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Gone Girl

By: Gillian Flynn
Narrated by: Julia Whelan, Kirby Heyborne
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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: The 20 Best Thriller Audiobooks to Get Your Heart Racing


Few stories lend themselves to audio better than thrillers. Listening gives you time to play detective and figure out the mysteries with the characters. There’s no way to quickly flip through the tense, nerve-wracking parts—and that’s what makes hearing them so much more exciting. Whether you enjoy classic detective thrillers, or something more sinister, there are endless stories to choose from. Here are the 20 best thriller audiobooks to get you started.

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
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing plot!

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

I would recommend this book because it's an easy listen but so captivating. The plot has several twists and the ending is impossible to guess.

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

I liked that the voices changed showing me when the character's narration changed. It made the book easier to listen and understand.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great Book!!

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

Yes, most definitely!
This kept you wondering the entire time!! Very well written and very well read!! I couldnt stop listening!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved it

A brilliant story from start to finish! Such a great plot twist. Kept me hooked the entire time.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Definitely Amazing!

I think it only fitting to describe this book as Amazing! I was so drawn in to this story and the characters. I couldn't wait to see how the next part would unfold. I highly recommend this book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it

Great read ! Suspenseful..definitely will read books by same author .. Although some part I didn't agree on.. Awesome, addicting book

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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Ending?

Not to hot on ending as I held out for the end I wanted listening and listening to the twists and turns. The characters were well developed and interesting. The psychological twists of deceit were involved and surprised me often. Narration was great for me, just the right tone for each character. Good listening.

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THE THRILL IS BACK WITH "GIRL GONE"

What did you love best about Gone Girl?

The nuanced writing is thrilling--pulling me forward into the story.

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

When Nick is in the police station Flynn perfectly communicates the alienation Nick is experiencing. "Tantalizing" is the word for the build up of suspense in that brightly lit room.

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

EVERYTHING.

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

The recollections, feelings, and insights of husband and wife on every page...wow.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Fantastic until the end...

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

Probably because the characters have their own voice in the audio version.

What did you like best about this story?

I really liked the suspense! The entire story was excellent up until the end. I was a little disappointed with the ending, I won't spoil anything but I would give this book overall a 4.5.

Which scene was your favorite?

There were so many twists and turns in the book it is hard to pick one!

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

I just thought it was a unique, well written book.

Any additional comments?

I am going to check out other books from this author because this one was so good!

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Wicked, wicked , wicked girl.

This was my first Gillian Flynn and it was fantastic. Believable, wicked characters.
Great story, great reading. No happy endings here, but it all seems to make some sort of sense in the end. A little bit violent, but it serves the story- never gratuitous.
Gillian Flynn"s three books, Sharp Objects,Dark Places and this one, Gone Girl, have been the most compelling, intelligent audio experiences I have had in the last few months.
I am finding it very difficult to find anything close to this quality to read (listen).

I apologize for the cut and paste same review of these three books, but I wanted to contribute to the reviewing community that has helped me out so much. My time seems to get tighter and tighter all the time, which is why I value these great listening experiences so much ( mostly in my truck running around for materials- I am a contractor ).

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Excellent!

Interesting story with lots of twists. I did not like the male reader, but got used to him. I will read more from Gillian Flynn.

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