Well written characters and excellent use of dual POVs. Grabbed me from the start and didn't let up. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook

Gone Tonight is a story that slowly weaves and puzzles together the journeys of a mother and her daughter. There is quite a bit of background and character development at the beginning but by the middle there was a high level of psychological intensity and intrigue that took it to the next level of compulsively readable.

I listened to this one over two day and think Kate Mara did an amazing job narrating this book. However, I believe the listening experience would have been enhanced if there were two separate voices for the POV’s. I still think you can’t go wrong doing either the audio or print with this one

Pekkanen writes insanely compelling stories. I’ve read one other of her individually written books as well as multiple of her co-written ones and I enjoyed them all! Add this to your list if you love a well-developed, mind-bending, character driven mystery.

Gone Tonight

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I wasn’t sure about this thriller between a mother and daughter, but it turned out to be really good! I alternated between the kindle and audio versions when I couldn’t put it down!

Catherine is about to move out of her mother’s apartment for the first time at 24 when her mother starts to show early signs of Alzheimer’s. As the story alternates between Catherine and Ruth, we start to see glimpses of Ruth’s past that she’s working to protect them from.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one in both formats. The pacing was good and the two characters were distinct. Definitely will check out more of Sarah Pekkanen’s books!

When Catherine finds out that her mother, Ruth, isn't who she claims to be- her name isn't even Ruth- she is desperate to know everything she can about her mother's real past......but Ruth is just as dedicated to keeping it all under wraps. When a third party from said past suddenly returns, the women have no choice but to figure it out.

For me this one was way too similar to "Pieces of Her" by Karin Slaughter, but I enjoyed it! It got a little slow in the middle, I put it down for a day or so, but the back half was good and the twists at the end were really good!

Gone Tonight is told in alternating POV's of Ruth Sterling and her daughter Catherine. Ruth was a 17 year old mother and it has always only been the two of them since they moved often. But now, Catherine is a college graduate and is ready to take on life moving away for a new job.

This is when Catherine starts to notice her mother forgetting things and when they go to the doctor he suggests early onset Alzheimer. Ruth refuses to have more test done, blaming the costs but her daughter starts gets suspicious about elements of her mother's life not adding up. Catherine starts researching what she knows about her mother to find out her past.

Without giving anything away, Ruth is full of secrets and has a history that she never shared with her daughter. The mysteries kept me listening to this book, I wanted to see how it would end. But, I never liked Ruth and that didn't change s the book ended. Catherine was a sympathetic character with a good head on her shoulders who I felt deserved a mother who was honest with her.

The narrator for the book was good but I was wishing they had 2 narrators so there was a switch with the change of POV.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Well, Sarah Pekkanen has done it again….another novel that kept me on my toes the whole time I was listening to it. I got to listen to an ARC of this audiobook from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion of the book. It definitely did not disappoint.
This book is told from two points of view—a mother, Ruth, who is overprotective of her daughter, even though that daughter is an adult. The other point of view is the daughter, Catherine, who ends up realizing that her mother is a major control freak. But why is she? Why does she seemingly ruin Catherine’s relationships and lie to her?
Please read or listen to this book to find out…you’ll be so glad you did! I really liked the narrator in the audiobook version as well. Winning all around for this one!!

A mother daughter story that isn’t what you think it is.

I knew from the onset that things were not as they seemed. It was clear there was more going on between this duo than a simple life change. And honestly, I’d the story had ended up being about what I thought - I would have stopped reading since that particular thing is a sore spot for me.

But, there was more. A lot more.

I enjoyed the slow unraveling of the story and the two povs between mother and daughter. While a little slow at times, when it ramped up it was good.

I got annoyed with the mother most though. She wanted to protect her daughter, I get that, but she was annoying about it and jumps to some crazy conclusions that I don’t think the story supports.

If you like a bit of an unreliable narrator, a slowly unraveling mystery, some family drama, and a bit of suspense, this might be they perfect next read for you.

A note on the audiobook: The narrator was really great BUT I think the performance could have been higher h helped by either a second narrator or her doing something different with her voice. It was SO confusing to try and decipher between the two voices because they are exactly the same.

My rating: 3.8*
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

3.5 rounded up to 4

Before reading this check out trigger warnings as there is murder and sexual abuse of a child.

