Book Review: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Title: Gone Girl

Author: Gillian Flynn

Publisher: Crown Pubishing Group

Publication Date: June 2012

Genre: Adult Mystery/Thriller

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

Synopsis can be found here.
NetGalley review.

Review:

Amy Dunne is missing. Her devoted husband is called back to their home, to find the front door open, the remnants of a struggle in their living room and Amy gone. Gone, gone, gone. As concern grows to panic and transforms into suspicion, Nick has to unravel Amy's clues she's left behind. Because as days go by, Nick becomes the prime suspect in the disappearance.

I loved this book. Not since the last Tana French book have I been so taken with a mystery book. Flynn is in superb form. Her writing is easy, effortless, flowing and laying down crumbs of information here and there, leading the reader off on many paths, none of which may be the right path. Nick is self centered, shallow and selfish. But is he really capable of hurting his wife? We learn more about Amy through Amy's diary, her light, smart voice telling us her side of the story. Her side of a very different marriage, a very different Nick.

Through the entire story, I couldn't hold down either of them. I like Nick, I like Amy. I hate Nick, I hate Amy. Their characters are these layered, angry, raging humans, mourning the loss of what they had and who they were. One sentence from Flynn and my view on both of these characters could change dramatically. The darkness, the confusion, the mind games. Who knows you better than your spouse? And what if they could use that against you?

Clever, fast and truly haunting, Gone Girl is a thrilling ride. My first Gillian Flynn book and it certainly won't be my last. I know I'll still be thinking about this story days from now, and perhaps giving my husband a undeserved suspicious glance. 

Rating 9 Awesome, like Cookies and Ice Cream