For many of its 113 weeks (and counting) on The New York Times bestseller list, Flynn’s third thriller, Gone Girl, has sat at the top. (See the Power Smackdown for how she stacks up against her main local rival.) The former Entertainment Weekly writer turned master of unease showed she could wield her craft just as beautifully in script format by adapting Gone Girl for the big screen. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker David Fincher, the movie killed at the box office, and Flynn’s screenplay earned a Golden Globe nomination.