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.

Catherine is a 24 year old nurse who works in a memory care unit. She lives with her mother, 42-year-old Ruth, a waitress. For as long as Catherine can remember, it's just been the two of them, and she's never had any reason to question her mother's story about getting kicked out of her house because she got pregnant. But things are changing. Catherine is noticing signs of cognitive decline in her mother, and suspects she may have early onset Alzheimers. As she scrambles to try to learn more about her mother's past before she's unable to, she uncovers secrets that lead to more secrets that lead to more secrets. Can she trust the one woman who's been there for her all her life?

This is a fantastic thriller that kept me guessing the whole time. It takes care to explore the sometimes-complicated relationships between mothers and daughters, and how keeping secrets from the ones we love can ultimately hurt them. It's fast-paced and I loved the dual timelines and the Catherine and Ruth POVs. If you're a fan of Sarah Pekkanen, you won't be disappointed.

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.

Gone Tonight is a billed a suspense/thriller novel. It wasn't as fast paced as I had hoped. The story is told from 2 different points of view,,,,,Ruth and her daughter, Catherine. As per all of the summaries available, everything that Catherine knows about her mother is a lie. I do no want to give anything away, so I will not discuss the plot any further. I was not invested in the characters. I would have liked more interaction between Ruth and Catherine. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press and Nfor the ARC of this book.

I enjoyed this book but I think as I also had it in audio, and I like the narrator very much I alternated reading and listening.

The story was good with a mother/daughter POVs. I would recommend this book. I just feel like this story has been told before just in a different way. I still liked it and the audience who like this genre will undoubtedly like it.

Good book - compelling, intriguing, keeps you guessing. Having read several of her books this is a bit different but good read.

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.

Gone Tonight is an edge of your seat thriller that leaves you guessing until the last page! I enjoyed Sarah Pekkanen's most recent novel about a mother and daughter who have spent a life distanced from others and on the move. Catherine, Ruth's daughter, doesn't realize her mother is not who she says she is. Catherine is ready to move to a new city for a new job. Her mom will stop at nothing to keep her from going. She begins to pick up on discrepancies in her mom's stories and their experiences not realizing they are in danger. As she uncovers more about her mom, the story really picks up. I couldn't put this book down! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

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.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the arc of Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen. I loved, The Wife Between Us, so I was so excited to dive into this one.

Catherine and her mother, Ruth, are each others world, so when her mother starts displaying symptoms of early onset Alzheimer’s, Catherine’s world is blown apart. However, maybe things are not what they seem. This book is full of thrills and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end. I loved the duel points of view, and the quick chapters that kept me flipping pages quickly.

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.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one and 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.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Ruth is, and always has been, an overprotective mother to Catherine. But when Catherine notices her mother is lying to her, she starts pulling away to Ruth's dismay. Does Catherine really know her mom?

This almost felt like two diffent stories who meet in the middle. First, you have the family drama with Ruth and Catherine. Although enjoyable, it tended to drag on. The second part, however, is full-on thriller and I was completely hooked!

I highly recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Sarah Pekkanen for an advanced copy of this book. I offer my review freely. Publication date 01 August 2023.

I'm such a fan of the writing duo Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen since their debut novel The Wife Between Us.

“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!

Wow oh wow this book was so original! It was filled with twist and turns, a bit of a slow start for me but once I settled in I could not put the book down! I love this author and have most of her other books, this one is no exception!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital advanced readers copy!! I received a complimentary copy of this book. This novel will be published August 1, 2023! Add it to your August TBR!!

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!

I don't know how Sarah Pekkanen does it! Everything she writes is captivating and makes you question everything you think you know about the story.

Claire and her mother Ruth are the only people they have and Ruth aims to keep it that way. Hidden agendas and secrets galore, dive into this story knowing when you surface for air, it will be because you finished the book.

