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  • Needful Things

  • By: Stephen King
  • Narrated by: Stephen King
  • Length: 25 hrs and 10 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (329 ratings)

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Needful Things cover art

Needful Things

By: Stephen King
Narrated by: Stephen King
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Publisher's Summary

There was a new shop in town. Run by a stranger. Needful Things, the sign said. The oddest name. A name that caused some gossip and speculation among the good folks of Castle Rock, Maine, while they waited for opening day. Eleven-year-old Brian Rusk was the first customer and he got just what he wanted, a very rare 1956 Sandy Koufax baseball card. Signed. Cyndi Rose Martin was next. A Lalique vase. A perfect match for her living room decor. Something for everyone. Something you really had to have. And always at a price you could just about afford. The cash price that is. Because there was another price. There always is when your heart's most secret, true desire is for sale.

©1991 Stephen King (P)2008 Penguin Audiobooks

Critic Reviews

"A sophisticated literary craftsman . . . his work anatomises . . . the social fabric of small-town American life." ( Observer)

What listeners say about Needful Things

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very intriguing

It is an interesting story although a bit dragged out and really no final explanation at the end as to why but fantastic narrating

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4 people found this helpful

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

Great Stephen King novel. Weird distracting music through the naration

Really weird and horrible music plays between chapters that is jarring to listen to otherwise Stephen King narrates well. I just really hated the music, which is more like sounds than music.

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

Great story

At the start I was a little unimpressed by the story, but it picked up slowly, and by the time I finished the book, I consider it one of his best I’ve read. The narration fit well with the story, and it was nice to hear the king narrate his own book.

Although, the music in between the tracks was dreadful.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Len
  • 14-01-2024

Many characters but easy to listen

Love Stephen's books and this one was glorious an awesome listen. Complicated but easy to follow the characters.

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

A master storyteller delivers again.

This intriguing story delivers a Pantheon of new characters just as wonderful and awful as only Stephen King can create. A gripping yarn from start to finish.

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

loved it

loved it. The music inserts were weird though .
You get used to Kings nasal voice quickly and I think it added to the story being read by the author.

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

Thrilling Adventure

Such a story of tragedy involving a small lovable town. Extremely clever and interesting story theme that makes your mind wonder. Entertaining and funny at times.

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

Enjoyed it!

A very enjoyable story! Worth a listen.
I would give the music and sound effects a miss next time though, very distracting.

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

Enjoyed

Suspenseful and I liked the sound effects. Liked the fact that the author read his own story.

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

Thrilling, suspenseful and masterfully told.

Thoroughly enjoyed this performance, especially loved that it was read by the Author himself. A true depiction of the intended nuances of the characters.

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