First of the True Believers

Successful mystery writer Paul Charles turns to his own music promotion background to fashion this novel about an almost-Beatle. Among the other less-celebrated Merseybeat groups of the late 50s were The Nighttime Passengers, led by Theodore Hennessy, who—according to his own testimony at least—very nearly replaced Peter Best as drummer of the Fab Four. First of the True Believers tells of a decade in the life of this young man, starting with his first meeting with the beautiful and elusive Marianne Burgess, and follows their on and off romance and his rise to prominence as a musician and music agent. Intertwined is the story of the Beatles themselves. Undaunted by his near miss with stardom, Theo remains an enthusiastic Beatles fan and follows their progress with interest. This novel charts the rise of the group through the eyes and ears of a fan, from their early days in Hamburg, through the years of success, to the bitter breakup that signaled the end of the "Decade of Love." Paul Charles is the author of the Christy Kennedy mystery series and a music promoter with his own London-based Asgard Promotions (Elvis Costello, CS & N, Van Morrison).