Join Gillian Flynn to discuss February's Book of the Month, Gone Girl, Tuesday 26 February, 9-10pm

[TillyBookClub]

What is your most memorable whoa-I-didn't-expect-that moment? The Sixth Sense or The Usual Suspects finale? That naked bit in The Crying Game? Or maybe the midway point in Sarah Waters' Fingersmith? Our February book of the month is about to take its place in the pantheon of all-time greatest plot twisters.

GONE GIRL is an intelligent, astute, darkly witty thriller about a marriage. About two people, Nick and Amy, who think they know each other. On the morning of their fifth wedding anniversary, with presents waiting and the annual treasure hunt ready to begin, Amy has disappeared. The police arrive, the media seizes hungrily on the story and Nick soon finds himself the main suspect.

A modern-day Patricia Highsmith, Gillian Flynn makes you squirm with horror yet keeps you riveted. As Kate Atkinson said: "I have no doubt that in a year's time I'm going to be saying that this is my favourite novel of 2012. Brilliant."

You can find more detail on our February book of the month page. Get your paperback or Kindle edition here.

And don't miss Gillian's sharply written website.

We are thrilled that Gillian will be joining us to discuss the book and answer any questions about GONE GIRL and her writing career on Tuesday 26 February, 9-10pm. Hope you can join us...

I'm just thinking how cinematic the books are: I can totally see any one of the three I've read as a brilliant movie.

Gillian, when you write, do you 'see' the scenes in your head, or are you more about the sound of the language and finding poetry and rhythm? Because although I have found lots of really cleverly-composed and striking ways of articulating a thought, I fundamentally can really visualise it all, if you know what I mean?

Turn talk poppies, I really foundnicks thoughts about never seeing anything for the first time very interestinginteresting in the context of how powerful the media is - see Nicks trial by media . It's all storytelling.

@KateSMumsnet

I just finished the book today, I was racing through it to find out how it ended!

I was really interested in the dynamic between Nick and Go, how do you imagine that would change with the [SPOILER ALERT] return of Amy?

Great question. I think Go may be the one thing Nick wouldn't give in on. She's his moral center, and she's the one who can give him perspective. He needs her. And yet, I also feel that Go is very threatening to Amy. Still, she's smart enough to push exactly as far as she can. It may become the one thing they agree on, if uneasily: Go stays.

@CoteDAzur

"Love story"? "Soul mates"?

Are you saying that you are addressing a predominantly female audience here?
If not, it is a bit disappointing (to me). I read Gone Girl as the story of a brilliant psychopath who, like Hannibal Lecter, manipulated everyone and succeeded in getting her way against long odds.

Nick is staying with Amy only because she is pregnant, so how is this a love story of soul mates?

The ending was great, by the way. Killing Amy or sending her to jail would have been the easy way out. Having the psychopath win is a courageous choice and makes the ending original.

He's not staying with her only because she's pregnant. He stays with her because she makes him (as in forces him) to be better. I'm not saying they're soul mates in the way normal people would like to be soul mates, but they are meant to be together. Even sociopaths need love...

Sorry - The first sentence is incomprehensible in my previous post. I was trying to say "Are you saying that because you are addressing a predominantly female audience here?"

@cm22v077

I just finished reading this, it felt very strange reading it a the same time as the Oscar Pistorius case was unfolding, anyone else? I'm paranoid that I'll be talking to someone about the case and get it confused with the book!! I enjoyed the twists but like others have said bit disappointed with the ending. My question for Gillian is, I read you grew up in Kansas City, do you think that your chosen genre is linked to novels like 'In Cold Blood' which was famously set in the same region? Thanks for coming onto Mumsnet!

Thanks so much. Yes, i grew up on the kansas border and read in Cold Blood at a very young age! It touches on an obsession of mine, which is: Why violence happens. The inevitability of it in certain circumstances, with certain people. My second novel, Dark Places, actually starts with that image: A family murdered in their lonely Kansas farmhouse: What happened?

