Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early. What a page-turning suspense. Love the originality of the story and had trouble putting the book down.

Catherine Sterling has been raised by a single mother, one of the working poor who has sacrificed over and again for her daughter. At age twenty- four, Catherine has just finished her nursing degree while working part time in the memory care floor of an assisted living facility. She has a coveted job starting in a week at Johns Hopkins. Her mother, Ruth, is determined that Catherine not take that job because of an inherent danger should her daughter move to Baltimore.

For the past twenty-five years, Ruth Sterling has lived a lie. As a young high school student, she was involved in a deadly crime that sent her running and hiding ever since. Ruth has made it her mission in life to protect Catherine at all costs spinning tales about her past with little truth in them. As the lies begin to unravel once Catherine catches her mother in several deceits, she starts to investigate Ruth surreptitiously trying to figure out exactly who she is and what her mother is hiding and why.

Told from two points of view from mother and daughter, and in Ruth’s case, past and present, this dark and devious story unfolds to reveal what happened all those years ago explaining why Ruth has lived a life of paranoia, fear, and at times, desperation to raise her daughter and keep Catherine safe. As Shakespeare said, “the truth will out” and when it does, the consequences are major and potentially devastating.

This twisted tale is skillfully written and will keep fans of mystery and psychological thrillers engaged wondering how it all turns out and what are the portents for future. It also speaks to the themes of nature and nurture as well as consequences for the choices one makes, whether for good or ill. A good subtitle might be the sins of the fathers (and mothers): “the sins or iniquities of one generation passing to another.” This compelling story will certainly keep readers riveted to the page.

Somehow this plot has been written a few times ...daughter of a murderer in jail. This one has the twist that the daughter doesn't know. Good character development of Ruth/Ava and Catherine, chapters rotate between the two. Definitely the ending left me wondering about what happens next!

I was so excited for a new stand alone book by Sarah Pekkenen and it did not disappoint. "Gone Tonight" tackles the old age mother-daughter issue of a mom not letting her daughter go but, as the story unfolds, the reader finds out why she will go to the the ends of earth to protect her daughter at literally all costs. A total page turner!

How would it feel to learn your entire life is a lie?

Katherine has graduated from nursing school and secured a job at John Hopkins Hospital. As she begins her transition into adulthood, she can’t help but wonder why her mother has never disclosed much about her own childhood or the people to which Katherine is related.

Ruth did the best she could to raise Kathrine but a dark secret kept them moving from place to place and job to job. When Katherine raises questions about this style of living, Ruth closes up or makes up a lie. Her goal is simply to keep Katherine safe.

As this story progresses, the lies that Ruth so carefully constructed begin to slowly peel away. Since she can’t learn the truth from her mother, Katherine implements other ways to learn about Ruth’s past. But these tactics may put both of them in jeopardy.

This novel is intriguing, face paced and totally absorbing. It is a definitely a stay up all night to finish book. The characters are complex and change as each lie is shattered and truth takes its place. The book switches between Ruth and Katherine as narrators. This might confuse audio listeners on occasion but is not detrimental if the reader listens closely. The narrator is fantastic and perfect for this book.

I have enjoyed all of Sarah Pekkanen’s books. This one is outstanding, as usual. I preferred the audio version simply because the narrator brought the words to life.


I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

This book really surprised me. Started out as a family drama but quickly turned into a thriller for me. Devoured this book and loved it right up until the very last few lines. I’m going yo need an update on Catherine please.

I am a fan of Sarah Pekkanen's books, and Gone Tonight was definitely an interesting read. I admit that the first third of the book dragged a bit for me, I was more into it/hooked in the second third, and then I could not put it down in the last third.
Gone Tonight alternates point-of-view per chapter between Ruth, a forty-two-year-old mother with secrets to hide, and Catherine, Ruth's twenty-four-year old daughter who is desperate to start a life of her own. We learn more about Ruth's past and learn why she has such a tight grip on her adult daughter.
I would classify this book as a thriller, but if you are looking for some twists and turns, it is actually a straightforward book. Again, it took me a bit to get into this book, but I am glad that I stuck with it.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

25 years ago Ruth disappeared from her home town and never went back; it has always just been her and her daughter, Catherine. She has worked in dinners and kept their identities quiet to keep people from her past finding them. But for Ruth the past few months have been rough as she is becoming more and more forgetful and an early onset Alzheimer diagnosis sends her and Catherine reeling. Catherine is about to transfer to John Hopkins to pursue her love of elder care but has to rethink her plans as her mother's own care takes precedence. Ruth is encouraged to begin writing in a journal to share her past but it begins to unravel secrets of her past, secrets that will change both of their lives forever.

I have been a very big fan of Sarah Pekkanen's work with co-author Greer Hendricks so I was excited to see read some of her own work. I enjoyed Pekkanen's writing style and the pacing of the novel. The story is told from the POV of both Catherine and Ruth which allows for a slow unravelling of the deceptions that has gripped their lives. As a thriller, the story itself is fine, not as exciting as I would have hoped. There were some plot holes and storylines that drop off and the ending twist was too predictable. Overall, it was good but not great.

Gone Tonight is going to be in my top 10 reads of the year - it was sooo good! I loved the slow burn, dual perspective/timeline, and the mother-daughter relationship. There was depth and suspense in every chapter and scene, and the writing was spectacular. I would highly recommend this book.

Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen was a great slow-burn mystery. Interesting plot points and twisty secrets I enjoyed this book. I've always loved books by co-authors Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, and now I can't wait to see what Pekkanen publishes next.

I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

The narration by Kate Mara was fantastic and matched the main genial characters perfectly! The story kept me on the edge of my seat throughout and I finished quickly because I just needed to know what happened next! I really enjoyed the Mother’s/daughter dynamic and how it changes throughout the book. The glimpses into Ruth’s past also helped to show how they got to be where they are in the present. If you like psychological thrillers, don’t miss out on this one!

There were moments where I figured out what was happening, and there were times I was completely blindsided! The Alzheimer's storyline punched me in the gut and the way that wove through the twists and turns of the story was unexpected (and somewhat unwelcome, in a sense, but I understand it being a plot device).

This novel kept me guessing up until the end and I really ended up enjoying it! Sarah Pekkanen writes incredibly engaging thrillers with depth, and this book was no exception!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced copy.

Every time I read a book by Sarah Pekannen, I get all cocky and think I have everything figured out and of course every time I am wrong! This fast paced thriller was no different and I loved all the twists and turns and almost misses it took me on.

Catherine’s mother Ruth has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, so she’s trying desperately to figure out more about her secretive mother’s past. When she starts to pull the threads, she finds out how much of what Ruth has told her *may* not be the whole truth.

I had a bit of trouble staying engaged in the first 10%, but then BAM, it had me and I had a lot of trouble putting it down (much to the chagrin of my sleep schedule). This thriller comes out in August and it’s the perfect read for any thriller (or criminal minds) fan. TW for childhood abuse (in the past), murder, and SA (in the past)

How long can your true nature stay hidden from those who know you best?

Ruth Sterling does not want to find out. She has been on the run with her daughter, Catherine, since she gave birth to her as a teenager. Now 24, Catherine is about to move to Baltimore for a prestigious nursing opportunity.

Ruth can't let that happen. Baltimore is too close to her home town, and much too close to the truth about the terrible events that occurred there years ago. Ruth has deceived Catherine throughout her life to get by - but when she creates a terrible lie that backfires, a game of cat and mouse begins.

The truth is slowly unraveled as Catherine digs into her mother's past, and as Ruth starts to reveal why she really left her life behind. What would you do to protect the ones you love? What if you're the one that needs protection?

The book moves along at the perfect pace. The characters are intelligent and resourceful, but they do not suddenly become seasoned detectives - a pet peeve of mine, when books say vs. show.

I loved the less than obvious twists and the way the book left us with, perhaps, more questions than answers.

Gone Tonight will be published in August, but is perfect for a creepy fall read.

Thank you Netgalley for this preview!

This book was eh for me. I wasn't a huge fan of the plot to be honest. I feel as if the only thing I enjoyed was the short chapters and multiple POVs.

I loved this book, it sucks you in from the beginning and leaves you guessing on what’s to come. This may be my favorite Sarah pekkanen book

2.75 - 3 stars
I was very excited to read GONE TONIGHT after really enjoying all of Sarah Pekkanen's books as her writing duo with Greer Hendricks. I had really high hopes for this but it wasn't really my style.

I felt like GONE TONIGHT was much more suspense than thriller and it was more about the story of the mother/daughter relationship than it was the thrill and mystery of it all. If I had gone into the book thinking of it like that, I probably would have liked it more (but then again, I probably wouldn't pick it up if it didn't have the thriller aspect going for it).

The beginning was pretty slow for me with lots of set-up. I kept waiting for some good twists or more thrills but like I said, it was more about the relationships. There was a decent part the ending (after an unbelievable moment) and I just wish things had *leaned into it* more throughout the book rather than leaving some stuff for the end.

Sadly, I didn't love this but I can see where others might.

How far would you go to protect your daughter and yourself? Would you trade your life to protect hers by creating a false identity and staying away from family and friends for many years?

For many of us that is exactly what we would do, and in the case of Ruth Sterling that is what she does, shielding her daughter, Catherine. As time moves on and Catherine grows, she starts to suspect her mother whose overwhelming protection amounts to stalking, to be not what she seems to be. Then again, Ruth seems to be suffering from the onset of Alzheimer's later connecting her more so to Catherine.

As the truth emerges, we find that Ruth is not the only one with hidden secrets and as both women are in eminent danger from a man newly paroled from prison, the true elements of Ruth's (Ava) behavior are now front and center. Will the women triumph or will what Ruth fears come to fruition as the former killer tracks them down for a deadly showdown.

This thriller had me guessing along with my book buddy, Jan, as to what was true amidst a carefully crafted web of lies.

Thank you to Sarah Pekkanen, St Martin's Press, and NetGalley for a copy of this enjoyable thriller which publishes in August of 2023.

Sarah Pekkanen has once again blown my mind! I am a huge fan of her writing and was very excited when I was given this book to read. I finished it in one sitting because I was intrigued by the mother-daughter storyline. YES YES YES, everyone needs to read this novel.

Ruth (mother) and Catherine (daughter) have always been very close. As Catherine prepares to leave for home for a new career, Ruth panics. She tells Catherine she has been diagnosed with alzheimers to get her to stay. Things aren't adding up for Catherine and as she begins looking into her mothers past, she realizes her whole life may be a lie.
I enjoyed the short chapters and two points of view. Parts were slow, but overall I enjoyed this book. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.