Rubber Soul

Dust Bin Bob #1

by Greg Kihn

Greg Kihn continues to pioneer the rock-thriller genre with Rubber Soul, a murder mystery and an action-packed ride through Beatlemania, featuring the Beatles themselves. Dust Bin Bob runs a secondhand shop at the Flea Market at Penny Lane. He has an extensive rep of American R&B singles that he gets from merchant marines returning from Baltimore and New York. The action starts when he befriends some blokes by the names of John, Paul, George, and Ringo and becomes their lifelong friend sharing the vinyl that will start a revolution. From then on, it’s a rocket ride from their earliest days in Liverpool to six shows a night in Hamburg to the Cavern Club to full-fledged Beatlemania. Along the way, Dust Bin Bob uncovers a plot by Marcos loyalists to assassinate the Fab Four in Manila after they snub Imelda Marcos, blowing off a reception at the palace and narrowly avoiding an international incident. It all could have happened! 100 percent historically accurate and including previously unpublished information about the Beatles’ early days, Rubber Soul is inspired by Greg Kihn’s radio interviews with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Pete Best, Patti Harrison, and Yoko Ono. When he asked where the Beatles got those rare American R&B records that inspired their early music, he got his answer from merchant marines who brought them over from Baltimore to Liverpool. From a serious Beatles fan who has read every word ever written about the group, Rubber Soul is a wild ride through rock ’n’ roll history.

Genres: Fiction, Music, Ebooks, Mystery, Thriller, Adventure

302 pages, Paperback

First published April 12, 2013

About the author

Rock radio DJ, rock musician, songwriter, screenwriter, and novelist. Kihn is known as the pioneer of the rock thriller genre.

Kihn’s first novel, Horror Show, was a nominee for the 1997 Bram Stoker Award. Big Rock Beat is the sequel, and Mojo Hand is the sequel to Big Rock Beat.

In the early 1980’s The Greg Kihn Band had a top 20 Billboard hit with “The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)” and a top 10 Billboard hit “Jeopardy”. The music video for “Jeopardy” was a MTV favorite and showed his fascination with rock n’ roll and zany horror.

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I had the biggest smile on my face as I was reading Rubber Soul. It was just so much fun. It may have been that it hit a chord with me because I lived through the rise of The Beatles in America. I remember my brother telling me that he had just heard a new song by an English group called The Beatles. He said the DJ on CKLW in Windsor had said that they were already huge in Britain. He predicted that they were going to be "The Next Big Thing". And of course they were. But reading this book just brought it all back to me. I would smile and nod my head when Mr. Kihn would mention a song by an artist that I remembered from that time. I didn't know every tune or group that he talked about, but there was enough real music from the late 50s through the early 60s to make the whole story feel authentic. He would talk about a place or event that I remembered and I would just have to stop reading and shake my head in amazement. It was just such ball!

Was this a great novel? Does it have an intricate plot line? Are you surprised by the plot twists? WHO CARES! This is just a fun narrative about an amazing time in the early 60s and the guys who changed the face of popular music. Read it if you ever had a touch of Beatlemania. I hope that you have as much fun with this as I did.

This book nearly feels like one of The Beatles movies. Its a funny, somewhat unbelievable, quick-moving story. Everything is good. All the villains come and go quickly and don't interfere with the good times. Just keep moving and it will all work out.

I give this book 5 Stars out of 5 and 2 Big Thumbs Up! If you are ready for a fun read, and like The Beatles, then grab this book and be ready for a good time. This book is even more fun if you can put some early Beatles songs on while you are reading! Really helps you get into it. Groovy, Far Out!

I received this Digital Review Copy for free from NetGalley.com.

[Christoph Fischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Rubber Soul" by Greg Kihn was an enjoyable, playful and entertaining read, although it was not entirely what I had expected from a book with a Beatles theme.
Kihn brings the times of the Beatles brilliantly back to life: the life of musicians, the price of a guitar, the price of records, the record distribution system (ehm, what system?). I was around some of the time and the feeling of the novel in that regard is very authentic and I laughed at many things he mentions that I had forgotten.

With his actual and fictional characters the plot takes us through the entire career of the Beatles, Liverpool, Hamburg, end of their touring to name but a few stops. Dust Bin Bob meets the Beatles before they were famous. John Lennon helps rescue some of the precious 45s in Bob's family home, guarded by the Bob's nasty brothers Mick and Clive.
There is name dropping of famous musicians and maybe a few too many what appears insider jokes and references for hard core fans.
Still, an impressive and worth while journey back in time.

