WOW!

I can't believe the rapid roller coaster ride Sarah Pekkanen took me on with this book. The story went to heights I never saw coming with details that kept upping the previous ones.

The story is incredibly descriptive with characters that were so well developed I felt as if I knew them. At times, I thought Ruth/Ava might be a bit too paranoid--but then--holy cow-- more information would come into play, and I would once again be thoroughly surprised. !

This was an incredible book--unlike any plot I have come across before. Definitely worth every bit of the 5 stars I am giving it.

Wow! What did I just read? The publisher's blurb offers very little information as to what this book is about, which gives the reader the opportunity to truly go in blind to the story.

Ruth Sterling is your typical overprotective mother who will do anything for her child. Catherine Sterling is your typical child who is ready to go out on her own and start her career as a nurse. At least that's the plan until her mother is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and Catherine knows she needs to stick around and keep her mother safe. And from there, the author takes the reader on a wild ride that you wouldn't have expected from how the story was initially set up.

If you are looking for a quick read that has you on the edge of your seat with anticipation, then this is the book for you. I enjoyed the alternating points of view as well as the overall storyline. Sure, you may predict some of the twists and turns, but the author does a great job keeping you guessing until the end.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review.

As a single mom, it's always been just Ruth and her daughter, Catherine. When Catherine graduates college with plans to move away, Ruth will stop at nothing to keep her at home. Catherine has always believed her mother to be a generous, protective mother who has worked hard to give her everything she's needed but things begin to feel very off when the time to move draws near. Does Catherine really know her mom? Will she be able to figure out what Ruth is so adamant to hide about her past?

Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen explores the intricate dynamics between Catherine Sterling and her mother, Ruth. With Catherine's aspirations for independence conflicting with Ruth's desire to keep her close, their relationship is tested as a web of deception begins to expose long-held secrets and vulnerabilities.I found the premise of Gone Tonight intriguing, but it turned out to be a slow burn without much mystery, leaning more towards suspense. I found the pacing of the book to be extremely slow. The dual perspectives of Ruth and Catherine added depth, but I was more captivated by Ruth's narrative and the flashbacks to her high school days. Unfortunately, Catherine's perspective felt lacking and didn't contribute much to the overall story. I was disappointed that the author didn't delve deeper into a particular relationship in the flashbacks as it left some confusion regarding what goes in the present towards the end of the book. One of the characters felt severely underdeveloped and should have been explored further considering their importance in the book. Regarding the format, I wouldn't recommend the audiobook due to the single narrator reading both perspectives. It became confusing and distinct voices for each character would have been preferable. The narrator's voice was also monotonous which caused me to zone out from time to time so I ending up switching to the ebook. Reading the ebook enhanced the experience as the alternating chapters were clearly distinguished, making it easier to spot the clues leading to the conclusion. Considering my mixed feelings about this book and giving it three stars, this isn’t one I would recommend. However, if it's on your TBR, you may still give it a try.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. This was a great book that caught and held my attention throughout. It was a great slow to unravel, twisty story.

5 stars-This book takes you on such a roller coaster ride. I generally write more in my reviews, but in this case, I think the less you know going into it, the better your reading experience will be. The summary may even say too much in my opinion, but I was still SHOCKED and awed by this one! Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc. All opinions are expressed are my own (but go preorder this one and clear your schedule! You won’t want to put it down.)

5.0

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of crimes.” 🎵 Katherine and Ruth have a tenuous and symbiotic relationship that leads them to be forever intertwined. This book took me on a perilous journey to show our family members aren’t always who we think they are. The characters were well developed and I enjoyed Sarah’a writing. The best part of the whole book is the audio narration by Kate Mara. Truly a gifted actor and reader. Would love to listen to any future books she does…definitely recommend for a semi dark thriller that takes you on a ride!

I loved this! I have read all of Sarah's novels with Greer Hendricks and liked them, so I was intrigued to pick this up. It was very twisty and fun, and definitely kept me on the edge of my seat, needing to know the answers. I definitely recommend this.

