Review: Claudette on the Keys

Claudette on the Keys by Joanne Culley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Inspired by true events, Claudette on the Keys is the story of Ida Fernley, whose stage name is Claudette, and her husband Harry, a Toronto-based duo piano team called the Black and White Spotters. They have made a name for themselves onstage and on radio, playing the latest tunes of the day by Irving Berlin and Cole Porter.
It is the winter of 1936 when the musical couple are laid off from their live weekly radio program due to a pullout by the sponsor, Shirriff’s Marmalade. After their home is re-possessed, desperation sets in.
When Ida plays free of charge for a charity concert at Shea’s Hippodrome, she happens to meet a British talent agent who is impressed by her virtuosic rendition of George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.” He invites her and Harry to come to London to work, where Ida experiences firsthand the rise of fascism there and in Germany. Whenever she finds herself in a tough spot, she draws inspiration from her movie-star hero Claudette Colbert.

Review: The Girl on the Train

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Very suspenseful story. A girl travels every day on a train through London and sees many things each day. It seems very innocent at the outset but as the story deepens we begin to see another side of the issue.

Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy. And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar. Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train...

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