The Pot Thief Who Studied Edward Abbey

A Pot Thief Murder Mystery #8

by J. Michael Orenduff

The pot thief is going back to school, but someone on campus is trying for a different kind of degree—murder in the first—in this “smartly funny series” (Anne Hillerman).
 
Before making a somewhat notorious name for himself as a salvager of antiquated pottery and other desert artifacts, Hubie Schuze was an eager student at the University of New Mexico—right up until they booted him out. Now, he’s back at UNM as a pottery teacher. It should be a breeze, but campus life has changed dramatically in the past twenty-five years. From cell phones to trigger warnings to sensitivity workshops, Hubie has to get up to speed fast or risk losing control of his class.
 
But his dismay at the state of modern academia takes a back seat when a young beauty working as a life model is murdered—and Hubie becomes a suspect. Taking the investigation into his own hands, he soon uncovers a wide palette of sketchy suspects that includes both the self-involved student body and the quarrelsome art school faculty.
 
But what he doesn’t know is that the murderer has a new artistic project in the a headstone for the grave of Hubie Schuze . . .
 
The Pot Thief Who Studied Edward Abbey is the 8th book in the Pot Thief Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
 

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

300 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 22, 2018

About the author

Mike 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.

Reviews

[Charles van Buren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charles van Buren

Witty mystery

September 17, 2019

Verified Purchase

Format: Kindle Edition
Review of Kindle edition
The Pot Thief Who Studied Edward Abbey
Publication date: May 22, 2018
Publisher: Open Road Media Mystery & Thriller
Language: English
ASIN: B077JMKDSJ
300 pages



Another witty, entertaining tale in the Pot Thief mystery seties. This one contains a scathing critique of Edwin Abbott's FLATLAND. There are also critiques of the writing and philosophy of Edward Abbey, New Mexican, environmentalist and desert lover as well as some of the peculiarities of modern higher education and related kooks. Before he was J. Michael Orenduff, mystery author, he was Dr. Orenduff college professor, administrator, university president and chancellor. With this knowledge, his observations concerning higher education are even more entertaining. Oh, there is also a murder mystery.

This was number eight in the, so far, eight book series. I hope that Mr. Orenduff does not stop here. His books are just too much fun for me to happily contemplate the end. Surely he has more to say.

[Carol Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Pot Thief Who Studied Edward Abbey is the second Pot Thief mystery that I’ve read. It’s just a really good book. I read it during the readathon last weekend and I kept reading it past the end time to finish it. Hubie Schuze is fun, honest, and I would have enjoyed taking his pottery class.

I didn’t know who Edward Abbey was before I picked up the book. Edward Paul Abbey (January 29, 1927 – March 14, 1989) was an American author and essayist noted for his advocacy of environmental issues, criticism of public land policies, and anarchist political views. A couple of his best known works are a novel, The Monkey Wrench Gang, which has been cited as an inspiration by environmental groups, and the non-fiction work Desert Solitaire, both of which Hubie reads during the course of the book. He tends to think along similar lines as Abbey, it seems.

One of Hubie’s students is killed, not during his class, thankfully. I think the characters are the highlight of this book. The students are an interesting group, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. And Hubie’s regular circle are here again, they are just a great group of people to hang out with. I’d love to sit in on one of their margarita sessions.

The mystery solution itself was a little convoluted.All the clues worked out and even though the motive made sense, it just wasn’t a satisfying conclusion. But we did have the requisite “our amateur detective might get killed” scene. That’s okay though, the setting and people make up for the minor issues I had with the mystery plotline.

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hubie is back, not stealing pots from the New Mexican desert, but, being an adjunct professor at the University of New Mexico. As he cheerfully tells his class he makes fakes of the Anasazi pottery, Hubie fights a long learning curve of being a teacher within UNM.

Meanwhile, Hubie is reading the works of Edward Abbey, a novelist, poet and so much more. Mr. Abbey had attended UNM. Hubie also is trying to get his personal life in order.

What I enjoy about this book is the same as I have enjoyed throughout the series. This series challenges me to widen my horizons. Different perspectives are offered on everyday subjects that we are dealing with today. We are given Edward Abbey's take on Immigration. Then the author cleverly presents the 'other side of the coin.'

This series, and this novel, continue to stretch my mind while being entirely entertaining. I'm always exposed to some new way of looking at life when I read one of Mr. Orenduff's books.

Do give this series a read, and if you are caught up with the series, as I am, get ready for some changes...good ones.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series features a sensational ensemble of characters whose friendship and support elevate the books beyond typical mysteries.

I always feel a connection to Native American culture and people when I read one of these books and this one was a favorite because it centered around teaching college students traditional pottery techniques. The campus politics and faculty dynamic added humor and intrigue to the story.

