Gone GirlGone Girl
Score Modern
What it's about
On the morning of their fifth wedding anniversary, Amy Dunne disappears from her home in a small Missouri town, leaving signs of a struggle. As the police and the media close in, her husband Nick's behavior starts to look suspicious: he's evasive, he's lying, and he's acting strangely calm. Told alternately by Nick in the present and through Amy's diary from the past, the story of their marriage turns out to be very different from what anyone thought.
Why it's worth reading
It's one of the most influential thrillers of the century, with a mid-book twist that changed the genre and two of the most unsettling narrators in fiction. It's also a razor-sharp portrait of a marriage.
You'll love it if you liked
The Housemaid
Verity
The Silent PatientGood to know
Avoid spoilers at all costs. It's dark, with violence and manipulation, and neither main character is likable, by design.
By the numbers
- Readers71 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics61 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller96 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz1 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #4 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #40 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #74 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
More by Gillian Flynn
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Quick answers
Is Gone Girl worth reading?
Yes. It's one of the most influential thrillers of the century, with a mid-book twist that changed the genre and two of the most unsettling narrators in fiction. It ranks #74 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 87.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Gone Girl about?
On the morning of their fifth wedding anniversary, Amy Dunne disappears from her home in a small Missouri town, leaving signs of a struggle. As the police and the media close in, her husband Nick's behavior starts to look suspicious: he's evasive, he's lying, and he's acting strangely calm. Told alternately by Nick in the present and through Amy's diary from the past, the story of their marriage turns out to be very different from what anyone thought.
How long does it take to read Gone Girl?
About 10 hours (415 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Gone Girl?
If you liked it, try The Housemaid by Freida McFadden, Verity by Colleen Hoover or The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides.