Winner of the 2010 Qld Premier’s Literary Award for Best Emerging Author
‘The year ahead was the one where first Stephen, then JD, then Barrington, then me, would all leave teenage life behind. Yet here we were still, unsure if we would ever break free. Something had to change. And something was about to.’
For a group of young people on the cusp of adulthood, music is their bond. RPM follows Neil’s tentative early forays with girls, his fumbling attempts at musical greatness with his band and his dreams of leaving small-town confines behind.
Along with a lively cast of characters -- JD the DJ, Stephen the Mod, Peaches, Jools One and Jools Two, Neil is drawn to returning London-based musician Ray Peter Manning and his record store, RPM. Drawn together by their shared love of ‘60s rock and surrounded by the offerings of old vinyl, this unlikely group of friends find a way to drown out the sorrow of the past and plot their youthful dreams of escape.
Set in the early 1980s, this award-winning coming-of-age story vividly portrays small-town life and its challenges for young people on the edge of adulthood. RPM is a story with a big heart and a wry grin.
‘This is a book with heart, delicate characterisation and a striking sense of place: the small-town world with its wide open spaces and narrow minds, and the vibrant music aficionados scene that springs up around the record store RPM come together in a way that is both idealised and deeply honest.’Bookseller + Publisher
‘A warm, promising first novel that hails the outsider as hero. We all have a relationship with music, we were all young and confused at one point. This book celebrates the way a song can help straighten the path of even the most wayward youth.’ Courier Mail
‘Mengel's book is full of music, with a song list that is a joyous and nostalgic saunter through the 1970s and '80s. The tone of small-town suffocation, of not fitting in but finding a way to survive, rings completely true.’ Herald-Sun
‘RPM has some lovely scenes depicting growing up and reaching beyond.’ Saturday Age
‘You will be taken on an enchanting excursion full of magical moments told with fluency and sympathetic humour.’ Toowoomba Chronicle
‘RPM meanders, like a collection of memories rather than a narrative, but engages via mood and character. It is written with a light, rewarding touch.’ One for the RocKwiz fans.’ Sunday Age
‘You will be taken on an enchanting excursion full of magical moments told with fluency and sympathetic humour.’ Northern Star
‘RPM is a coming-of-age story for music lovers and non-music lovers alike.’ Good Reading
‘RPM has a wistful, The Year My Voice Broke vibe and a meandering sense of nostalgia.’ MX Melbourne
‘RPM is an absolute cracker – it’s a long time since I enjoyed a book so much and I read a lot – I didn’t want it to end.’ L. Smith
‘Queensland writer Noel Mengel's debut novel RPM is a joyous read, charting a year of change within the lives of a group of music-loving misfits poised on the brink of adulthood.’ Road Ahead
