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Gillian Flynn

Award-winning author of the #1 bestselling novel Gone Girl

The National Writers Series – An Evening with Gillian Flynn
  • About Gillian Flynn

    Gillian Flynn is the author of the runaway hit Gone Girl, an international sensation that has spent more than 75 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Her work has been published in 40 languages, and adapted for film multiple times. The film adaptation of Gone Girl, directed by David Fincher and starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike was nominated for multiple awards including an Oscar and a BAFTA. Most recently, the HBO adaptation of Sharp Objects, starring Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson, was released in the summer of 2018 to immense acclaim and launched Flynn’s work back onto the New York Times bestseller list. She co-wrote the 2018 thriller film Widows along with Academy Award-winning director Steve McQueen, which starred Viola Davis and Liam Neeson.  Flynn’s previous novels, Dark Places and Dagger Award winner Sharp Objects, were also New York Times bestsellers.

    Flynn’s 2006 debut novel, the literary mystery Sharp Objects, was an Edgar Award finalist and the winner of two of Britain’s Dagger Awards—the first book ever to win multiple Daggers in one year. Movie rights have been sold. Flynn’s second novel, the 2009 New York Times bestseller Dark Places, was a New Yorker Reviewers’ Favorite, Weekend TODAY Top Summer Read, Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2009, and Chicago Tribune Favorite Fiction choice. Movie rights have been sold, with Gilles Paquet-Brenner (Sarah’s Key) to direct.

    Flynn lives in Chicago with her husband and son.

  • Speaking Topics

    Sharp Objects, Dark Places, and Gone Girls: An Evening with Gillian Flynn

    In this talk, Gillian Flynn discusses her writing process, touching upon how she constructs her nail-biting thrillers, and how she builds her complex and disturbing female protagonists. This program, which can be structured as either a lecture or an onstage interview, covers all aspects of Flynn’s work, from plot to character to setting (including why the Midwest is an ideal region to set a mystery). Flynn also speaks about her life and work as a TV critic at Entertainment Weekly and how it helped her develop her now full-time career as a mystery writer.

  • Video

  • Praise for Gillian Flynn

    Gillian’s event was fabulous! The Committee loved her – she’s so personable and down to earth – and her presentation was very entertaining! From her personal stories she told at the podium, to the ability to chat with our co-chairs during lunch, I am very impressed and wish that we could have her return next year!

    Massachusetts Dental Society

    Gillian Flynn appeared before a large, enthusiastic crowd of fans here last week.  She spoke, easily, extemporaneously and deceptively simply about her life, work process, and the genesis of the characters in her fabulous novels.  Her exquisitely drawn prose and complicated personalities came to life as she answered every question, signed and personalized every book and kept us all wondering who would play Amy (and Nick) in the movie….

    Jewish Community Center of San Francisco

    Gillian Flynn was a huge hit with our audience. She attracted one of the largest audiences in series history, and her stories about her career and working method were well received. It was clear that her fans were thrilled to meet her and get some insight into the creation of her bestselling books.

    Library Network Author Series, Iowa

    Praise for Gone Girl

    An ingenious and viperish thriller… It’s going to make Gillian Flynn a star… The first half of Gone Girl is a nimble, caustic riff on our Nancy Grace culture and the way in which ''The butler did it'' has morphed into ''The husband did it.'' The second half is the real stunner, though. Now I really am going to shut up before I spoil what instantly shifts into a great, breathless read. Even as Gone Girl grows truly twisted and wild, it says smart things about how tenuous power relations are between men and women, and how often couples are at the mercy of forces beyond their control. As if that weren’t enough, Flynn has created a genuinely creepy villain you don't see coming. People love to talk about the banality of evil. You’re about to meet a maniac you could fall in love with.

    Jeff Giles, Entertainment Weekly
  • Books by Gillian Flynn

  • Media About Gillian Flynn

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and Availability

  • 212 572-2013
  • Gillian Flynn travels from Chicago, IL

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