“Bang bang bang. I understand now why so many horror movies use that device-the mysterious knock on the door-because it has the weight of a nightmare. You don't know what's out there, yet you know you'll open it. You'll think what I think: No one bad ever knocks.” ~ Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl

http://www.rainydaybooks.com/GillianFlynn

Last weekend, I read the New York Times current #1 bestseller Gone Girl by Gillian Welsh.  I was amazed that I got it from the library when I did.  The last that I checked, I was number 34 out of 82 on the reserve list!  I understand it now though – I read it in less than 48 hours – I could not put it down!  When Bruce suggested dinner and a movie on Saturday, of course I agreed, and loved both (the movie – Hope Springs – wonderful; the dinner – Mexican – delicious; the company – my favorite).  In the car though, my mind kept coming back to the book – What was going to happen?  Was Amy really missing?  Was Nick responsible?

The one thing that I know I can’t do when talking about this book is to try to tell you anything about the plot.  I fear that I would somehow give away something that readers really must discover on their own. Below is the synopsis found on Amazon - I figure that's pretty safe.

"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. The Chicago Tribune proclaimed that her work “draws you in and keeps you reading with the force of a pure but nasty addiction.” Gone Girl’s toxic mix of sharp-edged wit and deliciously chilling prose creates a nerve-fraying thriller that confounds you at every turn. 


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."  

This story is a thriller, a mystery, and a psychological head-game extraordinaire.  It will not keep you up at night because you fear that an ax-murderer is lurking in your basement. But - it may have you looking at the person sleeping next to you and wondering - hmmmmm?  (not me)