Best-Selling Author's Novel, With a Big Twist, Named Best Short Book You Can Finish in One Sitting

Gillian Flynn is best known for her iconic novel, Gone Girl. However, all of her books are highly rated with huge, unexpected twists. The Grownup, which was originally published as What Do You Do? in an anthology called Rogues, is one of her lesser-known works. It tells the tale of a con artist who is working as a fortune teller.

The story, which won the 2015 Edgar Award for Best Short Story, has since been published as a stand-alone book. Since it is such a quick read with only 64 pages, it recently made BuzzFeed's list of best "Short Books You Can Finish In Basically One Sitting."

Stephen King has also recommended the book on his social media, saying, "A short read, but well worth your time. It's nasty, it's funny, and has more twists than a corkscrew. I really enjoyed it."

Related: 2006 Novel Turned Into an HBO Series Tops the List of ‘100 Thrillers To Read in a Lifetime'

In a 2015 interview with NPR, Flynn spoke about the book. "I wouldn't call it a classic haunted house story," she said. "But I do love a good haunted house story. I was a kid who grew up, you know, Turn Of The Screw and The Haunting. And, you know, it sort of starts out as a tale of a grifter and then quickly turns into a much more gothic feel."

She continued to speak about how not knowing ‘where the source of evil lurks' is the most frightening part of any story. "That's the case with all good haunted house stories, right?" she said. "Where does the evil really lie? Is it in your mind? Is it with others? Is it in a certain place? And I would sort of say that, you know, all three of my novels have, in a way, been haunted house stories. They've all dealt with the danger that is inside the house, the domesticity, your family members or your loved ones. That idea that in the place that you're supposed to be the safest, you are least safe. And that's always frightened me much more than the serial killer roaming the streets out there."

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This story was originally published May 17, 2026 at 6:11 AM.