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 In the early '60s, the girl group the Annas ruled rock 'n' roll. Lead singer Anna Dubower, "the haunted-eyed, raven-haired incarnation of the true church of rock 'n' roll," has two Number 1 hits, an affair with John Lennon, and endless promise. Then comes the British Invasion, and overnight the Annas' passionate music falls from favor.
In a desperate attempt to reconquer the charts, the Annas and their producer, Punky Solomon, make one last record: Love Will Cut You Like a Knife. The disc flops, but 30 years later it's all over the movies and TV its highly suspect writing credits intact.
Dink Stephenson, songwriter for the Annas, narrates the tale. On a moon-bright New York rooftop in August 1966, Dink proposes to Anna; for reasons never understood, she holds back her answer, and a few months later she's dead.
Thus unfolds a tale rich in secrets. Part fascinating slice of rock 'n' roll history, part legal drama, part cold case mystery, Meet the Annas is a stunning read: a book you won't be able to put down until all of Anna Dubower's true, harrowing story is revealed.
Reviews
"In Meet the Annas, Robert Dunn has brought the world of '60s pop to life with the precision and veracity of Nabokov. Every detail is a thing to savor. This is a fully musical work of literature, a book with a beat so good you could almost dance to it."
— David Hajdu, author of Positively Fourth Street
"A lawsuit over rights to a suddenly popular 1960s ditty fuels a lively
rock and roll nostalgia trip in Dunn's latest "musical novel." Songwriter
Dink Stephenson, his partner, Princess Diamond, and producer, Punky Solomon,
engineered the mid-'60s success of New York "bad girl" trio the Annas,
fronted by the mega-sexy, beehived and heavily mascara'd Anna Dubower.
The Annas score two #1 hits, but their time at the top is cut short by the
British Invasion. The band's fate is sealed when Anna suddenly and
mysteriously dies three months after comeback single "Love Will Cut You
Like a Knife" flops. Thirty years later, the song is hot on television and
movie soundtracks, and narrator Dink sues Punky and one of Punky's shady
associates over song rights. As the lawsuit progresses, Dink, who
carried a giant torch for Anna back in the day, investigates Anna's death and
turns up a few surprises. Dunn (Pink Cadillac; Soul Cavalcade) writes great
entertainment. Fans of towering beehives and classic hip-swaying,
harmony-driven pop will definitely want to take a look."
— Publishers Weekly 2/12/07
"From New York's Brill Building to a certain L.A. studio with a golden touch, Meet the Annas has it all: suspense, spot-on detail, and a big helping of true romance. Anyone who felt a pang of loss as Merseybeat invaders drove girl groups off U.S. airwaves will get a major charge from Dunn's latest."
— Lewis Shiner, author of Glimpses
"Dunn mixes his passion for the era's girl groups and their music with a keen eye for detail that brings this dark tale to life. If you liked Dreamgirls, you'll love Meet the Annas."
— Jim Fusilli, award-winning author of Hard, Hard City
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