Gone Tonight is a slow burn suspense featuring mother-daughter duo Ruth and Catherine Sterling. For Catherine’s entire life, it’s just been her and her single mother against the rest of the world. Now Catherine is grown, a recently graduated nurse ready to fly the nest for a prestigious position at Johns Hopkins, when Ruth starts exhibiting some terrifying symptoms of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. As the story progresses, we learn just how far a mother will go to keep her daughter safe and her secrets hidden.

I hoped I would love this book because I’m a big fan of the novels that Sarah Pekkanen has co-authored with Greer Hendricks, but it ended up being only okay. I did enjoy the dual POV structure, a bit of cat and mouse between Ruth and Catherine with who knew what and who was hiding what from whom. I also liked the way Ruth’s past was revealed through her journal entries. The short chapters kept me engaged and turning the pages, but overall this story didn’t work for me as a thriller. The twists felt predictable and it was far too easy for Catherine to solve everything. There were also some plot points that just didn’t sit well with me, but I want to keep this review spoiler-free so I'll leave it at that.

I’m definitely in the minority on this one, as many more reviewers really enjoyed this book, so don’t let my middle-of-the-road rating dissuade you from picking this one up. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Wow! This book was awesome! This book is told from dual perspectives, Ruth is a mom with a troubled secret past that is struggling with early on set Alzheimer’s. Catherine is Ruth’s daughter who is struggling with helping her mom with Alzheimer’s, her own future and her moms past. She feels like her mom has been lying to her and she starts to research why. In the meantime, Ruth is telling her story in a journal that she plans for Catherine to have eventually.

There are so many twists and shocking events in this story that you didn’t expect. I really enjoyed the cat and mouse game! I highly recommend for someone who is looking for a quick, twisty thriller read!

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martins Press and Sarah Pekkanen for the opportunity to read this book early! My honest review is completely my own.

What lengths will you go to to protect your family?

Well, I really enjoyed that one! I liked the way the story was told, in alternating POVs between Catherine and her mother, Ruth, and also inside of Ruth's POVs, flashbacks told in journal entries. It really tied the story together and, in the end, tied it up nicely. I also liked the morality questions tucked neatly into the story. A fascinating psychological thriller (don't worry, you'll get there). I've enjoyed most of duo Hendricks/Pekkanen novels but this was my first solo Pekkanen. Won't be my last!

Catherine has only ever had her mom, Ruth. When Ruth starts exhibiting signs of Alzheimer’s, Catherine is devastated. However, she soon starts to doubt her mom is telling the truth. Ruth has her own secrets besides this that come out as Catherine investigates.

I think this has some good moments of thrill/suspense especially with some of the twists. Between that though, I felt like it was slow at times. I think it was more the writing style rather than the actual plot. I enjoyed it overall, but I didn’t feel like I couldn’t put it down, which is my trademark of a great thriller.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for an ARC of Gone Tonight!

POSITIVES:

The setting and location are accurate. I grew up in New Castle and live in Youngstown. It’s clear the author did her research.

The author is very skilled at writing thrillers where two time periods seem SO far apart that they couldn’t possibly connect — but then the twists make the story come together at the end.

NEGATIVES:

The mean girls seemed over the top mean. They were not realistic.

I also felt like the story drug in some regards and could have been shorter.

This is an amazing story about a mother and daughters bond and how far a mother will go to protect her daughter.

I love that it is written in past and present perspectives allowing you to learn more about Ruth and her past. Ruth, a single moms memory has been getting worse by the day. Catherine, Ruths daughter starts digging in her mothers secrets and begins to wonder who her mom really is. How far will a mother go to protect her daughter?

A twisty page turner that did not disappoint and leaves you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Ruth and her daughter Catherine have an exceptionally close bond. It's always just been the two of them. As a pregnant teenager, Ruth was cast out of her home and Catherine's father has never been present. Mother and daughter have moved from apartment to apartment over the years, something without warning, always without explanation. Catherine is not sure what Ruth is running from or towards, but the rootless existence they have cultivated together is something she has come to reluctantly accept.