[David Rice · Rating 2 out of 5]

At least 35% of the words could be deleted in this book and the story would not be harmed in the least. It was a tedious chore to slog through. (Also, the writer appears to believe that anarchy means "no police.") A huge chunk of the book did not move the story forward, and the editors (if any) should have removed it.

[Amber Foxx · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always in this series, the opening is brilliant, followed by a colorful and intriguingly circuitous journey. If you’ve not yet discovered the pot thief books, think of them as off-beat cozies with an intellectual bent: nonviolent, humorous, character-centered, with a lot of cooking (some of it very funny—yes, recipes can be funny), and a romantic subplot. Unusual in the cozy mystery genre are the male protagonist and the illegal nature of some of his activities.
In this book, for once Hubie is not stealing ancient pots (rescuing them, in his opinion) but teaching students how to make copies of them, and he’s doing it at the college that kicked him out of graduate school for digging up pots where he wasn’t supposed to be digging.
The portrayal of students, faculty, and administrators is satirical but rings true. Hubie, long out of touch with academic life, has a lot to learn to get back into it. He’s kind, but he’s also a tad opinionated and not a stickler for rules, so he gets off on the wrong foot with a few people—something Edward Abbey would understand.
The department meeting is hilarious (and made me glad I no longer have to attend them), but the best comic scene is the culmination of one of the romance subplots. A few of the discussions over drinks ramble on a bit, but they’re still entertaining.
Hubie’s reading of Edward Abbey assists his thinking, as the pot thief’s topic of study in each book does. I especially liked how his friend Susannah’s background in art history plays a key role in solving the murder. The mystery plot keeps turning. Each time I thought it had wrapped up, another twist came around.
Although this is basically a humorous book, it has some serious moments, and they’re handled with grace, in both the subplots and the mystery plot. The victim of the crime is given a place of honor in the story.
A new reader of the series could start here and not feel lost, but I recommend beginning with The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras and getting to know Hubie and his friends from the beginning.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hubie Schuze, the ‘pot thief’, is back. This time he is not surreptitiously digging up pots on government land – land the belongs to you and me – but been hired as an adjunct professor teaching Anasazi pot methods at his old school he was kicked out of, the University of New Mexico.

Orenduff works in some good satire – actually, it can be all too true – of some current college students - ones who study their phones and file various complaints with the university against their professors, along with the usual circus of bureaucratic nonsense and departmental jealousies and politics.

Hubie still sees his friend, Susannah, for margaritas after work but is living with a gorgeous Canadian African American, Sharice, and shares experiences with his students with both of them. Hubie has that uncanny ability to get involved with murders and this is no exception.

One of his students is murdered when she volunteers to be covered in plaster in order to make a mold from which a statue could be created. But when the plaster is removed they discovers the student has been killed, perhaps by cutting off her air by squeezing the straw stuck in each nostril.

Who killed her? And why”

Hubie and his friend, Susannah begin unraveling the crime and discover surprises along the way.

This is one laugh out loud, full of characters as recognizable as your good and not so good friends, lots of laugh out loud humor, seasoned with romance and love.

This is one terrific read – you deserve this treat, right? Then jump on it!

[Homerun2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Potmaker and archaeological miscreant Hubie Schuze is back in his eighth adventure. Hubie has adopted the Robin Hood version of interpreting federal rules regarding removing artifacts from public lands and it keeps getting him into trouble.

Hubie has been hired as an adjunct professor to teach Anasazi potmaking at the very same university he was invited to leave years ago. Also the same university where he was instrumental in sending the old department head to prison for murder. The skewering of the academic world -- both students and faculty -- is laugh out loud funny. It's no wonder the satire is so accurate when you see that author Orenduff is a former president of New Mexico State University.

But things get serious when one of Hubie's students is murdered and suspicion falls on him. He starts investigating and uncovers some secrets and a few suspects.

I have read the entire series and felt this was one of the strongest entries, although it would work as a stand alone. The setting and descriptions, Hubie's friends and cast of characters, and his relationship with live-in girlfriend Sharice are all well done and add to the narrative.

Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in return for my honest review. This was a very enjoyable read.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE POT THIEF WHO STUDIED EDWARD ABBEY is the 8th book in J. Michael Orenduff’s Pot Thief series.
I quite like this series. There are very clever titles, plots and characters; a stunning sense of place/location; and snippets of New Mexico’s history and geography.
I like the word games, the word play, the conversations. The conversations between Hubie and Susannah are funny, clever and interesting - a highlight for me.
Our ‘pot thief’, Hubie Schuze (say shoes) is very smart, humorous, offbeat, a tad eccentric and a talented potter.
Other main characters are Hubie’s girlfriend, Sharice; his friend who is a girl, Susannah; Martin; nephew Tristan and an entourage of Albuquerque’s Old Town aficionados.
I like the stereotyped characters at the university and all the academia nonsense.
I also like Susannah very much and her very enthusiastic affection for mystery novels.
The plot is workable, but I read the books to catch up with Hubie, his pottery and shop and his friends.
I would recommend reading the Pot Thief books in order, so as to understand the characters and situations better. But that’s for you to decide.

