2014 IS A BIG YEAR FOR RICK WITH TWO BOOK RELEASES!

October 7, 2014 will see the release of Rick’s full-length novel, Roses for a Diva, sequel to The Fallen One.

When soprano Marta Hendriks finds a beautiful bouquet of red roses in her dressing room after a performance, she’s surprised as well as charmed. The accompanying card only says “Roses for a Diva.” And as miles and performances rack up in her globe-hopping opera career, the bouquets continue to mysteriously appear.

But then strange things begin happening in her private life. She’s certain someone has been in her apartment, breaking her most treasured possession. After calling in private investigator Shannon O’Brien, Marta is shocked to discover her entire life has been invaded.

When one of the other stars in a Roman production of Tosca is murdered, everyone realizes the situation is more dire than they had imagined. Who is Marta’s stalker? What does he want?

And where will he stop?

In his eighth full-length novel, Rick Blechta explores the dark paths of obsession and possession with the emotional world of opera as his musical backdrop once again. Set in Toronto, Rome and Venice, Roses for a Diva is a gripping, fast-moving thriller, but with a heart as lyrical as the beautiful arias its main character sings. The sequel to his very popular The Fallen One.

First out of the box on April 1, 2014 was The Boom Room, his second novella for Orca Book Publishers’ Rapid Reads series.

Detective Mervin Pratt is enjoying a quiet dinner at his favorite restaurant when he’s called to assist in a murder investigation at a popular downtown nightclub. The owner has been stabbed to death in his office. To lead investigator, Detective Gordon, no friend of Pratt’s, it’s an open-and-shut case. He has his suspect, motive and even the murder weapon. But Pratt is unwilling to jump to conclusions.

When Pratt’s young partner, David Ellis, arrives on the scene uninvited, things get far more complicated. When he admits to Pratt that the suspect is his estranged half brother, Pratt finds himself in an ethical dilemma. Ellis can have nothing to do with the investigation, and his connection to the case should be reported. On the other hand, Gordon’s attempt to railroad the suspect and his outright antagonism to Pratt’s involvement rub the detective the wrong way. The only solution, of course, is to solve the crime.

The Boom Room is currently available in paperback as well as in e-book format.

Rick’s first audio book has been released by audible.com!

“Classical music lovers will welcome this compelling mystery... The suspense will keep readers turning the pages until the dramatic conclusion.” Publishers Weekly

“Blechta writes entertaining, well-researched stories with dialogue and setting as highlights. In The Fallen One, he’s kicked it up a notch.” Hamilton Spectator

That’s right! Now you can take a Blechta novel on the road with you! The reading was done by the talented Christa Lewis who really does make Marta Hendriks come alive. She can speak with a darned nice French accent, too. The recording is complete and unabridged and runs nine hours and forty-two minutes. Ordering a copy is easy. You can go to audible.com, of course, or you can also purchase a copy from the iTunes website (you’ll need a copy of the iTunes app in order to download the book). This is especially helpful if you have an iPod or other Apple product, although the recording will work on any electronic device. Have a long car trip or airline flight coming up? This could be the answer to a more pleasant journey.

The Fallen One is set in Paris, Montreal and Toronto, the story is about an opera singer who has never achieved the greatness of which she is capable until her beloved husband is killed in a tragic house fire. Since it’s set in the opera world, the storyline is, well, operatic, but also intensely interesting because of this. We’d love to tell you more about the plot, but you’re just going to have to go out and buy a copy. Suffice it to say, The Fallen One has been declared to be “vintage Blechta” with all the elements readers have come to expect, as well as some exciting twists and turns. Throw in “The City of Light” as a major location, and it’s no wonder Rick’s first novel with Dundurn Press was such a success, currently on its third printing. To read complete versions of several of the reviews, please click HERE.

An interview with Rick in 2010:

Rick has embarked on a new career as a food writer and commenter.

Visit A Man for All Seasonings on blogspot.com to see what he has to say. Having worked in kitchens during his early years, he has a lifelong passion about all things food. On the new blog, he’ll be sharing his thoughts about the food we eat, cooking tips, and, of course, recipes he’s collected over the years, as well as some he and his wife have made up. A Man for All Seasonings, always in good taste. Drop by today!

RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE WEBSITE

We now have some photos that Rick took as part of his research for When Hell Freezes Over. These can be found under PHOTOS on the menu bar. If you go to the When Hell Freezes Over page, you’ll find a link for our new “Deleted Scenes” page which we think is really cool. Think of those additions you get on DVDs these days.

Rick Blechta is a crime novelist and musician living in Toronto and this site is dedicated to his twin passions in life: crime writing and music. He’s had five novels published and the sixth, A Case of You, was released in March of 2008. It is available worldwide at bookstores or online.

The fifth, When Hell Freezes Over was released by RendezVous Crime in the fall of 2006. His first novel, Knock on Wood and his third, Shooting Straight in the Dark, are still available, but generally only at Sleuth of Baker Street or through this website. Rick’s 2005 novel, Cemetery of the Nameless is available in most bookstores in Canada, many in the U.S, as well as all the online ones. His second novel, The Lark Ascending, is out of print, but it’s occasionally available from used book sellers but can be priced high because of its rarity.

After numerous requests, rickblechta.com added a guestbook and we’d like to invite anyone who visits the site to sign it. We especially welcome questions and comments about the books or Rick’s musical endeavors. Please click on the two links below to view the guestbook or to add your own entry. Come on now; don’t be shy!

VIEW the Guestbook
SIGN the Guestbook

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