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Library/Book/Gone Girl (novel)
Grade B23 sourcesHIS-01245

Gone Girl (novel)

Book · 2012 · Viral

60Editable slideCertificate

Gillian Flynn's thriller reached No. 1 on USA TODAY's list after its film adaptation.

Gone Girl US cover
Publishers Weekly
Official publisher page and current cover for Gone Girl; the page also lists its original publication.
Penguin Random House
Gone Girl
Gillian Flynn / Crown / W&N
Gillian Flynn's first novel, <em>Sharp Objects</em>, was an Edgar Award finalist. She lives in Chicago with her husband.
NPR (via KPBS)
Gillian Flynn
The Hollywood Reporter
Gone Girl, Geek Girl win in Jan-April 2013 BMS Campaign Awards - The Book Marketing Society
The Book Marketing Society
Ben Affleck at the missing-person press conference in the film
TIME
Gillian Flynn
TIME
Rosamund Pike as Amy in the 2014 film
TIME
Gillian Flynn at the film's New York Film Festival premiere; CC BY 2.0.
aphrodite-in-nyc
‘Gone Girl,’ Still Here
The Ringer
Amy writing in her diary in the film
Prospect

Spread Score

How it works
ReachNo data yetContagionNo data yetBreadth60VelocityNo data yetLongevityNo data yet60

Numbers

Milestone date
Week of Oct 8, 2014
May 24 ’12 to Week of Oct 8, 2014
Platforms
9
Started on Open web
Origin
Mixed
Media & publishing

Mechanics

  • Platform jumpPrimary
  • Press loop
  • Controversy
  • Catchphrase
  • Dupe economy

How it spread

Trace the origin

Book clubs and booksellers recommended Gone Girl, and Orion promoted it with posters. The film brought another sales surge. The Cool Girl speech spread through Tumblr and later TikTok.

Documented milestone; not a measured attention peak. Dates use the stated precision; chart positions are date anchors.

Google searchesDec ’11Jun ’12NovJul ’13DecJul ’14NovMay ’16Jun ’18Jun ’20Apr ’22Nov ’23MilestoneOpen webRetailAudioPressXRedditYouTubeBox officeTikTok
Open webRetailAudioPressXRedditYouTubeBox officeTikTok

13 more events on this chart

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Timeline (16)

  1. May 2012

    NPR precursor · May 14 ’12

    NPR published an opening excerpt ahead of Crown's June release.[1]

    Open the first post ↗

  2. W&N seed · May 24 ’12

    W&N put the ebook on sale before Crown's June publication.[2]

    Gone Girl

  3. June 2012

    Gillian Flynn / Crown commercial · Jun 5 ’12

    Crown published hardcover and ebook editions in the US.[3][4]

  1. press · Jun 5 ’12

  2. press · Oct 8 ’12

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Why it worked

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Origin
Mixed
Sector
Media & publishing
Region
US
Reported figure
—
Evidence
Grade B

Spread the same way

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New cases, every week

How the next thing spread, the week it does.