The Last Train to Key West

Chanel Cleeton deftly blends the stories of three very different women who all find themselves in Key West, Florida the fateful Labor Day weekend of 1935 in her latest novel The Last Train to Key West (#981).  Alternating viewpoints, we first meet Helen, an abused and heavily pregnant waitress working at Ruby's Diner near the train station.  She is near the end of her emotional tether.  Next, Mirta is a brand new Cuban bride fresh off the ferry from Havana.  She knows little about her husband Anthony yet, except that he is rich and involved in criminal activities in New York and Cuba.  She doesn't even know how to order Anthony's coffee when they stop in at Ruby's.  Lastly, we meet Elizabeth, a striking redhead who has fled her fiancé in New York City to find a man.  All she knows is that the last letter from him was postmarked Key West, Florida.  Now that she's here, how will she locate him when she can't even afford the piece of Ruby's famous key lime pie that her waitress has just put in front of her?

The fates of these women are bound together as a monstrous hurricane approaches the Florida Keys.  By the time the forecasts are confirmed, it's too late for most of the people in the Keys to evacuate.  In a last ditch attempt to rescue the hundreds of WWI veterans who are living in makeshift camps while they work on building the Overseas Highway, the government has sent a train for them and waiting civilians.  It will literally be the last train to Key West.

I must admit, I picked up this book because of the historical background.  The Labor Day hurricane of 1935 was one of the most destructive storms to hit the United States.  The loss of life and property was staggering, as described here.  You may not be able to appreciate just how isolated the Keys are unless you have driven from the mainland to Key West over miles of bridges.  Ms. Cleeton captures that extremely well here, as well as the elements of lawlessness and independence which still prevail to a great extent there today.  If you only think of Hemingway and sunset drinking rituals when you think of Key West, this is an interesting way to broaden your perspective.