[Todd Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

FTC notice: I received an uncorrected proof advance review copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is scheduled to be published September 3, 2013.

Greg Kihn, yes, the musician Greg Kihn behind the rock hits, JEOPARDY and THE BREAK-UP SONG has also written several books (Horror Show was nominated for a Stoker), including this semi-fictional story about the early days of The Beatles.

I say "semi-fictional" because Kihn weaves a fictional story around several musical historical moments from The Beatles and yes, all of the Fab Four star in this book. Kihn is careful to note in the foreward that, "...the words I put into Beatles mouth were never spoken. I invented it all."

Kihn interviewed several of The Beatles and asked them where they got records of other artists that formed their influences and the answer was from various merchant marines that shipped back and forth from the United States and Liverpool. This gave Kihn the idea for his main character, a merchant marine named Dust Bin Bob that befriends The Beatles in their formative years. Just about every time Dust Bin Bob encounters The Beatles, he's bringing them records to listen to and be influenced.

Along the way, there are also clever uses of chapter titles and scenes involving music of The Beatles in dialogue and events. For example, one character remarks, "She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah." Nice Beatles winks like that sprinkled all over the place.

Kinda tough to categorize this book. It's more an alternative-history, music adventure story involving real world music gods (Beatlemania, baby!) and one very lucky (fictional) merchant marine. Who wouldn't want to be the guy who hung out with The Beatles?

The author is obviously a passionate musician and music historian and the depth of his musical knowledge shines through in the massive number of artists and songs that are interwoven throughout the story. Dust Bin Bob is likable and we learn more than a little about how The Beatles also influenced his life.

There are some conflicts and drama involving real world incidents and fictional elements blended that move the story forward, but it's not a traditional story where you keep reading to find out what happens next. It's more of a story where you wonder when The Beatles will show up next and how Dust Bin Bob will interact with them and some real historical event (a concert, the release of a hit song, music playing in the states on the radio for the first time, their Ed Sullivan appearance, etc).

Only a couple times did I wonder if The Beatles would really have done this or that. For example, there's a bar fight early in the book and John Lennon throws down to protect his mates. I can't see Lennon, a well-known pacifist, being any kind of fighter under any circumstance, but perhaps I'm thinking of the solo era Lennon with Yoko, the one who denounced violence versus a younger Lennon who might join a fight to protect his friends.

This is an interesting read for fans of The Beatles and people who loved the music of the 50s and 60s. It's for those who are excited about how music from rock and roll gods might have been created.

(Sidenotes/errata: I think the author misses something by not following the story further in history than what was covered, perhaps through the band break-up and/or into the Charles Manson Helter Skelter era. Some bizarre stuff happened later on that would have made interesting fodder for a fictional story. Could even have gone through to Lennon's fatal shooting, which to me is the most dramatic, tragic moment in Beatles history. To imagine some madman assassinating a peaceful human being like John Lennon is, at best, disturbing.

Or at the very least the story exploring what is among the strangest final moments in Beatles history. I mean, here's the biggest band in the world, they haven't toured in almost five years and the last time they decide to play together is on the roof of their recording studio? Check out the roof top Beatles performance on YouTube. It's like people are passing by on the streets confused and elated. With all the lesser musical bands breaking up and then reforming for one final tour, arguably the greatest band ever says, "sod that, let's go up on the roof and jam." No tickets, no money, just out in the open. Love it!)

