Dolores Claiborne has spent decades working as a housekeeper and companion for the wealthy and demanding Vera Donovan on Little Tall Island, Maine. When Vera dies under suspicious circumstances, Dolores becomes the prime suspect.
During questioning by police, Dolores tells the story of her life and her complicated relationship with Vera. She also admits to something the authorities have suspected for years: she was responsible for the death of her abusive husband, Joe St. George.
As Dolores explains what led her to kill Joe, she reveals a history of domestic violence, fear, and the desperate choices she made to protect herself and her children. Her account also exposes the unexpected bond that developed between Dolores and Vera, two women whose lives were shaped by secrets of their own.
Told through Dolores’s extended confession, the novel gradually reveals what happened to both Joe and Vera and how far Dolores was willing to go when the people she loved were threatened.