The Bad Seed: a subtly sinister tale told with humour and grace

Her young daughter has disappeared, sparking a massive murder hunt, and now her husband has gone walkabout in the bush with no plans to return.

Nothing is coming up roses for small-time gardening correspondent Agatha.

So she plants the seeds of a new life in an isolated village … in the dilapidated former home of a renowned witch.

A strange new lover and mysterious visitors from half a world away will not allow Agatha’s own ghosts to rest … and her garden produces dark honey and poison as Maurilia Meehan’s tale builds to a chilling climax.

Sinister flora and phantoms flourish in this rich and unforgettable work.

‘A fairy story with teeth, about blood, birth, the waxing and waning of the life force, maternal possession and loss.’
Cath Kenneally
Sydney Morning Herald.

‘This subtle mental torture, teamed with Meehan’s elegant prose, is captivating.’
Tony Maniaty
The Australian.

‘A whiff of Angela Carter’s fairy tales.’
Michelle Griffin
The Age.