Book Summary
“Someday they’ll go down together / they’ll bury them side by side. / To few it’ll be grief / To the law a relief / But it’s death for Bonnie and Clyde.”
The story of America’s most infamous crime spree told in the raw and honest voice of the woman who lived it, Bonnie Parker.
Texas: 1931. Bonnie Parker’s dreams of the limelight and a white picket fence are on hold. She’s a waitress in Dallas, endlessly writing letters to the governor pleading for the release of the man she loves: a reckless, quick-smiling boy named Clyde Barrow, sentenced to fourteen years at the notorious Eastham prison farm.
When Clyde is paroled early, Bonnie thinks their life is about to really begin. But Clyde has changed in prison. Distant, damaged, and dogged by the cops, he knows it’s only a matter of time before the law tries to lock him up again. That’s not something he or Bonnie can bear. When he’s fired from his job—and now breaking parole—he decides to make a run for it. Leave Texas. Get enough cash to make a fresh start in a new state. And, of course, he wants his beloved Bonnie to come with him.
It’s just one stolen car. One robbed bank. Then, they can have the life they always wanted. Or so they think, as they set out.
Unflinching and yet deeply empathetic, Jenni L. Walsh’s Side by Side tells the story of America’s most iconic outlaws.
“Even knowing what will happen, readers are likely to wish the devoted pair well before they’re given up by a former partner in crime, when Clyde Barrow is 25 and Bonnie Parker 23. Moving historical fiction that vividly portrays the life and times of Bonnie and Clyde.” – Booklist
“Jenni L. Walsh has written my favorite kind of novel. She’s taken a name we’re all familiar with and breathed life into the legend. The result is a deftly researched, compassionate rendering of Bonnie Parker, one of the most fascinating women in recent history. With great empathy and skill Walsh portrays Bonnie’s collision course with disaster, allowing us to ride shotgun all the way. And what a compelling ride it is!” – Ariel Lawhon, author of I Was Anastasia
“Compulsively readable, Walsh’s prose hooks you from the beginning as Bonnie and Clyde come alive for the reader, their exploits leaping off the page. Atmospheric, action-packed, and richly detailed, Side by Side will delight historical fiction fans”. – Chanel Cleeton, author of Next Year in Havana
“Full of charm and sly humor, Side by Side tells the story of Bonnie and Clyde’s slide from lovebirds to jailbirds—and what an action-packed story it is! Vivid storytelling and a few shots of humanity breathe new life into this notorious duo. This book should be on everyone’s “most wanted” list this summer.” – Elise Hooper, author of The Other Alcott
Author Bio
Jenni L. Walsh worked for a decade enticing readers as an award-winning advertising copywriter before becoming an author. Her passion lies in transporting readers to another world, be it in historical or contemporary settings. She is a proud graduate of Villanova University, and lives in the Philly suburbs with her husband, daughter, son, and newfypoo. She is also the author of Becoming Bonnie and the forthcoming middle grade series She Dared.