"Rick Blechta is a musician first, a writer second. When he combines the two, he produces magic with an intense, suspenseful story that will not let you go."

- Reviewing The Evidence reviewingtheevidence.com

The fact that Rick Blechta has been a musician all his life is clearly evident in his writing. He brings his musician’s viewpoint to the thriller genre in much the same way Dick Francis has used his experiences in the horse-racing world. All four Blechta novels, Knock on Wood (1992), The Lark Ascending (1993) and Shooting Straight in the Dark (2002) and his first RendezVous Crime novel, Cemetery of the Nameless (2005), have all been critically praised for the insider’s knowledge of the music world which he injects into his plots. Equally praised by the critics have been his engaging and memorable characters.

Rick began his professional music career at the tender age of fourteen and had eclectic tastes right from the start. He’s accomplished on several instruments, has been a “Rock Star”, conducted orchestras and even composed a well-received musical. His passion for music led him to emigrate to Canada from the U.S. in 1971 to complete a Bachelor of Music Education at McGill University in Montreal. Immediately after graduation, Blechta formed one of Canada’s finest progressive rock bands, Devotion, which went on to achieve legendary status across the country.

A growing family and disillusionment with the music business led him back to the education field in 1977 for a one-year stint. Twenty-three years later he escaped, having taught instrumental music in Toronto schools and at the Royal Conservatory of Music.

For the past thirteen years Rick has been very active in Crime Writers of Canada and is currently its president. In 2000 the CWC presented him with the Derrick Murdoch Award in recognition of his contributions to the organization.

He is married to prominent flutist and teacher, Vicki Blechta, and they have produced two sons, neither of whom are musicians (which is probably a good thing).

In Fall 2006, RendezVous Crime published Rick's fifth novel, When Hell Freezes Over. His latest mystery, A Case of You, was published by RVC in the spring of 2008.

Links: rickblechta.com