Should I Or Shouldn't I?

One of my favorite scenes from the movie, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, is a recurring one where Billy Crystal's character keeps flipping to the last page of a book to read the ending first.  His rational, which his counterpart Meg Ryan thinks is completely insane, is that at least he will know how it ended in case he dies before finishing it.

When a writer sets out to create a piece of fiction, mystery or otherwise, the plot usually proceeds in one of two ways.  The first is perhaps the easiest.  You have your outline in place and you know exactly how the story is going to begin, climax, and ultimately end.  The other can be challenging, invigorating, and incredibly frustrating all at the same time.  That is the scenario where you have an idea which takes on a life of its own, sometimes even surprising the author with the conclusion.

In writing mysteries, the author needs to carefully weave clues into the progression on the plot which will gradually lead the protagonist as well as the reader to the eventual solution of the puzzle.  The trick is not to make the pieces too obvious or too obtuse.  I hate it when the villain turns out to be a minor player who didn't really have a substantial part.  It is equally as annoying when you are able to discern the identity of the killer within the first few chapters due to a predictable story line.

Recently, I purchased GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn.  It was listed on every suggested summer reading list I've seen this season as well as a mainstay on the New York Times Bestseller List.  After hearing a disc jockey rave about it on the radio, I decided to take the plunge.

I don't know if it is just me, but I think writers read books a bit differently than the average person.  Right off the bat, I liked the lay out of the book.  It's a first person narrative that alternates between the two major characters, one via diary entries.  I love reading and writing in first person.  It is as though the character is talking in your ear. 

While I was reading a minor plot point caught my attention and made me stop, glancing at the end of the book.  It is a long one, four hundred and nineteen pages.  Pausing, I thought about it.  Should I or shouldn't I?  It's not like I think I am going to meet an untimely demise before finishing it.  I just want to know if I'm right.