The Bad Seeds by C J Skuse
I give this book 4.5 stars.

Sweetpea is coming home at last…
With a series of bad choices in front of her, and the authorities right behind, Rhiannon's in a hell of a hole and she needs to dig herself out of it pronto. But help can come from the most unlikely places.

This was a bittersweet read for me as I have absolutely loved all 5 of the books in this addictive series. CJ Skuse is a brilliant author and this was a satisfying all be it sad conclusion, I’m now looking forward to consoling myself with the tv adaptation out this month!
These books really need to be read as a series in order, and they may not appeal to everyone.
Rhiannon is my all time favourite and the original twisted,deadly and foul mouthed no.1 female serial She’s back for the final time, coming full circle heading to the UK and her daughter Ivy. Billy and his one leg and her arch nemesis DI Gericault are also along for the ride on her final escapade.Told in the same diary style format with the iconic kill lists we enter into the psychopath we all know and loves murderous world. I can’t recommend this dark but witty series enough and I’m looking forward to where the author takes us next.
With thanks to Netgalley,CJ Skuse and HQ Digital for my chance to read and review this book.

Another brilliant Rhiannon installation! Is this really the last one??!!! I think so, but I also hope not. There's not much to review, I would never not like a book in the SweetPea series and am delighted to hear it is going to become a tv series! If you like this series by CJ Skuse then you won't miss The Bad Seeds, and if you've not read any, then start at the beginning please, and allow yourself to get drawn in to the hilariously dark world of Rhiannon! Enjoy!

The final book in a really great series that I'm sad to see end. Rhiannon is the ultimate female serial killer and I really don't think any one could come close.

We didn't seem anywhere near a resolution when my kindle was showing that the book was 95% done so I found the ending a little bit abrupt. But otherwise another great instalment.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and C.J Skuse for the advanced copy.

Rhiannon Lewis is back for the fifth and final instalment in the Sweetpea series, picking up right where the last book left off. I read Sweetpea about a year after it came out and I was hooked by Rhiannon's dark humour and the hilarious kill lists, and In Bloom hooked me the same way. Since book Dead Head, the series has changed and has a completely different feel, which isn't a negative but it took me some adjusting. Rhiannon starts out unhinged and unhappy, and her kill lists had me laughing out loud in public. Whereas, the Rhiannon in the final book is so mature and yes, she still has a bit of sass, but her tongue isn't as sharp as it used to be (and I miss that), but her priorities are now very different.

Rhiannon makes the decision to leave Raf to recuperate in hospital, to go to her little girl, Ivy, who Rhiannon has been told is critically ill. We see her sister, Seren and Detective Nnedi Géricault again, and Rhiannon's interactions with Nnedi are somewhat unexpected, yet it did play out in a satisfying way. I also loved the mention of the PICSOs again - that always made me chuckle.

I have to suspend disbelief a little bit whenever the Bad Seeds are mentioned, because I don't know if a serial killer would have such a dedicated following in real life...that said, TikTok can do very strange things for a person's reputation, so never say never. The ending feels fitting for the last book in the series, but you can't help but feel that Rhiannon and Raf may not be able to sustain the lifestyle they have chosen. The series has come full circle, giving me similar feels to when I read the first book, and I enjoyed the return to the dark humour.

Sweetpea is coming home at last…

Newly married, with a loving family surrounding her, everything's coming up roses for ex-serial killer Rhiannon Lewis, right?

Wrong.

Her husband has just been shot, and the daughter she left behind in the UK is desperately ill. She’s got no choice but to flee the States and return home, back to her roots, where she’s in danger of being recognised and arrested at any moment.

Only nothing is quite as it seems…

With a series of bad choices in front of her, and the authorities right behind, Rhiannon's in a hell of a hole and she needs to dig herself out of it pronto. But help can come from the most unlikely places. And even more unlikely people…

Just love this author the storyline the characters get excited when see something new by this author xx

I didn't realise this was a whole series and this was the final instalment. I plan to read the whole series and will therefore write my review once I've read the previous four books. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A great end to the series! Can’t wait to see this on TV

Rhiannon Lewis is back! Billed as the fifth and final instalment in the series about everyone's favourite serial killer (yes, she is, and if you even dream otherwise you'll end up on a LIST!) The Bad Seeds is just a joyous ride of brilliant one-liners that had me grinning throughout and, yet again, nodding along vociferously. Oh boy, those lists, I sometimes think they could replace entire scenes but then we'd miss out on some mischievous shenanigans, devious plotting and Rhiannon at full tilt.

