I love a good mystery/thriller, but this one just didn't do it for me. The action centers around a mother and adult daughter, and the daughter trying to unravel the secrets her mother is keeping. It's told in alternate points of view from both main characters, including flashbacks to when the mother was younger. I didn't find myself invested in the characters, and overall it just felt a bit slow to me and maybe longer that it needed to be? I thought the flashbacks were the most compelling part as that's where a lot of the pivotal action happened. The mother's relationship with the daughter (even once all is revealed and the book is coming to a conclusion) seemed to be one of extreme overprotectiveness/borderline obsession which just seemed....strange. So in the end it was just ok for me, but not one I would necessarily recommend to my friends.

What would you do for love? How far will a mother go for her daughter?

Review:
I blew through this on the plane this week and loved it. As a mother with a daughter myself, this one really resonated for me. The perspective alternates between the mother and daughter as they both reflect on the past and what secrets have been buried. These women were both going through some hard personal development and I was rooting for both of them even when they were working against each other.

The story:
Catherine is about to leave home and venture on her own when her mother, Ruth starts exhibiting signs of Alzheimers. How could she leave her mom, her best friend now? Meanwhile Ruth’s past is coming to the surface and she’ll do whatever she needs to to keep her daughter safe. How could she let her daughter leave now?

Thank you @netgalley, @stmartinspress, and @sarahpekkanen for honoring me with this read and allowing me to give a review.

FYI, I did find some errors in the text in Chapter 38 and I am happy to pass those along if those would be helpful but it did not impact my review.

A sensational book that had me turning the pages so fast. Ruth is a mother, a waitress and always on her guard. Catherine is her daughter and everything she believes about her mother is about to implode. The back and forth with little nuggets throw in keeps you wanting to find out the real story of Ruth and Catherine. Bravo to the author.
Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. It was a pleasure to read and give my feedvack.

I appreciate Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to preview this book!

This is my first book by Sarah Pekkanen, and to say I am now a fan is an understatement! This book blew me away!

Ruth and Catherine are as close as mother and daughter could be. When Catherine prepares to move out and have a life of her own her mother, Ruth, does anything and everything she can to keep her from leaving. Then, Catherine starts to question her mother’s past and tries to uncover what her mother is hiding.

This book started out slow, but once it picked up it was a wild ride that I could not put down! I thoroughly enjoyed it. The ending could have tied up some loose ends, but I guess maybe that was the point. I give it a solid 4 stars!

4.5 paws rounded up.

Atmosphere: 👍
Fly-on-the-wall feels. We see the independent interpretations of the mother and daughter of similar events and behaviours, but it wasn't repetitive and the character reactions made sense even when you started to piece together what was really going on.
-Mostly set in an apartment and geriatric facility in a Pennsylvania town; imagine away because the author isn't overly detailed (in a way that fits the story), so if they don't describe something in detail early on you won't get your imaginings smashed in later.

Main POVs: 👌
-A parent in their 40s who had their child while in high school. They dropped out of school, cutting off their family, friends, and boyfriend. They successfully made a life as a waitress and single mother. They are caring, protective, intelligent, and cautious bordering on cunning.
-A morally grey adult child (in their 20s) of the above-mentioned parent. They are close with their parent, loyal, but also excited to branch out on their own after obtaining a geriatric nursing degree. They have confusing and conflicting emotions about leaving because their parent has recently shown symptoms of early-onset Alzheimer's.
-Journal entries sprinkled throughout of the parent recounting how they met their boyfriend, handled pregnancy and high school, and why they cut everyone off in their life.

Cred Rating: 👍
Mostly realistic/plausible. I found myself fly-on-the-wall screaming "what about____" sometimes and every time the MC would address my internal rantings in a way that made sense or showed they were aware of the shortcomings in their plan/interpretative of events, which drew me into the story and made me feel like I was interacting with the characters sometimes. Certain scenes near the end had to rely on a complete lack of eye witnesses but I guess it could happen! The feels about a parent wondering if their child inherited the worst of the other parent (while ignoring their own shortcomings) were realistic.

