Gone Girl

A Novel

By: Gillian Flynn

Narrated by: Julia Whelan, Kirby Heyborne

Length: 19 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The “mercilessly entertaining” (Vanity Fair) instant classic “about the nature of identity and the terrible secrets that can survive and thrive in even the most intimate relationships” (Lev Grossman, Time)—now featuring never-before-published deleted scenes

NAMED ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BOOKS OF THE DECADE BY CNN AND ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE DECADE BY TIME AND ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Janet Maslin, The New York Times • People • Entertainment Weekly • O: The Oprah Magazine • Slate • Kansas City Star • USA Today • Christian Science Monitor

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY San Francisco Chronicle • St. Louis Post-Dispatch • The Chicago Tribune • HuffPost • Newsday

©2012 Gillian Flynn (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Absorbing . . . In masterly fashion, Flynn depicts the unraveling of a marriage—and of a recession-hit Midwest—by interweaving the wife’s diary entries with the husband’s first-person account.”—The New Yorker

“Ms. Flynn writes dark suspense novels that anatomize violence without splashing barrels of blood around the pages . . . Ms. Flynn has much more up her sleeve than a simple missing-person case. As Nick and Amy alternately tell their stories, marriage has never looked so menacing, narrators so unreliable.”—The Wall Street Journal

“The story unfolds in precise and riveting prose . . . even while you know you’re being manipulated, searching for the missing pieces is half the thrill of this wickedly absorbing tale.”—O: The Oprah Magazine

Great story.

This is my first book from this author. I actually really liked the story line! My big complaint-slash-dislike is the level of cursing. It actually shocked me that it bothered me so much, I am generally not a prude, nor do I cringe at vulgarity. The level of vulgarity in the book however was more than even I could handle. It occurred so often and got so extreme, that it genuinely started to ruin the book for me.

Twisty dark narrative

What made the experience of listening to Gone Girl the most enjoyable?

The twists just kept on coming. I knew that twists were involved but had no idea how layered they would be throughout the story. Well done and I found myself truly surprised several times throughout the book, and that rarely happens for me.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, and I basically did. I played it while driving ten hours each way for the holidays. Made the drive go by MUCH faster, and I couldn't wait to get back in the car at pit stops to keep listening.

Couldn't stop listening....

If you could sum up Gone Girl in three words, what would they be?

captivating, interesting,recommended

What other book might you compare Gone Girl to and why?

I cannot think of another quite like it.

What does Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

very easy to listen to - the perfect amount of drama in their voices.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Don't miss it!

WOW!

Where does Gone Girl rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I read and enjoy all genres of books, and this book ranks up there in the top 10.

What did you like best about this story?

This story kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

Which scene was your favorite?

It scene in the shed when the truth is realized.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I enjoyed the book so much, but I hated the ending. I think if I was writing this story I would have ended it differently. This is the reason I did not give the book a 5.

Any additional comments?

This story would make a great movie!

Experience twisted from the inside

Where does Gone Girl rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best! The story unfolds in a unique, insidious and twisted way.

What did you like best about this story?

The way the listener gets to experience the rationalization of the sick mind.

Which character – as performed by Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne – was your favorite?

Nick was my favorite, he is kind of hopeless but you have to root for him since he is being so totally screwed by Amy.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes and I did it in 2 sittings. Perfect for a long drive.

Great Writing and Narration, Hated the Ending

The writing and narration were superb! "thick afternoon naps" and decribing the rising internet's destruction of the print industry as a dog in the corner..."little did we know it would devour us all" ...perfection. The characters were well written and the story was full of suspense and fun twists. The switch from Part 1 to Part 2 was especially fun! However, the ending left me angry when I thought I would feel vindicated.

Awesome book, not thrilled with the ending.

Narrator was awesome. Story was great, but I felt the ending was horrible. I need the main character to get some kind of revenge or something, this maybe because of my hate for the female character.

Good story with an unfortunate finish

If you could sum up Gone Girl in three words, what would they be?

Intriguing, thought-provoking, different.

What did you like best about this story?

I enjoyed seeing how all of the pieces came together. And that I became emotionally attached to characters and then found I was led to do so - kept it interesting!

What about Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne ’s performance did you like?

I enjoyed their voices of the opposite gender. They both have a wide range and are talented speakers.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

I Wear the Pants

Any additional comments?

I was disappointed in the ending. I feel the author tried TOO hard to be "original".

Twisted and thrilling

It took me a little while to start listening to this book, but when I did... wow!! It had me guessing from beginning to end... I kept changing my mind as to who was the good one and the bad one in this story, lots of twists and turns in this story and the narrators did a really good job. The ending was a little different though, I kept hoping that Amy would get hers in the end... which alas did not happen :( Kind of wished for a different ending. It was a good story all in all, and I would definitely recommend it.

Gone Girl Will Not Disappoint!

Even listening for 3 hour sessions while driving, it was hard to stop listening to this great story. Just when you think you have all the characters figured out . . .BANG! The author takes off in an entirely different direction you hadn't even thought of. It is a book full of surprise twists and turns that keeps you coming back for the next chapter. I have definitely found a new author. You will not be disappointed in this book!