This book was not for me. It was predictable and the prose was not to my liking. I really wanted to like it because the premise and plot sounded so interesting.

Master storyteller Sarah Pekkanen (fav author) returns following The Ever After 2018 (solo) and The Golden Couple 2022 (co-author) with her BEST yet! GONE TONIGHT —a twisty, emotionally captivating suspense thriller—a powerful mother-daughter relationship, both poignant and terrifying of dark, buried secrets and a dangerous past that will have you glued to the pages until the satisfying conclusion.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! My top thrillers of 2023!

Meet the mother and daughter duo, Ruth and Catherine. They have always been close and never needed a lot of outsiders, happy with their relationship like best friends. Ruth has been on the run for a quarter of a century.

Three names. Twelve different jobs. Nine different apartments. What is she hiding? They moved around often and never stayed anywhere long enough to make real friends or have anyone get too close.

Ruth Sterling (42), mother, a single, quiet, hardworking waitress who would do anything for her daughter. She would give up food for her daughter, which has happened quite often. She sacrifices for her daughter in every way. Ruth has had a rough life. Her mom was a drunk, and her father was a handyman. Things were tough in high school. However, she is a fighter. Indestructible.

She was caught up in a dangerous situation in high school, and her ex-boyfriend is currently in prison. She left her parents and brother and has been on the run since. She was pregnant at the time and has been in survivor mode since. She is intelligent, proactive, and always looks over her shoulder. When things get too close, she runs with her daughter.

However, she has kept the reasons behind all this and her past from her daughter. She also maintains a journal collecting thoughts for her daughter—one day, she may not be around to explain. Her daughter thinks her father was a sperm daughter. He was not.

Now things have become more complicated, so Ruth is forced to be creative. She cannot have her daughter move anywhere close to where she plans to go- Baltimore. The only way to stop her is to pretend she has Alzheimer's to keep her close until this problem is resolved.

Catherine Sterling (24), the daughter, will soon be a nurse. She graduated cum laude and is about to start work at John Hopkins and move to Baltimore in two weeks. Her specialty is geriatrics, and she works part-time at a nursing home in the Memory Wing with patients with dementia, Alzheimer's, and TBI. Catherine is worried about her mom and very familiar with the path of destruction regarding Alzheimer's.

However, things are not what they seem, and now Catherine is conducting her secretive sleuthing into her mom's past. She suspects something is off with her mom. The more she digs, she questions if she knows her mom. Is everything about her a lie? Her mother is keeping secrets.

Catherine is also keeping secrets. Little does she know the danger she is putting them both in by digging where she shouldn't. In the meantime, the threat is getting closer, and Ruth must keep her daughter safe from the monster coming for them. REVENGE.

I loved the part where Ruth lived in a Target store while pregnant. Immediately, I thought of the Natalie Portman movie (I saw it years ago: "Where the Heart Is"). A pregnant 17-year-old teen was living in a Walmart after being dumped off by her boyfriend, has her baby, and becomes an overnight celebrity. Immediately upon the comparison, the author comments on the movie.

WHAT A BOOK! First, I have been an enormous fan of Sarah Pekkanen since her first book in 2010 and have read every book since. (see her book list below). She is a superb writer, writing with heart and soul. Her skills shine with her well-developed characters and twisty plots, whether contemporary, domestic, or thriller. My top author list and a favorite.

GRIPPING, INTENSE, AND BINGE-WORTHY!

GONE TONIGHT hooked me from page one to the end. Brilliantly layered, the author's writing is beautiful, the journal entries heartfelt with a mother's genuine love, and the characters highly relatable—you are invested in them, plus heroines you’ll cheer for.

Razor sharp! A riveting cat-and-mouse game that becomes twisty, wild, and more suspenseful throughout the novel. I cannot recommend this one enough. Nature vs. nurture. Get it. You will love it! Movie-worthy.

AUDIOBOOK: I enjoyed reading and listening. The audiobook was TOPS! Kate Mara gave a first-rate performance for all voices, and I was hanging on her every word. I highly recommend the book & audio.

Thanks to St Martins Press and Macmillan Audio for a gifted ARC and ALC via Netgalley to share my review and thoughts.