I mustn't dwell too much on the plot, although any reader who's up to date with the story so far (and you are, aren't you?) will be delighted too know that it picks up pretty much where volume 4 left off and gets straight in to the action. It's no secret to say that Rhiannon has come full circle, somewhat, and is back in familiar territory, (well, geographically speaking!) so that instantly peaked my curiosity levels - surely best behaviour means a lot of attitude and evil eyes, to the day the least?

Well, if this is truly the finale, what a way to go. If there's more to come, then I say bring it on - a thumping good Seed!

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for this hotly anticipated ARC.

Serial killer Rhiannon Lewis who has no filter but trademark kill lists (agree with the Daisy Daisy Daisy advert!) is back for a fifth and final time and what a tour de force it has been! It's advisable to read the books in order as we're straight in after a cliffhanger with no time for a summary.

We had left Rhiannon in San Diego but planning to fly to Mexico with her husband. Then everything changes, first by the news that her little girl Ivy is critically ill over in the UK and only she can help, and then someone shooting Rafael. She decides that Ivy needs her more so leaves him to recuperate in hospital and flies to London, accompanied by Billy, an Irish ex-army charmer who served with Raf in Afghanistan until his legs got blown off. This means it's a book almost entirely without Raf and he is sorely missed.

Instead we get to see more of her difficult sister Seren and ice maiden Nnedi Géricault, the arch nemesis police officer who has never let go. The developments with the two are jaw-droppingly unexpected and weren't on my Sweetpea bingo card!

As the title suggests, we hear a lot more about the "bad seeds", the international Sweetpea fan club of mostly women, whose horrendous stories are told in their own words throughout the book. I don't know whether a vigilante serial killer would be that revered in real life and people would really protect her from the law but this novel shows that whatever we think of Sweetpea's violence, the problem she is responding to is real and widespread and horrific.

This book is a completely different beast to first book Sweetpea, in which Rhiannon was unhinged, unhappy and killing everyone who just looked at her wrongly. She has come a long way since then and continues to come to terms with her traumatic past and her difficult family who never loved her the way she deserved.

There is tension and heartache aplenty, we get fabulous supporting characters, surprising alliances, piggie Richard E. Grunt, bad men, good men and dogs. This book contains every emotion between love and rage and details how much we need other people around us and being part of a community and having self-worth and trust.

I think we get the perfect ending but we are also reminded of the fact that Rhiannon and Raf's life is not sustainable that way and sooner or later it will catch up with them, no matter how many "bad seeds" look out for them.

Rhiannon has stolen our hearts by not simply being a killing machine but a human being whose life changed when she was six years old and who only ever wanted to be loved and have control over her life. Thank you for the darkly humourous ride, it's been a blast.

4.75 stars

✨Book Review - The Bad Seeds✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*I was provided this book free of charge by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review (but bought it anyway)*

I can’t believe the Sweetpea series has come to an end! I have been very slow to finish The Bad Seeds because I am 100% in denial that it’s over and don’t want to accept it. Thank you C.J. for creating one of the best series I’ve ever read.

The twists! The character arcs! The character development! The ending! Everything tied with a beautiful, neat little bow at the end! I rewarded myself by getting to read a couple chapters here and there until I got about halfway through and literally could not put the book down. I needed to know what happened next and the suspense was perfect! I adore the character development and friendships that were formed. I have zero desire to spoil this book for you, but know you will find friends in the most unsuspecting of places! C.J. Picks up right where she left off from Thorn in My Side and takes you on a heart pounding race from the U.S., through the UK and Ireland. I didn’t feel at any point that the characters behaved out of character in any way at any point. All of their actions were built up and written in a way that, even with the twists and turns, everything they did was believable. Every character’s intentions were clear and what drove their actions was clear. From moments of insanity, to moments of joy, you could feel the emotion through the page. This is the best Sweetpea novel. If you haven’t read the series yet, that’s a real problem. Get on that because Sweetpea is coming to Sky (UK) and STARZ (US) next month and you don’t want to miss it.

#arc #cjskuse #netgalley #sweatpea #keepherburied #badseed #thebadseeds #thelastpersonwhocalledmesweetpeaendedupdead #gordonramsayclap #done

I am so sad that this series has come to an end! I have been HOOKED on our fav serial offer ever since I read Sweetpea. And what a great finale this was!

