Yours Cruelly, Elvira Audiobook By Cassandra Peterson cover art

Yours Cruelly, Elvira

Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Yours Cruelly, Elvira

By: Cassandra Peterson
Narrated by: Cassandra Peterson
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $21.83

Buy for $21.83

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

The woman behind the icon known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, the undisputed Queen of Halloween, reveals her full story, filled with intimate bombshells - and told by the bombshell herself.

On Good Friday in 1953, at only 18 months old, 25 miles from the nearest hospital in Manhattan, Kansas, Cassandra Peterson reached for a pot on the stove and doused herself in boiling water. Third-degree burns covered 35 percent of her body, and the prognosis wasn't good. But she survived. Burned and scarred, the impact stayed with her and became an obstacle she was determined to overcome. Feeling like a misfit led to her love of horror. While her sisters played with Barbie dolls, Cassandra played with model kits of Frankenstein and Dracula and idolized Vincent Price.

Due to a complicated relationship with her mother, Cassandra left home at 14, and by age 17 she was performing at the famed Dunes Hotel in Las Vegas. Run-ins with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Tom Jones helped her grow up fast. Then a chance encounter with her idol Elvis Presley changed the course of her life forever and led her to Europe, where she worked in film and traveled Italy as lead singer of an Italian pop band. She eventually made her way to Los Angeles, where she joined the famed comedy improv troupe The Groundlings and worked alongside Phil Hartman and Paul "Pee-wee" Reubens, honing her comedic skills.

Nearing age 30, a struggling actress considered past her prime, she auditioned at local LA channel KHJ as hostess for the late-night vintage horror movies. Cassandra improvised, made the role her own, and got the job on the spot. Yours Cruelly, Elvira is an unforgettably wild memoir. Cassandra doesn't shy away from revealing exactly who she is and how she overcame seemingly insurmountable odds. Always original and sometimes outrageous, her story is loaded with twists, travails, revelry, and downright shocking experiences. It is the candid, often funny, and sometimes heartbreaking tale of a Midwest farm girl's long, strange trip to become the world's sexiest, sassiest Halloween icon.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Cassandra Peterson (P)2021 Hachette Books
Biographies & Memoirs Celebrity Memoir Essentials Film & TV LGBTQIA+ Essentials Celebrity Funny Heartfelt Inspiring Witty Scary
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Featured Article: The top 100 celebrity memoirs of all time


The best celebrity memoir audiobooks are in a league of their own—there is no greater listening experience than a memoir performed by the celebrity behind the title. Their charisma and authenticity greatly enhance the experience, making it all the more engaging. Many listeners who would never think to read a celebrity memoir in print gravitate to the genre in audio. There’s something magical about hearing, in their own voice, the nitty-gritty of a star’s path.

Editor's Pick

Give me all the Elvira, please
If there were justice in Hollywood, there would be no such thing as a casting couch, underrepresented groups wouldn’t have to fight so hard to get so little, and no one would have to ask ''Who is Elvira?'' again. I’ve answered the question to my share of whippersnappers, finding that ''the goth Dolly Parton'' is useful shorthand for the B-movie queen’s macabre version of exaggerated femininity, wielded in the service of iconic camp and, yes, feminism. As a kid, I watched her feature film, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, so many times I practically knew it by heart, recognizing that her appeal was about more than her vampy, campy persona. Like Dolly, she used her considerable physical assets and comic genius to knock down the doors of a misogynist industry—in her case, horror instead of country music. Elvira, whose real name is Cassandra Peterson, is now 70, and her new memoir cements her legacy—a scrappy and hilarious collection of insider tales from a woman who knew everyone and did everything her way. When she was just a year old, Peterson pulled a pot of boiling water onto herself, burning much of her body and transforming her outlook forever. The farm kid from Kansas was destined for a different life, and in the company of her inimitable voice, you’ll hear allllll about it, in devilish detail. At a time when women were supposed to choose between being funny or sexy, Elvira was brilliant at both—and she still is. Grab your eyeliner and pay some respect. —Kat J., Audible Editor

What listeners say about Yours Cruelly, Elvira

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,514
  • 4 Stars
    237
  • 3 Stars
    49
  • 2 Stars
    15
  • 1 Stars
    12
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,395
  • 4 Stars
    109
  • 3 Stars
    27
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    8
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,249
  • 4 Stars
    205
  • 3 Stars
    51
  • 2 Stars
    12
  • 1 Stars
    13

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Chapter 14 cut off

This is an amazing book, and the audiobook is performed by Cassandra which is a major plus. The only issue is that the end of chapter 14 is cut off mid sentence. Hopefully this will be corrected soon and updated. I’ve contacted Audible support to make them aware of it. Thankfully I also have the hardback version so I can see what happened.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

48 people found this helpful

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

Charming, Touching, Cassandra Peterson Doesn’t Hold Anything Back in This Fascinating Tale of her Entire Life

As someone who met Cassandra as a child and looked at her as a mother-like figure, I couldn’t stop myself from pre-ordering this book from Premiere Collectables, but of course, I lack patience, so I also downloaded the audio book to listen to until the physical copy arrived. She went into such detail about her life, relationships with others, and feelings that it felt like she was sitting here just talking to me, as a friend. I’d knew of some details presented, but so much was suddenly coming to the surface, it made me realize how Cassandra was shaped as a human being, and explained why she likely showed such kindness to me every time I ran into her throughout the years. She’s truly an amazing individual, and I know she’s been working on this book for over a decade, and I can safely say that the wait was beyond worth it. It made me tear up, laugh, and smile, all while reminding me why I’d come to love Cassandra and the Mistress of the Dark, Elvira. I whole heartedly recommend this book. 💞

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

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

One Of The Best Memoirs

Totally unexpected, this memoir reveals a funny, sensitive, smart and clever woman beneath the Elivira persona. She is not only a gifted writer, but her very personal and delightful narration make this book a listening pleasure.

I loved the events and encounters with so many well-known celebrities, they were all so fascinating. I was truly impressed by her vulnerability and honesty, as well as her prodigious memory! I was duly impressed by her wonderful unabashed sexuality that at once was revealing and charming.

I remember watching her on TV and maybe I saw the movie, but I simply must watch it again. This woman is a lovely, totally cool person who I loved getting to know from this insightful and entertaining memoir.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

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

Cassandra is an inspiration for all females in the

Cassandra is the inspiration for all females in the entertainment industry. The struggle is as real as her tits. thank you for writing this and for being who you are!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

wow

incredible story. she is so smart and well spoken. this is a must listen 👍

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

you are loved Cassandra

What a truly wonderful book. It only made me love her more! Thank you for writing this.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

absolutely amazing!!

I loved every moment of this book. Even the moments that I felt my heart was breaking. The author's narration is wonderfully executed. I've been recommending this to all of my friends even before I was finished. A wonderful insight into the life of such an amazing legend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

AWESOME 👍

what a great listen. So fun and entertaining. Now I have to binge watch everything she's referred to and ⭐ in!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

it's Elvira, duh!

i knew I was going to relate to at least some of this story, but I never imagined how much of it would hit home. even the parts that I'd no experience with, were still deeply moving.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Enthralling and Capitivating

loved listening to Cassandra Petersons voice and he brought me through her journey! what a ride!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!