Gone Girl

By: Gillian Flynn

Narrated by: Julia Whelan, Kirby Heyborne

Length: 19 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

What are you thinking, Amy? The question I've asked most often during our marriage, if not out loud, if not to the person who could answer. I suppose these questions storm cloud over every marriage: What are you thinking? How are you feeling? Who are you? What have we done to each other? What will we do? Just how well can you ever know the person you love?

These are the questions that Nick Dunne must ask himself on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, when his wife Amy suddenly disappears. The police immediately suspect Nick. Amy's friends reveal that she was afraid of him, that she kept secrets from him. He swears it isn't true. A police examination of his computer shows strange searches. He says they aren't his. And then there are the persistent calls on his mobile phone.

So what really did happen to Nick's beautiful wife? And what was in that half-wrapped box left so casually on their marital bed? In this novel, marriage truly is the art of war.

©2012 Gillian Flynn (P)2012 Random House

This Is A Book That Will Make You Think

When I was halfway through this book, I was scrolling through facebook and one of my friends had posted the quote: "I want someone who says I love you every night and proves it every day." I nearly asked them if they were reading this book, because this story has made me look at that quote in a totally different way!
Gone Girl is brilliantly written. I found the first half start to get a bit tedious towards the end, but had read reviews to persevere past the halfway point, so I did. The story changes tack completely at halfway, and then you won't be able to put it down.
Though many have complained about the ending, I loved it. It is the perfect ending for the disturbing, but exciting thrill of a ride while living in Nick and Amy's world. It's a psychological thriller, that's for sure!

Excellent

This book is brilliant. The twist and turns are chilling and sometimes downright scary. I can not recommend this novel enough. Slowish start but really takes off from there. I could not put it down!

Nerve wracking and gripping story; well told

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

This is a long story but don't let that put you off listening. Just when you think it can't take anymore twists or turns.. It does. It is clever. I wanted to keep listening even though I had other things to do.

Any additional comments?

It is narrated by Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne and they enhanced the suspense in their portrayal of the leading characters.
I can thoroughly recommend it for those who enjoy devious psychological thrillers.

Not just another whodunit

Without giving the plot away, suffice it to say that Gone Girl isn't just another missing person story, but a psychological thriller that keeps up the suspense to the last page. So don't be put off by the length. I'm left pondering the character of the victim as well as the perpetrator, and wondering what will happoen next. It's one of those books I will read again. With the two antagonists telling their story in the first person, the alternating male and female readers was a must. A top book all round.

Thrilling and Disturbing

I’ve been trying to review this book for a while now and it has become a real struggle. I don’t want to give any spoilers for this brilliant book so I will try my best. Advanced warning: this review may have spoilers or turn out incredible vague. When I first saw this book I kept thinking this was just another YA novel but then I noticed this book kept popping up everywhere so I thought I better read what this is about and when I did, I had to read it right away.

When Amy disappears in suspicious circumstances all eyes fall to her husband as the primary suspect. Nick claims he is innocent but the evidence is not in his favour. Did Nick kill his wife? As this novel progressed any ideas of what happened will be shattered, any presumptions you’ve made about the characters will be wrong. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is a dark and twisted journey with so much unpredictability that you will be up all night trying to find out what really happened to Amy.

What I loved about this book was that you never really know what to expect. The book is told from the perspective of Nick and Amy, the diary of Amy tells the back story of their lives while the alternative chapters told from Nick takes the story from the disappearance. Slowly the pieces start to fall into place but there is always another curve ball just around the corner. The dark and psychological aspects of this novel remind me of something Jim Thompson would write but then the thriller and suspense of this book reminds me a lot of books like Before I Go to Sleep or Into the Darkest Corner.

Flynn did a brilliant job with this novel, it kept me up at night, made me want to skip work to read this book and in the end any spare time I had I was back in this book trying to find out what really happened to Amy. I wasn’t sure what I was in for and I didn’t know who to believe but in the end I enjoyed the ride. On reflection this book seemed incredibly basic with its plot but writing in a brilliant way that while reading you never have enough pieces to solve this puzzle. Highly recommend this book to any lovers of mystery and suspense.

Absolutely loved this book!

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

Absolutely! Great story with many twists. Fantastic characters and I enjoyed the comedy (even though the story is quite dark).

Who was your favorite character and why?

Both main characters, although in the end I would chose the male lead.

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

Excellent delivery and timing. They were fantastic as their own characters as well as portraying the other characters.

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

Gives a new meaning to 'Woman scorned'

Any additional comments?

Loved this book, the twists were believable and characters strong.

Twists and turns and a little bit of wow

Get this. Gone girl deserves its best seller status because it is good old fashioned story telling where the journey is just a thrill and ride and the destination a... well, you will see. I felt myself listening without distraction (as I would if reading a book) which for me is the best test of a really good audio book. The narrators both do an excellent job.

Brilliant book

Would you listen to Gone Girl again? Why?

Probably, in a year or so.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Nick

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

Definitely

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

A definite reaction, but if I talk about it I will give away the suprise

Any additional comments?

Excellent story, kept me thinking all the time what would come up next. Very sorry when it was all over.

Addictive

Highly intriguing tale, slightly disappointed with how everything just fell into place as the perpetrator planned and felt slightly rushed and a bit lazy three quarters through. However, I couldn't put it down and finished it in 4 days! Most enjoyable.

Great listening

This is read really well, you really get an insight into each character and a different sense of emotion each chapter :) looking forward to listening to more of Gillian Flynn's books