Reading Journey: 👍
Cruising through town in the evening on a twisty turny road while totally lost in an audiobook/podcast/radio program.

Great match if you like:
-Mother daughter relationship tropes
-Book club/thought-provoking commentary based on "Nature vs Nurture", "What would you do in that situation?", and how far is healthy/non-psychopathic for protecting your loved ones
-Fly-on-the wall narratives (we are deep in both MCs thoughts and understanding why they do what they do or think what they think while knowing more of what happened as the observer)
-Fugitive/secretly on-the-run plots
-puzzle piecing over the course of a story

Vibes: 🫢🥺🤗

Content heads-up: One of the characters works in a geriatric facility supporting elderly patients with dementia and Alzheimer's. There are descriptions of what the patients go through based on the MC's POV, and although dementia and Alzheimer's is touched on in the story, it isn't the main focus.

Format: ARC from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley

For starters, I was super excited to get an early copy of this book since I have enjoyed and read every book that the author, Sarah Pekkanen has co-written with Greer Hendricks. This is the first book that I saw with just Pekkanen alone, so I was very curious.

Gone Tonight, tells us the story of the mother-daughter duo of Ruth and Catherine Sterling. Ruth gave birth to Catherine at seventeen years old, and they have been on the “run” their whole lives. Ruth has switched jobs, apartments, schools- but why? Why can’t they just stay in one place and be happy? They also only have each other as they are estranged from the very few family members that they do have. Is Ruth Sterling really who she says she is? Is Ruth just an overprotective mother, or is there something more sinister involved? Catherine goes on a mission (finally after 24 years), throughout this story to find out what her mother has been hiding.

I really enjoyed the alternating POV’s between Ruth and Catherine. The chapters were nice and short, which in turn kept me turning the pages faster. However, while I enjoyed the story, I just wasn’t at the edge of my seat like I thought I would be. The twists and the outcome were rather predictable, and I didn’t find it that “thrilling”.

I still recommend reading this book as the storyline was interesting and different from the common mystery/thrillers out there. It was also a fairly fast read, which was a bonus.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. Publication date: August 1, 2023. (Mystery & Thriller)

I jumped into this book right away when I saw it on Net Galley because I love what Pekannan puts out. This was a like not a love for me because I’m not usually drawn to messy mother daughter dynamics. If you’re a fan of a twisted mother daughter relationships then I would definitely pick this up. Go in knowing it’s a bit slow and predictable but a nice palate cleanser from anything heavy or literary.

Ruth would do absolutely anything to keep her daughter Catherine safe. She has been on the run for years concealing her true identity because of a mistake her and her high school boyfriend made 24 years ago. Catherine becomes curious about who her mother really is. She begins to question her mothers career and new Alzheimer’s diagnosis and wants to gather information about Ruth’s troubled past. Ruth will NOT allow that to happen. She has spent years running from her past and will stop at nothing to hide her daughter from the truth, until one day her high school boyfriend comes back into the picture and the past Ruth so desperately was trying to hide from, arrives back on her doorstep.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Gone Tonight
A Novel
by Sarah Pekkanen

Thank you to St. Martins Press, Netgalley, and Sarah Pekkanen for the opportunity to read and review this ARC
.Gone Tonight is told from multiple viewpoints, so the reader gets both Catherine's and Ruth’s side of events. Chapters mostly alternate between the two narrators. The story of Ruth’s past and how it connects with her illness is doled out in tantalizing segments that keep the reader rapidly turning pages.
Damn, this was a great book. I loved the way it had me really knowing some junk was going down with Mother Dearest. The mother was beyond redemption. A REAL psychological thriller and the ending was the perfect