Anyway, I'm not sure how appealing Rubber Soul will be to non-music fans, but music fiction fans will devour almost every note, er, word (ok, at least those involving The Beatles!). I sure did. 4 stars. 5,540 Kindle locations.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rubber Soul by Greg Kihn is a 2013 Premier Digital Publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Dust Bin Bob , a Merchant Marine and second hand shop owner meets John Lennon, George Harrison and Paul McCartney and form a bond when they discover his collection of 45 rpm records. These records are from the States and are not available in Britain. The guys hang out and listen to records and play music. They also hang out in clubs, drink too much, and John has a particularly wicked streak that often rubs Bob the wrong way. But, the guys remain friends through all the changes in thier lives.
Bob is mostly unassuming . He has a difficult home life with two older half brothers that are bitter towards him because thier father married Bob's mother so soon after thier own mother died. Bob gets the brunt of their anger and on one occasion John steps in and pulls Bob away from a nasty beating by his brothers.
This incident prompted Bob to keep his distance from his brothers. The beating seems to have been put in the past, but Bob's brothers have not forgotten and a plan to exact revenge is being plotted against the Beatles.
Meanwhile, Bob leads his own life and works hard with his own business . He meets a girl, gets married and starts a family. The Beatles are never too far from his mind though. He watches as they begin to get some recognition, go to America, make an appearance on TV, and tour around the world. Bob has several opportunities to help the guys out and they in turn help him as real friends will do. But, no one ever dreamed that Bob would swoop in and save the day for the Beatles and become an unsung hero.
I had NO idea what to expect when I started reading this novel. I am, of course, familiar with the author and his own musical success. I am also a Beatles fan. But, a novel featuring the fab four? I had no idea how that would work out.
Well, it works out great, as a matter of fact. The author does a great job of giving the Beatles personalities and dialogue that is believable. I kept forgetting that Bob was a made up character. He is the real force behind the story. A guy that is a true blue friend and loyal to a fault.
The author did a a great job of capturing that magical time period when things were changing and the reader is seeing those exciting moments in history through the eyes of Bob as he tries to absorb not only the pop culture exploding with new music, hairstyles, clothes and attitudes, but through his own growing pains and the adult situations he had to deal with by becoming a parent, trying to build a business and dealing with his father's health problems, and of course the situation with his brothers. There was a stark contrast between Bob's life and the life of the Beatles, but there were also similarities.
Bob may have had a bit of a hand in helping with the Beatles music here and there, and of course he has a big role in helping them in Manila.
If you are Beatles fan it goes without saying, I think you will love this book. The stories about the songs they recorded early in thier careers and the references made will have you chuckling. If you are not a big Beatles fan or if you just don't know much about them, you will still like this book. There is humor, heartbreak, angst, family drama , crime drama, nostalgia, a little romance, and a lot of adventure.
I was entertained from start to finish and that's what it's all about. This one is an A+

[Fred Kirchner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beatle Fans: There is a novel about the Fab Four's rise to the toppermost of the poppermost. It's called Rubber Soul and it's written by a guy who loves the Liverpudlians as much as you and I!

NOTE: The Three stars are for non-Beatle fans.

Greg Kihn does a great job evoking the heady, dizzying rush of Beatlemania in Rubber Soul. He puts the reader on the train with the lads as they travel from NYC to DC for the next show. He's able to create reasonable facsimiles of the Beatle's personalities in his book, as each of the Beatles has a part. The authors shows a deft touch with including snippets of dialog that hint at songs and albums the Beatles actually made.

Rubber Soul covers the Beatles rise from backing strippers while playing in the red light district of Hamburg, Germany to the end of their world-wide touring days in 1966--about 4 years.

To put us close to the Beatles for this Magical Mystery Tour, Kihn creates the character of Dust Bin Bob--Robert Dingle. Dingle is the son of a London junk dealer and, through his father's contacts, is able to get ahold of rare US 45s of rock and blues' early pioneers. John, Paul and George, out larking through Liverpool one afternoon, come through the Dingle's market stall and talk Robert into inviting them home to his house to listen to all these hot discs from across the pond.

Robert, charmed by the 3 lads, brings them round his house. John, Paul and George bring their guitars. They play the records and Robert sits amazed to watch the developing musicians transpose the songs they only hear once into new cover tunes they'll use in their concerts.

Then, Robert's evil half brothers' come home and kick the crap out of Robert and the 3 Beatles. John takes Robert home to Mendips and talks Aunt Mimi into letting him move in until his broken ribs heal. Once he's better, Dust Bin Bob sets off for America on a Merchant Marine vessel.

His paths keep crossing the Beatles, first in Hamburg, then in America when the boys come to play the Ed Sullivan show. Along the way, Robert gives the boys more rare 45s from his collection, comes into some money from his father and a wealthy widow he befriended. Robert buys an antique businees in Baltimore and marries his American girlfriend.

Eventually, by early 1966, Robert ends up in the Phillipines with the Beatles for a confrontation with his evil half brother who is trying to assassinate the Fab Four from the roof of the Manilla Airport.

Loads of fun if you're a Beatles fan. Maybe not so much fun if you're not...

[Jane Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a really good book recently, y'all — Rubber Soul , by Greg Kihn. Let me tell you a little about it.

