I am so excited to share Gone Tonight with you. It is a psychological thriller about a mother and daughter. The mother has been hiding her tragic past from her daughter until the daughter starts to unravel the truth and chaos ensues in their lives. It is twisted, creepy, suspenseful but also so sad when the mother’s life story is revealed. And let’s say, there is a stint of homelessness so she hid out in Target and made me think of the aforementioned movie. This mom and daughter duo is intelligent, resilient and resourceful and their dedication to each other is inspiring. This is definitely a thriller to add to your list.

Catherine and Ruth Sterling are as close as a mother and daughter can be. With no family to speak of, it’s always been them against the world.

But Catherine never really knew the weight of those words until her mother started forgetting things here or there. Unofficially diagnosed with early onset dementia, Catherine can’t help but to worry about all the ways this will impact their lives. Another big upheaval? Catherine’s planned move away from home to start a new career, now thwarted by the devastating news.

As we see Catherine coming to terms with her mother’s future and increasing forgetfulness, we also see things from the perspective of her mother, Ruth. Just like her daughter, Ruth is worried about their future. However, it’s not for the reasons Catherine believes. As these two women stories unfold, so do the lines between truth and deceit, a reminder that all it takes is one night to change everything.

Gone Tonight is a hard book to review without giving too much away. Author, @sarahpekkanen has done a good job of painting a picture where nothing is as it seems. A page turning thriller always leans toward the dramatic, but at its core, this is a relatable story when you look at it through the lense of how far you’d go to protect the ones you love.

"My mother seems to have materialized at 18 when she had me. It's as if we were both born at the same time."

Whew! Gone Tonight by psychological thriller author Sarah Pekkanen is at times an exhausting mother daughter trauma...I mean drama fueled dual first person POV where no one is telling the truth to each other.

Luckily Ruth, the mother, and Catherine, her daughter, tell us what is really going on, at least in their own minds. To Catherine her mom is a hardworking single mom who only wants the best for her. To Ruth her daughter is a good girl who would never leave her...right? She can't leave! There's real danger out there; in fact it's getting close to them everyday!

Just as Catherine is leaving the state to advance her career Ruth shows signs of dementia and reveals that her own mother died from early on set Alzheimer's Disease. Catherine can't leave now.

You think you know what's going on and you're probably right BUT the reasons are very different than you might think; at least for me. I had a different scenario of where things were heading and was surprised by the turn it took and how much it changed my feelings about the very complicated Ruth.

Another pleasant surprise was the incomparable actress Kate Mara narrating with such gravitas that it forces you to pay serious attention to Ruth's motives. After all, anyone who plays Springsteen's Thunder Road to relax and says, "What kind of monster doesn't like Springsteen?" can't be all bad.

There's also an important message about how easy it is for girls to disappear. We learn quickly to make ourselves small to avoid sexual and familial abusers but sadly it's usually after the abuse that we are not seen and can be gone tonight.

I received a free copy of this book/ audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Really good!!! I love how the mystery slowly unfolded and throughout the book you learned more of the truth. The ending was great as well.

Ruth is a single mother living in an apartment with her twenty-four year old daughter, Catherine. Catherine is set to move out to begin her career at John Hopkins Hospital, but Ruth can’t fathom the thought of being separated from her daughter because of the danger that lurks from her past. Ruth will do anything to keep her daughter close, but little does she know, Catherine is unraveling the truth about Ruth’s former life. If she figures out the truth, it could put their lives in extreme danger and prompt Ruth to run away, and change her name…again.

I was so entranced in this book that I forgot I was reading until I looked away from my kindle and at the world around me. I felt a bountiful amount of emotions while reading from the perspectives of both Ruth and Catherine, and the ending broke my heart into a million pieces.

Read if you like:
🔸Family Secrets
🔸Cat & Mouse Game
🔸Mother/Daughter drama

Catherine Sterling has always felt like she knew her mom but she soon learns just how wrong she is. It has always been must the two of them but Catherine thinks its time for her to leave the nest. She has a wonderful job opportunity although its in another state. Her mom didn't complain when she learned her daughter would be moving but Catherine soon learns things aren't what they seem. Its a week before she is suppose to leave when she takes her mom to a doctors appointment and all signs point to her having Alzheimer's. Catherine has decided to turn down her new position and stay where she is so she can take care of her mother during this trying time. She soon begins to get hints that shat she thought was true might not be. Follow along and see if Catherine can learn the truth about her mom and if what she has always believed is true or has her mom spent.her whole life lying to her?

