Walking on Fire

A Novel

By: Kathryn Crawley

Narrated by: Justine Reiss

Greece. Politics. Love. Danger.

Reeling from a failed marriage and spurred on by a burgeoning sense of feminism, twenty-five-year-old Kate accepts a position as a speech therapist in a center for children with cerebral palsy in Thessaloniki, Greece. It is 1974, and the recent end of Greece’s seven-year dictatorship has ignited a fiery anti-American sentiment within the country. Despite this, as her Greek improves, Kate teaches communication to severely disabled children, creates profound friendships, and finds a home in the ancient and historied city.

From a dramatic Christmas pig slaughter to a mesmerizing fire walking ceremony, her world expands rapidly—even more so when she falls in love with Thanasis, a handsome Communist. Through Thanasis, Kate meets people determined to turn a spotlight on their former dictators’ massacre of university students, as well as their record of widespread censorship and torture of dissidents. The more she learns, the more her loyalty to her country and almost everything she was taught in her conservative home state of Texas is challenged.

Kate is transformed by her odyssey, but when her very safety is threatened by the politics of her lover, she must choose: risk everything to stay with Thanasis and the Greece that has captured her heart, or remove herself from harm’s way by returning to her homeland?

©2023 Kathryn Crawley (P)2025 Kathryn Crawley

Not Just a Chick Book

What an adventure for a young Texas woman to go to Greece and not be able to speak the language. On top of that, she is a speech therapist to help young Greek children. On top of that, she can't speak Greek. If those things aren't enough of a challenge, it's a time when being an American in that country could be unhealthy. Then she falls in love. But what is he really? As she finds that her new love could be someone she doesn't really know, is she in danger? Can she extricate herself? Where will this all take her? Enjoy this book

Fantastic Story of Adventure and Self-Discovery

I started reading the paper version of this story, but when I saw the audiobook version was released, I pivoted to audio (my favorite way to read :)) and this version did not disappoint. I enjoyed the adventure, self-discovery and Greek setting. The narrator was fantastic as well. Loved it.