Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

My name finally came up on the wait list for Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl. It has been incredibly popular since it came out in June 2012, and now I know why. I had a very hard time putting it down. The plot is full of suspense and the writing is terrific. Even though I guessed the first “big reveal” about three chapters in, there were plenty of twists and turns I did not expect. I didn’t like either of the main characters, and yet I could not resist reading more about them. I wanted to know what was going to happen next.

The day of their fifth wedding anniversary finds Nick at the bar he owns with his sister and his wife Amy at home. He gets a call from a neighbor - his front door is open and the cat is out. Amy never lets the cat out. When Nick races home, he discovers signs of a struggle. The book takes it from there, as chapters alternate between Amy's dated diary entries and Nick's account of his life as he comes increasingly under suspicion.

That short description barely scratches the surface of this book. I like character development, and there is plenty of that in Gone Girl, but there’s plenty of action too. If you are looking for an engrossing read, I highly recommend this book – just make sure you have plenty of time to read once you start it!