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The Bad Seed

by William March

Narrator Elizabeth Wiley

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Length 7 hours 23 minutes

Language English

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Bookseller recommendation

“Charming, polite, the perfect picture of innocence…these are all words that come to mind when one first meets eight-year-old Rhoda Penmark. As unexplainable acts of violence start to surround Rhoda, no one suspects that this sweet dear child might be a sociopathic monster, except her mother. This story follows Rhoda’s violent escapades and her mother’s descent into depression as the body count rises and she realizes the possible cause of her daughter’s disturbing behavior may be closer to home than she imagined. Published in 1954, William March’s insights into the mind of a child psychopath are surprisingly modern. These twists and turns will have you turning pages late into the night. ”
— Suzanne • Underground Books

Summary

The bestselling novel that inspired Mervyn LeRoy's classic horror film about the little girl who can get away with anything—even murder.

There's something special about eight-year-old Rhoda Penmark. With her carefully plaited hair and her sweet cotton dresses, she's the very picture of old-fashioned innocence. But when their neighborhood suffers a series of terrible accidents, her mother begins to wonder: Why do bad things seem to happen when little Rhoda is around?

Originally published in 1954, William March's final novel was an instant bestseller and National Book Award finalist before it was adapted for the stage and made into a 1956 film. The Bad Seed is an indelible portrait of an evil that wears an innocent face, one which still resonates in popular culture today.

Fiction Mystery & Thriller