That was my favourite one, Gillian. So dark, but with such black humour too. I might go up for a bath and re-read it

@BOF

I'm just thinking how cinematic the books are: I can totally see any one of the three I've read as a brilliant movie.

Gillian, when you write, do you 'see' the scenes in your head, or are you more about the sound of the language and finding poetry and rhythm? Because although I have found lots of really cleverly-composed and striking ways of articulating a thought, I fundamentally can really visualise it all, if you know what I mean?

Thanks! Yes, I am the daughter of a film professor, and I wrote about film for 10 years at Entertainment Weekly, so I do think very visually and I do write in scenes often. It's just the way my brain works, I suppose!

Ooh, that's interesting! I wonder if you'll ever write a screenplay? Anyway, thanks for replying to my question. I just want to thank you for your writing, and wish you lots of luck for the future. I can't wait to see what you come up with next.

No pressure

Thanks so much to everyone! Many apologies for my slow computer (ahh...Chicago snowstorms!) I'll keep answering the posted questions?thanks for them!
Best,
Gillian

As it is 10.30pm here in the UK, I am going to draw the chat to a semi-official close - BUT have spoken to Gillian and she is going to keep at it, despite her tech difficulties. So stay put/look out tomorrow for more answers from Gillian on this thread.

Many thanks to all for excellent questions and wonderful to have so many different faces here tonight.

Gillian, thank you very very much indeed for battling through computer trouble and giving us such thoughtful and insightful answers. We really appreciate your time and energy, especially as I imagine your schedule is completely manic these days. Good luck with your next project (and can't wait to read it...)

Many thanks again.

@BOF

Ooh, that's interesting! I wonder if you'll ever write a screenplay? Anyway, thanks for replying to my question. I just want to thank you for your writing, and wish you lots of luck for the future. I can't wait to see what you come up with next.

No pressure

Many thanks! I am writing the screenplay for Gone Girl and really enjoying the process!

Thank you Gillian. I'm definitely off to find a copy of Dark Places tomorrow!!!

Thank you for being here Gillian. This was my first author chat, and I've really enjoyed it.

Thank you so much, Gillian.

Perhaps you might consider including a short scene in which Amy tenderly plucks a hair from Nick's nostril? I would love you forever

Thank you for replying to my post. I don't think it's immodest at all that you love that passage, I wish I had written it! In a way it not only symbolises society today but the whole dynamic between Nick and Amy. She is the secondhand experience for him that he was too lazy to create for himself. She manipulated his emotions and provided the soundtrack. There could have been no better ending for Nick. In becoming the doting father to be and staying with Amy he will be the perpetual "good guy". Everyone's a winner baby........

Aww I didn't get my questions answered. Mind you they weren't that interesting.

Still nice to see Gillian on here though. I have Dark Places waiting for me so am still happy.

Marking place to read thoroughly later.
Was disappointed my quetion wasn't answered too - I really wonder what plans Amy had in place for if desi had had an alibi for the time she was snatched.

Thanks for answering all the questions (including mine)Gillian - another very enjoyable web-chat!

Hope you sort out your computer issues in snowy Chicago!

I think other posters' comments (and yours) have revised my view of the book and I may well reread it. First impressions (as with Amy!) can be deceptive and I feel I will get more out of it second time around!

SPD at least your Q was book related. Mine was movie related and asking how she has such nice skin

gazzalw is that you rubbing it in there, all the questions

I think that Gillian might come back to some, they said, when her connection is better?

Did you get a question answered BOF?

I'm not bothered tbh, hope SPB gets her question answered and anyone else who had a decent one though.

Sorry - not rubbing it in...I got the decided impression from Tilly that Gillian was going to answer some more questions which hopefully will include yours, CuriousMama (grovel, grovel!).

Starting to really enjoy the Mumsnet Book Group! Pity there's not more of the virtual though !

I was really pleased when Gillian said it might be fun to dip back into Nick and Amy's lives when the baby is a teenager.

I really am hoping for some sort of nightmare teen, with Amy's poise, smarter than both of them and running rings around Amy. Perhaps a combination of Stephen King's Carrie and Lionel Shriver's Kevin. Cool, calm and crazy.