Member Reviews

I LOVED this book. The twists had my jaw on the floor (well minus the final reveal, I guessed that one early on). I LOVED the dual timeline for Ruth/Ava. My only complaint is that the conflict between Ava/James needed more in the present, more dialogue more something, it just felt a little flat for me.

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A riveting thrill from Pekkanen, who is quickly becoming one of my go to authors.

This is the story of Ruth Sterling and her daughter Kathryn. Ruth has kept the truth hidden from her daughter, but when her daughter starts to seek answers to questions, she may find that there was a reason her mother protected her all those years.

From early on the story draws you in and takes you on a journey that will shock you and keep you in suspense as you wait to see what will happen next.

5 STARS

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Catherine and her mother Ruth have always been a team. They take care of one another and it's always been them against the world. Ruth begins showing signs of early onset Alzheimer's. Catherine, who works with elderly patients with memory loss notices some of Ruths behaviors doesn't quite line up. she starts to question her mother's current mindset as well as her past, something she's never done before.

I thought the audiobook narration could have been better. While I enjoyed the narrator, there just times I got confused on which character we were following. Overall, I did really enjoy the book. I think maybe I would tell people to read with your eyeballs verse audio.

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From the author of The Golden Couple comes another domestic thriller.

This isn’t billed as a mystery but there’s a question of WHAT’s going on?!

You will be compelled even when you think you know what’s going on to keep reading. Great writing.

What would make a teenager disappear in the night?

You will be shocked at the lies & deception!!

I can’t imagine being this close to my mom. An inseparable mother/daughter until the daughter wants to strike out on her own at the age of 24!

Why is their relationship so bizarre?! See, mystery. Ha!

This is a fun “page turner”! Thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook!

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio! Another great stand alone!

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***I received an ARC from NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for my honest review.***

***This was book was read/completed via Audiobook.**£

This book was everything I hoped for from Pekkanen! With a slow build that led to some major twists and turns, some expected, some unexpected, Pekkanen held my interest and filled my continuously growing psychological thriller void. I loved the characters in the book and the unexpected curve balls, Highly recommend for fans of Pekkanen or Pekkanen and Greer.

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A huge thank you to the wonderful people over at SMP for the opportunity to read, listen to, and review this highly anticipated book.

Catherine and Ruth are mother and daughter. All Catherine's life, it has just been them two. Catherine is preparing to move away and begin a new career. Ruth is about to stop at nothing to prevent that. Catherine begins to realize that she doesn't know her mother nearly as well as she thought she did. Ruth is going to drastic lengths to keep secrets from her daughter. Is everything a lie?

I thoroughly enjoy a dual-timeline / dual-POV story and this book did NOT disappoint. It switches back and forth between Ruth and Catherine, and I loved this format, especially since lies and deception are a key element of the plot. The web of lies slowly but surely unravels throughout the book as we learn more and more about Ruth's past, and it kept me reading and listening almost nonstop. It's a very emotional story, and becomes rife with a sense of danger towards the end. You find yourself hating, sympathizing with, and rooting for Ruth all at the same time. This book elicited some strong emotional reactions from me, which I think is a testament to the writing (and the narration). I'd highly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys dual-POVs, plot twists, multiple timelines, and suspense.

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Gone Tonight is the latest single solo release from Sarah Pekkanen. It’s a mother-daughter teamed thriller filled with secrets, lies, unraveling of the truth and a frantic race for safety.

This story has two perspectives that alternate between the mother, Ruth, and her grown daughter, Catherine. Ruth and her daughter have always been close, though Catherine is ready to branch out on her own. When her mom is suddenly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Catherine cancels her plans and decides to stay home to care for her. Her mom has always been secretive with some suspicious behaviors, but when Catherine begins to question things and her mom refuses to answer, Catherine decides to investigate on her own. However, the truth may be far more dark and dangerous than she ever realized.

This story has the lack of communication trope that I find quite frustrating. Would a candid conversation change the trajectory of the plot? Quite possibly, but then we wouldn’t have a story, and there are some mildly understandable reasons why Ruth kept her secrets to herself. The ending also left the reader to draw their own conclusion on something rather important, which I don’t mind, but some readers will.

