delightfully off-beat love story. There’s a lot of wordplay, for fans of that type of wit. However, the humor I liked most in this book was that which came authentically from characters and situations, and there’s plenty of it. Hubie’s sincere and awkward attempt to put his girlfriend at ease in a delicate situation is hilarious, all the more so because it comes from his heart. A sudden turn of events near the end is so perfectly timed and phrased for comic effect, I think my neighbors heard me laugh when I read it.
The New Mexico landscape and locations—from Albuquerque to Truth or Consequences to the vast emptiness of the White Sands Missile Range—are portrayed well. Hubie’s idiosyncratic meanderings are part of the New Mexico feel of the book. I can easily see him in the mini-park in the median in Truth or Consequences across from Black Cat Books and Rio Bravo Fine Art. I can’t decide if he would get on my nerves or amuse me if I sat with him—probably both—but he fits perfectly. (There seem to be a lot of smart, eccentric, single, middle-aged men in T or C.) Orenduff has created a unique character in Hubie, and his own style of mystery—intelligent, non-violent, and funny, with the murder aspect secondary to other puzzles. The red herrings are effective, the clues are laid well, the solution is surprising, and the end is satisfying.
March 14, 2016
It's been a while since I've read one of Michael Orenduff's Pot Thief Mysteries. I was happy to, once again, drink margaritas with Hubie Schuze, his ditzy BFF Susannah, his new friend from Britain, and the rest of the gang at Dos Hermanos. Not since Louise Penny's mythical Three Pines has there been a community of warm-hearted yet wacky folks who made me want to pack up and leave California. Hubie has matured. He's wittier, wiser and desperately in love with the mysterious Sharice who takes things one step at a time. There's a murder, a valuable ancient pot, a faithful old dog, an exotic cat, a ton of puns, lots of catchy conversation, and a cornucopia of intriguing facts about Georgia O'Keefe, ancient potters, the history of New Mexico and the March to Bataan tucked into nearly every chapter. Can't wait for Hubie's next adventure.
July 10, 2017
A menagerie of quirky characters, July 10, 2017
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Pot Thief Who Studied Georgia O'Keeffe (The Pot Thief Mysteries Book 7) (Kindle Edition)
How can I dislike a book with dialogue such as, "Susannah studied the picture. 'She’s beautiful and exotic, sort of like Carmen Veranda.' 'That’s Carmen Miranda.' She frowned. 'Did they name that warning after her?' 'No, her brother,' I said deadpan." However, as enjoyable as is the repartee and as are the characters, I have to admit that the plot is more than a little convoluted. The sort of a press conference ending is really a stretch. Too many authorities would see it or hear about it and begin to ask questions. Mr. Orenduff could have found a better way to draw out the killer. Even so, I enjoyed this light, quirky story with mystery added.
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Pot Thief Who Studied Georgia O'Keeffe (The Pot Thief Mysteries Book 7) (Kindle Edition)
How can I dislike a book with dialogue such as, "Susannah studied the picture. 'She’s beautiful and exotic, sort of like Carmen Veranda.' 'That’s Carmen Miranda.' She frowned. 'Did they name that warning after her?' 'No, her brother,' I said deadpan." However, as enjoyable as is the repartee and as are the characters, I have to admit that the plot is more than a little convoluted. The sort of a press conference ending is really a stretch. Too many authorities would see it or hear about it and begin to ask questions. Mr. Orenduff could have found a better way to draw out the killer. Even so, I enjoyed this light, quirky story with mystery added.
November 26, 2015
I find I enjoy this series, not only because it is set in New Mexico but the stories are interesting with characters that you can't help but like and would like to be a part of their story. Plus the humor is entertaining but doesn't take away from the plot. I look forward to another one in this series.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
July 21, 2020
There isn’t much of Georgia O’Keeffe in this book, but it does take place in the area that she loved – The sands of the South West. “Hubie” Schuze has been all over the New Mexico area in search of ancient Native American pottery – that is, all areas except the White Sands Missile Range which is off limits to visitors except a couple of times a year when visitors are closely monitored. Of course, his goal of finding ancient pottery and bringing it out so it can be admired and enjoyed today makes him find ways of getting around restrictions. When a rare Tompiro pot is discovered --- then somehow replicates itself several times and his associate is murdered Hubie has a real mystery on his hands!
