Mary Beth McIntire just wants a quiet summer in 2017. Mark Ryan wants to know what’s hidden in the basement of the same house in 1959. When Mark discovers a key and a few mysterious crystals, he gets his answer and Mary Beth’s quiet summer is ruined thanks to his appearance. The summer vacation that follows was more than Mary Beth and her younger sister, Piper could imagine in this decade or the fifties.
I want to preface this review by saying that I have the utmost respect for John Heldt. He breathes life into the past, his dedication to research and accuracy is admirable, and he clearly has a passion for what he does.
That’s probably why Class of ‘59 felt like such a step down after The Mine and Indiana Belle. Especially Indiana Belle.
To be fair, it’s as well researched and put together as Heldt’s other works. If you have any sense of nostalgia for the 1950s, this is still definitely the book for you, but it could have been much more. While his other works had interesting conflicts and/or exciting plots, Class of ‘59 felt like a fluff piece on how great the 1950s were. Both The Mine and Indiana Belle felt like well-rounded snapshots, so I was hoping for something similar here. What conflict exists is underplayed in favor of small talk and simply strolling around the era.
So, if you want to take a break and step into the 1950’s and like romance, Class of ‘59 is a solid read. Like Heldt’s other books it’s also a good example of how to put together and execute a historical era. For you writers out there. However, if you’re looking for something with a bit more excitement, you might want to take a look at some of Heldt’s other work.