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.

What a read! When Catherine thinks her mom Ruth is starting to get Alzheimer's, she looks into her past and discovers her mom isn't who she is at all. She also finds out about her dad and that has a lot of consequences in and of itself. This book has many twists and turns that I could barely keep up. I highly recommend this one to anyone who is a fan of thrillers.

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.

I definitely liked the structure of the mystery, I loved the dual POVs, and I thought the pacing of revealing the mystery was good. It was hard to relate to any of the characters or feel for them so I didn’t find myself getting into the book as much as her previous books.

This book had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen!!! “Gone Tonight” by Sarah Pekkanen. Ruth Sterling lives with her daughter Catherine. Ruth has a lot to hide and Catherine is trying to figure out her mothers secrets. The story is told from each character’s perspective. I wanted to scream at both of them during the story. They both made some really bad life choices. This was a riveting book and I couldn’t wait to see how it played out.
I listened to the story on tape and it was narrated by the actress Kate Mara. Her voice was pleasant. Many thanks to the author, Macmillan and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This book was provided to my by NetGalley for my honest review and I am so gray to have the opportunity to read Sarah Pekkanen a book this one was a wild ride about a mother hiding her past trying to protect her child. It was a mystery and a thriller wrapped into one exciting ride with chaos and intensity to keep the pages flipping and my interest at an all time high! I really enjoyed this rollercoaster of emotions in a book with a mother daughter dynamic that kept me on the edge of my seat!

Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
Format: ALC courtesy of MacMillan Audio and NetGalley

Having read and loved other books by Sarah Pekkanen with co-author Greer Hendricks, I was so excited to receive this ALC via NetGalley! My husband and I listened to this one together on a recent road trip, and we finished it in just two days. This was a fun story to listen to with a friend- we stopped to talk about the book every few chapters and make our predictions. There were enough breadcrumbs throughout the story that many of the plot developments were not surprising, but they were still satisfying to watch them play out.

This book focuses on themes of parenthood, the struggle to survive, and the lengths we will go to for those that we love. There is plenty to talk about while reading this and after, and I would recommend pitching this for buddy reads and book clubs. However, be cautioned that this book does contain scenes and descriptions of violence, physical abuse and CSA. That said, I really enjoyed this book and we both recommend it! Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of Goen Tonight, which publishes on August 1.

The fine print; things we did not like that keep this from being a 5 star read-
Kate Mara’s voice performance was good, but this audiobook would have really benefited from having two narrators instead of one.
We went into the book essentially blind, but after I finished I went back and read the blurb. I don’t think the blurb is a fair teaser of the book, and gives away too much information. It was better blind.
Intentionally vague to avoid spoilers, but this book is told from two POVs, and one character is very concerned with a trait of the other character’s personality- but this trait is not really reflected in the other POV. I would have suggested revision there.

I really enjoyed this book, a slow burn psychological thriller that takes you on a winding and twisting trip. When I thought I knew what was happening this author managed to twist the plot in surprising ways. I really never though what was coming, was left hanging and then relieved to then again left hanging.
I loved how Ruth told her story slowly, giving the reader the chance to understand what was happening and Katherine’s character is more impulsive and unpredictable. This makes the book have this back and forth energy to it that keeps you on your toes.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for this gifted copy and to Macmillan Audio for the ALC. 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.

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. The audiobook was an added treat to reading this book. The narrator did both Catherine and Ruth and was great. I love listening to audio and reading the book together. Gives the book a lift that you don't get with just reading a book.

I want to start off by saying that I received a complimentary audiobook. In return for my honest thoughts and review. I can’t believe that I haven’t read anything from this author before. After listening to this audiobook. I will be adding more books from this author to my tbr list. Yes this audiobook took me longer. I didn’t want it to end and I don’t like rushing through my audiobooks. The characters and the world this author created amazing. The narrator does amazing job. Keeping me listening. I am glad that this book touched on Alzheimer’s. Having family members with or have lost with this nasty disease.
If I were Ruth I would’ve done the same thing that Ruth did. A mother would do anything to protect their children. I has a mother would absolutely without a questioning do anything for my sons. Catherine I get a daughter wanting to know more about her mothers past and figure how the secrets her mother is keeping from her.
There is absolutely a lot of twists in this book that I definitely didn’t see coming. And definitely didn’t see that ending and the real hidden secrets that Ruth kept. I highly recommend this audiobook.
This book comes out July 31, 2023.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for allowing me the opportunity to listen early copy.
My review will be posted everywhere amazon, goodreads, bookbub.

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.

Kate Mara did a wonderful job narrating the audiobook, and I highly recommend you read it this way if you can. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this one and whether you do audiobooks or not, 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.

I'm such a fan of the writing duo Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen since their debut novel The Wife Between Us. Kata Mara phenomenally narrates this tense psychological thriller.

“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!

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!

3.5 stars rounded down because these characters kind of drove me nuts. The majority of this book didn’t have to happen if people had just been truthful and I started getting sick of all the secret keeping after the initial intrigue wore off.
Gone, Tonight is sad- heartbreaking, really. There are high school bullies, pedophiles, abusive alcoholic parents, murder (trigger warnings, Obvs)… and basically every horrible interaction is pushed down and kept secret, personally making my heart ache for these characters.
There are some good twists, though. Overall, I think this book is just entirely unbelievable, but interesting. It’s a unique take on a more slow burn, psychological thriller. I definitely recommend it, I just had to lower the rating because of certain things I couldn’t get over.
Also: TW for Alzheimer’s disease - definitely a tough topic.

Narrated by Kate Mara
Published: 08/01/23

Thank you Drew Kilman, Senior Publicity Manager, Macmillan Audio for offering me Gone Tonight to read and honestly review.

Gone Tonight is the book I want every time a cover catches my eye and reels me in. The combination of Pekkanen's writing and Mara's performance makes this a five star experience.

Right away the style (my absolute favorite) pulled me in, and immediately I was invested in both (mother and daughter) main characters. I paused at my usual 70%-ish spot and wished for a satisfying ending. The ending left me with no complaints, a sigh of relief and a gratifying grin.

I found this to be a well told story. There were emotional spikes. They were well written and thought out without the need for graphic details. There was never a time I needed to stop and redirect my brain from images placed for shock value. It is enough for me to know the weapon was a bat -- blood splatter, etc., is not wanted or necessary in this style of mystery.

The short chapters aided in moving the story along. Pekkanen's use of perspectives was impressive and skillfully done. The daughter is trying to piece together her mother's past working backwards (currently), while simultaneously the mother is writing to her daughter from the beginning. The two merge leaving a completely satisfying ending.

Well rounded mystery, without profanity -- there are a couple swear words tastefully written.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, please may I see more like this in your catalog.

I think this audiobook would have been easier to understand with two different narrators. Sometimes I lost track of who was speaking. I do like how the pace picked up at the end, which was very satisfying. I think this book is probably better in printed form. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

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

A daughter wants to start her own life away from home. A mother wants to keep her daughter near. Sounds pretty normal. Reader, this is not your standard case of a mother not wanting to cut the apron strings. There is much, much more going on. I found this to be a compelling plot and there were quite a few thrilling scenes. Who will win? Will she be gone tonight? The audio production was done with just one narrator. While I do appreciate Kate Mara, I really wanted a second voice to more clearly differentiate between the mother and daughter POVs.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.