August 10, 2018
I really love this series. The humor is constant and the information is quietly inserted.
In this one we learn about the nuclear testing site in New Mexico (and how to get around security? maybe not). Also about Georgia O'Keeffe whose paintings I love to look at.
It was a real mix up of pots being in places we were not expecting them to be, and the solution was solid.
I saved this to read on my birthday. Now I need to get the next in the series and hold onto it for another special day.
I buy these books whenever I see one and give them to my friends who ask "who are you reading that you really like?"
In this one we learn about the nuclear testing site in New Mexico (and how to get around security? maybe not). Also about Georgia O'Keeffe whose paintings I love to look at.
It was a real mix up of pots being in places we were not expecting them to be, and the solution was solid.
I saved this to read on my birthday. Now I need to get the next in the series and hold onto it for another special day.
I buy these books whenever I see one and give them to my friends who ask "who are you reading that you really like?"
September 1, 2019
This is my favorite in the series. I like the way the main character is readily willing to give his money away, trusting he will sell a pot or two to pay for his bills. He is trusting to the point of carelessness, but when it seems that his test was misguided, he doesn't overly dwell on his mistake but strives to solve the problems to which it led. Then there is the ready going friendship and intelligent banter with his best friends Susannah, which is scripted like a TV show.
The murder mysteries in this series are just a necessary setting, an excuse to spend time accompanying the likeable characters.
The murder mysteries in this series are just a necessary setting, an excuse to spend time accompanying the likeable characters.
June 14, 2021
Another fabulous ‘pot thief’ story.
As usual, Hubie is up to his armpits in pot-based shenanigans. The characters are always delightful, the plot complex, the writing witty and laced with subtle humour. Very pot thief novel is a delight to read, and this one is no exception. It is best to read the series in order, so that the reader can follow the development of characters and relationships, and be familiar with the various scrapes that Hubie manages to get himself into. I simply adore this series!
As usual, Hubie is up to his armpits in pot-based shenanigans. The characters are always delightful, the plot complex, the writing witty and laced with subtle humour. Very pot thief novel is a delight to read, and this one is no exception. It is best to read the series in order, so that the reader can follow the development of characters and relationships, and be familiar with the various scrapes that Hubie manages to get himself into. I simply adore this series!
June 14, 2017
This was a quick, fun read that kept me guessing. I will read more as I enjoyed the book, but more than that I enjoyed the strong sense of place. New Mexico is my next door neighbor and my daughter went to school in Santa Fe. Therefore, I was able to be there, as I read about the places Hubie visited. I have not been prowling around cliff dwellings on the White Sands, however...and I would not take a pot from a site...my kids are archeologists, after all.
August 10, 2018
This is the second one of the series I’ve read, always late to the party I guess. The first, Edward Abbey, was great fun and full of clever puns and asides with a mediocre mystery. This earlier volume in the series was not as charming. I knew the characters and they were behaving exactly the same as the last time. The mystery was pretty anticlimactic, the story pretty convoluted. All in all it wasn’t that great. Even Georgia O’Keeffe didn’t get her fair share of attention.
October 20, 2020
I know I've read several books in this series but I don't know when or where. They aren't on my Goodreads list or my kindle or my bookshelves and the library doesn't have them. Outside of figuring out when and where I read the others, this entry into the series was as delightful as the others I've read. The convoluted plot and the intriguing characters (and the humor, don't forget the humor) reminds me of Donald Westlake but with a New Mexico setting.
March 11, 2018
I’ve read all in the series except the latest, not in the library yet. Fun books, but by now repetitious descriptions of characters and plots to the point of beyond formulaic. Not sure I’ll read another, but they pass the time quickly and lightly and there are always bits to learn about Native American Art, History, the West and Margaritas.
