The Love of a Bad Man: Woollett Laura Elizabeth - Softcover

‘The Love of a Bad Man imagines the inner lives of historical figures who committed crimes all in the name of love ... The stories treat death with a gothic inevitability and explore human darkness with a light touch.’

‘[Woollett’s] stories are beautifully written – poised and elegant.’

‘Woollett explores power, obsession and warped love in this absorbing collection.’

‘[T]he varied voices are what makes this collection outstanding ... truly unsettling reading.’

‘[Woollett] raises unnerving questions about the nature of desire: about why any of us are drawn to people who are bad, or bad for us, and why we stay with them. That she refuses to answer them is not to the detriment of The Love of a Bad Man, and in fact ensures that the collection never feels gimmicky ... The stories are entirely concerned with conveying the distinctive interiority of the women, with the exploration of their impulses and insecurities. It is by the accretion of these case studies, rather than by armchair psychologising her girls, that Woollett builds her case.’

‘A genuinely fresh reading experience ... we’re sure to hear a lot more from this talented writer in coming years.’ FOUR STARS

‘An unusual and affecting reading experience, coupling true crime with literary fiction ... Laura Elizabeth Woollett is refreshing, challenging, and utterly unique and I’m already looking forward to her next achievement.’

‘With each finely tuned voice, Woollett draws empathy from abject horror. A confident and mesmerising performance.’

‘The idea is intriguing and the execution goes well beyond expectation ... The Love of a Bad Man gives sophisticated insight, and is full of empathy and nuance for the people portrayed.’

‘The Love of a Bad Man is a rare combination of immense writing talent and wondrous imagination. You've never read a book quite like this one.’

An electrifying debut short story collection about the wives, lovers, and mistresses of history’s most notorious men, for fans of Emma Cline’s The Girls.

A schoolgirl catches the eye of the future leader of Nazi Germany.

A pair of childhood sweethearts reunite to commit rape and murder.

A devoted Mormon wife follows her husband into the wilderness after he declares himself a prophet.

The stories in The Love of a Bad Man imagine the lives of real women, all of whom were the lovers, wives, or mistresses of various ‘bad’ men in history. Beautifully observed, fascinating, and at times horrifying, the stories interrogate power, the nature of obsession, and the lengths some women will go to for the men they love.