Gone Tonight gets three stars for "star power" alone-author Sarah Pekkanen burst onto the literary scene with the blockbuster The Wife Between Us, coauthored with Greer Hendricks. That novel was a flurry of small twists culminating in a "never saw that coming" moment, while Gone Tonight is a slow burn that never really ignites into an inferno. The problem is the entire premise the plot hinges on doesn't make sense-while it's understandable Ruth will do anything to keep her daughter Catherine safe, the "threat" is virtually non existent (literally and figuratively since the man Ruth is trying to keep away from her daughter has no idea Catherine even exists) until the last few pages of the novel. But Gone Tonight succeeds through terrific character development-Ruth is a chameleon, hiding not only her true identity, but dark impulses that have haunted her for decades. The story also gets a lift from dual narration and flashbacks to Ruth's childhood that was filled with torment and abuse. The reader does sympathize with Ruth and her dogged determination to provide a better life for Catherine, but it's a huge leap from parental concern to thinking disaster is going to strike every time the phone rings. Gone Tonight moves quickly with short chapters, but gets slowed down from lack of momentum. Gone Tonight is a good book, but feels like a let down after her previous sizzling thrillers.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.
This story of a mother and daughter, Ruth and Catherine, was a slow burn and I ended up feeling very sorry for Ruth, who only wants to protect her daughter. Catherine fears her mother has the beginnings of Alzheimer's and is dying to find out more about her mother's (and her) family history, but is finding it very difficult as her mother refuses to talk about it.
Ruth is a very compelling character, but I wasn't too fond of Ruth. The mystery of the book is more towards the end and pretty good, but on the whole the book felt too long for me.
A decent read.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC of this book. Early on, I was immediately drawn in to the story and wanted to decipher the plot twist. I enjoyed Ruth’s perspective more than Catherine’s. At times I felt very frustrated with Catherine’s initial naive and unquestioning nature. After the first plot twist, my interest waned in finding out what happened. I felt as though Catherine’s personality could have been explored a little more. Overall, 3/5 stars for me. I do believe many readers will enjoy the story and be drawn in quickly.

Another great thriller from Sarah Pekkanen! I loved both the main characters in this story - both strong, wounded, resilient and just the perfect amount of sneakiness. I never knew where this plot was headed but Pekkanen deftly avoids plunging the book into eye roll or far fetched territory. Every twist felt surprising but perfectly in line with the rest of the book,

I really enjoyed the decision to reveal one of the bigger twists earlier on in the book. It was a completely different experience once I could empathize with both Ruth and Catherine and see the motivations behind their actions and deceptions.

St. Martin's Press and NetGalley gifted me a ARC. Many thanks. Solidly written domestic suspense. The writing was good and not superfluous which makes for a quick, easy, and good read.

This book was WILD! I couldn’t put it down and although I was able to guess some of the twists, it mostly shocked me. I had some questions about how a few things worked but overall it was great.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

This book comes out on 8/1!
I rated this story 4.5 but rounded up for this rating system.

In the beginning, the shocking painful details you learn about one of the characters really sideswiped me and I was starting to wonder where the 'thriller' part of this sad tale was. I was wondering if I could even continue due to personal experiences with this disease in my family. I want to give a TW here, but it also is a big part of this tale, that I don't want to reveal what the disease is. Just know and understand you might get gut-punched as I did, if you have -any- sort of devastating medical issues with yourself or family. Especially the elderly. There's also SA, abuse, and alcoholism described in this book as well.

Around 10% in, I was starting to see the clues and what was really happening here, and it sucked me right back in after trying to hold these characters at arms length so I could stop getting gut-punched. NOW it was starting to become the thriller I was expecting from the synopsis I read. This book made me feel things: from pain and sadness, to anxiety and dread, to even hope! I actually felt for both characters while also feeling irritation for their flaws, screaming at them (and ranting to my husband) at their decisions.