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@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Pub Date: Aug 1, 2023
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A mother/ daughter domestic suspense story full of secrets and lies. The pacing started off slow but as the plot developed, there were some clever twists integrated throughout that held my interest. I enjoyed the dual POV format and how chapters were told in the past and present. However, when listening to the audiobook, I wish there were two narrators to better differentiate between the two main characters. Still, Kate Mara did a great job keeping me engaged and building the suspense.

3 stars to Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen. I enjoyed this slow burn thriller (I am using the word lightly) on this secretive mother-daughter duo.

Ruth and Catherine have an incredibly close relationship but what Catherine doesn’t know…Ruth will do anything to keep her from finding out. At first, since we obviously have Ruth’s perspective I found Catherine to be irksome. Like girl, can you just let your mom do what she needs to do?!? But I tried to see it from her POV and give her a little grace. Once we learned more about Ruth’s past the story picked up a bit but I can’t say it ever felt thrilling in nature.

The reunion scene was very sweet, and the last little twist was a bit predictable all things considered but I didn’t dislike it. Not the worst, not the best. Solid story.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan audio for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

At 24 years old Catherine is ready to move out of the home she shares with her single mother, Ruth, and take on a new job opportunity. But, Ruth has a lot of secrets of her own and needs to keep Catherine close.
This is definitely a slow burn, and took me a while to fully understand what was going on. The audio narration was great and I think it kept me a little more engaged than if I had simply read this. But, I did find myself having to rewind and re-listen a few times until I got up to 60%.
Aside from the slower pacing at the start, there were a couple of things that didn't work for me:
- False early Alzheimer's. I've seen first hand progression of this disease and it is devastating. I wish the author would've used something else as the reason Ruth tried to make Catherine stay. This one gave me the ick.
- Overall kind of unrealistic. Between Ruth being able to survive and get away with what she did for so long, and for Catherine to suddenly figure it out so easily.
- How everything went down with James seemed very quick compared to the slower, drawn out pacing of the rest of the book. I would've also liked to see his character have a little more background.
Overall, I did end up enjoying this and wished Catherine's side story would've been explored more. This is perfect for fans of "Pieces of Her" by Karin Slaughter.

GONE TONIGHT
Sarah Pekkanen

This is the first time I have read a book with Sarah Pekkanen writing by herself. It is a different experience from reading some of the books co-authored by Greer Hendricks.

In GONE TONIGHT we’re following mother and daughter, Ruth and Catherine respectively. It has been just the two of them for years. Facing life’s challenges together. They are very close because of that and share a unique bond.

Catherine has decided that it is time to make a new life on her own and has taken a job in a nearby city. This is not the best time for her to leave as Ruth has been experiencing some problems with her memory recently. She has been misplacing her keys, lost a $20 bill, and couldn’t find her way home. This is very concerning to Catherine, who works in the memory wing of a care facility.

We follow as Catherine and Ruth explore what is happening with Ruth and how it affects both their present and future.

I really loved the relationship dynamics between Catherine and Ruth. The tension between them felt authentic, and I felt it was a great exploration into the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters. I liked Pekkanen’s writing and felt like I preferred this solo project over some of her collaborative projects.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Kate Mara. Listening to Mara while reading heightened my reading experience. Her voice is unforgettable, and the performance was perfect.

I’m so glad to have read GONE TONIGHT and I look forward to whatever Pekkanen does next.

Thanks to Netgalley, St Martins Press, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copies and the opportunity to provide feedback!

GONE TONIGHT…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Five stars for Kate Mara as narrator!

GONE TONIGHT by Sarah Pekkanen is a page-turner, featuring a close mother-daughter relationship forged after a couple decades of it just being the two of them. Now daughter Catherine's ready to move as she accepts a new job, but will Ruth need her to stay close to home? Perspective trades between the two.

I was a step ahead of the plot of this one, but I still found it enjoyable - I felt satisfaction, not frustration, in predicting plot points. At the same time, it might have been fun to have had a twistier or more surprising story arc. As ever, YMMV, especially if you read thrillers more infrequently.

I didn't have any issues enjoying the story via the text, but would definitely recommend the audiobook if you have a choice between modes.

