15 Greatest Stephen King Short Stories Of All Time
14. Dolan's Cadillac
Dolan's Cadillac is a novella and the opening tale of King's brilliant collection Nightmares and Dreamscapes. Though not a horror in the typical meaning of the word, this is one of King's most horrific and cold stories, focused with unrivalled power on themes such as revenge, grief and finding peace.
The story is narrated by Mr Robinson, a schoolteacher who has recently lost his wife. The events leading up to his wife's death don't matter, at least according to Robinson - what does matter is that she found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, and because of this bad luck, crime boss Dolan had her killed. Now, Robinson is determined to kill Dolan for his actions, all the while being haunted by the voice of his wife.
The problem is, getting to Dolan is hard work; he spends years watching the crime boss live his life, plotting, until finally he comes up with a meticulous and cruel plan for revenge. A plan which involves burying Dolan and his prized Cadillac with the help of well-placed ditch.
Dolan's Cadillac, for all its harsh assessments of life and the burial of the titular character, is somehow a hopeful novella, in which a man does all he can to find peace in the chaos of his life. Beautifully written, well researched and haunting, it's one of King's best creations.