Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Gone Girl  By  cover art

Gone Girl

By: Gillian Flynn
Narrated by: Julia Whelan, Kirby Heyborne
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $21.60

Buy for $21.60

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

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: Listening Well Is the Best Revenge—The Best Revenge Thriller Audiobooks


No one among us hasn't imagined what it would be like to right a wrong. And even though it's better to turn the other cheek, forgive, and forget, it's still fun to listen to fictional characters enact their revenge. If you need a balm for a slight you’re still seething over, we’ve created this handy list of the best revenge thriller audiobooks to add to your library. Whether you're rooting for the story’s hero or antagonist, these tales of revenge will have you glued to your seat.

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
  • 5 Stars
    34,617
  • 4 Stars
    15,988
  • 3 Stars
    5,268
  • 2 Stars
    1,814
  • 1 Stars
    1,494
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    35,212
  • 4 Stars
    12,103
  • 3 Stars
    3,416
  • 2 Stars
    924
  • 1 Stars
    742
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    30,682
  • 4 Stars
    13,371
  • 3 Stars
    4,957
  • 2 Stars
    1,874
  • 1 Stars
    1,580

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

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good listen.

Very slow narrators. Listened to the whole thing at 1.5 because their normal voices were so painful. I think that was on purpose.

Very good story. I think this has made me a better wife to my husband. Haha.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This was a book I could not put down

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

It was performed extremely well. The roles of the characters were read well.

What did you like best about this story?

The switch of personality in Amy

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

They were both done very well. Amy's character brought so much intrigue.

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

It made me think, for days after. The ending blew my mind.

Any additional comments?

This was the best audio book I have listened to yet!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Best book I have read in a while

What did you love best about Gone Girl?

I usually like a different genre but this book really intrigued me - and it did not disappoint. I love the flow of the book and the perfect way the story unfolds -

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

I think the author's other books are also pretty good. Se is good at suspense and she is an excellent story teller

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

The nailed the characters- I really got a riveting picture of the characters based on their work. Great job!

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

There were moments when I found myself holding my breath- just waiting to see what would happen. There were also several humorous moments that made me laugh out loud

Any additional comments?

A must for suspense readers!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Sucked in!

Would you listen to Gone Girl again? Why?

I would turn this book on for drives to the grocery store. I found myself sitting in my driveway after returning from a trip waiting to find the right place to pause!The plot was fantastic, smart, and worth the 20 hours and deep detail!I liked Nick's character, but Amy was sometimes annoying...No silly sound effects or music playing in the background (which in some books is creative). Talk about twisted!! I recommended it to my co-workers who all drive as much as I do. So far, so good!

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

Yes. I started cleaning house, just to have an excuse to listen to Nick plead his innocence, but then end a chapter with "..yet that was a lie, and it wasn't my first". Damnit Nick.

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

How do I answer this and not give anything away. This book is so entwined that mention of any detail will spoil any perception or guess!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Great Listening But...

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

The end was terribly disappointing so felt I wasted my time.

Would you recommend Gone Girl to your friends? Why or why not?

No

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

Julia was irritating at the beginning but eventually got better in book 2.

Did Gone Girl inspire you to do anything?

No

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Loved it!

Would you listen to Gone Girl again? Why?

Probably wouldn't listen again. The end is so unique and I already know it now.

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

Yes, lots of twists and turns.

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

Both

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

No

Any additional comments?

Gillian Flynn rocks!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Rollercoaster Ride

Loved the movie, so I thought why not read the book. Just one word. Amazing.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Could not put it down

What did you love best about Gone Girl?

It was an exciting psychological thriller.

Any additional comments?

The end was disappointing, otherwise I would give this 5 stars.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Meh!

It was interesting and different but I didn't buy into either character. Neither was likable or unlikable. They were just...meh.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

If you have seen the movie and liked it, READ IT.

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

Patience, Betrayal and Marriage.

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

Hard to give this answer without spoiling it it any kind of way, but she was truly one of the most dark, brooding and intellectually scary characters I have encountered in quite some time. Amy was in my dreams from time to time while listening, and still pops into my head once in a while, and this is after finishing the book over 2 weeks ago!
This makes it memorable in the truest sense of the word. Too bad she was not cast and portrayed as such in the movie. I was so let down here.

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

Really good emotions, and real nice to have a male voice and a female voice, not just one reader doing both.

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

Absolutely. Without a doubt. I had my ear buds in at every available moment.
I may even get the kindle edition so I can read it too.

Any additional comments?

A super satisfying listen. A poor excuse for the movie, but that is most often the case as we all know. This story left me so happy that I am single!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!