There were so many twists and turns in this book, even to the very end. Now, I did start to figure it out and predict it early - soon as clues started to drop - but it didn't dampen my like of this thriller. It was a well written story overall, there were just moments I wished had a more obvious 'scene skip' or 'time jump' so we know we're moving on to the next scene. Everything flowed together, so there were points where one minute they're in the apartment and the next the car and I have to pause to reread to make sure I understand where they're even at now. I will definitely be looking at Sarah Pekkanen's other thrillers after reading this one!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Negalley for providing me an ARC copy! The story started out slow and I almost did not finish this one. Thankfully, around 40% through it did pick up and become more interesting and exciting. Overall, it was fine but not my favorite.

Book: Gone Tonight
Author: Sarah Pekkanen
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub Date: August 1, 2023

This was an excellent book! It was a fast paced book which I liked and I had no clue what kind of secrets Ruth was hiding and they didn’t disappoint. I’m not going to lie I was afraid it was going to be something stupid. I enjoyed Ruth’s character and reading what she wrote in her journals about her past life and what led her to this point. The author did a great job of propelling the story forward and creating an urgency. Every secret Ruth is trying hard to hide Catherine is working twice as hard to uncover it. I did get frustrated with Catherine. I yelled at her to just ask her mother!! The ending was great and again I was so afraid it wasn’t going to be good. I loved the questions your left with about Catherine.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this sneak peak! Publication date is August 1, 2023.

I would like to thank NetGalley for providing an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have been wanting to read a thriller by this author for a while now, and once I read the engaging premise of Gone Tonight, I jumped right in. This story is thrilling and maddening. I found myself yelling at my iPad a few times, wishing I could shake some sense into a character. Other times I caught my heart beat increasing, as I waited for the development of the mystery to unravel. Ultimately, I truly enjoyed this thriller, and I am excited to read more from this author in the future.

This book is told in dual POV between a mother named Ruth, and her daughter Catherine. They live together while Ruth waits tables at a diner nearby, and Catherine works on rotation at an elderly facility, taking care of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's and similar diseases. When Catherine begins to worry that her mother is suffering from the very disease that her patients are affected by, her whole world begins to change as she sets her future up to take care of her mother as her memory decreases.

What Catherine begins to realize, is that her mother is not who she seems. Between lies, hidden truths, and dangerous past, Catherine becomes determined to find out exactly who her mother is. Even if that means diving deep into her mothers past that she refuses to discuss. Murder, mystery, and long lost relatives all come crashing down around the main characters, leaving them scrambling to pick up the pieces, but at what cost?

I took to Catherine's character almost immediately. Her innocence made me want to wrap her up in a bubble and keep her safe from the secrets she was bound to discover. Each shocking moment left me breathless as I waited for her reactions. Ruth on the other hand I did not enjoy reading from as much. Her pat experiences were interesting to uncover, however I found a lack of connection whilst reading from her perspective, I caught myself checking to see when the chapter would end, anticipating the moment I could switch back to Catherine's point a view.

Ultimately, this mystery was very enjoyable. I was excited to see how the story progressed, and the ending left me more than satisfied. There were a few times I caught myself thinking that the aspects of this thriller had been done before, but certain twists allowed for an overall unique experience, especially the relationship of distrust crafted between the main characters. I give this book a 4 stars, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a new psychological thriller to enjoy.

I was definitely a Sarah Pekkanen fan even prior to "Gone Tonight." This book might be her best yet. I'll give a bit of a warning: When I started it the first chapter seemed to be about a mother/daughter and the mother's diagnosis of possible dementia.
Literally a chapter later, it all turns around. It becomes a thriller, with so many twists and turns. This is told from both the mother's POV and the daughter's, which I loved. I couldn't have been happier with this book. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Net Galley and Sarah Pekkanen for an e-ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. Trust me: Preorder this one!

Catherine knows nothing about her mother’s past before she was born. This suspenseful book is full of secrets. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the enjoyable hours reading this.