A Pot Thief Murder Mystery Books in Order
Part ofJ Michael Orenduff Books in OrderFind every A Pot Thief Murder Mystery by J. Michael Orenduff in order, with summaries, series background, and easy where-to-start guidance.
Last updated: July 14, 2026
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A Pot Thief Murder Mystery books in publication order
10 books
The Pot Thief Who Studied Ptolemy
by J Michael Orenduff
2009
Hubie plans to recover sacred pots stolen from the secluded San Roque Pueblo, except they are hidden high inside an upscale Albuquerque building. A murder arrest and a mysterious woman derail his scheme, forcing him to solve two problems at once.
The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras
by J Michael Orenduff
2009
Pottery dealer Hubie Schuze is offered a fortune to steal a rare museum piece, then decides the security is too tight. When the pot vanishes anyway, he becomes a suspect and must find the real thief before the case turns lethal.
The Pot Thief Who Studied Einstein
by J Michael Orenduff
2010
Hubie accepts a secret appraisal job for a reclusive pottery collector, only to find replicas among the valuable pieces and lose his payment. When the collector turns up dead, Hubie is drawn into the victim's dangerous private world.
The Pot Thief Who Studied Escoffier
by J Michael Orenduff
2011
A Santa Fe restaurateur hires Hubie to make one hundred dinner plates for a new Austrian restaurant. When the kitchen staff begins dying, he must untangle the rivalries behind the scenes before the job, and his escape, turn deadly.
The Pot Thief Who Studied Billy the Kid
by J Michael Orenduff
2012
While searching a cliffside cave for ancient pottery, Hubie discovers a corpse where it should not be and is left stranded after his truck disappears. With Susannah's help, he follows the clues into a mystery tied to Billy the Kid.
The Pot Thief Who Studied D. H. Lawrence
by J Michael Orenduff
2012
Hubie agrees to recover a legendary handcrafted pot connected to D. H. Lawrence's years in Taos. A blizzard traps him at the Lawrence ranch with several strangers, and it soon becomes clear that one of them is a killer.
The Pot Thief Who Studied Georgia O'Keeffe
by J Michael Orenduff
2016
Hubie tries to reach rare Tompiro pottery hidden inside the heavily guarded Trinity Site, while Susannah uncovers a possible lost Georgia O'Keeffe painting. When an associate is murdered, forged pots and private secrets turn the search into a dangerous case.
The Pot Thief Who Studied Edward Abbey
by J Michael Orenduff
2018
Back at the University of New Mexico as a pottery teacher, Hubie struggles with modern campus life. When a young life model is murdered and he becomes a suspect, he must sort through feuding faculty, students, and a killer's plan.
The Pot Thief Who Studied the Woman at Otowi Crossing
by J Michael Orenduff
2021
Hubie Schuze finds a man dead outside his Albuquerque pottery shop, apparently stabbed by an unseen attacker. A note linking the victim to Hubie, and a new job running a university art department, pull him into a baffling investigation.
The Pot Thief Who Studied Calvin
by J Michael Orenduff
2025
Hubie's nephew brings him a curious 3D-printed pot, and a newspaper photo soon attracts dangerous attention. After a murder, the Albuquerque pottery dealer must discover the object's true history before the people seeking it strike again.
A Pot Thief Murder Mystery books in chronological order

The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras
by J Michael Orenduff
2009A Pot Thief Murder Mystery, Book 1
The Pot Thief Who Studied Ptolemy
by J Michael Orenduff
2009A Pot Thief Murder Mystery, Book 2
The Pot Thief Who Studied Einstein
by J Michael Orenduff
2010A Pot Thief Murder Mystery, Book 3
The Pot Thief Who Studied Escoffier
by J Michael Orenduff
2011A Pot Thief Murder Mystery, Book 4
The Pot Thief Who Studied D. H. Lawrence
by J Michael Orenduff
2012A Pot Thief Murder Mystery, Book 5
The Pot Thief Who Studied Billy the Kid
by J Michael Orenduff
2012A Pot Thief Murder Mystery, Book 6
The Pot Thief Who Studied Georgia O'Keeffe
by J Michael Orenduff
2016A Pot Thief Murder Mystery, Book 7
The Pot Thief Who Studied Edward Abbey
by J Michael Orenduff
2018A Pot Thief Murder Mystery, Book 8
The Pot Thief Who Studied the Woman at Otowi Crossing
by J Michael Orenduff
2021A Pot Thief Murder Mystery, Book 9
The Pot Thief Who Studied Calvin
by J Michael Orenduff
2025A Pot Thief Murder Mystery, Book 10
Series background & context
A Pot Thief Murder Mystery follows Hubert, usually called Hubie, Schuze, an Albuquerque dealer in ancient pottery with a questionable sideline in finding artifacts on public land. Hubie sees himself as a rescuer of old craft traditions. The law sees a pot thief. That disagreement is the starting point for a series that mixes crime puzzles with arguments about history, ownership, and what people owe the past.
Hubie runs a pottery shop called Spirits in Clay, and he has a gift for landing in situations that are far more dangerous than a quiet business day should allow. A tempting commission, a missing vessel, a strange buyer, or an old clue can lead him toward murder. He is clever, stubborn, and not especially good at staying out of an investigation once he thinks something does not add up.
The setting matters as much as the crimes.
Most of the action unfolds across New Mexico, especially Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos, and the state’s wide open country. The books bring in pottery traditions, local food, art, history, university life, and the occasional hard-to-reach building or isolated ranch. Those details give each mystery its own shape without losing the series’ familiar home base.
The first book, The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras, puts Hubie in trouble after he agrees to consider stealing a rare museum piece. From there, the series moves through stolen sacred objects, secretive collectors, restaurant rivalries, a snowbound gathering, a cave with a body in it, and crimes linked to artists and historical figures. The mysteries can get serious, but the tone stays lively and conversational.
Hubie’s friends, romantic complications, and encounters with Detective Whit Fletcher help give the books continuity. Each novel has its own central case, so readers can pick one up on its own. Reading in order, though, makes the changing relationships and running jokes more rewarding.
Expect a cozy-leaning mystery with sharper edges than the label sometimes suggests. There are real risks, but also wry dialogue, oddball schemes, and plenty of room for Hubie to think aloud about the world while trying not to become the next victim.
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