I really enjoyed Rubber Soul by Greg Kihn! I hope you approve of my excerpt choice, as it has personal meaning for me. I, too, witnessed The Beatles' first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, along with Greg Kihn and Dust Bin Bob.

Oh, wait — Dust Bin Bob is fictional. I kept forgetting that because, to me, this excellent book read more like the memoir of Robert "Dust Bin Bob" Dingle than a work of fiction.

Rubber Soul is such a fun read! Kihn has perfectly captured the same quirky, zany characterizations of The Beatles as seen in their movies Help! and A Hard Day's Night. I recommend Rubber Soul to all Beatles' fans, especially to those of us who are Baby-Boomer mystery aficionados. Rubber Soul is an amazing, fab-ulous read about the Fab Four, which has earned my Five-Star seal of approval.

{Originally published at Jane Reads}

[Karyl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh, I so wanted to love this book. I love the Beatles, but I was born long after they broke up, and though I own most of their studio albums on vinyl, I was eager to learn more about their early days. This book is definitely good for that; the reader gets an excellent peek into the sheer insanity that was Beatlemania, and we get a glimpse of what the boys were like before they became so huge.

The problem is, however, that this book is written in a very pedestrian way. He said this, they did this, then they went here. The characters were extremely flat as well, and the reader was left wanting so much more. It was so hard to summon interest in this book because of the writing.

That said, it did teach me about the Manila Incident, which I hadn't known about previously.

[Brooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a weird, goofy book...not really in a good way. Dust Bin Bob is kind of the Forrest Gump of this fictional Beatles world, but without the clever dark satire. If the reader is a casual Beatles fan, this novel might work, although that wouldn't change the amateur writing style and inexcusable editorial errors (for example, there are no scene transitions). For a reader who has been reading books about the Beatles for, oh, around 30 years, though, this just doesn't quite cut it. I did appreciate some small touches, like including Louise Harrison (albeit briefly) in the narrative. But the personalities of each of the characters are kind of the same. And the subplot is no good. And years go by in a blink with very little description. Anyway, I won't be reading the next book, which is about the Rolling Stones.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read, but the forward prevented me from any willing suspension of disbelief.

Dust Bin Bob does not exist. None of the words the Beatles say were spoken.

So that leaves us with the thought - so who cares what this author thinks he knows about the Beatles and their rise from obscurity and their dislike of touring?

My solution - put the forward at the end and don't spoil the read.

I borrowed a copy from the public library.

[Joy Whiteside · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting read that definitly had my interest from the moment that I started reading. It moved along at a fairly nice speed, has interesting characters that definitely make you want to know them personally and a story that wont let you down.

This book needs to be read. It needs to be added to your TBR list, once you start reading you will be hooked.

[Nick Stika · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very fun read. It's especially fun if you have any knowledge of the early Beatles history. Greg Kihn is an interesting man. Rock star to author. There is one other book in the Dust Bin Bob series, I'd sure like to see more.

[Buck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written at the young adult level with some adult content. Interesting integration of the lives of Beatles in the story. Reader must accept some serious stretches of credibility in the story.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

Surprised by the every day life of the Beatles. I understand why they seperated--afraid for their lives. John's murder saddened world.

[Janet Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting a little more of a mystery here.

[Hamzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great and beautiful book

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC received from NetGalley.

If you're my age (and the coming reference is the only hint you're getting), you are probably familiar with Greg Kihn. Turn on your local BOB or JACK "we play anything" radio station and chances are the song Jeopardy is in rotation, sandwiched between Taco's Putting on the Ritz and that horrid Will.I.Am/Britney earworm. Greg Kihn co-wrote and performed Jeopardy, which was a huge song in its day. Constant MTV airing huge, Weird Al parody huge. If you haven't given Kihn a thought since 1984, no need to worry. He's apparently still kicking and writing in another arena.

Kihn's latest effort, Rubber Soul, follows the adventures of a Liverpudlian entrepreneur as his life intersects periodically with those of several hometown friends striving to launch careers in music. I have read quite a few Beatle-inspired novels, and reviewed some Beatles fiction here in the past - I find stories like these go either away in terms of quality. I hesitate to call such works glorified fan fiction, since the Beatles themselves are basically historical figures now, and it wouldn't be fair to lump these books as fanfics when other writers bring true to life people into fiction and dodge the stigma. That said, some stories I have read seem to lack the polish that carries the characters out of fandom into something serious. In the case of Rubber Soul, I found a concept that interested me -- a look at the early Beatles through the eyes of a friend -- despite the rough patches.