This is my favorite by this author(s) so far. I loved the way the story was presented, slowly doling out clues as it went on and building tension in the process. The book kept me guessing the whole time and I could not put it down. It also had my mouth watering for lasagna pizza. Highly recommended for those who enjoy books that make you question who to trust, even family, and those who want to stay up all night reading.

I’m not sure what I was expecting when I picked up Gone Tonight…but it certainly wasn’t what I got. And that’s a good thing.

The book describes the relationship of mom Ruth and daughter Catherine. Ruth has just been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease at forty-two. Unfortunately, recent nursing graduate Catherine works in a dementia ward and knows what is coming soon in both of their lives. She is desperate to find out about her mother’s past, which Ruth has kept secret during Catherine’s entire life, before Ruth no longer remembers it. But sometimes the truth is buried for a good reason.

One morning, I woke up early and thought I would read Gone Tonight for about an hour before arising. Bad mistake! I read the book straight through for the next four hours. Good thing it was the weekend.

The book is a compelling and entertaining look into one secretive family. But it is not your usual domestic thriller. I was entranced trying to discover who was lying to themselves (and us) in their alternating first-person chapters and especially when the next jaw dropping twist would occur.

Overall, Gone Tonight is highly recommended to both mystery and thriller fans, especially to those that think that all the best plots have already been written. This book proves how incorrect that assumption is with its stunningly original plot. 5 stars and a favorite!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

“There is no bond like that of a mother and daughter… but the tighter Ruth holds on, the more Catherine questions the reason why.

This book kept me up way past my bedtime! I wanted to keep reading to find out the conclusion. Very tense and mysterious at times.
Both Ruth and her daughter Catherine are holding secrets from each other. The story is told in alternating chapters between the mother and daughter. Just as you are learning a little bit more about Ruth, the chapters switch over to Catherine. You will find yourself saying… just one more chapter. There is a dual time line with Ruth’s story, filling the reader in with her backstory.
Catherine is worried that her mother is developing Alzheimer’s. She is planning to move away from her mom, the only relation she has ever had. She has to make a decision as to whether to go or to stay. As Catherine discovers more about her mother, the plot thickens.
Sarah’s writing flows so easily. I loved the journal entry’s that Ruth writes to her daughter. Her emotions and feelings just pour out, something she has been keeping in for a lifetime. It is a very compelling plot and the ending wraps up all the puzzle pieces to fit nicely together.
I have previously read books by this author (along with her co-writer Greer Hendricks), and I am looking forward to see what she writes next.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an ARC of Gone Tonight in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I’ve really enjoyed Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendricks' domestic thrillers, so I was curious to see what Pekkanen’s solo thriller had to offer.

It’s a pretty unique premise that straddles the line between domestic suspense and action thriller. Catherine, one of the protagonists, starts to suspect that her mother, Ruth, hasn’t been entirely honest with her and sets out to uncover what secrets her mother has been hiding. The story incorporates both Catherine and Ruth’s perspectives and includes flashbacks that show how the present timeline came to be. The story moves really quickly and does a great job of balancing the action with the emotional beats of the story.

While I would say I liked this book, there was one major thing that kept me from loving it. Without giving anything away, I really didn’t care for the way Alzheimer’s and dementia were used in this book. As someone who has unfortunately seen the impact that can have on individuals and their families, the way the disease was incorporated into the plot just didn’t sit well with me. I don’t think Pekkanen meant any harm by this choice, but it personally wasn’t something I felt comfortable with. Feel free to message me if you want more information on this!

Gone Tonight is out August 1. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read an advance copy of Gone tonight by Sarah Pekkanen. While I admit I hesitated reading Gone tonight, (and I don't know why) I am so glad I did! Wow, what a thriller!!! Do you know your Mother? Are you sure? Catherine thought she knew her Mother, but her Mother isn't who Catherine thought. When Catherine get suspicious, and starts to try to find out about her Mother's past, Ruth's secrets start to unravel. Told through both Catherine's and Ruth's POV, this book will keep you reading until the very end. Totally recommend!!!

