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***NO SPOILERS***

“Domestic noir.�� Gone Girl, is part of . It really is the perfect descriptor for this twisty--and twisted--mystery-thriller. Gone Girl is breathtakingly good--for many reasons, not least of which because of a twist that’s not only unpredictable but because of its exquisitely perfect timing. To be sure, “unpredictable�� is a descriptor that gets tossed around an awful lot whenever mysteries and thrillers are discussed. The difference is, Gone Girl is one that truly lives up to the label.

Gone Girl is as much a character study as an out-and-out thriller. The married couple at the center of the story, Nick and Amy, are as vivid as any real-life Nick and Amy. The narrative unfolds half in Amy’s voice and half in Nick's. This technique not only allows for a full portrait of both characters but draws out suspense very nicely--and Gone Girl is a highly suspenseful story. Particularly impressive is how manipulative Flynn is, asking her reader to feel a variety of ways toward her characters. It’s not often that feelings toward characters change so utterly.

The plot is very tightly organized--strikingly so--and punctuated with dozens of crucial not-so-little details. All the while, Flynn kept manipulating as often as possible. Most notably, in one pivotal moment, the story transforms from a mystery-thriller unfolding in a straightforward manner to an inverted mystery that turns everything on its head.

Flynn clearly dedicated a tremendous amount of time to Gone Girl, not just in the actual crafting, but in research; she presented a forceful depiction of psychopathy, and Gone Girl is chilling and eventually terrifying. In the finer details of psychopathy, however, she slipped up. Most readers may not care about (or probably be aware of) the oversights here, but since Flynn was so meticulous in other respects, it’s peculiar that she wasn’t in this area too.

The story’s conclusion will not please all. It may shock just as much as the various other twists and turns but in a way that will leave many with a very sour taste. Others will admire Flynn's courage in not only foregoing the bow but also the pretty wrapping paper. She chose an ending that rings truest to life and makes the most sense given the characters�� stunningly complex circumstances. This is an ending that whispers rather than shouts, but what a whisper it is. The last line is pitch perfect.

Final verdict: A must read, especially for fans of smart psychological thrillers and domestic noir.