The Love of A Bad Man

A schoolgirl catches the eye of the future leader of Nazi Germany. An aspiring playwright writes to a convicted serial killer, seeking inspiration. 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 twelve 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.

‘A rare combination of immense writing talent and wondrous imagination.’ JEFF GUINN, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF MANSON

‘With each finely tuned voice, Woollett draws empathy from abject horror. A confident and mesmerising performance.’ MELANIE JOOSTEN, AUTHOR OF BERLIN SYNDROME

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