As a twenty-something woman now, however, Catherine is yearning to break out on her own and claim some normal adult independence.. She's been accepted into the nursing program at John Hopkins hospital in Baltimore and she is eager to move to a different city and embrace change.

Ruth however, has started exhibiting troubling lapses in memory. She's misplacing items in random places, losing focus, and growing increasingly frustrated in trying to express herself.

When Ruth's doctor diagnoses early onset Alzheimer's, Catherine is understandably heartbroken. How can she leave now? Who will care for her mother?

However, as Catherine begins to probe into her mother's mysterious past for answers, she is stunned by what she uncovers. Who is her mother really? Catherine is not sure that she knows anymore. And it may be more critical than ever to understand .

This was a great, slow-building, twisty thriller that delivered steady ripples of shock waves until the final crowning twist! Pekkanen holds her audience enthrall with this bingeable thriller. I highly recommend to get this on your TBR immediately!

Ruth Sterling begins to show signs of Alzheimer's disease - she has lost her keys, cash, and way with words. Her daughter, Catherine, was about to embark on a new journey to Baltimore, where she secured a job as a nurse at John Hopkins. However, with Ruth's health and future in question, Catherine needs to be close to her mother. She currently works in a unit with individuals suffering from Alzheimer's and dementia, so she is aware of the grave statistics.

Catherine is also curious about her mother's past. It has always just been Ruth and Catherine. Catherine knows nothing about Ruth's life growing up or her past relationships. Catherine does not know her father. Catherine wonders if there is some dark reason why her mother does not want her to know about the past. As Catherine begins digging, she realizes Ruth has told her many lies over the years. Who is Ruth?

This was a great read that definitely amped up as the book progressed. In the thriller genre, we often see similar storylines. However, I found Gone Tonight's plot line refreshingly new. I could not put it down! I was eager to see how Catherine and Ruth's stories played out. The author did an excellent job at creating a thought-provoking and clever story. The twists and turns really had me thinking and were not obvious. Definitely a must read!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

**Gone Tonight** is a testament to how we never really know the people we are closest to. For Catherine’s whole life, it’s been her and her mother, Ruth. They didn’t have any connection to Ruth’s life before giving birth to Catherine. They worked hard and struggled to live on Ruth’s wages as a waitress, but they survived. Catherine studied to become a nurse and was ready to become more independent until Ruth began to show signs of dementia. Hoping she can help her mother, Catherine is determined to uncover the facts about her mother’s past before she loses Ruth.

Told through dual POVs, we follow Catherine’s search for answers and Ruth’s efforts to hide the truth. I thought I saw where this book was going, but the plot twists kept coming and the characters surprised me all the way to the ending.

I became a fan of Sarah Pekkanen through her collaboration with Greer Hendricks. Together, they wrote four excellent domestic thrillers. I liked all of them, but **An Anonymous Girl** is my favorite so far. Over the last few years, I’ve added several of Pekkanen’s earlier books to my TBR pile and am working my way through them.

Thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for sending me an advanced copy of the novel.

I love a structured buddy read. When my Sleuth Crew chose this for our June buddy read, I figured we’d be in for great discussions! I was not disappointed! We had some wild theories but none of us were able to suss out all the twists and turns in this one!

Told in three parts, this mother and daughter story is full of deception at every turn. Catherine knows nothing of her mother’s sordid past and Rose will do everything in her power to keep it that way. And when I say everything…I mean it. Sarah Pekkanen proves yet again she knows how to write a nail-biting thriller full of break-neck twists that is sure to suck you in until you’ve consumed every page.

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the advanced copy of this book.

Ruth and Catherine, mother and daughter. Nearly inseparable for more than twenty years, but what do they know about each other?

Throughout the book, the reader learns through alternating perspectives the secrets that have been kept in preparation for the past that will come back to haunt them.

I found this to be a quick, fast-paced and thrilling read. I enjoyed the characters and the author did a good job closing potential loop holes in the story. Would recommend for anyone who enjoys a domestic-type thriller.

This was a great read, full of suspense, and a few unpredictable twists and turns. A story of survival, relationships, and the complexities of family.