In 1906, fifteen-year-old Forrestina Bradley runs away from her stifling life of ease and joins the circus as a tightrope walker. After a tragedy forces her to leave the circus, she embarks on a life of nomadic adventure, running a carnival rat-game and becoming involved in an illegal dance hall and moonshine business near the banks of the White River in Arkansas during Prohibition. Along the way, she meets and loves three men-Max, Jack, and George-who each break her heart in vastly different ways. It’s a good thing that Forrestina is tough enough to survive the men in her life.

Tough enough to become a legend.

In 1972, Betty, a young reporter desperate to break into the boys’ club of journalism, offers to interview the now-elderly Forrestina. What she discovers in Forrestina’s story is a lesson of strength, resilience, friendship, and faith. She learns that though defying normal is often painful, for some brave souls it’s the only way to truly live.

Inspired by a true story, White River Red: A Novel vividly portrays the tumults and triumphs of a rough, generous soul who touched countless lives with her kindness and courage.