A tragic death. A dark family secret. A past you can't escape. How well do you really know those closest to you?
Sarah's world has descended into a nightmare. Her only hope of moving on is to find out the truth of what happened, and make sure the guilty are brought to justice. She is haunted by her dad's death, consumed
by her grief and the memories of a cruel day that changed her life forever... she doesn't even know who she is anymore. But the future holds some hope for Sarah, as she tries to move forward.
Nicola's future is not looking so hopeful. Since her husband died, the secret she's been keeping from her family - especially her daughter, Sarah - is eating away at her. The past is catching up with her,
and the consequences will be devastating.
Inspired by the news that more people are having DNA tests to discover their heritage, BAD SEED subverts the tropes of the domestic thriller by exploring the closest relationship of all: that between parent
and child. Clare Mackintosh's I LET YOU GO meets FRIEND REQUEST, this is a story about family, and of obsession, revenge and identity.
What did I think?
Oh wow, I LOVED this book! It definitely has the wow factor as Part One ended and I was absolutely stunned, but that didn't even come close to how gobsmacked I was at the end. Family secrets are always a good hook to have in a book and the secrets in the Gregory family are about to tear them apart. Not content with just the damage caused by secrets, someone wants to speed things up a bit with the use of belladonna, also known as deadly nightshade. Secrets and poison! Awesome!
The story is told in three parts: Part One is Nicola's story having just lost her husband, Part Two is Nicola's daughter, Sarah's story and Part Three is Nicola's sister-in-law Fiona's story. The whole Gregory family is grieving the loss of Charlie Gregory but none more so than Sarah who was devoted to her father. Nicola didn't appear to have the perfect marriage and even Charlie's death doesn't manage to put a rose coloured tint on it as she moves on with her life. Fiona is married to Charlie's step-brother, Ben, and although she invited Nicola to live in an annex in her garden after Charlie's death, she only just manages to tolerate her...for reasons that will become clear when you read the book.
Jessica Eames weaves a cunning tale as the reader is cleverly misdirected through the murderous plot. It's often said that poison is the preferred method of murder used by women, so I must have pointed my virtual finger and shouted 'J'accuse!' to almost all of the female characters in Bad Seed. With so many opportunities and motives, my head was in a spin as I tried to work out who was the real 'Bad Seed'.
I loved every single thing about this book: the fast pace, the cunning plot, the police interview transcripts, the clever misdirection and the multiple possible culprits. It certainly burrowed its roots under my skin and was kept fed and watered by Jessica Eames' stunning imagination and compelling plot. Bad Seed is as chilling as it is gripping; a highly recommended read.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
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