What a read! When Catherine thinks her mom Ruth is starting to get Alzheimer's, she looks into her past and discovers her mom isn't who she is at all. She also finds out about her dad and that has a lot of consequences in and of itself. This book has many twists and turns that I could barely keep up. I highly recommend this one to anyone who is a fan of thrillers.

Ruth and Catherine have only had each other. But, Catherine now has an opportunity to move away to start a new career. Ruth is desperate to stop it. And this crusade of Ruth’s ends up bringing down the house of cards she has carefully built around her and her daughter.

This is a story in which I have to be careful. I do not want to give anything away. But, nothing is as it seems. And Catherine is slowly beginning to realize quite a few lies surrounding her mother. Be careful…what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!

Talk about an intricate tale, with a kick, and a twist and another twist, then a turn…I loved this story! This story just builds and builds to this fabulous climax…and I just wonder if the author has a plan for a sequel. It is set up perfectly for one.

Kate Mara is the narrator and OH MY GOSH!!! She is excellent.

Need a story which will have you wondering what will happen next…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I definitely liked the structure of the mystery, I loved the dual POVs, and I thought the pacing of revealing the mystery was good. It was hard to relate to any of the characters or feel for them so I didn’t find myself getting into the book as much as her previous books.

This book had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen!!! “Gone Tonight” by Sarah Pekkanen. Ruth Sterling lives with her daughter Catherine. Ruth has a lot to hide and Catherine is trying to figure out her mothers secrets. The story is told from each character’s perspective. I wanted to scream at both of them during the story. They both made some really bad life choices. This was a riveting book and I couldn’t wait to see how it played out.
I listened to the story on tape and it was narrated by the actress Kate Mara. Her voice was pleasant. Many thanks to the author, Macmillan and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This book was provided to my by NetGalley for my honest review and I am so gray to have the opportunity to read Sarah Pekkanen a book this one was a wild ride about a mother hiding her past trying to protect her child. It was a mystery and a thriller wrapped into one exciting ride with chaos and intensity to keep the pages flipping and my interest at an all time high! I really enjoyed this rollercoaster of emotions in a book with a mother daughter dynamic that kept me on the edge of my seat!

Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
Format: ALC courtesy of MacMillan Audio and NetGalley

Having read and loved other books by Sarah Pekkanen with co-author Greer Hendricks, I was so excited to receive this ALC via NetGalley! My husband and I listened to this one together on a recent road trip, and we finished it in just two days. This was a fun story to listen to with a friend- we stopped to talk about the book every few chapters and make our predictions. There were enough breadcrumbs throughout the story that many of the plot developments were not surprising, but they were still satisfying to watch them play out.

This book focuses on themes of parenthood, the struggle to survive, and the lengths we will go to for those that we love. There is plenty to talk about while reading this and after, and I would recommend pitching this for buddy reads and book clubs. However, be cautioned that this book does contain scenes and descriptions of violence, physical abuse and CSA. That said, I really enjoyed this book and we both recommend it! Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of Goen Tonight, which publishes on August 1.

The fine print; things we did not like that keep this from being a 5 star read-
Kate Mara’s voice performance was good, but this audiobook would have really benefited from having two narrators instead of one.
We went into the book essentially blind, but after I finished I went back and read the blurb. I don’t think the blurb is a fair teaser of the book, and gives away too much information. It was better blind.
Intentionally vague to avoid spoilers, but this book is told from two POVs, and one character is very concerned with a trait of the other character’s personality- but this trait is not really reflected in the other POV. I would have suggested revision there.

I really enjoyed this book, a slow burn psychological thriller that takes you on a winding and twisting trip. When I thought I knew what was happening this author managed to twist the plot in surprising ways. I really never though what was coming, was left hanging and then relieved to then again left hanging.
I loved how Ruth told her story slowly, giving the reader the chance to understand what was happening and Katherine’s character is more impulsive and unpredictable. This makes the book have this back and forth energy to it that keeps you on your toes.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for this gifted copy and to Macmillan Audio for the ALC. I'm a big fan of Sarah Pekkanen's cowritten books with Greer Hendricks, so I was excited to try one of her solo novels.

This thriller was refreshingly unique. This review will be vague as I don't want to spoil anything, but I enjoyed unraveling the secrets between this mother and daughter. The plot unfurled at a perfect pace. I really enjoyed the audiobook production and Kate Mara's performance.

