Blurb:
Marriage can be a real killer.
One of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time, New York Times bestseller Gillian Flynn takes that statement to its darkest place in this unputdownable masterpiece about a marriage gone terribly, terribly wrong.
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 from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River.
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?
As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet? With her razor-sharp writing and trademark psychological insight, Gillian Flynn delivers a fast-paced, devilishly dark, and ingeniously plotted thriller that confirms her status as one of the hottest writers around.
My Thoughts:
The premise of Gone Girl is somewhat of a "ripped from the headlines" tale. I can easily picture one or two famous husbands in recent years that Nick could have been modeled after. That in itself makes the story believable.
Between Nick's narration and Amy's diary you learn that the marriage wasn't as perfect as it looked to the outside world but then things are shaken up and you're led down a completely different path that I didn't see coming at all. I was on a roller coaster ride thinking one minute that Nick killed Amy and thinking the next minute that she is either still alive or someone else killed her. Flynn is a master at zig zagging through the story while keeping the reader guessing the whole time.
The only reason my review is not 5 stars was the ending. Considering how masterfully crafted the rest of the story is I was severely disappointed by the way the book ended. It's almost as if a different author finished out the last chapter.
My Recommendation:
I recommend this one for anyone who loves the perfect whodunit.
