Return to Bodie by Rita Weisheit
Rita Weisheit takes her readers on a journey through towns, states and time in her meticulously researched historical novel Return to Bodie (Barnes and Noble Press). What begins as a story centered around complicated family dynamics and the urge to leave the past behind quickly turns into a lesson on appreciating where you came from and the people you’ve met along the way.
Phoebe Tucker tends to be an avoidant person, but there is nothing she avoids more than returning home to Nevada. While she misses her parents and siblings, she knows visiting them will lead to questions about her new life in Iowa. When she moved away, she did so in hopes of a happier, more exciting life, and the only thing worse than admitting to herself that her plan failed would be admitting it to her parents.
But when Phoebe gets a call from her great-grandfather, J.W., announcing that he is throwing himself a birthday party, Phoebe has no choice but to make the trek home. After all, she is his favorite among the great-grandchildren and her absence would break his heart. Surely she can suffer through a few personal questions from her parents to see the joy on his face.
THE PARTY OF THE CENTURY
On the day of his party, J.W. announces that he wants to take a road trip. He desires to go no place other than Bodie, the now-California State Historic Park that was once his fast-paced hometown. Phoebe is among the first to agree, and the family makes the trip with J.W.
Phoebe can tell that J.W.’s return to his old town is stirring up suppressed emotions. As they walk through Bodie’s deteriorating cemetery, he pauses at certain headstones, but never says a word. Phoebe attempts to console J.W. when the family returns to his house, but he appears agitated by her efforts. Instead, he ushers her and her younger brother, Will, into the barn and explains that he has something to show them.
What happens next will set Phoebe and Will on an adventure to solve a century-old riddle, helped along the way by a colorful cast of characters, all connected to the town of Bodie. There is the welcoming lady who runs a boarding house, her young and impressionable son, and most of all, there is Newton Stanford. Phoebe and Newton’s connection is evident from the beginning. He finds humor in her short, borderline-rude responses, and she slowly softens up to his charm.
A STORY THAT TRANSCENDS GENERATIONS
The relationships formed by the characters found in Return to Bodie are among the most compelling aspects of the novel. Not only is the chemistry between Phoebe and Newton natural, but Phoebe’s complicated relationship with her family and the new friendships she forms are genuine. By the end of the book, the characters feel like old friends, and you’ll be reluctant to leave them behind.
Careful attention to historic detail makes this novel a great read for anyone who is drawn to stories based on real places or events. It is only through this lens of the past that Phoebe can re-evaluate her plans for the future. Sometimes it takes coming home to find your true destiny.
