The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras

"The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras" proves that the measure of a successful detective story often depends upon the person of the protagonist. Orenduff's Hubert Schuze (affectionately, and appropriately, known as Hubie) is a fantastic creation -- by turns modest and bold, sensitive, a wee bit finicky, intensely curious, and loyal. Schuze is the type of character that you regret doesn't exist in real life, as is his wonderful sidekick and best friend, Susannah. Orenduff has obviously spent lots of time in and has great affection for the Northern New Mexico area, because he manages to successfully capture its flavor. As in the case of Robert B. Parker's Boston and Sue Grafton's California coast, you can't really imagine "The Pot Thief" happening anywhere else. (By the way, if you are into Mexican/New Mexican food, do not read this book on an empty stomach - I got sidetracked by all the tantalizing descriptions!) Because of Schuze's personality and outlook, his entanglement in a web of intrigue, theft, and murder is all the more entertaining. Schuze is the type of guy who finds himself in deep water purely (well, mostly) by accident, and his reactions to one unexpected situation after another really drive the spirit of the book. While the plot is very tightly constructed (and impossible to predict), Orenduff's characters and their very real humanity are what really made me love this book.

Folks, this is an outstanding book! I bought it at the PSWA conference mainly because I thought Michael was a charming guy and I liked the cover of the book. I had no idea what it was about. Oh, of course Billie told me it was a good book, but after all, she is the publisher of the Pot Thief.

What a surprise I was in for when I began reading. This is a mystery, but not like any mystery I've ever read before. The hero, Hubert, sells old pots from his shop in New Mexico, he also digs pots up which is no longer legal, and he can make a pot that looks like the old ones.

Hubert gets all tangled up in a most devious plot to steal a pot from a museum, but the book is so much more than that. I laughed out loud in several spots, the dialogue is wonderful. Orenduff knows how to spin an intelligent tale and turn a surprising phrase.

Next, I'd like him to write a cookbook. I've never read about such mouth watering food before.

If you want an entertaining time, do pick up the Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras.

Thanks, Mike for several hours of great fun.

Marilyn a.k.a. F. M. Meredith
Author of No Sanctuary

The Pot Thief is a wildly entertaining novel. Hubert Schuze is a character like no other- he's basically a good guy, but sometimes, he likes to do bad things. Of course, the bad things he actually does are nowhere near as bad as the things he is accused of doing. For the nervous Hubert, this could end up catastrophic.

The plot unfolds as a shady character wants Hubert to steal a pot from a museum. Ordinarily, Hubert doesn't steal from museums; he digs up artifacts and keeps them, which to law enforcement, is still stealing. Stealing a pot from a museum, however, is much more difficult than digging up an ancient relic. Hubert's task grows even more monumental when people connected to him are murdered, and he becomes the primary suspect.

This novel is extremely entertaining, with enough details to make the story believable without burdening the reader with too much information. Orenduff obviously knows about being a pot thief, although I won't ask how, and does a good job of conveying an interesting plot set in the New Mexico setting.

With a perfectly-paced plot, authentic characters and just enough humor, this book is a great read.

The title of this book, "The Pot Thief: Who Studied Pythagoras" by J. Michael Orenduff caught my attention because of the cover picture of an ancient ceramic pot. Then my curiosity was aroused by why would a thief of any type want, or did he/she, need to study Pythagoras? Finally, was Pythagoras the Mathematician or perhaps a character? Then, I turned over the book and saw the review of Fmr. Governor Bill Richardson (New Mexico)and found the location was Albuquerque which is one of my favorite cities...well, I had to read this book.

From the amusing biography of the Author, to the clever Treasure Hunter, or Pot Thief sleuth, this book not only sends you on a fascinating murder trail to the solution, it also feeds the mind with interesting facts and even poetry from Pythagoras etc. I also learned about Dos Hermanas with joy! Subtle humor abounds throughout the chase and keeps the pace.

Give yourself a treat for your mind and spirit and read the first in this series. I will shortly be enjoying the second in the series, "The Pot Thief: Who studied Ptolemy."

[[ASIN:1892343304 The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras]] J. Michael Orenduff; um well... this story owes a lot to Lawrence Block's Bernie Rhodenbarr stories. More or less the same idea in a different setting. And it's the setting that made this attractive to me, and allowed me to enjoy the story. Set in Albuquerque, Hubert Schuze is a middle-aged anthropologist/archeologist who owns and runs a pottery store in the downtown district who also steals pots (half the book is filled with justifications of why it's NOT stealing exactly, but rather a blow against our corrupt and inept gov't... yeah I know...). Comes complete with attractive single female friend who Hubie drinks with every day, a corrupt but good-hearted policeman, etc. etc. The mystery itself wasn't deep, but I enjoyed the information on artifacts, pottery, the making of pottery.

