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Gone Girl  By  cover art

Gone Girl

By: Gillian Flynn
Narrated by: Julia Whelan, Kirby Heyborne
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Editorial review


By Mysia Haight, Audible Editor

PSYCH OUT—THE JAW-DROPPING GENIUS OF GONE GIRL

Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl is among the all-time best crafted stories told by unreliable narrators—two of them, the perfect couple—and a gripping thriller filled with jaw-dropping twists. This dark mystery novel also shines a critical light on the media-fueled public rush to judge people suspected of crimes who, regardless of the evidence, simply look guilty—an unsettling trend that has only escalated in the decade since the book’s release. Along with its critique of media exploitation, the novel has been widely embraced—and hotly debated—as a manifesto of modern feminism.

Ten years ago, I was approaching that dreaded life stage—middle age. After years of doing my best to be a good wife, mother, aunt, sister, daughter, and friend; a good worker, mentor, and role model; and a good listener, problem solver, and crisis manager, I was feeling taken for granted and restless. What if I did something unexpected, something out of character—something bad?

Happily, I satisfied my yearnings by becoming immersed in the brilliant mind and devious machinations of Amy Elliott Dunne, the hero (or, depending on your perspective, villain) of Gone Girl. When it was published in 2012, Gillian Flynn’s ingenious novel about a missing wife and the husband increasingly implicated in her ominous disappearance stirred up a lot of buzz. As an avid fan of psychological thrillers, unreliable narrators, and contemporary fiction driven by strong, complicated women, I couldn’t wait to read it. And I was blown away! In spite of her questionable (to put it extremely mildly) actions, I found Amy, an amazing woman who was taken for granted—first by her parents and then by her husband—relatable and, yes, sympathetic. I kept rooting for her to get the life she wanted, even when I was appalled by what she did and who she hurt to make that happen.

Has Gone Girl changed my life? Well, it didn’t motivate me to change for the badder—old good habits die hard. Yet, thanks in part to Amy and other remarkable women characters like her, I’ve gradually become better at speaking up for myself and getting heard.

Years after first reading Gone Girl, I haven't forgotten Amy. I love the way Rosamund Pike brought her to life in the 2014 film adaptation, which I've watched in its entirety three times with three different women—my sister, my niece, and my daughter. So when I discovered that one of my favorite narrators, the remarkable Julia Whelan, voices Amy in the audiobook, I just had to go back and listen. Her performance is brilliant—so believable, it's chilling—and even though I know every twist in her twisted story, Amy continues to amaze me!

Continue reading Mysia's review >

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 TimesPeopleEntertainment WeeklyO: The Oprah MagazineSlateKansas City StarUSA TodayChristian 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 ChronicleSt. Louis Post-DispatchThe Chicago TribuneHuffPostNewsday

©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

Featured Article: Whodunit Whizzes—A Shortlist of the Best Mystery Authors


Who doesn't love a good mystery? Listening to mystery audiobooks is a great way to feel some semblance of order in an often chaotic world. The clues are there for you to solve along, and by the end, it will all come together in an incredibly satisfying manner. There’s a formula to the genre, sure, but the best mysteries still surprise you and often subvert expectations. These mystery writers take the genre to a new level. Here's our pick of their best listens.

Editor's Pick: Best of the Decade

Get to the gone
"I’m a sucker for great story structure, and Gone Girl uses every inch of its narrative to subvert expectations in ways that shock and amuse. The perfectly utilized diary entries fold into a legendary mid-book reveal. The face-turn-heel of a seemingly perfect victim who revels in the way they’ve expertly managed your expectations. The unreliable narrators who reveal so much about themselves by what they don’t say—or how they shape emotional states into origami. And it all feels fair; while most twist-filled stories tend to seem rather flimsy under a microscope, the closer you look at Gillian Flynn’s masterpiece, the more you notice the sheer togetherness of it all, each part working in concert with another, coalescing to form a story that has one finger firmly on the pulse of popular culture, and one on the carotid of a serial killer."—Sean T., Audible Editor

What listeners say about Gone Girl

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    34,618
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  • 3 Stars
    5,268
  • 2 Stars
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    30,682
  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
    4,957
  • 2 Stars
    1,874
  • 1 Stars
    1,580

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Twisted yet addictive storyline...

What did you love best about Gone Girl?

How twisted it was.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes, I found the plot riveting and the main characters despicable. Both of them flawed, psychotic, sociopathic and deserving one another. It was an interesting look into a different kind of existence.

