Dolores Claiborne

Dolores Claiborne is a tough, proud, 65-year-old Yankee, the sort of woman who tolerates no monkey business from anybody—or so it seems to the outside world. But she's just been accused of killing her employer, and as she begins to tell her story, we realize with fascination and horror that there is much more to this woman than meets the eye.

Publishers Weekly [starred review]

“An unrelenting delivery that only gets better as the story moves forward.”

From AudioFile

Throughout a single, long night in the police chief's office, Dolores Claiborne relates events leading to her murder of her husband and the recent suspicious death of her wealthy employer. The nine-hour, unrelieved monologue poses a special challenge to the reader/performer. Actress Frances Sternhagen portrays the sharp-tongued, foul-mouthed Dolores with expressive vigor but with limited emotional range and little variation in tempo. Sternhagen's Downeast accent is convincing, although mispronunciations of "quahog" and "Machias" are annoying. Very occasional sound effects are puzzling and interrupt, rather than enhance, the storytelling. Nevertheless, King fans doubtless will enjoy hearing Dolores relate her complex and disturbing tale. D.M.L. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About the Author

STEPHEN KING is a prolific and perennially bestselling author and an recognized master of the horror genre. He was the 2003 recipient of The National Book Foundation's Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.

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