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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: 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

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

Warning: marital bliss can kill you

This book was vicious and smooth - and left me unclear as to who was the bad guy until Flynn decided it was time to change gears. A very well put together psych thriller with plenty to keep me listening long past pulling into the driveway. My only criticism is that it felt a little like Flynn got tired of writing the book a little abruptly and tried to wrap it all up more swiftly that I wanted her to. I would say more about that but I don't want to spoil the plot twists for anyone

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Blows You Away

I am often hesitant of woman mystery writers because often they are a bit soap operaish and to nice. Boy Did Gillian Flynn blow that view apart. First let me say the prose is amazing. If you've ever had a long relationship that desolves you'd think she was often speaking just to you. Her imagery is also incredible and makes everything seem so real and personal. Then there is the story. Wow. Amazing. A book you'll carry around a long time. Readers are also fantastic. Story takes a little bit to hook you then not even therapy can keep you away from the train wreck. Great listen.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

This one keeps you guessing and guessing!

My first Gillian Flynn, takes a while to get involved but then you are hooked and this one keeps you guessing until the very last page. A great mystery just go for it.

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Great book, would highly recommend!

Would you listen to Gone Girl again? Why?

Yes, I always pick up little things I missed the first time through.

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

Once I started the second part, I had to listen to the entire book to see how things ended.

Any additional comments?

Read her books!

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Disappointing Ending

Any additional comments?

Before I finished listening to the book I couldn't understand all the negative reviews about the ending. I understand now that I've finished. The ending was extremely disappointing with how great the rest of the book was, with all the twists and turns.

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A great listen.

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

The narrators gave each character a voice without detracting from the continuity of the narrative.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Intriguing! Too Dark? Nah.

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

I have never even heard of Gillian Flynn, much less listened any of her books. I love this book and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers. This is a different style of writing so if you are not open to non-traditional storytelling, this book may not be for you. The tone and style of this book reminds me of one of my favorite authors, Lisa Gardner. Gone Girl is a very personal book, so the narration is critical. Fortunately, the dual narration is excellent. For me, most of the intrigue was created while I was trying to imagine just how far each of the main characters would go in their chess-like game of dominate and destroy. I kept thinking, "Wow, I can't believe he/she just did that!" Then I could not put the book down until I found out how the other main character reacted. I am one of those listeners that will abandon a book if there is no clear protagonist, so I almost didn't get this book because of some of the comments here. With Gone Girl, I found that I need not love either of the two main characters in order to be entertained by their psychological gamesmanship and cunning. I respected each character... the way a person respects an intricately beautiful, but deadly insect while carefully examining it through the lens of a microscope.

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    4 out of 5 stars

preversely interesting

People had told me this was twisted and therefore I guessed how it could be twisted - I was right. It's interesting to hear both sides of a relationship. Over time you learn that both partners are pretty darn sick.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating characters you learn to love to hate

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

Murderous marital mystery

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

Can't think of any.

Which scene was your favorite?

Amy seduced back to life by adroitly lying spouse.

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

Duelling spiteful spouses

Any additional comments?

Didn't like the voices that much at first, but soon realized that they're perfect for the characters they portrayed - something too self satisfied just below the surface. Great voice acting. Couldn't wait to take my walk each day, to get back to the story.

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    3 out of 5 stars

Great Story, Annoyed at the ending

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

The two narrators did a great job and made it very easy to listen to

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

I thought it was strange at first but once the main plot and story was revealed i liked it

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

They did great interpretations of the characters

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

Without giving away any spoilers - the plot where we discovered what was really going on with Amy.

Any additional comments?

**Spoiler*
I strongly disliked how the ending turned out. It is my hope that Gillian Flynn has plans to perhaps do a sequel so we can how Amy and Nick are doing.

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