The Pot Thief Who Studied Georgia O'Keeffe (The Pot Thief Mysteries) - Softcover

Orenduff, J. Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1504020863 ISBN 13: 9781504020862

Publisher: Open Road Media Mystery & Thriller, 2016

Synopsis

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 access: 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.

About this title

About the Author

J. Michael Orenduff grew up in a house so close to the Rio Grande that he could Frisbee a tortilla into Mexico from his backyard. While studying for an MA at the University of New Mexico, he worked during the summer as a volunteer teacher at one of the nearby pueblos. After receiving a PhD from Tulane University, he became a professor. He went on to serve as president of New Mexico State University.

Orenduff took early retirement from higher education to write his award-winning Pot Thief murder mysteries, which combine archaeology and philosophy with humor and mystery. Among the author’s many accolades are the Lefty Award for best humorous mystery, the Epic Award for best mystery or suspense ebook, and the New Mexico Book Award for best mystery or suspense fiction. His books have been described by the Baltimore Sun as “funny at a very high intellectual level” and “deliciously delightful,” and by the El Paso Times as “the perfect fusion of murder, mayhem and margaritas.”

Review

Hubie Schuze is a pottery geek. He loves digging in the desert for ancient ceramics and crafting copies of artifacts with his own hands. When he’s not engaged with clay, Hubie is usually absorbed in reading a book, often a classic. His sidekick in sleuthing is Susannah Inchaustigui, a descendant of one of New Mexico’s Basque ranching families. She’s two decades younger than Hubie and everything he is not—brash, garrulous, and unrestrained. Their bond is based on a mutual appreciation of margaritas, good food, old movies, and the fact that they both have relationship issues.
 
In the six colorful and engrossing Pot Thief Mysteries, Hubie and Susannah tackle the desert’s toughest cases. Hubie’s involvement with ancient pottery invariably connects him with a crime, he is thrust into uncomfortable situations that provide humor and surprises, and he finds ideas in his esoteric readings that help solve the case. The novels are set predominantly in Albuquerque’s Old Town, home to eateries, galleries, studios, and shops, including Spirits in Clay—whose proprietor is one Hubert Schuze.

“Enjoyable . . . Clever word play, a torn canvas that may be an unknown O’Keeffe, and nods to several classic mysteries add to the fun.” —Publishers Weekly

“Fans of the series will flock to this latest installment, and readers who haven’t made Hubie’s acquaintance should be encouraged to do so. [A] nice mix of comedy and mystery.” —Booklist

“I couldn’t have been more delighted. . . . [A] wildly enjoyable and satisfying read.” —Mystery Scene Magazine

“Sprinkled with a cast of characters, word play and word games . . . dealing with New Mexico history and geography. Detours spin off into other detours, which . . . are part of the lightheartedness of the story.” —Albuquerque Journal 

"The newest installment in J. Michael Orenduff’s smartly funny series is filled with wild situations, clever word play, and a good helping of fast-paced action. I loved every twist and pun.” —Anne Hillerman, bestselling author of Spider Woman’s Daughter
 
“I laughed out loud, I was thrilled, I learned a bunch of fascinating new things—must be a Pot Thief book. The Pot Thief Who Studied Georgia O’Keeffe may be the best yet in a truly wonderful series.” —Timothy Hallinan, author of the Poke Rafferty and Junior Bender novels
 
Praise for the Pot Thief Mysteries
“J. Michael Orenduff knows how to hook a reader from the get-go.” —Albuquerque Journal on The Pot Thief Who Studied Ptolemy
 
“Orenduff perfectly captures the beauty of the New Mexican sunset, a good friend and a margarita. Throw in the occasional dead body, and it’s pure enchantment.” —El Paso Times on The Pot Thief Who Studied Einstein
 
“Funny at a very high intellectual level and deliciously delightful.” —TheBaltimore Sun on The Pot Thief Who Studied Escoffier

Edition details

• Publisher: Open Road Media Mystery & Thriller
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1504020863
• ISBN 13: 9781504020862
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 300