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

good book!

I didn't want to so listening. there was always something new in the plot. nice

Good story - hated the ending!!

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

I did before I finished the story - now she's hooked and I am afraid I will disappoint knowing the ending.

What could Gillian Flynn have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Finished it --- I don't feel the story had an ending. I can't imagine a continuation.

Which scene was your favorite?

When she gets busted by Jeff and Greta. Finally some payback.

I'm bad at reviews.

It was really good, unexpectedly good. I tore through it. :) would recommend it for a weekend listening marathon. More words.

Interesting listen.

To begin with the story was great. Book one was intriguing, book two was ok, but book three tedious. The story was good, but too long.

Happy Anniversary?

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

Having two narrators tell this story brought it to life in a way that might not have been possible had I read the print version. Both actors did a fantastic job portraying the characters of this murder mystery.

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

I have not read or listened to a book like this, the plot feels like a Hollywood thrill ride.

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

They truly make the story three dimensional and the characters they play feel like real people going through this dramatic event.

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

Without question. Once the story grabs you a few chapters in you find yourself not able to put it down. If you listen while running, expect do do some extra miles.

Any additional comments?

Great Listen that is intense. By the end your view of the characters might surprise you.

An extremely well crafted and unsettling story

When I finished this book I said "ahh!" Not, "ahhh" as in I'm satisified, but "ahhh" as in, I've lost my balance and am trying to keep myself upright. Weeks later I am still unsettled.
The narrators did a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life, and I greatly enjoyed their performances. The only reason I did not give this title an overall rating of 5/5 stars is because of the language issue. I do not understand why the need for constant vulgarity in today's literature. And while I can skip over words when reading, it is much harder when they are coming into my ears as part of a story I do not want to turn off, but detest the language in which parts of it are delivered.
That being said..
This story sucked me in and did not let me go. I didn't have the luxury this listen of getting the whole book in in just a few days, as is my wont. But every time I had the chance, I was listening, totally wrapped up in the drama unfolding in Nick and Amy's lives. And feeling increasingly uneasy.
This is not a comforting read, but it is engrossing and thought-provoking.

Long

Would you try another book from Gillian Flynn and/or Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne ?

Maybe. Depends on how many hours

Would you be willing to try another book from Gillian Flynn? Why or why not?

Maybe. Depends on how many hours.

Any additional comments?

Good story, but one book too long. The story was not worthy of 19 hours.

Gone Girl

Insane. It was an insane book that turned out nothing like a thought it would. The narrators took some getting used to, but once you got comfortable with their voices, they were great, especially the emotion in their voices. Thought the "Amy's done this framing thing before" was a little much (like, really? She's done it THREE or so times??) it was unnecessary and I thought it demeaned her and nicks situation a little, like, made it less of a special case. Besides that! An infuriating, sickening, amazing book to listen to, I highly recommend it.

great.

this was my first audio book and I loved it. the actors did great with the reading. not monotoned

Disturbing and delightful

This book is full of things I love. Dark intelligent flawed characters, unapologetic insights, and superb narration. It's neurotic attention to detail about societal expectations was dizzyingly accurate.