After reading prolifically for more than 30 years, it’s rare for me to be surprised. In fact, the last time I can remember being surprised by a plot twist is The Sixth Sense, but Ms. Flynn manages to do just that. Her characters and the story come alive from page 1, and despite the fact that the more you learn about these characters the less you like them, she somehow makes you desperate to know what happens to them anyway. Ms. Flynn creates a feeling of anxious hope that despite the depth of their flaws (think Grand Canyon), Amy and Nick Dunne or their circumstances will somehow come out “right” in the end.
Spoiler alert—The prosecutor in me was deeply offended by the lack of justice the ending provided. I would have preferred to see criminal charges and prison time. That said, though I may have disliked the outcome of Amy and Nick’s story, it was an appropriate and entirely plausible conclusion for them that may ironically be what they both deserve.
A story this complex and dark needs something simple and light to balance it out, so I would recommend a lovely red blend by Folie a Deaux, called Ménage à Trois.
Enjoy, and happy reading!
Shelly Wilbanks 