Everyone's Favorite Pottery Thief Goes Back to School—And Gets a Lesson in Murder

In the latest installment of J. Michael Orenduff's series, Hubie Schuze is suspected of killing one of his art students.

the_pot_thief_who_studied_edward_abbey

Wherever Hubie Schuze goes, trouble almost always follows. In fact, ever since his first outing in The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras, this treasure hunter-slash-sleuth has found himself at the center of some pretty gnarly murder mysteries.

As someone who uncovers buried pottery, Hubie is forever trailed by the feds who believe his career is nothing less than thievery. But despite the near-constant threat of incarceration—and, inevitably, real criminals—Hubie’s appreciation for Native American art never wanes in the face of danger. He and his sidekick, Susannah, continue breaking the law for the sake of their passion, while (hopefully) never breaking the artifacts they find.

the_pot_thief_who_studied_edward_abbey
  • camera-icon
  • Photo Credit: Yohann Mourre/Unsplash

We last saw Hubie when he was studying painter Georgia O’Keeffe, illegally digging up Tompiro pottery, and trying to catch his associate's killer. In his latest adventure, The Pot Thief Who Studied Edward Abbey, it seems Hubie may finally be able to lay low and nurture his artistic passions without consequence: 25 years after being expelled from the University of New Mexico, he's invited back to teach a pottery class. Things go relatively smoothly until one of Hubie's students dies while being fit for a life-size body cast—an art project that involved layers of plaster, all-over coverage, and two nose straws. 

Related: The Legend of Burro Joe 

In the following excerpt, Hubie's reputation and connection to the victim has already made him a suspect. Once again, he'll have to do everything he can to clear his name, and discover the true culprit behind Ximena's death. Junior Prather, her professor, seems like the obvious choice—but what if it was someone else entirely?

Click here to read an excerpt of The Pot Thief Who Studied Edward Abbey, and then download the book.

The Pot Thief Who Studied Edward Abbey

This post is sponsored by Open Road Media. Thank you for supporting our partners, who make it possible for Murder & Mayhem to continue publishing the mystery stories you love.

Featured photo: Sid Verma/Unsplash 

KEEP SCROLLING FOR MORE MYSTERY STORIES