Listen free for 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Lisey's Story cover art

Lisey's Story

Written by: Stephen King
Narrated by: Mare Winningham
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $52.84

Buy Now for $52.84

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

Now an Apple TV+ limited series starring Julianne Moore and Clive Owen

The “haunting...tender, intimate book that makes an epic interior journey” (The New York Times), Lisey’s Story is a literary masterpiece - an extraordinarily moving and haunting portrait of a marriage and its aftermath.

Lisey lost her husband, Scott, two years ago, after a 25-year marriage of profound and sometimes frightening intimacy. Scott was an award-winning, best-selling novelist and a very complicated man. Early in their relationship, before they married, Lisey knew there was a place Scott went - a place that both terrified and healed him, could eat him alive or give him the ideas he needed in order to live. Now it’s Lisey’s turn to face Scott’s demons, to go to that terrifying place known as Boo’ya Moon. What begins as a widow’s effort to sort through the papers of her celebrated husband becomes a nearly fatal journey into the darkness he inhabited.

“Intricate...exhilarating” (The New Yorker), perhaps Stephen King’s most personal and powerful novel ever, Lisey’s Story is about the wellsprings of creativity, the temptations of madness, and the secret language of love. It is a beautiful, “rich portrait of a marriage, and the complicated affection that outlives death” (The Washington Post).

©2006 Stephen King (P)2006 Simon and Schuster Audio

What the critics say

"As much about the facets of longtime marriage as it is about the characters themselves, Lisey's Story offers a poignant glimpse at abiding love and the tides of grief, and the internal language of relationships of all kinds." (Atlantic Monthly)

"In Lisey's Story, Stephen King makes bold, brilliant use of his satanic storytelling gift, his angelic ear for language, and above all his incomparable ability to find the epic in the ordinary." (Michael Chabon)

"Lisey's Story is bright and brilliant. It's dark and desperate. While I'll always consider The Shining, my first ride on King's wild Tilt-A-Whirl, a gorgeous, bloody jewel, I found, on this latest ride, a treasure box heaped with dazzling gems. A few of them have sharp, hungry teeth." (Nora Roberts)

Featured Article: Stephen King’s 32 Best Audiobooks: The Definitive List

Stephen King is one of the most prolific authors of all time. He has published 61 novels, more than 200 short stories, and six nonfiction books—and he shows no sign of stopping. With such an extensive portfolio, choosing one audiobook can be daunting. We’ve compiled a list of the 32 best Stephen King audiobooks to make the choice easier. Whether you’re looking to get stuck into one of his creepy, classic stories or a sci-fi novella, you’ll find a title on this list that will get your heart racing.

What listeners say about Lisey's Story

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    92
  • 4 Stars
    36
  • 3 Stars
    14
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    96
  • 4 Stars
    22
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    4
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    78
  • 4 Stars
    35
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    3

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

liseys story

it took me quite a while to get into this, I kept finding myself distracted quite easily. Once the story got off the ground I was riveted as usual. I have to listen to it again now to put it all together properly. As usual Stephen King creates beautiful relationships, interesting and fallible Heroes, and of course his terrible evil antagonist(s).

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A new favourite.

It wasn't quite what I was expecting - it was better!. I thought given the writeup that it was going to be more about the relationship between husbands and wives, but it turned out to be about ALL our family relationships. As always, the language is stunning - a mix of "down-home" and true prose. The narration is perfect. Altogether, another winner in my book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

If you had a hard time actually reading Lisey’s Story

I remember when I first tried to read this book years ago, when it came out, it didn’t click with me. However the audiobook is great, the narration is perfect. It’s a really beautiful, haunting story about marriage & loss. Mare Winningham’s voice is perfect to relax to but still be enthralled by.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Tried twice to listen to this book. It’s boring

Tried two separate times to make it through this book. Got bored both times. Just not a good plot and little action. Worst SK Book I’m aware of, and usually love his content

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Slow start, good ending!

I found it difficult to get through this book. I felt like the first half to two-thirds dragged on and on. It did pick up at the end & I did enjoy it. But, it will not be one of my favourites. For me, I think some of it was the narrator. I like Mare W. in the shows I have seen her in. But, did not enjoy her narration. I plan on reading this book sometime to see if it is a better experience for me.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

liseys Story.

what a fantastic book. love the story..love the narration.. Suspenseful and endearig..a different king of book for Stephen

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

great

the story starts slow but you quickly become attached to the characters, and Mare Winningham. just wow. if audiobook readers had Oscars. you'd be going home with best performance.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love for Lisey

Mesmerizing! I absolutely loved the characters-
they stole my heart. Not what I expected-but it was a journey I’d take again and again!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Love this story but...

If this is your first time considering this book I would suggest actually reading it first. The narration isn't great and felt it lacking... don't get me wrong I enjoyed it but only because I had already read it and LOVED it. There is just something with a book like this you need to read and your brain create the imagery which is tough with an audiobook.......and a not so great narrator!

Love the story but I'll stick to the real thing!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Liseys Story

This book is very descriptive. I balked at the length of it but I enjoyed it

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!