Bayou

by Chris Helvey

Broke, tired, hungry, and out of options, Ray and Johnny, two ordinary American men struggling to survive the Great Depression, join forces and start robbing banks. Focusing solely on banks located close to a border of state, the two men and their gang become known across the South as the State-Line Gang. As close as brothers, Ray and Johnny seem on the road to becoming folk heroes who rob the rich to give to the poor. Then a robbery goes horribly wrong, rivalries develop, and suddenly their lives take a dark, bloody, and violently vengeful turn. Bayou follows their downward spiral in forthright honest language , replete with violence, death, racist taunts, death, revenge, and love. Unique and powerfully honest, Bayou is a must read for fans of historical fiction and Southern grit lit.

241 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2023

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Conquers Hate

Ray and Johnny Rob small banks along state borders to make a dishonest living during the Depression years. Gladys joins their escapades but comes between them. Ray, a racist, finds refuge with a Black family. While seeking revenge against his former partners, he learns lessons in overcoming lifelong prejudices.

[Beth Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chris Helvey does a good job of placing the reader in the midst of the sensations of the bayou in this story of growth and possible redemption.