Publisher's Synopsis
Roll Back is a delightful, fun filled adventure of Pete Greer and his 15 year old granddaughter, Emily. The story is set in the picturesque town of Snohomish, Washington, just north of Seattle. It begins as Pete, a retired school teacher in his mid-60s, tells of the events that lead to his time travels with Emily.
Pete describes the paralyzing grief and melancholy that plagued him with the loss of his wife to cancer. After a year of bereavement Pete's three children encouraged him to sell the family home and purchase an old Victorian house he and his wife dreamed of buying for years. He knows he must do something to shake off his lack of motivation and sorrow. He agrees with his kids, sells his home and buys the old house. It is located on one of Snohomish's many hills not far from the old downtown area next to the Snohomish River.
The old house was one of the first built in the town. As Pete works to renovate the old house he discovers a time portal hidden in an old carriage house located at the back of the property. This discovery was aided by an elderly gentleman named Henry Jorgansen who happens to be the previous owner of the house. He is also the guardian of the portal.
Henry teaches Pete about the workings of the portal and turns its care over to him. Pete soon learns the ropes of time travel and ventures back to the Snohomish of the 1950s. He rents an apartment in 1958, a few blocks from the Victorian. Here he meets Dorothy, his neighbor, who is also a retired school teacher. The two hit it off and a budding romance soon develops.
Emily's unexpected discovery of the portal results in her joining her grandfather in his travels to the past. The two decide it would be a fun adventure for Emily to attend school at Snohomish High for the Fall quarter in 1958. Needless to say the nostalgic view of the 1950s does not quite jive with reality. What started off as a fun filled couple of months ends up with some life-changing adventures for both Pete and Emily.
With the exception of the main characters, the events, locations, and many of the people mentioned in the story are highly accurate. These places and people really existed, many of them still present over 50 years later.
