Lori is a drummer with a lot of talent but no band. After repeatedly trying to land a gig on her own, she decides to form her own rock band, and to call it The Tockleys. Her fellow band members are Jude on lead guitar and Luk on the bass guitar. Luk is a wild punk kid who attends university, but his hands are absolute magic on the strings of a guitar. Jude is clean-living Buddhist and Lori’s best friend. His talents lie toward vocals rather than the guitar. Together they click, and while they don’t always get along, the music they write and play makes them a family.

Like any family, The Tockleys have their share of dramas. Luk and Jude are attracted to each other, and while Jude is admittedly gay, Luk is skittish and fears the reaction of his family. Lori has a problem with drugs and alcohol along with an abusive punk musician boyfriend. Jude feels caught in the middle, and when Lori has a tragedy that almost ends her life, Jude blames himself for being caught up in his love for Luk and not noticing what was going wrong with Lori. Will The Tockleys manage to stay together regardless of the forces trying to pull the band apart? It will take a lot of love, a little luck, and the help of a famous friend to see them through their crisis.

This is another unique novel by Laney Cairo, who creates fresh and original characters and never tells the same story twice. In The Tockleys, she introduces readers to the members of a budding Australian rock band. Ms. Cairo makes you see her characters as real people, and this novel does not try to pretty up anything to do with their lives. They all have problems: they are poor and have to hold down menial jobs to pay rent on overcrowded and sometimes roach-infested apartments, they have problems with substance abuse, they even have weird relationships. They also have a passion for their music, energy to spare, and a love for each other that makes them truly remarkable. As I read The Tockleys, I was reminded of a movie titled The Commitments about a group of young musicians struggling in Dublin. They may have different stories and locales on opposite sides of the globe, but the two bands face the same struggle for survival in the inhospitable world of music. For its mix of gritty realism, strong characterization, and youthful energy, I endorse The Tockleys as a recommended read. This is a good one, folks.

Reviewed by: Whitney