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

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS BOOK!

Loved the story, the narrators were also amazing. Had seen the movie but this was, by far, so much better! Highly recommend!

Slow start, but then difficult to put down

What did you love best about Gone Girl?

I liked the insight into each character. At first I want to jump through the pages and shake Nick because he seems so evasive and seems not to realize that his actions are suspicious. And then there is Amy who in the beginning seems so happy and in love and joyful. She seems to really enjoy life and respects people and family. She seems to be the girl everyone wants to be around.

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

666 Park Avenue and this is only because things are not what they seem. The good is really bad and the bad turns out to be trying to do the right thing.

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

I have always been a fan of Julia Whelan, just look at my library of books I have purchased in the past. She knows how to narrate a story and make you feel as if you are walking along the street with her or seeing things from her point of view or rather the characters point of view. But for this one I have to say that I applaud Kirby Heyborne because he made the reader literally dislike Nick in the beginning. He was critical of himself and you believed that wow this is a guy that really knows how to come off wrong, all wrong. And in the end you find yourself cheering him on and hoping he would win, yes win. When he wakes up and figures out that he has been the fool you think 'FINALLY' and you hope that he will start doing the right things and he does so you can't help but to cheer him on.

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

A love story gone awry.

Any additional comments?

I can not stress enough how it was a slow book to start out and then I literally could not stop listening to the story. I found myself thinking about possible endings and what would happen if scenarios. In the end I wasn't disappointed however neither was I surprised at the outcome. Not to say that it was expected but after listening to this cat and mouse game being told, its easy to guess the last chapter.

Dumbfounded!

Twisted and dark, but compelling and intriguing at the same time. It has been a long time since I have read a story that I couldn't at least semi-predict the ending outcome.

Gone Dexter On Me

Would you consider the audio edition of Gone Girl to be better than the print version?

Not having read the print version, I cannot compare. But I highly enjoyed the audio edition. The narrators were wonderful and drew me into the story right away. Julia Whelan did a great job with the material, making me laugh and really enjoy what was going on.

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

I can't say that I could compare this book to another one, because all I kept thinking of while listening was the tv show Dexter!

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

This is the kind of story where the narrators bring the people to life. I could picture this book in my head. It is almost as if I had seen a movie instead. When I listen to a book, instead of just reading, I feel as if I know the characters personally. As if I could meet them on the street as best friends.

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

Laugh!!! I am sitting here laughing now just remembering it.

Any additional comments?

I agree with people who say don't read too much about the book. Just get it! Don't spoil the moments by knowing too much.

Great Book

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

It is one of the 2 top books I have listened to.

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

The plotting is wonderful. It seems more pedestrian when it starts, but has some very unexpected plot twists.

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

No.

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

No, it just held my interest all the way through.

Any additional comments?

This is the best novel I have read or listened to in about 10 years.

OMG

I want to kill her! The sooner the better. I would love to hear a sequel.

Love it!

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

Gone girl is my first book of this kind, murder mystery type. I loved it.

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

Amazing Amy is in all of us... We just have to keep her check.

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

Good better than good. Great: )

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

Its not that kind of book... Well parts make me giggle. I should be ashamed but Amy Props that's all I will say.

Any additional comments?

Read it. xo

Sick & Sad

At first I rated this 3 stars. After the initial excitement of Amy, the wife gone missing, it was difficult to follow until I realized there were two points of view going on.
One of Amy, the missing wife telling the days PRIOR to her being missing.
The second story of Nick AFTER his wife is missing.
What a sick & sad relationship.
Gary's review from June 2012, is excellent!
At the conclusion, the book kept me thinking and it all fell together. Very sad.

Story Straddles Between Fascinating and Tedious

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

I might recommend this book to a friend, but only with some warning/caveats. The narration is outstanding and really helped me get through the more tedious aspects of this story. The writing is clever and the author clearly likes words and likes to poke fun at popular culture. The almost always perfect use of "literally" was initially funny, but then wore on me. And that is how the story went for me. At first I was completely engrossed but as I got to know the characters better, the less I cared. I was reminded of the movie "War of the Roses" at times, but it went on WAY too long.

What did you like best about this story?

The irony of the characters' self-satisfication and the forensic details.

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

I don't think I would have finished the book if I were reading it. I think I might have skimmed and then jumped to the end. The narrators did a great job of inhabiting the characters and made me stick with it.

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

No.

Extremely well written

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

One of the best books I've ever read. Loved the twists and turns of the plot!