Bonnie and Clyde may be the most infamous—and celebrated—outlaw couple America has ever known. This is the true story of how they got that way.

“Takes readers on a wild spree, masterfully capturing the zeitgeist of Depression-era America, when dead-ends and despair could turn teenagers into killers, and killers into legends.”—Candace Fleming, award-winning author of The Family Romanov

“Mean, tragic, and glamorous.”—Deborah Noyes, author of Ten Days a Madwoman

Bonnie and Clyde.

They’ve been a notorious outlaw couple for almost a hundred years, and they’re still a part of pop culture—known for being star-crossed lovers as much as violent killers. But how did two young Depression-era criminals become larger-than-life legends?

Karen Blumenthal’s breathtaking true story of love, crime, and murder traces Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow’s wild path from dirt-poor Dallas teens to their astonishingly violent end and the complicated legacy that survives them both. This is an impeccably researched, captivating portrait of an infamous couple and the unforgivable choices they made.
© Hodges Photographers Chase Rouse
KAREN BLUMENTHAL, a veteran financial journalist, writes The Wall Street Journal’s Family Money column. She is also the author of Grande Expectations: A Year in the Life of Starbucks’ Stock, which was named one of the five best investing reads of 2007 by Kiplinger’s magazine. She lives in Dallas. View titles by Karen Blumenthal
“Through vivid narrative and meticulous research, Karen Blumenthal takes readers on a wild spree, masterfully capturing the zeitgeist of Depression-era America, when dead-ends and despair could turn teenagers into killers, and killers into legends.”—Candace Fleming, award-winning author of The Family Romanov and Amelia Lost

“Mean, tragic, and glamorous, Bonnie and Clyde live on in legend as depraved dreamers and notorious outlaws-in-love. Blumenthal’s account of their real-life rise and fall is a vivid tale of poverty, violence, and celebrity in Depression-era America.”—Deborah Noyes, author of Ten Days a Madwoman and The Magician and the Spirits

“I knew the names Bonnie and Clyde, and that they were famous outlaws—but I was amazed by the twists and turns of their lives on the run. Blumenthal does a fantastic job separating myth from fact, turning romanticized legend into a hard-boiled true crime story.”—Steve Sheinkin, three-time National Book Award finalist and author of many acclaimed books including Undefeated, Most Dangerous, and The Port Chicago 50

“Blumenthal has written more than a crime narrative or a biography of the famous outlaws Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker. The book presents a social and cultural snapshot of the duo’s times.”School Library Journal

“Through her use of narrative nonfiction, Blumenthal builds a gripping story for readers of all ages. . .Blumenthal weaves her detailed account of history into a suspenseful tale that reads very much like a novel.”Voya

About

Bonnie and Clyde may be the most infamous—and celebrated—outlaw couple America has ever known. This is the true story of how they got that way.

“Takes readers on a wild spree, masterfully capturing the zeitgeist of Depression-era America, when dead-ends and despair could turn teenagers into killers, and killers into legends.”—Candace Fleming, award-winning author of The Family Romanov

“Mean, tragic, and glamorous.”—Deborah Noyes, author of Ten Days a Madwoman

Bonnie and Clyde.

They’ve been a notorious outlaw couple for almost a hundred years, and they’re still a part of pop culture—known for being star-crossed lovers as much as violent killers. But how did two young Depression-era criminals become larger-than-life legends?

Karen Blumenthal’s breathtaking true story of love, crime, and murder traces Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow’s wild path from dirt-poor Dallas teens to their astonishingly violent end and the complicated legacy that survives them both. This is an impeccably researched, captivating portrait of an infamous couple and the unforgivable choices they made.

Author

© Hodges Photographers Chase Rouse
KAREN BLUMENTHAL, a veteran financial journalist, writes The Wall Street Journal’s Family Money column. She is also the author of Grande Expectations: A Year in the Life of Starbucks’ Stock, which was named one of the five best investing reads of 2007 by Kiplinger’s magazine. She lives in Dallas. View titles by Karen Blumenthal

Praise

“Through vivid narrative and meticulous research, Karen Blumenthal takes readers on a wild spree, masterfully capturing the zeitgeist of Depression-era America, when dead-ends and despair could turn teenagers into killers, and killers into legends.”—Candace Fleming, award-winning author of The Family Romanov and Amelia Lost

“Mean, tragic, and glamorous, Bonnie and Clyde live on in legend as depraved dreamers and notorious outlaws-in-love. Blumenthal’s account of their real-life rise and fall is a vivid tale of poverty, violence, and celebrity in Depression-era America.”—Deborah Noyes, author of Ten Days a Madwoman and The Magician and the Spirits

“I knew the names Bonnie and Clyde, and that they were famous outlaws—but I was amazed by the twists and turns of their lives on the run. Blumenthal does a fantastic job separating myth from fact, turning romanticized legend into a hard-boiled true crime story.”—Steve Sheinkin, three-time National Book Award finalist and author of many acclaimed books including Undefeated, Most Dangerous, and The Port Chicago 50

“Blumenthal has written more than a crime narrative or a biography of the famous outlaws Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker. The book presents a social and cultural snapshot of the duo’s times.”School Library Journal

“Through her use of narrative nonfiction, Blumenthal builds a gripping story for readers of all ages. . .Blumenthal weaves her detailed account of history into a suspenseful tale that reads very much like a novel.”Voya

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