Product guide

Bad Seed Audiobook by Alan Carter

Bad Seed by Alan Carter is an unabridged English audiobook narrated by John Stretton. The crime thriller follows investigator Cato Kwong after a wealthy property developer and his family are found murdered, taking the investigation from Australia to Shanghai and into the politics of land acquisition.

At a glance

A crime investigation centred on Cato Kwong, involving a family murder, an elusive killer and a journey to Shanghai.
The story also explores Chinese acquisition of Australian land, according to the supplied synopsis.
The listing identifies this as an unabridged recording with a runtime of 12 hours and 35 minutes.

Price

£3.99Save 71.82%

Reference price: ~~£14.16~~

Price checked: 12 Nov 2026

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Pros and cons

Pros

Unabridged presentation preserves the full audiobook version as described in the listing.
A single stated narrator and runtime make the listening commitment clear before purchase.
The synopsis combines police investigation with a property-development and land-acquisition backdrop.

Technical specifications

8 specifications

Audiobook details
Format	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Listening length	12 hours and 35 minutes
Language	English
Publication date	15 May 2023

Credits
Author	Alan Carter
Narrator	John Stretton
Publisher	Wavesound from W. F. Howes Ltd

Who is it for?

A good fit for

Listeners seeking an unabridged crime thriller with an investigation spanning Australia and Shanghai.
Fans of Cato Kwong stories and plots involving property, wealth and political interests.
Audiobook listeners comfortable with a listening commitment of more than twelve hours.

Less suited to

Readers seeking a short listen or a non-crime story.
Anyone specifically wanting a print or e-book edition rather than an audiobook.

Customer reviews on Amazon

4.2 / 5 · 428 ratings

5 stars41%41%
4 stars44%44%
3 stars11%11%
2 stars3%3%
1 star1%1%

Customer feedback describes the book as entertaining and easy to read, with believable characters, humour and a nicely paced crime plot. One customer highlights two parallel storylines. This is feedback about the book rather than confirmation of the audiobook performance, so buyers choosing this edition should weigh the stated narrator and long runtime separately. Aggregate ratings are broadly favourable, though a portion are lower, and they do not explain individual reasons.

Positive themes

Customers praise the readable, entertaining story, believable characters, humour and pacing.
Feedback also highlights the crime-thriller elements and, in one comment, two parallel storylines.

Frequently asked questions

Who wrote and narrates Bad Seed?

The listing names Alan Carter as the author and John Stretton as the narrator.

How long is the Bad Seed audiobook?

The stated listening length is 12 hours and 35 minutes.

Is this an abridged recording?

The listing identifies the audiobook version as unabridged.

What is the story about?

Investigator Cato Kwong investigates the killing of property developer Francis Tan and his family. The synopsis says the case takes him to Shanghai and touches on Chinese acquisition of Australian land.