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{{Short description|Novel by Gillian Flynn}}
{{for|the television adaptation|Sharp Objects (miniseries)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox book
| name = Sharp Objects
| image = Sharp-objects-book-cover.jpg
| caption = First paperback edition cover
| author = [[Gillian Flynn]]
| title_orig = <!-- if not in English -->
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| illustrator =
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| country = United States
| language = English
| series =
| subject =
| genre = {{hlist|[[Psychological thriller]]|[[Southern Gothic
| published =
[[Broadway Books]] (2013)
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'''''Sharp Objects''''' is the 2006 [[debut novel]] by American author [[Gillian Flynn]]. The book was first published through [[Shaye Areheart Books]] on September 26, 2006, and
The novel follows Camille Preaker, a newspaper journalist who returns to her hometown to report on a series of brutal murders. It garnered critical acclaim.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Burkeman |first=Oliver |date=May 1, 2013 |title=Gillian Flynn on her bestseller ''Gone Girl'' and accusations of misogyny |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/may/01/gillian-flynn-bestseller-gone-girl-misogyny |access-date=October 17, 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
==
Camille Preaker works as a journalist at
Once in Wind Gap, Camille
▲Camille Preaker works as a journalist at ''The Daily Post'', a small newspaper in [[Chicago]]. She is not particularly satisfied with the job, which includes writing stories about human neglect, murders, and crime. Camille gets along somewhat well with her boss Frank Curry, who supported her during a recent hospitalization due to [[self-harm]]. Camille has carved many words onto her body—having previously hallucinated them on her skin. Curry gives her a reporting assignment to her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri, where one girl has been murdered and a second is missing.
As Camille continues her investigation, she enters into a sexual relationship with Richard but avoids revealing her scars. She also grows closer to Amma, who takes her to a party where they drink and use drugs. Afterward, Camille wakes to find her mother giving her medication, which makes her ill. Camille soon realizes that Adora suffers from [[factitious disorder imposed on another]] and was responsible for Marian's death. A letter from a nurse who cared for Marian confirms these suspicions. Camille also learns that Richard suspects Adora of murdering the two local girls.
▲Once in Wind Gap, Camille manages to gain some information about the crimes from the townspeople, including the family of Ann Nash, the murdered girl. The local police are not particularly forthcoming about the murder, but the town sheriff, Chief Vickery, divulges to Camille [[off the record (journalism)|off the record]] that he believes that the murderer is a Wind Gap native, not a stranger. Soon the body of the missing girl, Natalie Keene, is discovered in an alley in town. Both she and Ann were strangled and had all of their teeth removed. The police are baffled by the crimes. Camille publishes a story, only for Curry to ask her to remain in Wind Gap for further coverage of the murders.
Camille returns to her mother's house, where Adora poisons her and tries to "care for" her. Camille passes out but is rescued when Richard and the police arrive to arrest her mother. Richard is shocked by Camille's scars, and their relationship ends. Adora is charged with the murders of Marian, Ann Nash, and Natalie Keene. Amma is sent to live with Camille in Chicago. Initially, Amma seems to adjust well, but after a classmate is found murdered with six of her teeth pulled, it is revealed that Amma was responsible for the murders of Ann and Natalie: jealous of the attention Adora gave to the victims, she killed the girls. Amma is arrested. Distraught, Camille resumes self-harming but is stopped by Curry and his wife, who take her in as their own daughter.
▲While there, Camille reconnects with her estranged mother Adora and 13-year-old half-sister Amma. Camille never had a good relationship with her mother, as Adora always preferred Camille's younger sister Marian, who died due to an unspecified illness when Camille was young. Amma, who was born after Marian's death, has grown into a spoiled teen who behaves like a young child in front of her mother to hide her drinking, drug use, and promiscuity. Camille connects with a handsome Kansas City detective, Richard Willis, sent to investigate the potential of a [[serial killer]].
