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

This was a GRREAT audio book

What did you love best about Gone Girl?

The narration was GREAT for this audio book!
The story was great- I wasn't sure what to expect and I ended up really enjoying it!
It kept me guessing...

Captivating & great narrators.

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

Primary characters are likable at first and show cause for sympathy toward them both. There are intricate twists in the story and addition of characters who enhance the story line, but these new characters are not described in enough detail. The story gets boring toward the last few chapters and the end was awful!

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

The change of each character personalities.

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

Their incredible voices make you both love then hate the main characters.

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

No

Any additional comments?

I will read anything new that Gillian Flynn writes. I enjoyed this book but liked "Dark Places" much better.

Very engaging story!

What did you love best about Gone Girl?

Loved this one! Such a gem of a story, I didn't want to stop listening. The narrators were both spot on and became the characters completely. It seems lately I can't find that book which just grabs you and you enjoy it so much...they're usually just...ehhh. This was a rare find for me. A book I'd actually listen to again...and again. Not an eye-rolling, predictable story at all...my first Gillian Flynn novel, nicely plotted story. So nice that the first novel of the year was so great!

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

Uh...YEAH! Don't really want to spoil the plot...everyone who loves suspense/psychological thrillers should really go in fresh (as I did) and enjoy all of the surprises and plot twistes it has to offer. It's really a great read!

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

They don't ruin it like some narrators can...they were both well suited for the characters. Like a great movie with an awesome cast.

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

Didn't make me cry (it was a little close though)...I kinda chuckled in a few places and was just stunned by the depth of the characters.

Liked it - until the end

Great writing style, I liked how it really kept the reader guessing what the real story was without giving much away up front. Then revealing bits and pieces as it progresses to put the puzzle together. Unfortunately for me, the picture that came together in the end left me very unsatisfied. I know that is part of the draw of the book for many people, but for me it was a very unfulfilling end to the story. That's all I can say without spoilers.

I can't believe this!!!

Any additional comments?

At halfway through the book, the book went from snail pace slow, to AWESOME! I loved it! I was having the time of my life, the suspense, the mystery, the thrill, it was an addiction I couldn't put down, but it took like 10 hours of listening to even get to that point! And you have to get through the horrifically slow 10 hours first because that's the set up, the slow climb to the fantastic turning point! Then the end came, and no I will NOT spoil it for you. What I will say is that it left me scathing. It left me furious and out of place. I spent the entire day in an outrage. A total cope out by the writer. It felt lazy! I was so angry with the writer, who had set the story up with this expectation, and yet it fizzled out.. into something awful. I will not say more, but please go into this story expecting a fantastic twist, it was really addictive, just know the ending isn't what you expect, or want. Don't let it ruin your day, or perception of the writer.

Don't let the narrator stray you away

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

This was one of the bette audiobooks that kept me on edge. Other mysteries don't play out as well as audio. At first I hated the narrator's voice, and I was worried I wasn't going to be able to enjoy this book. But I stuck it out for a few hours and eventually found that the narration helps tell the overall story very well.

Wait for it, it gets better

Any additional comments?

I was forewarned and it helped so I forewarn you: this book is divided in three parts, survive the first part and you'll see that the story will get much better!

The performance is great, especially hers. I'm very happy I decided to get the audio book, Julia Whelan brought the book to an entirely new level.

I absolutely recommend this audio book for those who like psychological thrillers, like good spins and are a bit patient.

amazing

couldn't stop listening to this one and it's not my book genre! very much enjoyed it.

Disturbing, yet fascinating.

Gone Girl is an extremely disturbing story about a dysfunctional relationship between a sociopath and narcissist. It is very well written and the narration was performed perfectly. The subject is topical due to all the crime shows, both reality and drama, and how public reaction plays a role in today's 24 hour news cycle.
This is one book that I was unable to stop listening as I was enthralled with the characters. Although it didn't end the way I expected, the ending was the only way to end.
Excellent storyline. Excellent narration. Excellent choice.

going, going, gone... not quite a home-run!

This is well done - by Flynn and by the narrators. It is over the top at times but it kept my interest. Great twists and turns but there's not a redeeming character to be found.