Gone Tonight is an incredibly unique blend of genres that has both the binge factor and a great character driven story. Featuring relatable, multi dimensional characters you don’t know whether to root for or against, I found myself flying through the pages, determined to know how this story ended.

My favorite aspect of a good thriller is when slowly, piece by piece, things begin to click in to place as the author makes revelations born in the past and present timelines. This strategic writing style always keeps me fully engaged as it usually creates even pacing. And Pekkanen does a magnificent job at weaving a tale that unfolds slowly but surely.

I listened to this on audio and was so impressed with the narrator. As it turns out that narrator is actress Kate Mara, who does a masterful job at portraying both mother and daughter, and giving them each their own distinct voice. This is exactly the type of book I like to absorb through an immersive read via audio and physical books.

Read if you like:
•literary suspense
•psychological thrillers
•character driven stories
•complex family dynamics
•partial epistolary format
•dual timelines

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I admit that I picked this audiobook because it was narrated by Kate Mara, and I figured there's no way such a famous actress would narrate a book unless it was great. Well I was right, because this was great.

Catherine is a nurse at a nursing home. She loves her job, and loves taking care of the elderly in their final days. She has a very dysfunctional relationship with her mother Ruth. But then Ruth tells her that she's been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, something Catherine is very familiar with, and she feels the need to put her life on hold to help her mother.

After getting closer to her mother, she realizes that pretty much everything she knows about her mother is full of lies. She doesn't know her mother's real name, or where she's from...

This book utilizes a dual timeline very well as it goes from the past to the present. It was such a good slow burn and so well written. This is how all thrillers should be!

What A GREAT book! This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time! I listened to it in less than 2 whole days. Sarah Pekkanen knows how to write a book to keep you entertained.

My only complaint is the narrator's voice was the same for both the mom and daughter. At times, I didn't know who was speaking because there was nothing to distinguish between the two voices. Other than that this book is fantastic.

What this mom went through to keep her daughter safe was so real to me. I could see people doing this in real life and that's what made this book so much more believable, because of the harsh struggles she endured. Got to love me some Target shopping! It's not easy being 17 and raising a child by yourself. All while you are hiding from your family, friends, baby daddy and the law. I couldn't imagine going through what she did. I know I know it's just a book but damn Sarah Pekkanen made it sound and feel soooooo real.

You know at first I thought James was her knight in shining armor. Especially after what he did at the pizza restaurant! If only I had the courage to do that when I was waitressing! But seriously I would NEVER do that...

I do feel like there are some loose ends and that there could be a book #2 to wrap things up or to pick up with Katherine and how she turns out after what they did at the end. Now that I think about that, I think that would make a great storyline. Especially after listening to the epilogue.

I know I'm being vague here, it is because I don't want to give away any details. If you like thrillers with family drama then you will LOVE this book.

I have read a few books by Sarah Pekkanen now and this one is by far my favorite one from her.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan audio and Sarah Pekkanen for allowing me to listen to an advanced copy of this book, I truly LOVED it.

Wonderful story. In alternating chapters, we get to know our main characters, Ruth and Catherine, and the past they have been running from for 24 years. As secrets and lies come to light, the story picks up pace, and keep the reader engaged and on the edge.
This is another winner from Sarah Pekkanen!

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.

Slow burn with a really intriguing build, especially as someone who has been part of a care team on a dementia unit. Who is truly the unreliable narrator, and which twist is as it seems? A few implausible tidbits here and there, but overall a solid suspense novel that kept me listening straight through (and annoyed when interrupted =)). This was my first Pekkanen book, but I look forward to reading more of her work after this one.

CW for sexual assault.

My thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to preview this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

After several writing collaborations, Sarah Pekkanen is back with a solo novel - Gone Tonight.

"Catherine Sterling and her mom, Ruth, have always been close. Catherine is ready to take a new job in another city but Ruth is reluctant to let her go. Ruth wants to protect her daughter no matter what it takes.
Because there are things about her past that Ruth has kept secret...dangerous secrets..."

Dual POVs in this book - Ruth and Catherine. It's a slow start. But as Ruth reveals an incident in her past the story takes on a different tone. The pace picks up as Catherine searches for the truth about her mother and and Ruth tries to stop her. A wild ending from Pekkanen and maybe the hope of a sequel ...

Kate Mara does a phenomenal job with the audiobook. Great work with the two POVs.

Add this to your Fall reading list. Great new fiction from Pekkanen.

Sarah Pekkanen has been one of my favorite writers in for quite some time and in this book she did not disappoint The twist and turns left me speechless and wanting more.

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?

The narrator did a fabulous job on this one.

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.