[Nancy]

Before making a somewhat notorious name for himself as a salvager of antiquated pottery and other desert artifacts, Hubie Schuze was an eager student at the University of New Mexico—right up until they booted him out. Now, he’s back at UNM as a pottery teacher. It should be a breeze, but campus life has changed dramatically in the past twenty-five years. From cell phones to trigger warnings to sensitivity workshops, Hubie has to get up to speed fast or risk losing control of his class.

But his dismay at the state of modern academia takes a back seat when a young beauty working as a life model is murdered—and Hubie becomes a suspect. Taking the investigation into his own hands, he soon uncovers a wide palette of sketchy suspects that includes both the self-involved student body and the quarrelsome art school faculty.

But what he doesn’t know is that the murderer has a new artistic project in the works: a headstone for the grave of Hubie Schuze . . .

The Pot Thief Who Studied Edward Abbey is the 8th book in the Pot Thief Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

OK, but won't read any more.

[Marty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. A humorous literate mystery novel!!! “Hubie” Schuze is an expert in ancient Native American pottery. He sells both originals and identical copies of originals (which he makes) in his small store in Albuquerque, NM. As might be guessed, when offered a chance to make some extra money by teaching a class on pottery of the area, he grabs the offer. He did think it a bit odd that they asked him to teach the class at UNM, a university who had kicked him out 25 years before. He found that he enjoyed working with the 10 diverse students he was assigned – and they enjoyed his unorthodox teaching methods ---- until one of them was murdered. Humor, philosophy, sociology, history, literature and romance – all wrapped up in a mystery. –I’m certainly looking for others in this series!

[Carlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Im in love with Hubie!

I love Hubie and the people in his orbit. He is caring, smart, and loyal. And, in this book, a great teacher. He was hired to teach a course in Anasazi pottery in the UNM art department. When one of the students is murdered, Hubie systematically (or serendipitously) follows the clues and eventually unmasks the murderer (of course with assistance of his friend Suzanna the avid reader of mystery novels). With so many red herrings I did not guess the murderer until the very end. The Pot Thief books are great stories but also funny and intelligent. They can be read as standalone novels but it is fun to follow the lives of the characters through the series even if not read in order.

[Maire Marran · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amusing and witty interchanges throughout keep the book from bogging down in the details of a ridiculous murder mystery. Interesting characters, foremost Hubie Schuze (the pot thief, who makes his living digging up Anasazi pots and selling them in his gallery) and his girlfriend, but his story of becoming an adjunct ceramics professor and getting sucked into a campus murder of which he was a suspect became tedious and untenable. Sorry, it had a few good lines, and I wanted to like it b/c my husband recommended it to me as a light and enjoyable romp, but it pretty much felt like a waste of life energy. I read it when I was sick with a bad cold, so at least I wasn’t doing anything else with my life energy at the time.

[Ken Cass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on the title alone, I purchased this booked and I loved it!

I knew nothing about J. Michael Orenduff or the "Pot Thief" Mystery series of novels. But, the title alone intrigued me so much that I just had to purchase and read it. I mistook the title to mean that the protagonist stole "Pot" for his smoking pleasure. Seriously, you can see how my mind works! Well, at first, I was a bit bummed out. But, the more I read, the more I needed to keep going. And, before long, I discovered that I was loving this novel. The novel is written as a tongue-in-cheek story and gave me quite a few hearty laughs. It's very well written, and its only fault was misspelled words out the wazu! A small price to pay for an otherwise well written book.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this story. It was fresh and well written. The story line of what happens at a university appealed to me. I worked at a university and had wanted to study anthropology. All the intrigues, back stabbing, blackballing, and trouble in the department sent me running for the hills. This story is so true and shows all the intrigue but includes a murder. The characters are real and you can relate to them. A man who did not want to teach a class but likes the money they offered him. He couldn't understand why. His friends. The most interesting part of the book was his 10 students and what happens with them and how his two female friends help.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite series. I try to keep the latest release on my to be read pile for those times when I really need a great read. This filled my craving for a fun mystery. Humerus too.

Unbelievably Hubie is asked to teach at UNM - years after they kicked him out.

He is teaching a potting class through the art department.

We think the students are strange, but not nearly as strange as the other professors, it turns out.

Orenduff has a lot of comments on political correctness and a very devious plot.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Can't wait for the next one, but I will have to.