This is the story of Ruth, Catherine and James…I didn’t like any of them. Actually I sort of liked James but I don’t think I was supposed to like him.

I was interested in this one from start to finish but the characters kept getting muddled in my head.

I really liked unpacking the Alzheimer’s angle I in this one. I thought it was a clever was to move the story forward to its ultimate conclusion.

The ending was wrapped up nicely. I’m a fan of that because more often than not, I don’t like open ended books.

While it wasn’t my fav by this author, it was decent and I have no regrets. It think it’s worth a read.

I did the audiobook and Kate Mara was the narrator, she did a nice job with Gone Tonight.

Wow. This thriller was smart, fast-paced, and full of tension, twists and suspense. The mother-daughter dual POV had me on pins and needles as both tried to discover the others’ secrets.
It has always been just the two of them; Ruth and daughter Catherine. On the move, scraping to make ends meet, estranged from any relatives and a past Ruth refuses to share with her daughter. Now 24, Catherine is about to move to Boston to study to be a nurse at Johns Hopkins when her mother begins to deteriorate rapidly with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. However, when Ruth refuses treatments or interventions by the doctors, Catherine begins to suspect her mother might be faking her illness. Determined to discover the truth and learn more about her mother’s past, Catherine begins to hide her research from her mother. But will digging into the past and engaging in a dance of description put both of their lives in grave danger? What dangerous secrets is Ruth hiding from Catherine?
Narrator Kate Mara did a phenomenal job with both characters bringing their feelings and fears to life with a sense of urgency that had me on the edge of my seat while listening.
Listeners Will Enjoy:
Dual POV
Dual Timeline (flashbacks from the mother’s POV)
Short Chapters with a propulsive plot
Cat and Mouse Suspense
Unreliable but relatable narrators

Thank you the Macmillan Audio for this advanced listeners copy in exchange for my honest review. I will post on my social channels closer to publication date.

Unbeknownst to her daughter Catherine, Ruth Sterling has deep secrets that she has kept hidden all of Catherine’s life. When Catherine decides to move away and make a life of her own, the truth comes tumbling out bit by bit with astonishing repercussions and both women’s lives are soon in grave danger. I thoroughly enjoyed this and did not anticipate the outcome. The narrator did a fantastic job of conveying the urgency of the plot and it was a pleasure to listen to this audiobook.

This was my first book by Sarah alone. It holds the same psychological, creepy, twisty buildup that I have come to associate with her and Greer's books.
I will say, and this is a me thing, I really do hate when thrillers use sexual assault as a plot point. This turned me off to the story pretty quickly but I did stick by it and finish it.
It wasn't a great fit for me but I can see how other readers who don't have the same triggers may find it really intriguing and fun to read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the gifted copy.

I just finished listening to this audio book 🎧and I’m trying to piece together all my thoughts. I feel like I’m having a hard time writing coherently all the emotions I had while listening to this book. I do want to applaud 👏🏽 👏🏽👏🏽 the author for an awesome book!! Thank you for taking me on this great thrill of a ride! The storyline intrigued me from the start, and there were so many twists that’s about halfway my jaw just dropped 🤯. I definitely did not see those coming! When I listened to the book at night, I found myself wanting to take cover because I was afraid to see shadows there, but I couldn’t stop listening! I felt scared, angry, sad, and joyful throughout the entire book. I’m so thankful I was able to listen to this advanced copy. Definitely a great read and I recommend it 💯! The audio version was done so well that I totally recommend the audio book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me!

I requested this book, as I have enjoyed other works by Sarah Pekkanen, that were co-authored alongside Greer Hendricks, such as The Wife Between Us.

I listened to the audio-book version narrated by actress, Kate Mara. Kate's voice was a little off putting to start, however, I became more and more accustomed to it.

I was intrigued by the story of a mother, and daughter with a somewhat close relationship, that involve secrets being hidden that could destroy their dynamic.

Very early in, I was able to guess one of the twists. As the story progresses, rather slowly, there are moments that are very interesting. I especially enjoyed the back and forth POV between Katherine, and Ruth.

Overall, I found the story pretty flat for its genre. There was not much of a thrill, nor major climatic event. I also struggled with the ending, and it defeats Ruth's whole perception of James.

