Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

So, mysteries aren't usually my thing.  Murder mysteries especially don't seem to sit well with me, but I can't give you a good reason why.  I just don't gravitate to those sections at the bookstore and library.  This month's official book club selection threw all that right out the window. 

Gone Girl  by Gillian Flynn is the best mystery that I've read in years.  I was captivated.  I was enthralled.  I could not put it down.  Gone Girl  is about Nick and Amy, a married couple who are having a difficult time.  Both have fallen victim to the worsening economy and been laid off from their jobs.  Losing one's career dreams is one thing, but then they move back to Nick's hometown in Missouri from New York in order to care for his dying mother and his Alzheimer's stricken father.  Then something terrible happens:  Amy goes missing.  Is she dead?  Has she been kidnapped?  Who is responsible? 

And that, my friends, is all I can tell you.  To say more would ruin all the excitement for you.  This is one of those books that could easily be read all in one sitting, not because is it short, but because you won't be able to put it down.  Given the opportunity, I could have locked myself in a room and read it from cover to cover.  There were many nights that I turned off the light and put the book away simply because I knew that morning was coming and I would be useless the next day without sleep.  The only problem was shutting off my brain to sleep.  I was still trying to figure out what would happen next.  This book has received high honors from the critics and people certainly are hearing about it.  When I went to the library to see if I could check it out, I was number 800 on the reserve list.  Needless to say I purchased my own copy.  I was thrilled to see that the film rights have already been purchased with Reese Witherspoon set to star as Amy. It will be quite the interesting role for her, but I think she will be perfect.

I will mention that for those of you sensitive to such things, there is a fair amount of foul language in this book as well as descriptions of a mature nature.  In other words, this is probably not an audiobook you would want to listen to with your kids in the car. 

Read this book.  Really.  All seven of us in our book club LOVED Gone Girl and it was so much fun to discuss.  At several points while I was reading it, I just had to do that thing my husband kindly tolerates: talk his ear off about it.  I had to talk to someone!  If you read this book and find yourself in that situation, feel free to talk to me.  Just don't give away any of the plot points here- we don't want to ruin the fun for anyone else!