Rick Blechta

Rick Blechta has been a musician all his life, and it shows in his writing. He brings a musician's viewpoint to the thriller genre in much the same way Dick Francis brought the expert horseman's eye. The results are "most entertaining" to quote the Regina Leader Post.

All of his novels have been praised for the "insider's knowledge of the music world" (Canadian Book Review Annual) which he injects into his plots. The Calgary Herald said in a review of his most recent novel, When Hell Freezes Over, "If this is the future of crime writing in Canada, it's a bright one indeed." His previous novel, Cemetery of the Nameless, was a finalist for the Arthur Ellis Best Novel Award in 2006.

Rick has been very active in CWC, holding every executive position, including president for two terms, from 2005 to 2007. He also twice edited the organization's directory of members’ works, In Cold Blood; handled all production and design duties for CWC's infamous cookbooks, Dishes to Die For and Dishes to Die for...Again; and was co-editor of the newsletter, Fingerprints. In 2000, the CWC presented him with the Derrick Murdoch Award in recognition of his contributions to the organization.

Selected Bibliography:
Knock on Wood. Toronto: Castlefield Press, 1992
The Lark Ascending. Toronto: Castlefield Press, 1993
Shooting Straight in the Dark. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2002
Cemetery of the Nameless. Toronto: RendezVous Crime, 2005
When Hell Freezes Over. Toronto: RendezVous Crime, 2006
A Case of You. Toronto: RendezVous Crime, coming in spring of 2008

Awards:
Winner, Crime Writers of Canada Derrick Murdoch Award, 2000
Shortlisted, Arthur Ellis Award for Best Novel, 2006, for Cemetery of the Nameless

Website:
www.rickblechta.com

Email:
rick@rickblechta.com