Gone Girl - great book and movie

Very rarely after watching a movie I find myself wanting to buy the novel on which the film was based on. That is exactly what happened when I saw Gone Girl directed by David Fincher.

This history is so great that even though I already know the key points, surprising twists and strong ending, I bought the novel by Gillian Flynn to see how this story was written.

Interestingly, Gillian Flynn also wrote the screenplay for David Fincher's movie!

Gone Girl - the story
According to an official description: „On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?„

David Fincher, director of such films as Seven, Fight Club and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, created a thriller that develops slowly. gradually increasing tension until about the middle of the movie, when action begins to speed up and since then it is difficult to tear yourself away from the screen.

Movie and novel - a strong finale
The movie is worth seeing but also you should definitely read the novel to the end, because the finale is really, really great. I would like to tell you more about it and explain why I think it is so good, but I do not want to spoil the surprise and deprive you of these emotions that accompany while watching this movie or reading the novel.

Gone Girl is an interesting thriller about marriage, trust, betrayal, revenge and emotions that are associated with all of the above.

Even if you watched the movie, be sure to read the novel. You will not be disappointed!

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Best books by Raymond Chandler

Raymond Chandler's style can not be mistaken with any other writer. It is so distinguishing  as the main protagonist of his novel - a private detective Philip Marlowe. That's why I like to go back to Chandler's novels. If you have not read any of them yet, here is my ranking of best novels written by Chandler.

Raymond Chandler (1888 - 1959) was a novelist and screenwriter. His first novel, The Big Sleep, was published in 1939. This detective fiction writer popularized the genre called Hardboiled.

I'm a fan of crime novels written by Chandler. Every few years I read one of them again, because I like Chandler's style of writing, Philip Marlowe and I'm simply having fun reading about the adventures of probably the most famous private detective in the history of crime novels.

I can not do your typical ranking of the ten best novels of the author for a simple reason - Raymond Chandler wrote only eight. Therefore, here's a list of all Chandler's novels starting from the best:

1. The Long Goodbye (see description)
2. Farewell, My Lovely (see description)
3. The Big Sleep (see description)
4. The Lady in the Lake (see description)
5. The Little Sister (see description)
6. The High Window (see description)
7. Poodle Springs (see description)
8. Playback (see description)

So if you have not read any Chandler's books, start with The Long Goodbye – it's a great novel. And then I encourage you to read them all :-)

What is your favorite book written by Raymond Chandler?

Top 10 best novels by James Patterson with Alex Cross

James Patterson is a great thriller and crime writer. He created many stand-alone novels and several famous cycles. One of them - with Alex Cross in the main role - I like the most, what's why I created ranking of best James Patterson books with Alex Cross.

Patterson has written more than 100 novels, some as a co-writer. I do not know them all, maybe when I'm retired, I will have the time to read them :-), so I wanted to focus on a particular segment of  Patterson's work. To be more specific – on the Alex Cross series.

Alex Cross is a former FBI agent and psychologist who works in Washington DC. I like this character, because he is so different from the typical detectives in most crime novels.

Cross first appeared in the novel called Along Came a Spider published in 1993 (in 2001 the novel was filmed by Lee Tamahori with Morgan Freeman in the lead role).

Since then, readers got 22 novels with Alex Cross in the lead role. The last one is from 2014 and it is titled Hope to Die.

Which is best in my opinion? Below I present my top ten best novels with Alex Cross:

1. Alex Cross, Run (see description)
2. I, Alex Cross (see description)
3. Along Came A Spider (see description)
4. Hope to Die (this is the continuation of Cross My Heart) - (see description)
5. Kiss the Girls (see description)
6. Pop Goes the Weasel (see description)
7. Four Blind Mice (see description)
8. Jack & Jill (see description)
9. Cross Fire (see description)
10. Mary, Mary (see description)

If you are looking for a good thriller turn your attention to Patterson's work, the Alex Cross series in particular!