I bought a copy in hardback (to loan to all my friends) and ebook, to keep for me.

[Ellen Kirschman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy to be once again hanging with Hubie, Susannah, Miss Gladys and the rest of the gang as they drink champagne and munch on tortilla chips. There's a murder, of course. One of Hubie's pottery students is killed in a most unique way. As always, Hubie is a prime suspect. There's also romance for Hubie, presented ever so delicately, as he and the lovely Sharice become a couple. Lots to learn about New Mexico, ancient pottery, and many tongue-in-cheek side trips into the contemporary world of political correctness.

[Ilona Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Preachy and improbable

I’ve read many of these but I’ve begun to notice a need to spend time preaching on various topics and I’m not particularly interested. This could have been a good mystery but the side steps into trans identities, racism and deaf culture (though this was part of the lot)was too much. The mystery is very thin and the motive ridiculous. This is my last one. I’ll miss some of the characters but not their need to pontificate on social issues unrelated to the story.

[Glen U · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read this little known series from the beginning, I've always enjoyed Orenduff's plots, his protagonist and his adherence to the personalities that he has "studied". I've always been a fan of Edward Abbey so this was an especially satisfying book. The multiple characters in this book are all well defined and the plot was just convoluted enough to enjoy as an exercise in mystery solving. The resolution of the murder was just OK but it did not detract from the enjoyment of the read. A very good read from a consistent and imaginative reader.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will be looking for #9. The murder method was pretty bizarre and the resolution a bit far-fetched but it's a book and I enjoyed reading it. I liked Ordenduff's working in his opinion about campus regulations. His attitude towards various politically correct complaints was part of the plot when the pot thief got into trouble several times for his lack of awareness. Coming from a former university administrator that was interesting!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series and have read every one. I was pleasantly surprised to see that a new one will be coming out this year, and was anxious to read it. I was not disappointed.

If you like an easy read, a good mystery, characters you would love to be a part of, and humor scattered throughout, this is the book for you.

Highly recommended! Plus it's set in New Mexico!

[Kevin Vrieze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ohrenduff's best yet. Superb book in it's own right. Great story line. Great humor. Very touching. Clever plot. Very complex. Well worth reading a few times. All the characters develop nicely. Definitely worth putting on your must read list. The deafness part was superbly done. The language theme in general was handled beautifully and worked very nicely into the story on many levels.

[Kay Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

a new series to catch up on. Great writing with lots of trivia tucked into a reasonable mystery. Clearly the characters, well developed by this time, are more important than the plot or the solution.not much violence, nobody emperiled really but a fun, very clever, read. No wonder they are so popular. Wish my potting friend were still alive, she’d love this series.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The usual laugh out loud antics of Hubert Schuze - this time as he tries teaching traditional Anasazi pot making to university students more enamored of their phones than his subject matter. Interspersed with the mystery are bits of useless trivia like the fact that a hagfish has only one nostril. Actually, that’s pretty funny, too. Good reading to you.

[Farrah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I cannot believe I am so late in finding this amazing series. I can't believe I didn't know it was a series! I can't believe I have spent my whole life up until this point not meeting the character of Hubie Schuze! An incredibly wonderful read that warmed my heart although the beginning was a little slow. I long to read more of this series and these wonderful characters set in New Mexico.

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth 6 stars!

I don't want to admit why I waited so long to read this, having loved Orenduff's first seven tales. I will be first in line and savoring #9 as soon as it appears ... in any form! This is the best Pot Thief yet!!! Like any good art, Orenduff's creations get better and better with age. Dig in!

[Bob Ely · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a tough book to get into. A person who makes pots gets hired to teach a class at a college. His students vary in background. When 1 of his students volunteers to do a plaster cast for another teacher, she is killed. She also happens to be deaf. This leads our Pot Thief as a suspect and he along with friends investigate. I don't know if I would read another book in this series.

[Diane McKenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hubie is an adjunct professor at UNM for the semester, with a new cast of characters, students, as well as the old favorites, who all support Hubie when he is once again framed for murder. Enjoyed the students learning the process of making a traditional piece of pottery and how they banded together for a touching memorial.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent contribution to the ongoing Pot Thief stories. I always appreciate the potted histories, the food, the characters and the landscape .. and then the back and forth between Hubert Schuze and Susannah Inchaustigui gives the read a thoughtful and reflective layer during their shared conversations over their Margaritas.

[Terje Fokstuen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hubie is teaching a Studio Art class on how to make Anasazi pottery for the UNM Art department. When one of his students dies suddenly whilst modelling for an art project, he decides to investigate. Accompanied by his good friend Susannah, and his lovely live in girlfriend Sharice, he pursues the perpetrator while fighting the good fight against campus silliness.