Have you listened to any of Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I don't like the dual reading. Its just a person preference. I prefer one narrator for the whole book. Many books are going to this format though.

Any additional comments?

Great book. Very different.

The movie sucked in comparison.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

very enjoyable

I decided to read the book before watching the movie. I ended up binge listening "reading" Gone Girl in 2 days. The narrators, Julia Whelan and Kirby Heybourne were perfect and I enjoyed the tone they brought to the story. I also purchased the Kindle version but ended up listening to the book because the narrators brought the story to life. I can only hope the movie does the book justice. However, I have been warned that the storyline of the movie is different than the book. But even if it's true, I am looking forward to the movie. As I write this I am downloading 2 more books written by Gillian Flynn on my Kindle and Audible.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

I don’t recommend this book

A very depressing book. The two main characters in the story have terrible flaws; a sociopath and a psychopath.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Really good

Really enjoyed the book . started slow and gave up a couple times but once I got into it I got a surprise.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Disturbing story

This book was recommended to me by a friend who said I just HAD to read it. Well, I'm pretty sure I could have lived my whole life without this story bopping around in my head. It's just "that" kind of disturbing that lingers in the brain for a long while and pops up when you least expect it. It definitely made me think! However, I did actually like the story and the performances are really fantastic. I found both main characters to be unlikable and generally icky but yet I just HAD to know what happened next. Great writing, wonderful performance, intriguing story.

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

Intricate Web of Deceit

Would you listen to Gone Girl again? Why?

Yes! The pacing is perfect. There is so much going on, I wonder how much I'll pick up on if I listen to it again.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Gone Girl?

I don't want to give too much away, but probably when Amy is essentially kidnaped.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes. It did. My only complaint about the narration is that it took me a while to get into it. I found both of them annoying, but their performance was good. I think this one is just a personal preference thing.

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

No. I was ok to break it up, but I did devour that sucker in just a few days.

Any additional comments?

Wonderful villain. Wonderful attention to detail. Broad story. The ending took a few listens to settle. I was really disappointed at first, but it grew on me.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

EXCELLENT!!!

Would you listen to Gone Girl again? Why?

PROBABLY NOT THAT IS JUST BECAUSE I DON'T USUALLY LISTEN A SECOND TIME TO ANY BOOKS. BUT I AM PUSHING MY HUSBAND TO LISTEN TO THIS BOOK BECAUSE IT WAS SO GOOD.

What did you like best about this story?

THE BOOK TAKES A TURN RIGHT WHEN YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

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

COULD NOT PICK BETWEEN THE TWO BOTH WERE GREAT.

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

YES I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND ANOTHER BOOK TO LISTEN TO THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS BUT I CAN'T FIND ONE THAT COMPARES TO THIS BOOK IT WAS REALLY REALLY GOOD. I WAS ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT AND WOULD GET FRUSTRATED WHEN I HAD TO PUT IT DOWN.

Any additional comments?

THIS BOOK WAS VERY GOOD I DID NOT THINK I COULD LOVE AND HATE TWO CHARACTERS IN ONE BOOK AS I DID THIS ONE. I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE BOOK AWAY BUT IT WAS TWISTED.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good Book...Kept Me Interested!

Would you listen to Gone Girl again? Why?

Sure... it grabs you pretty quick & it's got a lot of good plot twists.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

It did. I also liked the way it was shown in both characters point of view so that you saw every angle after the story begins to unfold.

Which scene was your favorite?

When he gets to the last clue in the treasure hunt & realizes whats been happening all along.

Any additional comments?

Although the book was riveting through out this author seems not to know how to end a story? The last chapter...the ending was cheesy it didn't fit the rest of the book? I don't know, it was just lacking something at the very end. BUT I will read this author again.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great Book

Loved it. Full of suspense and twists and turns. I highly recommend this wonderful read.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

great plot, weak characters

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Toward the end the plot definitely kept me engaged, but the beginning dragged a lot. The characters fell very flat. I would not have finished this book if it hadn't been so highly reviewed, although I'm glad I did. In the end it was a great story, but I would have given it 5 stars if I had been able to connect with the characters more. Each character felt very generic to me, and I think the beginning of the book would have dragged on less if the characters had come alive a little bit more.

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

I really liked the female narrator, but I thought the male narrator did not fit Nick Dunne's character at all. It made listening a little more arduous than it needed to be.

Any additional comments?

Gone Girl has a very original plot, and is worth reading because of that. I would recommend reading rather than listening. I look forward to reading more Gillian Flynn novels.

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