Something is terribly wrong at Symphony Hall.

Luigi Spadafini, the symphony's star conductor, has been murdered—and the entire orchestra has confessed to the crime. This is the mess that Detective Lieutenant Pratt walks into one Saturday morning. Overworked and tired, he's also saddled with Detective Ellis, the newest member of the homicide squad and still very wet behind the ears. With both the mayor and several big shots from the symphony's board of directors demanding a speedy resolution of the crisis, Pratt is pushed to the limit. The trouble is, he also faces a seemingly endless list of suspects with good reasons to want the philandering Spadafini dead. With the clock ticking, Pratt is forced to use both his wits and the computer skills of Detective Ellis to solve the mystery.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for older teen readers and adults who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

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

• Commended, Bank Street College of Education Children's Book Committee Best Children's Books of the Year

"The pace is lively, and would easily draw the reluctant reader along."

NMRLS Youth Services Book Review

"A finely-tuned gem of a story built on the powerfully-political dynamics of today's highly-strung orchestras...Orchestrated Murder is a tangled little mess with a satisfying conclusion."

Hamilton Spectator

"Rick Blechta has wound a murder mystery with twists, turns and on-the-edge-of-your-seat suspense. The storyline moves quickly...A good, fast-paced read. Highly Recommended."

CM Magazine

"A vibrant closed-room police procedural sure to resonate with readers."

Library Journal