After the cliffhanger ending of the last book, to say I was desperate to know what happened next is an undertstament! I should also say that series tend to go down hill for me after 1 and 2, but not this one! I was fully invested, and this didn't disappoint.

As ever, Rhiannon had me howling with laughter. Her dark, dry sense of humour is just something else 😅 You probably won't enjoy these books if you're easily offended, but I'm not and agreed with her lists, 100% 😂

I don't want to spoil this by saying anything that happens, but I honestly thought her time may be up on more than one occasion 🙈 but luck was on her side and I was happy with how it ended.

Thank you C.J Skuse for writing this series. I also put my hand up for Ivy's story please!! 🙋‍♀️

The Bad Seeds is a Sweetpea book, so buckle up, silence your inner Mary Whitehouse (anyone under 50 will probably need to search that name) and enjoy the wild ride.

The books starts seconds after Thorn In My Side concludes, where we were left on a huge cliffhanger. To talk about the plot would be an enormous spoiler for this book, and the series in general, so I’m not going to do it. What I will say is that the book finds our warped, sweary , swearyheroine forming a surprising allegiance, but as this is Rhiannon, expect the unexpected. The lists at the start of each chapter are still going strong, and I can’t agree more on the e ‘Daisy, Daisy, Daisy’ advert.

The Bad Seeds is the fifth, and final book, in the irrepressible Sweetpea series, written by CJ Skuse. This is a book that will be adored by all Rhiannon fans, me included. If you are reading this review, without reading any of the previous books, you must head back to book 1, Sweetpea itself. To enjoy the finale as thoroughly as I did, you need to travel alongside her from the start. This series is absolute Marmite, it really won’t be for everyone, so please read the synopsis before diving in; but I do think every woman, who has taken enough nonsense from the world, will identify with certain elements.

While condoning Sweetpea’s behaviour and methods would be seen as unacceptable, I imagine there are many women, like myself, who understand. Women who have decades of feeling unsafe in certain situations, being leered and pawed at, from their teenage years onwards. Women who maybe wouldn’t publicly declare themselves to be Bad Seeds, but who would appreciate #IStandWithRhiannon the sentiment.

The Bad Seeds is a fitting end to the Sweetpea saga, I loved every page. As the author alludes to in the acknowledgments, maybe we might hear further snippets of our foul mouthed protagonist, if Ivy’s story is told. Personally, I hope that book gets written. Sweetpea, I’m really going to miss you.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series by Skuse. It's so thrilling, and so unapologetic, it's fantastic and I never want it to end. But at least we're getting a TV adaptation of it, that prolongs this universe.

It's one of my absolute favourite thriller series I've ever read and it gets better and better with each book. Whilst I know the story has to end at some point, I feel I could read it forever. This finishes in a satisfying way that if she stopped here you wouldn't feel short-changed, but there's definitely scope for further adventures. But it was only after finishing it that I read this is actually the final installment and I'm just not having that. I read a lot of thrillers and in general I really like them, but this is so something of its own that it's hard to believe something will come along and take its place.

I don't know what it is about this series that I love so much. It's dark and dirty and explicit, violent, morbid, and oh so sexy.

I was worried I would be lost when I started as it's been a while since I read the previous book, and it does carry on, and this does throw you straight back in but it was like I'd never been away.

All of the books in the series - including this one - are gory and violent and morbid and tense and hilarious and joyful. The characters - old and new - are fabulous. There's a little less violence on Rhiannon's part in this one but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable.

Yes it's about murder and whatnot, that's hard to hide, but underneath it's about friendship and loneliness, a community, a family and a sense of belonging, about love, trust, and about whether you feel your deserve what you get (good and bad).

It's fast paced. I find with books of this length then it's one of two things - it either flies past or it drags. And this definitely fits the former. I read it in less than a day as it was so fun and easy to read that it was really hard to put down. So I would advise you start this on a day where you have no other jobs to do because once it's got it's nails in you, it won't let go.

It's action and adventure, thriller, comedy and romance. Whilst I'm not advising you give it to small children to read, and some elders might find it shocking, I will say that it's got a bit of everything to please any reader.

And on a side note, I found my name in the acknowledgements which made me really happy. I really love this series and will continue to shout about it to anyone who will listen - and those who try not to.

This is Rhiannon’s final outing.. and boy what an ending for her 😳 we pick up where we left her, with her and Raf planning to go to the UK to save Ivy, but nothing ever goes to plan for a serial killer does it? There’s drama, laughs, unexpected friendships and murder… what more could you want? This was the perfect end for Rhiannon and I can’t wait for Ivy’s story!

