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Dolores Claiborne cover art

Dolores Claiborne

Written by: Stephen King
Narrated by: Frances Sternhagen
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Publisher's Summary

"An unforgettable, unflinching glimpse into a mind driven to murder" (San Francisco Chronicle) - the number-one national best seller from Stephen King about a housekeeper with a long-hidden secret from her past...one that tests her own will to survive.

Dolores Claiborne is suspected of killing Vera Donovan, her wealthy employer, and when the police question her, she tells the story of her life, harkening back to her disintegrating marriage and the suspicious death of her violent husband 30 years earlier. Dolores also tells of Vera's physical and mental decline and how she became emotionally demanding in recent years.

Given a voice as compelling as any in contemporary fiction, the strange intimacy between Dolores and Vera - and the link that binds them - unfolds in Dolores' account. Dolores Claiborne is "a literary triumph. The finest of King novels...a plot of enormous energy.... Read this book." (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

©1993 Stephen King (P)1992 Penguin Highbridge Audio

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What listeners say about Dolores Claiborne

Average Customer Ratings
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Brilliant

I adore Stephen King, but this performance was wonderful. It was read as it was written, like an unbroken monologue, and I was riveted the whole time. I’ll definitely be re-listening to this in the future.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • JJ
  • 2021-07-28

Random music?

The book was better than the movie. Can't believe how fast it went. Although the narrator did a great job, I could have lived without the grating voice of her trying to sound like an old lady.
Random sound effects and disjointed music absolutely not necessary and didn't fit.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Another side (sorta) of Stephen King

Unmistakably a Stephen King novel, but toned down on the horror. Great job on the part of the reader as well.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Recommended

Interesting story and not a standard Stephen King novel, a single narrator but very well done.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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excellent listen!

Frances Sternhagen did a FANTASTIC narrative, the background sounds made the story very immersed

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Pleasantly surprised

Not what I expected from Stephen King but I absolutely loved it. I loved Frances Sternhagen reading it as well. Just a very good book

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Beautiful

Mr. King writes a beautiful story read sublimely by Frances Sternhagen. Touching story, sublime
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Unique plot device works. Great novel

This book has all the best elements of a Stephen King book. Fascinating characters, a creepy 'What The...' plot (not really spooky in this one), and amazingly realistic descriptions of events and people. I'm convinced the man could make shopping for shoes interesting...turning mundanity to something fascinating. There is nothing in this book that's mundane.

The book has NO CHAPTERS. The whole thing is written in a strict first person perspective...one long confession in a police examination with ONLY the protagonist's voice. Gutsy approach that reminded me of Kafka and Hunter S. Thompson in it's attempt at something non-conventional. It works!

Frances Sternhagen does a fantastic job narrating. Her Eastern New England dialect is bang-on. A perfect Maine accent that's not over-the-top. Excellent emotion, appropriate pauses. You are not listening to her reading a transcript of an interview, you're with her in the interrogation room.

The book and presentation does have a couple of flaws:
Dolores is inexplicably well-read. A folksy bumpkin one moment, quoting Shakespeare the next. And why does this woman, clearly feeling justified in what she did, even give this confession? Guilty conscience? Afraid? Doesn't quite fit this iron-willed character.
For some reason they add music to some specific images Dolores describes. The musical interludes are out-of-place, reminding me of the red-coated kid in 'Schindler's List' but way less effective. I mean, they put in sound effects to make it sound like a recorded interview, then add a splash of "artistic" theme music?

This book and it's performance still rates a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

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loved it

phenomenally read, could have finished in 1 sitting if I was not constrained by work

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Awesome

I love this story and have listened over and over. the narrator is absolutely perfect and the quality is great!

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