==Development==
==Reception==▼
''Sharp Objects'' attained critical acclaim.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Book Marks reviews of ''Sharp Objects'' by Gillian Flynn |url=https://bookmarks.reviews/reviews/sharp-objects/ |access-date=October 17, 2024 |website=Book Marks |language=en-US}}</ref> Literary critics praised Flynn for her exploration of psychological complexity, dark family dynamics, and her sharp prose.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=All Book Marks reviews for ''Sharp Objects'' by Gillian Flynn |url=https://bookmarks.reviews/reviews/all/sharp-objects/ |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=Book Marks |language=en-US}}</ref> The novel was often lauded for its disturbing atmosphere and its handling of deeply flawed – yet compelling – characters.<ref name=":0" />
Writing for ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'', [[Alan Cheuse]] described the book as "a first novel that reads like the accomplished work of a long-time pro", adding that it "goes deeper than your average thriller", blending "the narrative drive of a serious pop novel" with the psychological depth of a "mainstream character study". He called ''Sharp Objects'' "a terrific debut".<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=''Sharp Objects'' |url=https://penguinrandomhouselibrary.com/book/?isbn=9780307341556 |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=Penguin Random House Library Marketing |language=en}}</ref>
▲As she was working as a reporter for ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' while she was writing ''Sharp Objects'', Flynn wrote the book predominantly on nights and weekends, a few hours at a time.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://thegazette.com/2013/06/23/author-gillian-flynn-reveals-madness-behind-writing/ |title=Author Gillian Flynn reveals madness behind writing |date=June 23, 2013 |work=[[The Gazette (Cedar Rapids)|The Gazette]] |access-date=January 21, 2014 |publisher=The Gazette Company |___location=Cedar Rapids, Iowa}}</ref> While writing ''Sharp Objects'', Flynn found that it was initially difficult to maintain the book's "moist", "gothic tone", as she "didn't want it to be EW bouncy."<ref>{{Cite news |last=McClurg |first=Jocelyn |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2006-09-27-new-voices-flynn_x.htm?hiddenMacValue=0&hiddenMacPrintValue=0 |title=New voices: Gillian Flynn makes thriller debut |date=September 27, 2006 |work=[[USA Today]] |access-date=January 21, 2014 |publisher=[[Gannett Company]] |___location=Mclean, Virginia}}</ref>
''[[The Kansas City Star]]'' hailed it as "one of the best and most disturbing books" in recent memory, commending Flynn's skillful blend of tragedy and suspense.<ref name=":0" /> ''[[The Plain Dealer]]'' also praised the novel, describing it as "a sad, horrifying book" with characters that "will worm their way uncomfortably beneath your skin". The review noted that ''Sharp Objects'' felt more like a "literary novel than simple mystery".<ref name=":0" />
▲==Reception==
''[[The Washington Post]]'' lauded Flynn's writing as "skillful and disturbing", praising her ability to write with both lyricism and sharpness, all while maintaining an "unsparing eye for human imperfection".<ref name=":1" />
===Awards===
* ''New Blood Fiction Dagger'' from the [[Crime Writers' Association]] (2007, won)<ref name="CWA">{{Cite web |url=http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/2007/newblood.html |title=Gillian Flynn wins with ''Sharp Objects'' |publisher=[[Crime Writers' Association]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071207155637/http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/2007/newblood.html |archive-date=December 7, 2007 |access-date=January 21, 2014}}</ref>
* ''[[CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger|Ian Fleming Steel Dagger]]'' from the Crime Writers' Association (2007, won)<ref name=CWA />
* ''Duncan Lawrie Dagger'' from the Crime Writers' Association (2007, nominated)<ref name=CWA />
==Adaptations==
In 2008, British director [[Andrea Arnold]] was
The film rights to ''Sharp Objects
==References==
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[[Category:Novels about alcoholism]]
[[Category:Shaye Areheart Books books]]
[[Category:Works about Munchausen syndrome by proxy]]
[[Category:Southern noir novels]]
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