Bobby Dingle helps his father run his antiques shop in Liverpool. Like other teenagers in the port town, he's fascinated by American rock and roll, and through the right contacts is able to snare prized 45s before anyone else in town (What's a 45? It's like an MP3, but different. Google it.). His love for American rhythm and blues and rock solidifies a friendship with a young John Lennon, and soon Bobby's position as the band's Forrest Gump is secured. Throughout the story - from encounters in Hamburg, Bobby's later adopted home of Baltimore, and London - Bobby peppers little influences like Easter eggs for John to find and integrate into the Beatles' success. If you're a fan, you'll spot them on sight.

As the reader gets a lesson in early rock and roll - with names of the Fabs' musical idols sounded off in a constant roll call - dark shadows cast occasional palls over the action. Bobby's thug half-brothers, Mick and Clive, cause trouble for the band, while fatal events in Hamburg have a lasting impact. Rubber Soul covers the period from the late 50s to the Beatles' nightmarish experience in Manila, in 1966. I've read more than my share of Beatle bios, too, and while Kihn doesn't specify actual dates throughout the story he appears to present an accurate timeline of events. That one scene where John dupes Bobby into trying LSD? I confirmed the date John tried it for the first time (it's a fairly famous story, mind you), just to make certain. A casual music fan may gloss over particulars, but a Beatleologist can nit-pick. Given that the pace of Rubber Soul runs rather swiftly, one may accept that Kihn properly placed the fixed points in Beatles history within his fiction. Curiously, though, this story omits the "bigger than Jesus" controversy altogether.

So, accuracy aside, is the story any good? Firstly, I commend any author willing to fictionalize people who existed. I did find overall dialogue stiff at times - in some parts it didn't feel natural, more like a recital of facts. I did like that the story focused more on Bobby as he connected with a variety of supporting players - the fictional Clovis, for example, came off more colorful as the rest, which would make sense given the author could write the character more freely.

Rubber Soul should please Beatles fans, and fans of early rock and roll. You'll find it's more than another version of an oft-told history, but a view of a changing time as youthful innocence morphs into moments of cynicism and turbulence. Ending with the events in The Philippines seems to cut the story short, but it doesn't make the ride there any less thrilling.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.0 of 5

I'll start off by admitting that I really enjoyed this book. This semi-biographical mystery appears to follow the early days and rise of the Beatles. The book primarily follows "Dust Bin" Bob who meets John, Paul, Stu Sutcliffe and George before they become the famous Beatles. Given the nickname "Dust Bin" by John Lennon, Bob serves as the boys' 'dealer', supplying them with a vast assortment of Rhythm and Blues record albums, from which the boys add new songs to their performance repertoire. Bob watches in amazement as they listen to a song from an album three or four times and suddenly they can play it as well, if not better than the originals.

While stopping at Bob's house one day to listen to music, the musicians have a run-in with Bob's step-brothers who enjoy picking on Bob. There is a fight, which includes Bob's brother's kicking Stu Sutcliffe in the head which Bob later believes lead to Sutcliffe's brain aneurysm. Of the brothers, one dies and the other is sent to prison. While Bob moves on with his life (wife, family, business) The Beatles are always on his mind and they find ways to stay in touch. As the Beatles grow in fame, essentially becoming prisoners to their own fame, Dust Bin Bob is one of the last ties they have to normalcy and Bob joins them for the end of their last tour.

This is a remarkable book. Author Greg Kihn captures so much of The Beatles' history and rise that it feels like an insider's biography of the band. But at the same time, this really is the story of Dust Bin Bob who happens to be friends with the Fab Four. And it's also a little bit of a mystery, with Bob saving the day in Manilla. The fact that Kihn is able to use a number of true events (Stu Sutcliffe's death at a young age, and the disastrous stop in Manilla among others) and weave them comfortably into this story helps to make it feel so real.

This is a lot like reading the novel versions of Help! or A Hard Days Night, only better.

If you're a Beatles fan or a fan of adventurous fiction, or pop music in fiction, then you really need to read this book. It's just a whole lot of fun. I'm definitely going to look for more Greg Kihn books.

