The Rehearsal Club

by Kate Fodor, Laurie Petrou

A mystery spans decades at the Rehearsal Club in this story of sisterhood, friendship and following your dreams under marquee lights.

Twelve-year-old Pal Gallagher is a newly minted New Yorker who loves to make people laugh and is hoping to find kindred spirits in her new city. Her older sister, Naomi, lives at the Rehearsal Club, a historic boarding house for aspiring actresses. Pal quickly gets swept up in the glamor and high-stakes of the theater world, and is drawn into a decades-old mystery about Posy, a boarder who was kicked out of the Club for reasons unknown.

In 1954, Olive feels like she is working harder than anyone to make it to Broadway — along with the forty-four other young women who live at the Rehearsal Club. In comparison, her carefree friend Posy is making it look easy. Tensions rise when the two audition for the same part, kicking off a series of events that lead to Posy’s departure.

What really happened all those years ago? The truth involves a Broadway play called The Weekend House, a necklace and a secret that Olive has kept all these years — until Pal and her new friends start digging into the past. What they learn could change the very fate of the Rehearsal Club itself.

Genres: Middle Grade, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Canada, Fiction

352 pages, Paperback

Published February 4, 2025

Reviews

[Kate Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful story centering around the Rehearsal Club in New York City, a boarding house/rehearsal space for young women in the arts. In the 1950s we have Posy and Olive, two aspiring actresses in competition for the same Broadway role; in the present day we have starstruck Paloma who visits her big sister in the Rehearsal Club and digs into the mystery of exactly what happened to Olive and Posy back in the day. Just a charmer, top to toe.

[Vikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book!
The characters were written so well and I could picture every scene perfectly. I loved Pal’s humour. I loved the Hamilton references. I loved trying to put all the pieces of the puzzle together. The fact that I now want to go and research the actual Rehearsal Club should tell you all how much I loved this book even though it’s probably aimed more at the younger generation, I promise adults will really enjoy it too.

5 stars.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

#TheRehearsalClub

[Allie Dusome · Rating 5 out of 5]

Someone described The Rehearsal Club as a warm hug, and that’s exactly how it felt reading it. I have a tendency to fall deeply in love with the characters Laurie Petrou creates, and this was no different. Pal and Posy were utterly lovable—full of life, spark, and heart. Their unique personalities shone on the pages, making it impossible not to root for them.

I also have to applaud the thoughtful and subtle inclusion of representation. The presence of a lovable, introverted, non-binary character is a beautiful example of how inclusive writing can create space for children to see themselves in stories where they may not have before. It’s done with such ease and authenticity, making the book feel even more special.

Ten out of ten. Adored. Now go buy five copies for your local library so the next generation of readers can be inspired by the incredible work of Kate Fodor and Laurie Petrou!

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and House of Anansi Press Inc. for access to this title. I am auto-approved by this publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

This middle-grade novel is about two sisters, a theatre club in New York City, and a puzzling mystery from the 1950's. The chapters alternate between Paloma( Pal) in the present and Olive in 1954.

As much as I adore youthful protagonists, theatre settings, and dual timelines, I didn't enjoy this one. I didn't like Pal. I understand that younger siblings often grow attached as Pal was very attached to her big sister, Naomi. But I question why a 12-year-old would think her grown sibling's friends would be her friends and always want her hanging around. I believe the story was considerably better once Pal made her eccentric group of friends. They were funny! In my opinion, Pal came across as an 8 or 9-year-old. If I think about the 12-year-olds I know, she was incredibly immature.





#TheRehearsalClub #NetGalley
Expected Publication 04/02/25
Goodreads review published 27/01/25

[Sandra Ingram · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this delightful book. I loved Pal and her intrepid band of friends, who were so determined to save the day for The Rehearsal Club, which is such an intriguing part of New York theater history. The book had everything my younger self would have loved - theater, a mystery, and a plucky heroine. And the fact that Carol Burnett actually lived there is a swoon-worthy piece of this
comfortable, non-violent, and entirely engaging book. As I read it, I could picture everything happening - this book is such a natural for a feel-good film. I am a 54-year-old reader, and it made me smile so much, even though it's aimed at younger readers. Highly recommend if you need a palate cleanser from the world, and want to lose yourself for a few hours.
Bravo.

[Sylvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this feel-good read and fell in love with Pal and her spirited group of friends as they tried to save The Rehearsal Club, a fascinating piece of actual New York theatre history that was once home to comedienne, Carol Burnett. With plenty of humour, mystery, and heart, the story drew me in so completely that I could picture every scene. The characters felt genuine and the mix of a good puzzle with a rich historical backdrop made me want to learn more about the real Rehearsal Club. I think middle grade readers would enjoy a warm, feel-good story that’s full of charm, mystery, and adventure.

[Laura Bontje · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored every minute of this book! The characters in each timeline were full of life and passion and their own distinct personalities, and it was intriguing to see how their stories intertwined. The Rehearsal Club feels like a character of its own, a rich and welcoming space for the young women it housed. Heartfelt, funny, and full of history, this is a beautiful story about mistakes, dreams, and finding your people.

[Virginia]

I was excited to put this Canadian book on my list as a possible gift for my granddaughter until I saw it's set in NYC. Seriously? I purchase and read books by Canadian authors for a reason, and there's no reason to keep this one on the list, unless someone can assure me that the characters give up their Broadway dreams and decide King Street West in Toronto is a better prospect. Nope for now.

[LS Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction mystery about The Rehearsal Club set in both current times and the 1950s. Posy is a plucky character and her parts of the story moved quickly, which I think was needed since this was the historical portion of the book. I liked Pal and her group of friends that work together to solve the mystery of what happened to Posy.

[Denisele · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this as an audio book. it was an easy, light summer book. the main character was mostly likable. as it approached the ending, it seemed a little silly to me - mostly a mom agreeing to drive a group of young girls two hours to talk to someone they don't know and who isn't expecting them?

[MG · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. This was a cutely charming middle grade book. It wasn't the most exciting one I've read, but it was solid and would've appealed to me when I was younger. I know I really would've liked the characters, setting, and overall tone.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, the drama of being 12: not quite a kid anymore, but not yet a teen, much less an adult. Add in the drama of new school, new city, a mystery from the past and actual performing on stage, I just wasn't in the mood for this. It wasn't bad per se, but unable to finish.

[Elsa Koehler · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was really good, but there was a 'they' character- which honestly just made parts of it really confusing. The whole time I didn't know if they were a boy or a girl, so it was just weird. Annoying that they put that stuff in kid's books

[Sierra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted this to be better than it was :/

[Terrie Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. Well developed characters snd a storyline that was easy to follow. I really enjoyed this, and it’s great for adults or YA. Great mystery that draws the reader in to figure out. ❤️💚🩷

[Steph Spone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute, funny, characters are lovable and relatable.

[Sheridan Grace]

Such a heartwarming and good read. As a theatre kid I felt right at home with these kids who I would have loved to be my own friend group at that age.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute