J. Michael Orenduff

THE POT THIEF WHO STUDIED THE WOMAN AT OTOWI CROSSING is written by J. Michael Orenduff and features Hubert Schuze, a brilliant mathematician, potter and occasional ‘pot thief’, although Hubie would explain his endeavors otherwise.
This is Book #9 in a very quirky, very unique series, set in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
I am unsure when and how I first stumbled upon these books. They instantly appealed with their intriguing titles, sense of place, location, characters who grow and evolve, the intricate plots - all these strengths make for very interesting and satisfying reading.
In this particular ‘pot thief’ title, there are several parallel stories - 1 plot line is about Hubert, himself, his friends and daily activities; 1 plot line is his appearance at a murder scene and the uncanny resemblance of the victim to Hubert; and 1 plot line is about the book Hubie is reading about Edith Warner (the woman at Otowi Crossing).
This particular title is particularly introspective and marks several life changes with Hubie and his friends - while solving mysteries, of course.
Excellent Title. Excellent series ****… (més)

An entertaining look at the market for Native American pottery: producers ancient and modern, clients and sellers,. The protagonist is drawn into a mystery when a man approached him with a proposal that he steal a rare pot from a museum. The next day is accused of having stolen a different pot of the same type from a different location. Complication follows complication, including a rather pasted in appearance by a homeless woman seeking shelter. The style seems somewhat derivative of L. Blocks Burglar series, the same sort of transparent self-justifying hero, a female sidekick with whom the hero is not romantically involved, a cop with flexible ethics so long as he gets to take credit for any solution. Instead of the atmosphere of New York we get the very different ethnic mix and layout of Old Town Albuquerque. I bought this in a bookstore there, so probably won't track down any more in the series.… (més)