I am (NOT) the Walrus (review)

3/5 stars
Sometimes you enjoy a book but it just doesn't stick out in your mind.  I am (NOT) the Walrus", was short, fast paced and very readable.  However, it was also not very memorable.

Toby is a shy bass-player, a little stuck on his ex-girlfriend, with some self esteem issues.  His family is living in Port Jackson, struggling to stay afloat financially.  The only reason he even has a bass is that his brother joined the military and splurged on musical equipment.

Or at least that's what Toby thinks.  The more he starts to play, booking a gig as a Beatle's cover band with his mate Zach, the more he starts to realize that the bass may not be exactly what it seems.  While trying to do some repairs, Toby finds a note and a phone number inside the bass.

"PLEASE. If you find this note inside the bass, then the instrument has been stolen. Please, please, please, return it to me as soon as you can. The instrument is everything to me, and without it my entire life will be meaningless." 

That discovery leads him on an adventure with shady characters, old music stores and stories of the "lost" Fender guitars from the 60s.  It's an interesting little tale.  I would have liked to know more about the history of the famous lost instruments.  Somehow the stakes never seem high enough in this book.  Even when a creepy man is chasing Toby trying to steal the guiar, the answer seems easy.  Get rid of the guitar and get rid of the problem.

That wouldn't solve all of Toby's problem.  His mother is running out of money and needs a job.  His brother is most likely a thief.  But since the book revolves around the bass guitar, it would resolve the plot of the book fairly quickly.

Like I said, the book is readable.  The  male leaders are funny, self deprecating and very likable.  I enjoy the interspersed horoscopes and the tidbits of rock and roll history.  The descriptions of playing music were nice, making me understand the feelings without being overdrawn.  But there was something lacking about the story.  But if you're really interested in music and are looking for a quick read you might enjoy this.