Gone Tonight doesn’t necessarily have a unique theme, but the way it is handled has some intriguing twists and unusual angles that keep it interesting. The story held my attention throughout it’s entirety, and I was eager to see what would happen next and how it would all play out in the end. Gone Tonight is a quick-reading, entertaining thriller, and I will continue to look forward to this author’s work.

I listened to the audio-version of this book which was narrated by Kate Mara. This narrator tended to be a bit flat and monotone, which made it not the most engaging, thrilling listening experience. Her voice also did not vary from one character to the next. Though she did a fine job and was easy to understand, her voice acting didn’t necessarily enhance the story.

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The idea behind this read was brilliant, finding out you’re not who you thought you were? Deep, dark family secrets? Where do I sign up?

The execution, however, was left a bit wanting. It begins to unravel about a quarter of the way through, leaving both characters in the end rather annoying. Ruth Sterling has to be the most narcissistic person ever- thinking it’s pretty much all about her and basically stalking her daughter. The daughter, Catherine, doesn’t even realize this is toxic and I just felt bad for her.

I did enjoy the reading by Kate Mara, and overall this was a three star read for me

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Gone Tonight is a new release from Sarah Pekkanen who I discovered through The Golden Couple which she co-wrote.

This is a thriller novel told through alternating POVs of a mother and daughter. The mother, Ruth, is scared of her past catching up with her, and her daughter, Catherine, who has decided that there have been enough secrets holding her back from the future she wants.

In addition to dual POVs we get dual timelines through diary entries that Ruth is making along the way.

Dual timelines and unreliable narrators will bring me into a story every time. And the short chapters kept me turning the page.

However, while this book kept me engaged in the story it never really put me on the edge of my seat like a great thriller should and at the end of the day was pretty easy to predicate.

That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it along the way, just don’t expect it to really stand apart from other books in the genre.

I listened to this as an audiobook that was narrated by Kate Mara, and while she did a decent job I think it could have really benefited from having separate narrators for each POV or for her to make their voices a little more distinct.


Overall if you are a thriller reader you’ll probably enjoy it so give it a shot and let me know what you think.

thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a chance to get in on this book early. I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review

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Catherine’s mom is showing all the symptoms of early onset Alzheimers. Catherine was trying to move away from home. She halts her plans to take care of her mom in what she believes might be her “remaining days“ but Ruth is hiding a secret.

This book will keep you on your toes from beginning to end. I was fortunate enough to have the audiobook version and I could not stop listening. I believe thus would be good in any format. I would definitely give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

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This slow-build story of a mother and daughter, written solo by Sarah Pekkanen, is a captivating thriller that really should be used in writing class! I thought the book was about one thing but then, no, it became a taut cat-and-mouse thriller that ended with a bang.⁣

The audiobook is narrated by the incomparable Kate Mara who voices both Ruth and Catherine, a mother-daughter duo who have a fraught relationship. Ruth, a single mother, seems to be slipping into early dementia, causing her daughter to put her budding nursing career on hold to care for her mother.⁣

But. BUT. As Ruth’s backstory is slowly revealed over the course of the alternating chapters, I became fully invested in both of these characters. It soon becomes evident that Ruth’s overprotective treatment of Catherine and their lack of any real friends or relatives actually hides something much more dangerous. ⁣

I love thrillers where I am surprised by the turn of events and Sarah Pekkanen is master at this. As well, the women in this story are strong, smart and resourceful. There are some dark moments in this story but they all add to the dangerous undercurrents running though the book. This is another book that I would love to see turned into a limited series! And Kate Mara would make a perfect Ruth. ⁣

And the final twist. Wow! I am still thinking about how far a mother would go to protect her child from an inherited genetic disorder. If you’re a fan of audiobooks, I highly recommend this one!⁣

(𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.)

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The narration was spectacular, as was the book. Sarah Pekkanen's books never fail to thrill me. I will be recommending this one to my book club as a future read!

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TW: toxic parent relationships, language, Alzheimer's, bullying, child abandonment, racism, teenage pregnancy, alcoholism, abuse, sexual abuse

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book: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.
Release Date: August 1st, 2023
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 352
Rating: ⭐

What I Liked:
1. The writing style flowed

What I Didn't Like:
1. Typical single mom that moves her kid around alot
2. Very slow and sluggish
3. Basic story
4. Basic blink and it's over ending

Overall Thoughts:
Reading about Catherine and Ruth's difficult relationship was very hard. At first you're lead to believe that Ruth is getting Alzheimer's but as we read on and on that is not the case.