Pekkanen explores mother-daughter relationships in such an interesting way. I certainly recommend you add this book to your summer reading list.

Catherine Sterling thinks she knows her mother. Ruth Sterling is quiet, hardworking, and lives for her daughter. All her life, it's been just the two of them against the world. But now, Catherine is ready to spread her wings, move from home, and begin a new career. And Ruth Sterling will do anything to prevent that from happening. Ruth Sterling thinks she knows her daughter. Catherine would never rebel, would never question anything about her mother's past or background. But when Ruth's desperate quest to keep her daughter by her side begins to reveal cracks in Ruth's carefully-constructed world, both mother and daughter begin a dance of deception. This was a great read from Sarah Pekkanen. The book is divided into three parts and has 2 POV's, one from Ruth and one from Catherine that switched back and forth. They both have hidden secrets that question everything they thought they knew about each other. It's a fast-paced plot that kept me reading until the very satisfying ending. There are things that happen that I did not see coming. I look forward to reading the next book by Pekkanen. If you like surprises with twists then you will love this book. The audiobook was an added treat to reading this book. The narrator did both Catherine and Ruth and was great. I love listening to audio and reading the book together. Gives the book a lift that you don't get with just reading a book.

I want to start off by saying that I received a complimentary audiobook. In return for my honest thoughts and review. I can’t believe that I haven’t read anything from this author before. After listening to this audiobook. I will be adding more books from this author to my tbr list. Yes this audiobook took me longer. I didn’t want it to end and I don’t like rushing through my audiobooks. The characters and the world this author created amazing. The narrator does amazing job. Keeping me listening. I am glad that this book touched on Alzheimer’s. Having family members with or have lost with this nasty disease.
If I were Ruth I would’ve done the same thing that Ruth did. A mother would do anything to protect their children. I has a mother would absolutely without a questioning do anything for my sons. Catherine I get a daughter wanting to know more about her mothers past and figure how the secrets her mother is keeping from her.
There is absolutely a lot of twists in this book that I definitely didn’t see coming. And definitely didn’t see that ending and the real hidden secrets that Ruth kept. I highly recommend this audiobook.
This book comes out July 31, 2023.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for allowing me the opportunity to listen early copy.
My review will be posted everywhere amazon, goodreads, bookbub.

I love the writing duo of Sarah Pekkanen / Greer Hendricks, and I equally love Pekkanen’s standalone novels, and this one, GONE TONIGHT, did not disappoint. We start off getting to know Catherine and her mother Ruth Sterling, and their relationship is starting to get a bit strained, mostly due to Ruth aging and Catherine wanting to know more about her past, but Ruth is not ready to share it. This is told in alternating POVs from Catherine and Ruth, and as more is revealed from each we learn that the story is not what you think it will be and in fact takes a crazy turn that had me on the edge of my seat wondering how this would end. Bottom line is a mother would do anything to protect her daughter, even if it means hiding most of her past from her most of her life. This was well done, suspenseful, entertaining, and had quite a bit of depth to it, more than I expected. I read it in one sitting and could not stop listening, I was hooked right from the beginning.

Kate Mara did a wonderful job narrating the audiobook, and I highly recommend you read it this way if you can. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this one and whether you do audiobooks or not, GONE TONIGHT needs to be on your list when released on 8/1.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the copies to review.

I'm such a fan of the writing duo Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen since their debut novel The Wife Between Us. Kata Mara phenomenally narrates this tense psychological thriller.

“Gone Tonight” is so full of twists and turns, it was hard to put down. The relationship between Catherine and Ruth grows from mothered to smothered, and the reader gets to experience the whole thing firsthand. The character development in this novel is spot on. I felt for Catherine right off the bat as she watched her mother struggle from what she thinks is Alzheimer’s. As the story plays out, the plot itself could go in several different directions, but Pekkanen pulls the right chord, and the tension develops slowly, then steams like a whistling teapot, leading to the final unexpected conclusion.

A massive thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the copy!

Suspenseful, intriguing, well-written character study that deftly calls into question the things we may not know about our mothers' lives before us. I loved the writing and also the narration of this audiobook. Pekkanen does a commendable job with fully realized characters, an intriguing plot, and great narration. A must read from a very reliable thriller author!