Valdosta residents know Mike Orenduff in a variety of ways.

He’s the owner of Book & Table, the downtown book shop that regularly hosts area authors.

He’s the host of a weekly radio program on books.

He’s a former Valdosta State University faculty member.

But many Valdosta residents may not know he’s the author of a mystery series that sells thousands of volumes to fans across the nation and around the world.

He’s likely the bestselling author living in the Valdosta area.

Orenduff is the author of “The Pot Thief” series featuring Hubie Schuze, who makes his living salvaging desert artifacts in New Mexico; hence, Hubie is the “pot thief” in the titles.

And there are several titles: “The Pot Thief Who Studied Ptolemy,” “The Pot Thief Who Studied Billy the Kid,” “The Pot Thief Who Studied D.H. Lawrence,” “The Pot Thief Who Studied Einstein,” “The Pot Thief Who Studied Georgia O’Keeffe,” “The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras,” “The Pot Thief Who Studied Escoffier.”

The eighth book, “The Pot Thief Who Studied Edward Abbey,” was released this month.

In each book, Hubie solves a crime, typically a murder mystery. Given his notorious past as a raider of antiquities, he is often considered a suspect in the crimes. He also continues studying various philosophers, authors, etc., and spending time drinking beers and margaritas with his best friend, Susannah.

Orenduff has a deft hand combining Hubie’s one-liner humor and his philosophical observations on many aspects of life. Orenduff has the same wonderful, quirky take on mysteries and the vagaries of life that made Kinky Friedman’s books such satisfying reads.

In “Edward Abbey,” Hubie becomes involved in a murder mystery while he is teaching a class on Native American pottery as an adjunct professor at the University of New Mexico. He teaches class, he faces challenges with his students, deals with the Swiftian personalities of the art department faculty, drinks with Susannah, develops a deeper relationship with girlfriend Sharice, solves a murder and studies radical environmentalist author Edward Abbey.

The book is a joy on multiple levels. Fun and funny, and readers will care for the characters.

Valdosta needs to discover this treasure in our midst. Dig up “The Pot Thief” series. See what thousands of readers have already discovered in other parts of the world.