Single mom, Ruth, and her daughter, Catherine, are very close, best friends even. Catherine is ready to spread her wings until a horrifying diagnosis has her rethinking her decision. Little by little, red flags appear and Ruth’s past comes to light which has Catherine questioning everything she’s ever known about her Mom, until the deception brings them together in a dark way.

I usually enjoy domestic drama, but for some reason, this fell a little flat, and totally unrealistic to me. I enjoyed that the chapters alternated between mother and daughter, bringing both their situations to light. It added to the suspense and developed a rapport between reader, Ruth, Catherine. Parts were drawn out, thus making the story move slowly for me. Ending was predictable.

Thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

This book was so surprising! In the way that there were so many twists that I did not anticipate. The love of a mother is so powerful. And there is no doubting that for Ruth. She did everything to protect Catherine. She did so well, that Catherine did not question her life until she was 24. Then everything began to unravel.
I would recommend this book to literally anyone. It was so good!

Sarah did it again! I am a huge fan of her previous books, but this is my new favorite. I absolutely got lost in this book, especially the section retelling the mom’s story. This book had a lot of depth to it, and I loved it! The ending was perfection. I will definitely post a review on tiktok soon.

This was a heck of a psychological thriller. The things mothers will do to protect their children takes center stage in this novel told in duel point of views. What an intriguing story that was hard to put down. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

The first quarter of this book, I was on the edge of my seat thinking, Pekkanen has got so much edge with this twisted thriller between Mother and Daughter dynamic - I was enthralled! As the story begins to reveal itself within a play between the past and present, the adrenaline petered out a bit and found itself way back to the "safer" side of thrillers. I enjoyed this bond between the Mother/Daughter and found that despite its darker intentions, it had a heartwarming theme overall. I think seasoned thriller readers will be able to catch on quickly with the twists but still find it a worthwhile read.

Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen is a thriller told in alternating POV of Ruth and Catherine, mother and daughter. For me, the first part of the novel read more as a book about their relationship, but as the story progressed and secrets revealed, the thriller aspect developed.

Part of Ruth’s chapters revealed her backstory so her timeline was both past and present. Catherine and Ruth have always had a very close relationship, and with no other family, they are very dependent on each other. As Ruth’s past is divulged, the tension increases, leading the reader on an increasingly dramatic journey. The author has a lot of experience with writing in this genre and her expertise serves her well. I look forward to reading more from her.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Publisher for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

A mother/daughter mystery filled with secrets and lies!

I listened to this one on audio and was hooked. As a mom I am always intrigued by mother/daughter relationships that seem tense and loaded with deception. That was certainly the case with Ruth Sterling and her 24 yr. old daughter, Catherine.

When we meet the pair, Catherine is working as a nurse for people with Alzheimer’s, Dementia and similar brain issues. Ruth has started showing signs of Alzheimer’s and Catherine is worried, especially when her mother reveals a history if the disease runs in their family. The more Catherine tries to uncover her family history to try to help her mom, the more she realizes that she knows nothing about her mother’s past or her family. Ruth has worked hard to keep Catherine in the dark and will stop at nothing to keep her daughter safe and oblivious.

As Catherine’s secrets begin to unfurl, things really get interesting & twisty. I loved how both women were on their own journey, each with their own secrets and twists. Yet, in the end things intertwined and combusted together. Overall, this was pretty fast paced, the dual timeline reveals kept my attention and I enjoyed how it all came together in the end.

I loved this book! Such a ride. How far would you go to protect your daughter? The answer: there is no limit!
I loved the dual storyline. The mix of past and present. It was all tied together like a nice little bow.
This is Mt forst dolor read of Sarah Pekkanen but definitely not my last.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book!

I have not read anything written by Sarah Pekkanen before, but the plot of Gone Tonight convinced me to give this one a try, and I was not disappointed.

The book revolves around Ruth Sterling and her adult daughter Catherine, who have lived a quiet, if not isolated, existence moving every few years. Catherine knows little of her mother's background but does not question the few things her mother has told her. Ruth, however, is keeping some big secrets including her real name and family background. When Catherine starts digging, the story takes off.

I appreciated the format of the book with alternating chapters told from Ruth's and Catherine's perspectives, and I loved the little twists that ended many of the short chapters. The writing was strong, and the characters were mostly believable; I can understand a mother trying to protect her daughter at all costs. There were some plot points that seemed unconvincing, but the story redeemed itself with a gripping resolution.

I will recommend this to readers who like domestic suspense novels.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.