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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: The 20 Best Thriller Audiobooks to Get Your Heart Racing


Few stories lend themselves to audio better than thrillers. Listening gives you time to play detective and figure out the mysteries with the characters. There’s no way to quickly flip through the tense, nerve-wracking parts—and that’s what makes hearing them so much more exciting. Whether you enjoy classic detective thrillers, or something more sinister, there are endless stories to choose from. Here are the 20 best thriller audiobooks to get you started.

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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    34,613
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    15,988
  • 3 Stars
    5,268
  • 2 Stars
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    3,416
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Story
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    30,680
  • 4 Stars
    13,370
  • 3 Stars
    4,957
  • 2 Stars
    1,874
  • 1 Stars
    1,580

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

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Details that kept me listening!

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

This was my favorite audiobook so far. The dual narrators were incredible. The thing I loved most about this book was that I could not trust my own thoughts! Just when I had it figured out BOOM - something major changes my mind! Loved it and went to the movie immediately after listening to it! The movie is good too - but the plot is more detailed in the book and that made the movie even better to watch.

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

When "cool-girl" is gone and Amy is presented "as is"!

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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

Good read!

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

Top 10

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

The story was well done, with 2 characters. A really good "listen".

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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
  • ER
  • 10-15-12

Outstanding Performance!

Any additional comments?

The writing, plot, and genius twists and turns are wonderful however the narrators make this story! They are both so fantastic and reeling you in and differentiating their voice the conversations never get jumbled or confusing! Absolutely outstanding narration and a wonderfully fun book!

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

Too much rambling proes

Any additional comments?

I did not care for the writing style of this book. Could have been half as long if the author did not babble on and on just to seem clever.

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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

The voice of Nick seemed off

Would have given this 5 stars if it weren't for Nick's voice. It seemed whiney, too high pitched. It just didn't seem to align with the character and I couldn't get beyond it.

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

Storyline is good; characters are not

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I GUESS. I was glued to my iPod to find out what happened in the end... speaking of end, the book leaves you with an uncomfortable feeling of dread when it's over. I didn't like the end. I despised every character in the book and wanted revenge on each of them. There was honestly no redeeming quality about any character at all. The storyline was good, and there were several twists and turns. Didn't like the male narrator.

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

Without giving it away, I suppose once the journal is figured out.

What didn’t you like about Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne ’s performance?

LIked Julia Whelan's voice. Did not like Kirby Heyborne's performance at all. It was impossible to imagine him as a good looking blonde with a big smile. He sounded mousy, whiney and pinch-faced.

Was Gone Girl worth the listening time?

Eh.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

a good mystery.

What did you love best about Gone Girl?

It keep you guessing till the end.

Who was your favorite character and why?

no one

What three words best describe Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne ’s voice?

not so much.

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

yes

Any additional comments?

I DID LIKE THIS BOOK A LOT.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Not So Amazing

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I'm disappointed by this one. The twists were good, but the last part of the book just wasn't very appealing to me. Maybe it's just not what I expected it to be or that none of the characters are super likable. Wasn't horrible, but don't know that I would recommend it to anyone.

Has Gone Girl turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, but don't know that I would read anything from the author.

Could you see Gone Girl being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Yes. No idea who would star in it.

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

Good story... Performers were a bit distracting

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

You go, girl.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Amy- she is diabolical.

What didn’t you like about Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne ’s performance?

Julia's voice is soothing. Kirby was comical.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When we start hearing about Amy's true story.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Crazy Awesome

What a thrilling psychotic story!!! Crazy but awesome! I couldn't stop listening! And the VO artists are great!

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