The Sweetpea series has been my number one of the year since I read it, they were my first books of 2024 and as a collective they haven’t moved! I love Rhiannon, and I think we can all relate, maybe not as serial killers but in some kinda way! She’s feisty, funny and a killer. These books have plenty of dark humour in them and just make for a great read tbh. I would recommend these to anyone. Cannot wait to see the TV adaptation. 24 stars! 😂

Hands down this has to be one of my favourite book series. This final installment did not disappoint and I was thrilled to be able to read it ahead of publication. Cheers Netgalley.

A huge shout out to CJ Skuse for.a second.. you've created one helluva masterpiece with this series. I honestly wish I could read it all again for the first time.

I highly recommend any thriller / serial killers fans to read these in order to be able to appreciate the story completely.

Book 4 left us with the cliffhanger of all cliffhangers but we've been chucked right back in there with the sarcasm, deliciously dark humour and the many Rhiannon-isms we've grown to love. I'm gutted it's over.

I can't wait to read what the author brings us next.. will it be a spin off, another kick arse series.. or a standalone or two.. who knows but ill be on the lookout for another great read.

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of the Sweetpea series, & I was worried that this latest instalments wouldn’t live up to the ones before.
But thankfully I was wrong.
As funny, as heart-wrenching, as totally bloody stressful and as addictive as each of the books in the series. We continue to follow Rhiannon - everyone’s favourite serial killer, and she’s got herself in a right mess.

I don’t want to give anything anyway, but I will say that I stayed awake reading until 2am several nights in a row and when I finished the book, I needed a few days to recover. Incredible.

Thank you to Netgalley, and the publisher for this ARC.

I freaking loved this book. It was everything. I hoped it would be, especially after the end of book 4 shattered me. It truly was an amazing conclusion to the series. I love Rhi so much and this ended exactly as I wanted it to end. The only bad thing I have to say is that I’m so so sad that it’s over I wish there was more

Rating: 4.0/5

"The Bad Seeds" marks the fifth and final outing of anti-heroine, Rhiannon Lewis - aka Sweetpea, and thus brings to a close a brilliant series of books that has spawned a sub-genre of strong female characters with a penchant for killing people. The only real downside with the series is that the individual books don't work well as standalones, so you really need to start with book one and read them in sequence.

I have been singing the praises of Rhiannon ever since she first appeared in "Sweetpea" back in 2017. For the unacquainted, Rhiannon, is a serial killer who is something of a cross between Bridget Jones and Villanelle from "Killing Eve". It was like a breath of fresh air, with a fragrance as sweet as the flowers that provide her nickname, when she first came onto the scene. The formula throughout the five-book series has remained pretty consistent: Instead of conventional chapter breaks, you will find a diary style format, with wonderfully acerbic and darkly amusing kill lists - all delivered in fine narrative style by the author, with well-plotted storylines peppered with darkly humorous observations.

Although I will miss Rhiannon, I think it is probably the right decision to call time on the series - wonderful as it has been. I don't know whether C.J. Skuse will move onto something completely different, or perhaps pen a spin-off related to this series, but I am sure that I will be reading it, whatever it turns out to be. In the meantime, I am looking forward to watching the dramatised version of "Sweetpea" that is due to hit the screens on Sky Atlantic very soon.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

Another fantastic fix of the madness that is the world of my favourite serial killer. I feel somewhat ‘wrong’ is even confessing to having a favourite serial killer, albeit a fictional one but still, this is the beauty of sweetpea’s world. She has an enhanced way of observing the little things in the world that go mainly unnoticed to most but which set her twitching due to the injustice of the situation. She uses this heightened sense of what is right and wrong to level the balance, or in other words killing people she feels aren’t worthy of being in the world because they have raped, are paedophiles, mistreat others or animals. The list goes on and she has a very persuasive way of making you empathise with her reasoning and hate to love her. I love her chaotic world of constantly being on the run and looking over her shoulder and her intensity of character. The lists she writes are always, always my favourite part of the books as is the fact I feel like I’m catching up and checking in with and old friend. Worrying hey? This instalment definitely didn’t disappoint and I’m already looking forward to the next one. Keep them coming. Pretty please.

I fell in love with Sweetpea the moment I read book one and through the ups and downs of the following books I was always rooting for Rhiannon. I have read the first 3 books multiple times and I thought this book was the perfecting ending to a series I have been so invested in.