Walk Out of Darkness

By Arlene Karson

“You have lovely legs, Ellen. Too bad you have to hide them in those white stockings and monstrous shoes.”

Nurse Ellen James is a surgical nurse who loves her job—and she also loves Chet Matthews, an up-and-coming publicity executive. Chet has been begging her for the last few months to marry him, but she just can’t bring herself to say yes, because he insists she give up her career if they marry. Then Chet comes up with the idea to stage a three-day walkathon on Padre Island off the Texas coast and asks Ellen to come along as part of the support crew—and she decides this would be a good opportunity to put her love to the test as well. She’ll be working alongside Dr. Tom Phillips, a former surgeon now working in public health because a tragedy from his past had left him struggling with an overwhelming grief. But when a brutal storm blows up and one of the contestants comes down with acute appendicitis, Ellen discovers that Dr. Tom may not have what it takes to handle the crisis. Can she believe enough in her own strength and skill to pull everyone through? And will Chet stand up to assist her, proving himself to be a man she can rely on for life, or does Tom have what it takes to deliver in the end when he has her to lean on?

“The novel is well-paced, its writing clear and incisive, and the interest never lags. Denise is interesting and alive, and the same can be said for the other characters. There are vivid descriptions of the country and situations that make good reading for a long evening.” The Province, December 1949