November 17, 2024
I've never drank a margarita but just might try one if I could have cocktails
I have never sipped a margarita, but might give one a try if it meant I could have cocktails with Hubie, Sharice and Susannah and friends! These characters all have a delightful spark and the plot was intriguing. Glad to know there are more Pot Thief books to read
I have never sipped a margarita, but might give one a try if it meant I could have cocktails with Hubie, Sharice and Susannah and friends! These characters all have a delightful spark and the plot was intriguing. Glad to know there are more Pot Thief books to read
December 7, 2024
Intriguing and well written
I enjoy a plot that incorporates the art world, and especially enjoy a novel that throws in some historical facts without lecturing. I fact checked several of the anecdotal stories and was pleased to find them true! The character dialogue was clever and natural; I feel like I could easily be friends with them. I truly enjoyed this book!
I enjoy a plot that incorporates the art world, and especially enjoy a novel that throws in some historical facts without lecturing. I fact checked several of the anecdotal stories and was pleased to find them true! The character dialogue was clever and natural; I feel like I could easily be friends with them. I truly enjoyed this book!
June 20, 2025
I like Hubie and friends but this plot was WAY too convoluted. Pots appearing and disappearing, crooks and possible crooks coming and going and threatening. I couldn’t keep them straight and didn’t care much. The author gets points for education on NM history and local culture but plots are getting a bit silly.
November 20, 2025
Another good story from J. Michael.
Author Orenduff relates his unique stories about New Mexico with sufficient hooks of history that I need to pursue for further enlightenment. I now know much more about pots, their constructs and their history. All, strongly flavored by past and present New Mexican geography, residents, and cuisine.
Author Orenduff relates his unique stories about New Mexico with sufficient hooks of history that I need to pursue for further enlightenment. I now know much more about pots, their constructs and their history. All, strongly flavored by past and present New Mexican geography, residents, and cuisine.
May 16, 2017
This was a read-aloud with my husband. We chose it because it got a lot of excellent reviews. I totally disliked it; my husband enjoyed the humor, but had a very hard time following the plot. We kept reading, hoping it would become better, but I was simply glad when it was done.
May 27, 2017
Entertaining. Light read.
I felt a little guilty reading about a pot thief. But it was amusing & totally without graphic violence. There's a time & place for such books. Also, the female characters were interesting & important.
I felt a little guilty reading about a pot thief. But it was amusing & totally without graphic violence. There's a time & place for such books. Also, the female characters were interesting & important.
August 29, 2020
I wish I had not started this series with #7. I'm disinclined to read backwards and have already downloaded #8--free with Amazon prime. The plot was confusing with all the fake and real pots--even the author admitted as su!!ch in his acknowledgements when he thanked someone who helped him keep it straight--and he was the one who wrote it! I enjoyed the New Mexico setting which brought back happy memories of a trip we made a few years ago to Taos and Albuquerque. And a bit of romance always add to the pleasure of reading a mystery!
January 28, 2023
I love this series for the setting, the characters and the informal course it provides me in historic pottery.
This particular novel was not my favorite in the “ pot thief” series, but it was an enjoyable read, as are the others .
This particular novel was not my favorite in the “ pot thief” series, but it was an enjoyable read, as are the others .
February 4, 2024
More of same. Good story wonky personal story.
Read above
Good and not so good all together. Interesting history of O'Keefe and weapons.
And native populations everywhere. Goes for today, too.
Read above
Good and not so good all together. Interesting history of O'Keefe and weapons.
And native populations everywhere. Goes for today, too.
November 27, 2024
Witty, irreverent and satisfying
Well- paced, logical red-herrings, and solid information about New Mexico, O’Keefe, security around the Trinity site, and athe black market trade in Anasazi pottery.
Well- paced, logical red-herrings, and solid information about New Mexico, O’Keefe, security around the Trinity site, and athe black market trade in Anasazi pottery.
December 3, 2024
It was studded with random facts that didn't have anything to do with the story. On the one hand it annoyed me, on the other hand I now understand where the direction to "wash 'possible''" comes from
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