A novel of love, war and kindness, inspired by a true story of medical genius and betrayal.
Sydney, 1948.
Brilliant German surgeon, Hugo Winter, is dead, and his protégé, Lucy Brynne, is tasked with sorting his papers. Among them, Lucy finds glimpses of Hugo's past that paint a disturbing picture of war and prejudice - a portrait of Australia she can barely recognise.
Days later, an intriguing patient comes into her care on the orthopaedic ward at Sydney Hospital: one Mr Jim Cleary. Lucy's experience as an army physiotherapist, as well as her own very personal knowledge of pain, tell her there's more to this man's fractured leg than meets the eye.
As she pieces together who Jim Cleary really is and the truth behind his injury, she not only falls for his laconic charm, but discovers the rival surgeon who relentlessly persecuted Hugo - the same man who has every intention of shattering Jim's life completely now.
Inspired by a true story of medical genius and betrayal, Walking is a crisply told tale of bigotry and obsession, love and devastation, and one that charts the transformative power of kindness above all.
'colourful, evocative and energetic'
Sydney Morning Herald
deeply moving...alive, full-hearted and shimmering with hope' - Belinda Castles, Bluebottle
'Kelly is a masterful creator of character and voice.' - Julian Leatherdale, Palace of Tears
'history that makes you think as well as feel' - Wendy James, The Golden Child
'an author who writes with such a striking sense of atmosphere and sublime instinct' - Theresa Smith Writes
'storytelling is clearly encoded in her DNA' - Writerful Books
'It is uplifting to know that there are people who can write like this, with clarity, a bit of devilment and a hint of a smile.' Canberra Times
'marvellous depth and authenticity based on some impressive research, and her characters, plot and fluid prose draw the reader into this world' - Daily Telegraph
'colourful, evocative and energetic' - Sydney Morning Herald
'storytelling that breaks the rules so beautifully' - Jenn J McLeod, A Place to Remember
'Kim Kelly's writing is magnificent' - With Love for Books
'told with wit, warmth and courage' - Kylie Mason, The Newtown Review of Books
Author Biography:
Kim Kelly is the author of eight novels exploring Australia and its history, including the acclaimed Wild Chicory, The Blue Mile, and UK Pigeonhole favourite, Paper Daisies. Her stories shine a bright light on some forgotten corners of the past and tell the tales of ordinary people living through extraordinary times. With warmth and lyrical charm, Kim leads her readers into difficult terrain, exploring themes of bigotry, class conflict, disadvantage and violence in our shared history - issues that resonate through the social and political landscape of Australia and the world today. A widely respected book editor and literary consultant by trade, stories fill her everyday - most nights, too - and it's love that fuels her intellectual engine. Love between lovers, friends, strangers; love of country; love of story. In fact, she takes love so seriously she once donated a kidney to her husband to prove it, and also to save his life. Originally from Sydney, today Kim lives on a small rural property in central New South Wales just outside the tiny gold-rush village of Millthorpe, where the ghosts are mostly friendly and her grown sons regularly come home to graze.