Gone Tonight follows a mother-daughter duo, Ruth and Catherine, as they face the prospective changes to come in their life as Catherine nears her first move out on her own and Ruth as an aging woman on her own. It's empty-nester syndrome meets psychological thriller.

I will start with, I went into Gone Tonight blind and absolutely nothing I expected happen. I was entirely surprised from start to finish. This story is twisted and unique, a clever tale about the lengths we go to protect ourselves. Kate Mara is a fantastic narrator, her voice pulled me into the story quickly and I was able to properly track who was who with each chapter. Sarah Pekkanen, of course, is known for her standout thrillers with storylines that aren't the norm so I was excited about this one. It's definitely a different tale, Ruth does not want Catherine to go, but she also doesn't want her to know the truth. Ruth's been keeping secrets, secrets no one can find out about, secrets that could hurt Catherine emotionally and physically. Through Gone Tonight's shifting chapters perspectives and timeframes we get to know the real Ruth, the story behind her, and what she is so desperate for Catherine not to find out.

While the final twist is explosive and fantastic and comes with several little twists of its own, the overall story is slow. We are not given enough time and information to like Catherine and Ruth, yet somehow we are meant to be caught up in their storyline. I spent a lot of time feeling like, if only I liked you this would impact me more and what a stupid way to handle that. I just wanted them to mean more to me and I wanted them, particularly Catherine, to be smarter. It's a great read overall, I think people will enjoy the surprise of this one, but it didn't ultimately hit the nail for me.

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

5 Star

“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!

This book was impeccably written. The clues and suspense throughout were booking and kept me guessing from page one. I love Sarah Pekkanens other reads but this might be my new favorite. The audio narration was done well and was enjoyable to listen to. I read the book & listened. Both types of reading were great! I will continue to recommend and read Sarah Pekkanens books. Fantastic job! 5 stars!

Thanks so much for the arc of this book!

I really enjoyed listening to this story. It begins with a diagnosis for Alzheimer’s. Catherine’s mother finds out her fate and this changes the course for them. It’s always been the two of them. Catherine begins to pay closer attention to her mom, her whereabouts and what she says. This begins to uncover so much of the past- all which was meant to stay buried. We learn who both women really are & what they’re capable of.

I liked how new twists kept arising throughout the book. This story shocked me a few times. The narrator did a great job keeping me on my toes. I recently lost a grandparent to Alzheimer’s so I began this story worried it would be upsetting. There was so much more to it though- so I wouldn’t let that deter anyone.

I have always enjoyed Pekkanen’s books when she coauthored with Greer Hendricks. So when I saw a new solo novel by her, Gone Tonight, I knew I had to add it to my TBR pile. I listened to the audiobook and was not disappointed!
This thriller is based off a mother and daughter relationship. Catherine thinks she knows her mother, Ruth, better than anyone. When Ruth was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's, her daughter for goes her future plans, and stays to help her. As Catherine is sticking by her mother, she discovers she has not been honest about her past and may not be who she says she is.
I really liked this! It was a slow burn of a thriller but the writing kept me interested and engaged. I really enjoyed Catherine and Ruth’s characters and also enjoyed the timeline switching from present and past. There were some surprising twists, but overall, the ending fell a little short for me. 4 out of 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance copy/audio of the book.

This was such an AMAZING book! This book was told in alternating perspectives of Ruth and Catherine. Ruth is a single mom and dotes on Catherine. However, she keeps all her details of her past life a secret and even after several attempts, Catherine is unable to figure out her mom's identity. The whole story is about Ruth trying to protect her 24 year old daughter, but how far will she go to protect her. How many lies will she tell? The book is divided into several acts and it seemed like every act revealed a new twist. What I thought this book was going to be about was quite the opposite of what it turned out to be. It was definitely a very fresh, unique story. I really wanted to read a thriller with something new, a storyline I have not read before or imagined. This one definitely exceeded my expectations. The narration was also done quite well, and I kept listening to it late at night. I would definitely recommend this book to all thriller lovers. I want to write more about the mother-daughter relationship and the characters, but I do not want to provide any spoilers for those who want to read this book. Have fun figuring out the story 🧐

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.

Kate Mara narrated this one impeccably. Her voice is infectious and made it very difficult for me to stick to our reading schedule.

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

I honestly could not get thru this book. I gave it a hearty try but was confused with the back and for and his view from the mother. I think the audiobook needed to be different voices and that would help with the story.

This was nicely paced with well done narration. I enjoyed the storyline and characters and often wanted to keep listening instead of getting out of the car and going into work. A well done production of a well written book.

So, so good!!! What wouldn’t a mother do to protect her daughter? A mom on the run with many safeguards in place. This unfolded so nicely and was super twisty. I couldn’t stop listening! Kate Mara narrated this to perfection. Thank you @netgalley for the chance to review this book.