Criminally Bad

This is a new book. Condition: Brand New.

'Wild, hilarious, sharply original and almost unbelievable. Claire Sullivan's talent blazes across the page.' ROBBIE ARNOTT, author of Dusk and Notable Tasmanian

'Claire Sullivan is like Patrick Radden Keefe's unhinged Tasmanian cousin. A hilarious recounting, with a powerful message.' NINA OYAMA, comedian and star of Deadloch

Dubious ninja training. A scam religion. Swords, guns and homemade bombs. Extortion gone wrong. All cooked up in a cosy lounge room over a nice cuppa in Australia's least-likely-to-succeed capital, Hobart.

Criminally Bad is journalist and comedian Claire Sullivan's deep dive into the jaw-dropping true story of a cult-ish ninja crime gang that self-imploded in 1990s Tassie.

Drawing on old evidence and intrepid new research, Claire takes us on a fascinating, darkly funny ride through power, friendship, free will, toxic masculinity and almost unimaginable ineptitude. It won't surprise you that not everyone gets out alive.

Completely true and utterly bonkers, Criminally Bad uncovers an until-now buried batshit slice of Australian true crime history.

Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction.

Strap in.

'This rollicking tale of a criminally bad ninja cult is criminally good. Truly, you couldn't make this shit up. KATE MILDENHALL, author of The Hiding Place

'A funny and weird story about a bunch of morons. And a deeply researched and considered journey through Australian identity, male loneliness and the way the powerful exploit the vulnerable.' WENDY SYFRET, author of The Sunny Nihilist

'Human folly has never been follier. If you like your True Crime riddled with idiots then this is the book for you.' SHAUN MICALLEF, creator of Mad as Hell and author of DeAth Takes a Holiday

'A truly wild, utterly weird and incredibly funny story.' PATRICK LENTON, author of In Spite of You

'Fear and loathing in Hobart. Timely scrutiny as society wrestles with how to stop vulnerable young men being lured into alt-right extremist groups and the manosphere.' RACHAEL BROWN, author of Trace

Book details and technical specifications

Format: Paperback / softback
ISBN13: 9781761776687
Published: October 2026

Number of pages: not specified
Width: 158 mm
Height: 235 mm
Depth: 25 mm

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia