The Bad Seed

By: William March

Narrated by: Elizabeth Wiley

The best-selling 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 best seller 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.

©1954 W. E. Campbell LLC; copyright renewed 1982 by W. E. Campbell LLC (P)2018 Tantor

Great story & Performance

Great story with complex & interesting characters. If you're an Agatha Christie fan, you'll like this book. The voice actor was excellent!

the interactions between the female characters

I did enjoy the 1950's setting of the novel. The story reads very much as from that period.

A Classic

I have seen the movie a couple of times over the years, and wanted to also read the book. Enjoyed both equally. A chilling story!

Took me back!

I remember watching the movie this story was based on... but this was waaay better! The narrator is a little overwhelming, but once you put yourself back in time to the days of overly melodramatic acting, she becomes quite enjoyable. I found myself wondering what could possibly happen next... who's going to get hurt?... why do people like this creepy little girl so much? I've been thoroughly disturbed.

Not bad

This is a compelling book. I found it very interesting and thrilling. The narrator did a good job reading the story.