The book takes course over one evening, a dinner. Some flashbacks are given, in tidbits, as the story progresses. Something has happened, and it needs to be discussed among the two couples, parents of the boys that did the thing. 
 While I was reading it, I didn't think of comparing it to Gone Girl, though I now see this in many reviews here. And sure, both have some pretty whacked characters that do whacked things. Both are suspenseful, and easy to read. I felt involved with both books, and anxious to find out what happens. So, sure. Then again, many reviewers said how they hated this and loved Gone Girl. *shrug* Books are easy to try, and it usually doesn't take too many pages before you know a title will work for you or not. 
 The narrator's voice is so well done, from his inner irritation with others, to his descriptions of the food, to how he divulges events. When there are only a handful of characters and the writing is decent, I can get to know them all pretty well, and I felt I had a good handle on them. The book went on twists and turns that I didn't expect, but that is part of the reason I liked it. It certainly was far from boring.