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.”

Reviews

“Orenduff is a master of his craft. He pulls you in by a thread and masterfully winds the story around his characters. Prepare for a sleepless night. I couldn’t put it down.”—Marie Romero Cash, author of Tortilla Chronicles on The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras
“May fill Hillerman’s shoes.” —The Gallup Herald
“J. Michael Orenduff knows how to hook the reader from the get-go.” —Albuquerque Journal
“Immensely enjoyable. A fabulous read from page one on to the end.” —Grace Galloway, owner of Read It Again Bookstore in Houston, Texas