Looking for a good book? Rubber Soul by Greg Kihn feels like a Beatles biography, but it's a marvelous work of fiction about a man who is friends with the Fab Four, and this book should be greatly enjoyed by any Beatles fan.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

[Terric853 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book - a fictionalized account of how the Beatles got started. Robert Dingle lives with his father and two mean, evil step-brothers. His father owns an antiques shop and through the shop, Bob comes into contact with blues and rock and roll records from the states. One day, a brash young man enters the flea market (a Saturday extension of the shop) and finds some of the records. He's so excited about the records that he demands Bob let him listen to them, as he wants to use them in his fledgling act. The young man is John Lennon meeting Bob, whom he tags "Dust Bin Bob" changes both their lives forever.

The book parallels the rise of the Beatles with Bob's life. He joins the Merchant Marines and brings American records back from his stops there for the Beatles to hear/learn. (Greg Kihn, the author, says Bob grew out of a statement that John Lennon once made about how the Beatles learned music from a guy in the Merchant Marines who gave them records.) Bob is there in their early days; runs into them in Hamburg when his employment takes him there; reconnects with them when they go to America (he's settled in Baltimore, one of his ports of call, after meeting and marrying a girl and opening his own antiques shop there) and joins up with their tours. The Beatles see Bob as "one of them" because of his Liverpool roots and the fact that he helped them in their early days.

I enjoyed the fictionalized encounters between Bob and the Beatles and I liked that Kihn gave Bob his own story outside of the Beatles'. I also like how painstakingly Kihn was in detailing which records Bob brings to the Beatles. I have to admit that as a "Beatles baby," that it took me way into adulthood to realize that many of their early songs were covers, so that aspect struck a note with me.

I'd be curious to know what Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr would think of this book.

[Linda J. Sandahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this very much. I have to say that as a mystery it's pretty lax -- there is a murder, but it basically has nothing to do with the story as a whole and the solution doesn't matter particularly. Neither the victim nor the killer is an important character. So if readers are looking for a puzzle-type detective story with clues and suspects, they will not find that here.
It is most enjoyable, however, as a tour of the Beatles origins, with the Fab Four themselves, as well as John's Aunt Mimi and Brian Epstein as major characters. Greg Kihn's main character, a second hand goods dealer nicknamed Dustbin Bob, who starts out by obtaining and supplying the teenaged John Lennon with rare American rock and blues records, becomes a valued friend of the band, traveling with them to Hamburg, on tours in Europe, and eventually to America. Dustbin Bob is present when they buy their instruments, get their new haircuts from Astrid, and perform for the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret.
In fact, every time anything goes wrong in the band's career, Dustbin Bob seems to be there to save the day, leading up to a pretty thrilling denoument where he rescues them from an asassination attempt in Japan (by this time they were receiving threats).
This is a fun read, very well-researched, and full of honest affection for the four Beatles, and giving pretty good context for their early career for those who are not familiar with it.

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Rubber Soul" is a novel by Greg Kihn that features The Beatles. It's touted as a "murder mystery", but the murder doesn't happen until more than a third of the way through the book and I'm over half way through without another real mention of the mystery. That said, it isn't a bad read and if you ignore the "mystery" angle (which is easy to do), it really becomes a nice story of a Liverpool lad who befriends the Beatles and follows his personal dreams (and gets the girl) in America.

Until the last few chapters, when Kihn tries to wrap up his "mystery" in what is possibly the lamest set of contrivances I've ever read. Means? Summoned out of thin air. Opportunity? Yeah, I guess. Motive? We don't need no stinkin' motive.

Add an "epilogue" that doesn't really do anything but fill a couple of pages, and you have what appears to be a novel that the author simply got tired of writing. I didn't expect much from this book, and for a while I thought I might get more than expected from it. Sadly, the whole thing turned into a sad disappointment.

This book WAS a good example of how one can trade on minor decades-old celebrity to generate some more recent minor celebrity.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit of a disappointment for me. I found it drawn out and frankly, not very interesting. Oh for sure the historical parts about The Beatles was interesting (my son who is a big Beatles fan did not know about the Manila incident) but I found the author's prose and the overall story to be quite pedantic.

The author appears to vacillate between making this a coming of age story and Beatles 101. Every so often Dust Bin Bob and The Beatles hook up at which point the author throws in some Beatlemania incident. The supposed 'murder-mystery' is unrealistic and as you continue to read you totally forget about it.

