payment page
Nick Dunne
The novel’s antihero, Go’s twin brother, and Amy Elliott Dunne’s husband—and her presumed murderer. Nick is a failed writer and current junior-college professor from Missouri. He’s handsome and charming, and he works hard to overcome a deeply rooted hatred for women that he’s inherited from his abusive father Bill. At the start of the novel, it seems certain that he killed Amy; by the end, it’s not clear which Dunne is the real villain of the story.
Read an in-depth analysis of Nick Dunne
Amy Elliott Dunne
Nick’s wife, and the novel’s primary antagonist. Amy is clever, beautiful, and utterly unscrupulous. She orchestrates her own “disappearance” to frame her cheating husband for her murder. Amy is a controlling, sociopathic machinator who’s been scheming to benefit herself since childhood. She’s also in many ways a sympathetic character, as she’s a young woman forced to live in a world which values her looks and her compliance far more than her intellect.
Read an in-depth analysis of Amy Elliot Dunne
Margo "Go" Dunne
Nick’s twin sister. Go and Nick are very emotionally enmeshed, and although she’s furious with him for cheating on his wife, she supports him through the investigation into Amy's disappearance. She and Amy have never gotten along, and it’s quickly clear that part of Amy’s plan in framing Nick is to bring Go down with him.
Desi Collings
Amy's wealthy, obsessive ex-boyfriend who has held a torch for her since high school. Desi shows up to help with the investigation when Amy disappears, and then takes her in when she runs out of money while in hiding. He tries to keep her prisoner in his luxurious, remote chalet, but Amy has other plans.
Read an in-depth analysis of Desi CollingsAndie
A journalism student at the junior college in Carthage, and Nick’s affair partner. Andie is 23 years old and very attractive. She, like everyone else, is starstruck by both Amy and Nick’s good looks and charisma. Unable to take the pressure of the investigation, Andie reveals her affair with Nick in a press conference.
Tanner Bolt
Nick’s expensive, smooth-talking lawyer. Tanner’s nickname is the “Husband Hawk,” as he’s known for defending men accused of matricide. Tanner helps Nick rehabilitate his public image, despite all the evidence piling up against him.
Rhonda Boney
A pragmatic detective who takes the lead on investigating Amy’s disappearance. Boney is initially suspicious of Nick, but also has an inkling that Amy’s story is too good to be true.
Rand Elliott
Amy's father, who co-wrote the Amazing Amy book series with Amy’s mother based on an idealized version of their daughter’s life. Rand is an emotional and somewhat neurotic man, who’s very concerned with seeming like “one of the boys.”
Marybeth Elliott
Amy's mother, a demanding perfectionist who’s emotionally codependent with her husband. She and Rand co-write the Amazing Amy books and traumatize their daughter as a result.
Tommy O’Hara
An ex-boyfriend of Amy's and a victim of her manipulations. Nick contacts him to try and get background on Amy’s history of ruining lives.
Hilary Handy
A schoolmate of Amy’s whom Amy manipulated into looking like a stalker. Nick also reaches out to her to help with the disappearance case.
Noelle Hawthorne
Nick and Amy’s neighbor in Carthage and Amy’s self-professed best friend. In order to further her plans of framing Nick as her murderer, Amy manipulated Noelle into believing that they were close friends, and Noelle takes Amy’s side very publicly and quickly during the investigation.
Greta
A woman Amy meets at the extended-stay cabin complex in the Ozarks where Amy hides.
Jeff
An illegal catfish trader and thief. Jeff and Greta rob Amy blind at the Ozarks cabin complex, forcing her to flee into Desi’s clutches.
Jim Gilpin
The other detective on Amy’s investigation. Gilpin and Boney work closely together, but Gilpin isn’t nearly as perceptive as his colleague.
Ellen Abbott
A provocative talk show host who riles up public opinion about Nick murdering Amy in order to generate views.
Rebecca
A reporter who interviews a “drunken” but apparently regretful and candid Nick at a bar, which makes Amy want to return to him when it goes viral.
Sharon Schieber
A respected newswoman who interviews Nick right after Andie exposes their affair.
Bill Dunne
Nick’s brutally misogynistic father. Bill has Alzheimer’s, and frequently becomes disoriented.
Shawna Kelly
A predatory female neighbor of Nick’s, who flirts with him during the early investigation for Amy’s whereabouts.
Dorothy
The cantankerous manager of the extended-stay motel where Amy hides.
Lonnie
A tough, wiry man who’s fallen on hard times. Lonnie works as a drug dealer in the abandoned Carthage mall, where Amy tries to buy a gun from him.
Stucks Buckley
Nick’s jaded high school friend who helps search for Amy in the abandoned mall.
Betsy Bolt
Tanner Bolt’s highly polished wife, who helps Nick prepare for his interview with Sharon Schieber.
Jacqueline Collings
Desi’s mother, who has an almost Oedipal love for her son and has always hated Amy.
