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

When Pratt’s young partner, Dave Ellis, arrives on the scene uninvited and quietly tells Pratt that the suspect is his 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 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.

Rick Blechta's profile page

• Short-listed, Arthur Ellis Award nominee

"A quick and enjoyable puzzle with an obvious suspect, leavened by a twist in the tale. Writing novellas is not an easy task: the inherent confines of the form leave limited scope for rounded characters and developed plots. But The Boom Room is an engaging tale that will earn Blechta even more readers."

The Ottawa Review of Books

"The emphasis on solving the murder, along with the lack of graphic violence and overt sexuality, make this book a good example of 'crime fiction lite.' Recommended."

CM Magazine

"The fast-paced procedural has a touch of humor, insights into the nightclub scene, and a nice plot twist."

Library Journal

"A fast-paced murder mystery...There’s a colorful, many-motived supporting cast that adds flavor and just the right amount of complexity to the narrative. The terse police dialogue is fun to read, and the pacing is superb for this length of book: the action picks up right away and there’s never a lull...Perfect for lunch-hour readers who want to supplement their workaday job with a bit of police drama."

ForeWord Reviews

"Tense and gritty, but not overtly so...[Blechta has] won awards for previous mystery stories, and [his] talents come through here...Can be easily completed by a struggling or reluctant reader...[and] could spark an interest in reading for those looking for a good detective story."

VOYA

"A quick and light read...The dilemmas that Pratt encounters are realistic."

The Library of Pacific Tranquility blog