A dull, disappointing read but given 3 stars because The Beatles are in it!

[Brett Bydairk · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was presented under the guise of a mystery surrounding the death threats made to the Beatles after their supposed "snub" of the Philippine government, but that is a very small part of the story, which is centered around Robert Dingle, a Liverpuddlian who makes friends with an up and coming band called The Beatles just before their first trip to Germany, The tale follows their friendship through the years, up until their last Asian tour, where the above adventure happens. The time frame then would be roughly from 1960 to 1966.
It's the story of the growth of both Dust Bin Bob, as John Lennon dubbed young Robert, and the band.
Well-written by someone who knows the rock world well, this is a pleasant few hours diversion.
Recommended.

[Elsie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I read this book because I loved the Beatles, because I new Greg Kihn slightly many, many, many years ago when he lived on Southway in Baltimore and because my brother edited the book. He was the kid who got the coveted record contract and went to L.A. to make it big. And he did very well.

As a very aging Beatle fan, I loved hearing more about the story of how the Beatles got their start. I'm not sure how many of the details are true, but it was a lively story. That said, my strongest impression of the book was that it was a 'guy's' book. The whole thing was very male centered - not a bad thing - just heavily drenched in testosterone. Good job, Greg.

[Catherine Stickann · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Rubber Soul” by Greg Kihn takes the kids of the sixties back in time with a delightful story based on The Beatles. Kihn, gives his readers the time, the people, and the music. Being a Beatles fan, I was not sure he could pull off a story I could enjoy, however I was far from disappointed. The read was fast paced; it kept me engulfed in my own memories of the times. Kihn’s background in music adds to the believability of the story. If you are looking for a light and enjoyable read, I recommend you check out “Rubber Soul” to take you back in time.
I won this book on Goodreads First Read giveaway.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perhaps my expectations were too high. I really, really wanted to love this book because of the subject matter (the Beatles). The writing was too rushed. Seemed to just rush quickly through situations and even time. The conversations were not realistic. I rarely "heard" these characters saying most of the conversations written. The main character was a little too "Forrest Gump" for me in that he insinuated himself into situations as though he made things happen. I read this book because I won the second in the series here on goodreads. I will read the second one. Even though it is about the Rolling Stones, I am hoping to enjoy it more than this one.

[Samuel Lam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and playful fictional tale of what The Beatles were like through the eyes of their friend Bob. Of course, a lot of this stuff was made up but it was really neat to see how certain parts of the bands' persona and history could have happened. I felt that this was a real nice opportunity to alter history in a way without changing any of the major points of it. I do wish that the build up to the climax of the story wasn't so abrupt towards the end. Still, it's a fun read for any Beatles fan.

[Susan Scribner · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cute idea but fell flat. Kihn may write catchy songs (and pun-tastic album titles - Kihnspiracy, Kihntagious, etc.) but he's nowhere near a polished author. I thought I would enjoy anything related to the Beatles but the one-dimensional characters and the poor plotting made this a chore to finish. The scenes with the Beatles added nothing to my understanding of or appreciation for the Fab Four, and the scenes without them were dull. Apparently there will be another Dustbin Bob book about the Rolling Stones. Fortunately, I don't like them enough to even be tempted.

[Michelle "Champ" · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first saw this author and it reminded me of a favorite 80's song. I second wanted to read the book because it's about my favorite band. I third wanted to on read this book in because it seemed cool. It was a lovely trip. I felt like I was hearing the Beatles tunes for the first time. I felt like I knew the boys. I loved Dust Bin Bob and thought, I wish I could have done those things. This was wonderful.

And when I finished the book, I saw it was indeed written by the musician from my childhood, Jeopardy. Great job Greg.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a life-long Beatle fan (and I've been around since the Ed Sullivan appearances), I was looking forward to reading this book. I found myself disappointed. The characters didn't come to life for me. The dialog and situations felt contrived. I didn't care what happened to Dustbin Bob or his rotten brothers.

It was fun to recall some of the early moments of the Beatles, but this book was not the stroll down Memory Lane I hoped for.

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author of this novel and murder mystery is himself a musician, so he can write about the start of the Beatles with some versimilitude, creating a close fan who sells used goods. They adopt him--especially since he brings them boxes of records which they then either cover, or change around. It starts out in Liverpool, and then part of it is in the United States, and around the world, as he travels with them. If you are a music or Beatles fan, you would probably like this.