Hubie Schuze is firmly in the top five of my favorite protags. He's charming, intelligent, dry, and above all he is interesting. This book delighted me from the start in spite of the slightly off-kilter premise of a "pot thief" being the good guy. Hubie truly is a good guy who not only does the right thing, but thinks his actions through in a very satisfying manner. The Albuquerque setting is a vivid enough to make the desire to visit a strong one and the only downside that appeared was the constant desire to indulge in a marquerita or a bottle of Grue. There is just something endearing about a man who will voluntarily read articles about Pythagoras while dodging nubile females and handling ancient pots. I would recommend this book to anyone who would like a brisk, entertaining, well-written, and engaging story.

I have visited Albuquerque several times, and this book had me visualizing every step that Hubie made in and around the plaza of Old Town. The book is a fast read, and one can get completely lost in it; dozens of pages later you realize how engrossing the story line is. For anyone who loves New Mexico, particularly Albuquerque, this book will be a great purchase. You will enjoy it.

As I was preparing for a recent long trip overseas, I purchased two of Mr. Orenduff's "Pot Thief" mysteries for my Kindle. What a delight they turned out to be! The main character in these mysteries is Hubie Schuze, a dealer in Native American pottery who lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Hubie is a bit of a rascal, who tends to bend the rules and the letter of the law when it suits him, but he's a decent enough chap who has a knack for stumbling into mysteries and then solving them. He also is laugh-out-loud witty (think combination Ricky Gervais and William Powell in "The Thin Man"), a connoisseur of Southwestern food, and someone that I, for one, would love to have as a best friend.

I not only love a good mystery, but I love to eat and Mexican food is at the top of my list. As I read "The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras", I could have almost committed a crime myself for a good cheese enchilada. Hubie's description of his meals is mouthwatering. If you're not hungry when you start reading, you will be when you put the book down. You can almost smell tortillas frying.

I'll tell you what I don't like as a mystery reader. I'm not a fan of "slice 'em and dice 'em" mysteries. I don't need to read page after page of gore and torture in intimate detail. There's enough of that in the real world. I'm also not a big fan of the typical "cozy" mystery. They're a little too bland for me. What I AM a fan of is a mystery that is intelligent, witty, highly entertaining, with some twists to keep me on my toes, some subject matter to teach me some things I don't know, and a character or two that I like. Mr. Orenduff has delivered all of that in his "Pot Thief" mysteries. I highly recommend that you search his books out if you haven't discovered them already.

I order many books on line and I am always concerned about what will arrive and how long it will take. I have been very satisfied more times than not. This book is in great conition and arrive almost overnight - Thank you

Hubert Schuze is back, in the second in the series of homages to Lawrence Block's equally entertaining The Burglar Who . . . series. Albuquerque Old Town pot gallery owner, dealer, and occasional digger up of prohibited artifacts is up to his neck again in stolen New Mexican Indian pots, but--surprise--he didn't steal them this time. Elders in San Roque, a mysterious pueblo closed to outsiders, believes Hubie's old academic nemesis, Professor Ognan Gerstner, misappropriated the pots from display at UNM and is keeping them in his apartment in the exclusive Rio Grande Lofts.

Just as in Hubie's previous outing, we not only get to watch Amateur Sleuth 101 in action, we get to learn Burglar 101 as he attempts to penetrate security at the Lofts. I was pleased with Hubie's persistence in the aftermath of his first unsuccessful attempt. Of course, success is relative, since on his second trip, he's only able to ensure continued access to the building and doesn't actually gain entry to Gerstner's apartment. He does, however, score (in the best sense of the term) with a semi-familiar resident of the Lofts.

Enter Hubie's equally amusing "sidekick," perennial UNM student Susannah, who has a Basque last name almost impossible to spell, pronounce, or even remember. Susannah's latest love lives in the Lofts (is that overly alliterative?) and when she gets an invitation to a party, she's able to smuggle Hubie in for his third foray. But he finds Gerstner shot dead in his apartment, with no pots to show for it, and a spot as the leading suspect in the man's murder.

How can things get any worse? Trust me. Or rather trust Mike to paint Hubie into an untenable corner, of more than just an apartment. Can he avoid indictment, find the pots for San Roque, and identify the real killer? And what's his new lady love of the Lofts' (there I go again) relation to the victim?
Jess will be following up the successful reception of his first two caper novels, which go by turns from amusing to hilarious, with his third, The Pot Thief Who Studied Einstein, available this month. It's not only a treat to visit with Hubert and Susannah at frequent intervals, but intriguing to find out how the author ties his seemingly obscure titles to the events that unfold. Treat yourself to an Orenduff mystery. It won't be your last.