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

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!

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!

Excellent audiobook

Much darker than I expected! The book holds up well and the narrator was terrific.

loved it

it was awesome. scariest shit a parent could go through. this story is much better than what made it to the silver screen. loved the bessie denker part of the story. wish they kept that.

The bad seed

This is an oldie but a goodie.Rhoda seems like a nice girl,but she is actually a conniver.Elizabeth Wiley was a terrific narrator.

Absolutely chilling!

One would think that since the movie is so well-known, the novel might feel predictable . But I've seen the stage play &watched the film, and nothing compares to the book. William March captures not only the era perfectly, but paints the mother's desperation so well that it's almost palpable.
The narration is done effectively and conveys each character beautifully. I'm very glad I decided to listen to the novel...the book is richly detailed and delivers an emotional "wallop" that the film cannot deliver.
When the film was made, Hollywood had to adhere to certain rules. One such rule was (and I'm not kidding) any person who committed a crime MUST be punished by the end of the film. This part of the Hollywood code necessitated a disappointing change as the book was translated into film. Soooooo...
... if you've seen the film, listen to the book.

Suspenseful!!

This was a great read. It kept me on the edge of my seat. This little girl is something else!!! I loved it!!

Good to know creepy stories existed in the 1950s

A great story about a murderous little kid and the fallout of her actions. I was pleasantly surprised by how good the book turned out.

Chilling

The movie was gripping but altered to conform to codes of the times it which it was produced. The movie was good but the book is better. I enjoyed this audio version very much. The narrator did a wonderful job. Her voice, cadence and inflections really captured the feel of 1952. Excellent read/listen.

Different than the movie

it was interesting reading this book after being a fan of the movie for decades. The book provides much more background detail on the main characters. if you are a fan of the movie you will really enjoy this book. however, the narrator was weak and didn't provide a clear distinction between characters. It would be excellent if narrated by someone else.