Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

Once I had read Gone Girl (LOVED) and Dark Places (liked but oh so dark), I had to read Gillian Flynn's first novel, Sharp Objects.  I actually think this may have been her best, even with how much I loved Gone Girl.  Sharp Objects takes the idea of 'dysfunctional' family not even to a new level, but to a new plane of existence.  It makes me wonder what kind of family Flynn grew up in and how her mother feels about her fiction-writing?  The main character, Camille Preaker, is a news reporter, returned to her Missouri small town to cover a murder of a young girl.  It seems there was another murder months previously as well, so Camille's editor sees a possible serial killer in the making.  As Camille interviews and discovers things in her town, we discover things about Camille.  Like how she has carved dozens of words (yep, you heard me, words) all over her body.  Hence, the long sleeved dresses in the middle of summer.  We meet her psycho mother and her damaged little sister.  The FBI agent (aka love interest) cannot possibly be construed as a real love story in this type of book.  Each time I thought I had it all figured out, I had gone down a carefully constructed rabbit hole.  Gillian Flynn is a brilliant writer and obviously twisted human being, but I do admit - I'll be first in line for her next book.  If you liked Gone Girl or you haven't read Gillian Flynn yet, do yourself a favor and get Sharp Objects - it's worth it.