Twenty-four-year-old Catherine Sterling and her mother Ruth have an unusually dependent relationship. They have trackers on each other's iPhones, so they know where the other one is. They've moved around a lot over the years. It's always been just the two of them. For the first time, Catherine is about to leave the nest as she has an exciting new job as a nurse at John Hopkins in Baltimore. But those plans may have to wait as her mother is exhibiting signs of Alzheimer's and Catherine can't leave Ruth. Catherine is also compelled to start investigating more about her mother's family history as she has never met any of her relatives. She's starting to sense that her mother has not been truthful all these years. Ruth figures out that Catherine is becoming suspicious of her and now fears that all her lies will be exposed.

I had only read the thrillers that Sarah Pekkanen co-authored with Greer Hendricks, so I was anxious to read Gone Tonight, a solo effort. This is a slow burn thriller that starts off as a domestic drama and then ramps up in its intensity. The story is told from each woman's perspective as the suspense builds and builds. There are some very good twists and surprises. I enjoyed it very much.

Rated 4.25 stars.

Have you ever woken up one morning and thought about how well do I know your parents? Do you think they have always spoken the truth and never told a lie? Catherine is about to embark on her own, she is moving to start a nursing job at Johns Hopkins. The first time she has ever been away from her mother, ever. She is excited, nervous, scared, and just wants to start her journey. Ruth has always protected Catherine her entire life, like any mother would. She has struggled to make a life for the both of them. Working waitressing jobs, changing apartments at a moment's notice, and struggling to make ends meet. Ruth always said her parents kicked her out when she became pregnant with Catherine. She has never contacted them again. Catherine never questioned, until things started to not add up, and she began to dig. Has Ruth always been honest with her, or has she built a house of lies?

This is a crazy intense family drama that will have you on the edge of your seat. The pages will become a blur as you tear through this book. Make sure to have drinks, snacks, and entertainment for your children. You will not be able to put this down. The characters are fantastically written. The mother and daughter dynamic are there. There is so much codependency that you need boots to wade through it all. There is so much more to this story than what meets the eye. If you love dark family secrets this is the book for you! Thank you to Sarah Pekkanen and St. Martin's Press for my jaw dropping copy.

Ruth Sterling and her 24-year old daughter Catherine have only known life as a unit so far. Ruth has always worked various low-wage jobs to provide, and the two have moved from place to place a lot, but their one constant is each other. That’s about to change, though, as Catherine is moving away soon to start a job as a nurse at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

At least that was the plan.

Ruth is now showing worrying signs of memory loss … eggs placed in the cupboard, losing her way home from the drugstore, calling ice cubes “water squares”. What is happening? It doesn’t look good, especially when Ruth brings up a family history of early-onset Alzheimer’s. Suddenly Catherine’s plans for the future don’t look so clear. Until she makes a discovery one day …

Up to this point the story seemed like a family drama, and while I was enjoying it, I still wondered where the story was going. Boy did things take an unexpected turn! As Ruth and Catherine’s chapters alternate, the reader finds out that things aren’t quite as they appear, and maybe there’s a lot more to Ruth’s story than Catherine has ever been aware of. Things that Ruth has taken great pains to hide from her.

Imagine the plot like a game of hide-and-seek, only Ruth is hiding secrets from her past and unbeknownst to her, Catherine is seeking to uncover them. Unfortunately, Catherine doesn’t realize that uncovering these secrets will put both she and her mom in danger! Now, they may need each other more than ever.

I both read and listened to this, wonderfully narrated by actress Kate Mara, and really enjoyed it! It’s very character-driven, with the relationship between Ruth and Catherine taking center stage. Watching their dynamic change from one of dependence to a more functional adult relationship and getting to know each other, perhaps for the first time, was a nice change of pace from typical thrillers. The final third brings a satisfying amount of suspense, tension and action.

As with all thrillers, there’s some suspension of disbelief required, but honestly not much! It didn’t feel beyond the realm of possibility that it would play out this way. It also brings up some great questions about how much of our nature we inherit from our parents. I loved the ending and epilogue. No huge shockers, but just the right amount to make it fun!

★★★★ ½