I rated this 2.5/5 stars, and I wholeheartedly appreciate the audio-book ARC provided by the author, publisher, and Net Galley, in exchange for an honest review.

Gone tonight has it all. Between the family trauma and illness the characters love each other but also clash as mother and daughter. But something bigger is at play, when we find out that the mother may be hiding dangerous secrets. I enjoyed how everything unfolded but wish it had been a bit more condensed. Good narrator.

Not sure this is my favorite by Sarah Pekkanen (one half of the Greer Hendrix duo) but still an enjoyable read. Also - the narrator was great!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC audibook of "Gone Tonight." It was different than anything else I have read in a long time. I enjoyed the narrator as well. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good thriller.

Ruth Sterling is not herself. She is forgetting things, getting lost, and just, off.... her daughter, Catherine, just so happens to work in a memory wing at a care center. She recognizes the signs and knows Alzheimer's runs in her family. She is scared her mother is suffering from an early onset of the disease and that Catherine herself could potentially be next. They only have each other. So when her mother's memory seems to be getting worse, Catherine can no longer see herself moving to Baltimore to accept her recently offered position at John Hopkins. She needs to stay home and care for her mom while she still has her. She is determined to learn more about her mom's life and get to know who she was. She wants the stories, the history, and the ability to remember her mom in her entirety. Her mother, on the other hand, is not readily offering information. Ruth has secrets and things she doesn't want Catherine to uncover, and you will never guess why!

A mother & daughter thriller, completely original and different from anything else I have read! I really enjoyed this book! I enjoyed listening to Kate Mara narrate. I had no idea she did audiobooks, but she was fantastic. It was a little difficult at first to distinguish between the two main characters unless you're paying attention. Once you understand their storylines, it is easier to follow. It was a little bit slow as you get to know the setting and storyline, but once you understand it really gains momentum and keeps you engaged. It isn't one of those books with a bunch of twists and turns, it takes most of the book to see the big picture, but I promise it is worth listening to and or reading. I listened to this book in a day and a half but I could not stop! The story is told through two points of view and I really liked getting to know each character through their stories, seeing how they intertwine, and I especially liked learning more about Ruth's background and what brought her to where she is today. It all comes together in the end in a really good ending. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an original thriller!

I received an ARC audiobook from #Netgalley and #MacmillanAudio in exchange for an honest review. THANK YOU!

Catherine knows her mother, Ruth, better than anyone. Or does she? As for Ruth, how far would you go to protect your daughter…even from your own secrets?

This is a domestic suspense story with great atmosphere. I highly recommend it.

This was a very strong solo novel from the famed writing duo. The chapters were short which made for a propulsive read. I really loved how the mom and daughter kept secrets from each other, it just made the story so interesting and kept me guessing the whole way through.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

I’m finding I do much better when I listen to character-driven stories rather than read them. Perhaps it's due to the fact that they can move a little slower in order to fully introduce the characters.

The POV is shared by daughter, Catherine, and her mother, Ruth, who are the main characters. There are no relatives involved since Ruth became pregnant with Catherine as a teenager and her parents basically disowned her. So the two have grown close, yet there are secrets. And questions are beginning to quietly work themselves into a questioning corner of Catherine’s mind. Are things really as they’ve been presented to her?

This was a book that took a little bit to draw me in, but the longer I listened the more I needed to know. Eventually, it had my full attention. The characters were well-developed and their emotions felt believable in each situation. I loved getting both sides of the story. 

My Concerns

This is a very small concern, but at times the narration was delivered without expression and in a little too much of a monotone. However, other times it was fine.

Also, in the beginning, it moved rather slowly, which I'm sure would have bothered me more if I'd been reading rather than listening.

Lastly, one aspect regarding Ruth's attitude didn't quite make sense until very near the end. (I won't say more, since I'm a person who thinks reading a synopsis is too much information!)

Final Thoughts

Though for the most part, the pacing worked for me, it might be a pretty slow start for book readers. However, I think both readers and listeners will find it original and enjoy that the suspense grows to a satisfying ending.

I definitely found the audiobook worth listening to, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

My thanks to Netgalley and Macmillian Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book and post a review without any stipulations.