52 pages • 1 hour read •
Gone Girl
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Book Brief
422
Novel • Fiction
North Carthage, Missouri • 2010s
2012
Broadway Books
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is a psychological thriller about a deteriorating marriage between Nick and Amy Dunne, told through alternating, unreliable narrators that keep the reader guessing as to who is telling the truth. On their fifth anniversary, Amy vanishes, and Nick becomes the prime suspect in her disappearance, leading to a series of twists that reveal the dark, manipulative sides of both characters. The novel includes depictions of intimate partner violence, emotional abuse, and murder.
Mysterious
Dark
Suspenseful
Unnerving
Challenging
Reviews & Readership
3,354,088 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl captivates with its sharp, suspenseful narrative and well-drawn characters, unveiling the complexities of a turbulent marriage. Reviewers praise its clever plot and dark humor, though some find its pacing uneven and characters unlikable. Overall, it's hailed as a gripping, unsettling read with unexpected twists.
Who Should Read Gone Girl?
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn appeals to readers who love psychological thrillers with dark, twisted plots. Fans of The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins and Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn will appreciate the suspense and complex characters. Ideal for those who enjoy intricate narratives and exploring the darker aspects of human nature.
3,354,088 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Amy Elliott Dunne
Amy Elliott Dunne
The novel's second narrator, Amy Elliott Dunne is a sociopathic, intelligent, and charming woman whose disappearance sparks an intense search and series of investigations.
Go (Margo) Dunne
Go (Margo) Dunne
Nick’s twin sister and confidant, Go runs a bar with Nick in Carthage and is known for her intelligence, humor, and loyalty to her brother.
Rand Elliott & Marybeth Elliott
Rand Elliott & Marybeth Elliott
Amy’s parents, co-authors of the Amazing Amy series, are deeply connected and pressure Amy to live up to their idealized version of her.
Mo (Maureen) Dunne
Mo (Maureen) Dunne
Nick and Go’s gentle and humorous mother, who loves Nick unconditionally and whose cancer diagnosis prompts Nick and Amy's return to Carthage.
Bill Dunne
Bill Dunne
Nick and Go’s verbally abusive father who suffers from Alzheimer’s and is a frightening figure from their past.
Rhonda Boney
Rhonda Boney
The female detective investigating Amy’s disappearance, Rhonda is intelligent and follows clues while questioning the evidence presented against Nick.
Gone Girl was author Gillian Flynn's third novel, and it became a major bestseller, spending eight weeks at the number one spot on the New York Times Best Seller list for hardcover fiction.
The success of Gone Girl led to a film adaptation directed by David Fincher in 2014, starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike, which earned Pike an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
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Flynn wrote a brief spin-off story called "What Do You Do?" featuring the character of Desi Collings for the 2015 anthology Rogues, edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois.
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422
Novel • Fiction
North Carthage, Missouri • 2010s
2012
Broadway Books
Adult
18+ years
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