When Amy Dunne disappears on her 5th wedding anniversary, all eyes turn to her husband Nick. Because we all know from watching too much true-crime TV -- if a wife disappears under suspicious circumstances, chances are it's the husband who's responsible. 
 Gone Girl is a murder mystery (but was it murder?), chilling and compelling, that's also an analysis of a marriage that started bright but quickly deteriorated, as well as a biting social commentary on the role of sensationalism and voyeuristic TV in the dumbing-down of the American justice system. Is there really such a thing as innocent until proven guilty, when there's 24-hour coverage and instant reactions go viral on the Internet? Nick falls quickly under suspicion, not only because he's the husband and, well, it's always the husband -- but because he fails to look pained enough while the cameras are on him, because he smiles when he's nervous, and because he just doesn't always think through how his actions will looked smeared across a million computer screens and smartphones. 
 Told in alternating chapters, we hear how events leading up to Amy's disappearance unfolded from Nick's perspective as well as the version written in Amy's diary. The author does a terrific job of creating two smart, self-absorbed narrators with unique voices. It really feels like we're inside their heads as the story unfolds; when the surprises, twists, and turns arrive, they're stunning. 
 I'm intentionally not discussing the plot in detail -- it's much better to read Gone Girl without knowing much at the outset. Read this book, let yourself be drawn in by the mystery, and prepare to be shocked. 
 I enjoyed Gone Girl very much, and recommend it highly. A longer (but still spoiler-free) review can be found on my blog .