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

yes this is good

the narrators were sufficient and I was hooked to the story wishing to know what was next. I feel like the ending was ambiguous and feel like I was due more closure after that roller coaster ride of a story

Just want to go on road trips so I can finish

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

I have about 30% more to listen to and hope to finish in my car today. I think I know what is going to happen but then almost a third is left. Lots of twist and turns and wondering what else is going to happen!

A must hear!!!!

I listened over a course of about 3 days! There were surprises on top of each other. I even got sister to listen!

90% isn't bad...

For me, this book had a bit of slow beginning.. but that would just be me swallowing the hook, the line and the sinker! I loved the character development.. even if I didn't like the character.. I went deeper and deeper ... enjoying the ride... almost clapping my hands at the surprises... overjoyed .. until the ending. Bleh. Unsatisfying.. even irritating!.. So is it worth a listen??? You bet... but prepare to be left feeling a bit irritated.

Not many surprise me

Honestly I am good at picking up plot twists and foreshadowing but I was completely surprised several times in this book! Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Great for a Road Trip

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this audiobook to a person who is looking for something to listen to while commuting to work or on a long road trip because it is easy to follow the plot. That is, you don't have to listen closely like you do with, say, a LeCarre novel.

What did you like best about this story?

The first-person narrative/diary format is well-suited to the plot action.

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

Too youthful sounding.

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

Neither

Any additional comments?

After the "big reveal" the plot seems overly contrived. And it was hard for me to believe that the wife could have fooled everyone so completely, but that was the premise, take it or leave it.

Started out so/so, loved it, but left disappointed

The book started out okay, I didn't love it I didn't hate it but it wasn't something that "I just couldn't stop listening to".

As I progressed, it got REALLY good, so good that I found myself making excuses to even clean my house just to be able to listen to it, I had to finish the book and know what was going to happen next.

The ending however, left me pretty disappointed, and when I heard the narrator conclude we hope you enjoyed this audiobook, I couldn't believe it was over, I actually rewound to see if by accident I hit the fast forward button. Maybe it was intentional and the book will become a series, but otherwise I really wish there was more time spent on the ending.

I will say I am a person that likes loose ends tied up at the end of the story, whether it's a good ending or bad. I just felt like I had more questions when the book ended and that's just something I have never liked in books, movies, etc. I would recommend the book but I think you may feel frustrated at the ending as well.

Thrilling right up to the end

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

Yes and no. I enjoyed the book wondering what was going to happen next in this game of one up manship. I loved how the main characters were both vilian and victim on a whim. It kept me in suspense right up until the end and that is when I was so dissappointed. It is as if she ran out of time and just said "I got the last word." Hard to believe someone so creative could not come up with a better ending.

Who was your favorite character and why?

No real favorites here, neither of the main characters were very endearing. You might want to cheer for Nick but only to see Amy get what she deserves

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

Only if they changed the ending.

The story was...

The story was addicting. The only reason I gave it four stars is because it's a really messed up story. You should give it a listen.

the ending sucks

It was good until the end. the performance was good. the first half was the best, I might read this author again.