One of the biggest problems I had with this book is that the mother and daughter just sounded too much like the same person. If I wasn't paying attention it was easy for me to think I was mixing the two up. They had the same voice.

Book mentioned Youngstown Ohio!

She sleeps inside a Target - reminded me of Where the Heart is, but she slept in Walmart.

I feel like I've read this story so many times already. Love how seamlessly the characters Was able to just disappear from her old life and of course find someone who could get her a new identity. Too cookie cutter for me. Oh and how every character that runs into Ruth doing something illegal they turn a blind eye to. She's able to get assistance programs without much trouble and the fact ID.

Final Thoughts:
I'm going to be honest. At first I was sucked right into this book and curious to see what was happening with the characters but as the book slowly revealed itself I found my mind wandering. The characters seemed to get sluggish and boring with each passing chapter. Sometimes you read a book and 352 pages feel like 200 pages because you fly through it and sometimes a book feels like it's 500 pages - sadly this book is the latter for me.

The ending was just too rushed. How can you take your sweet time talking about other things only to get to the ending and it not even take that long to make it come to a climax. The whole time I kept wondering why he wanted to find Ruth that she would feel such insane need to hide from him and turns out that it was just to be with her....

Recommend For:
• Strong mother/daughter relationships

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This mystery was a slow burn and cat-and-mouse dance between mother and daughter who is trying to figure out her mother's history. Her mother on the other hand is trying everything she can to make sure her past doesn't melt into her present life that she's constructed. This was bit of a slower burn of a mystery, but once the engine was at full speed it was going and I was pleasantly surprised.

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I absolutely loved this book as I do with most of Sarah Pekkanen's work. It was well written, captivating and kept me on my toes.

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Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen
Pub date: August 1, 2023
Narrated by Kate Mara
Length: 10H 8M
Pages: 352

Catherine and her mom, Ruth, are extraordinarily close. So close that Ruth will do just about anything to keep Catherine from leaving.

When Ruth learns that Catherine wants to progress in her nursing career, she realizes that Catherine will have to move. Not. Acceptable. Then Cathrine begins to ask questions and mucking about in the past. Secrets will be unveiled and they are doozies!

This is an absolutely phenomenal thriller with a twist filled plot and mounting tension that kept me so invested! I hesitate to use the word shocking but I’m going to! LOVED!

I don’t want to ruin this for anyone so I’ll stop here but I cannot recommend Gone Tonight enough!

Narration: Kate Mara does a stunning job with her vocal acting, but she kills it with Ruth. I listen at 2.5x and it was perfection. Well done, Kate! I look forward to listening to more from you!

Thank you to @StMartinsPress for this gifted DRC and to @MacMillan.Audio for this gifted ALC.

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Slow start, but a great finish. Enjoyed the switching character perspectives. Would have been better if there were two narrators for the two main characters.

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I have long been a fan of Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendricks as co-writers. When I saw Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen, it was an automatic request. I could not wait to read this one. Pekkanen does not disappoint. This book was propulsive and full of suspense. The pacing was great, with twists, turns, and reveals perfectly placed.
I flipped between reading and listening for this one. I loved having access to both formats as I didn’t have to put it down even when I needed to get stuff done around the house. I burned through this book so fast. I couldn’t wait to reveal each new secret.
Kate Mara does a great job with the narration. I saw another reviewer mention that they would have preferred two different voices for Catherine and Ruth. I agree that the audio experience could have benefited from a second voice, as I had to pay close attention to the flips in point of view. However, this didn’t take away from the story for me. Just worth noting for listeners to pay attention as they get started with listening.
4.5 stars.
Special thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the digital and audiobook ARCs via NetGalley. Pub date Aug 1, 2023.

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I don’t listen to many audiobooks but after this one I’m going to give them another try. I am usually taken out of th story when the narrator attempts to give each character a different voice. Makes me feel like a child being read a bedtime story and is disconcerting as the subject matter usually isn’t child friendly. Kate Mara is the narrator here and she does not do that which made this a much more pleasant listen. I think she did a great job and I would definitely listen to more audiobooks where she is the narrator. Now, on to the story. I really enjoyed this story of a mother daughter relationship. What starts out as story of an ailing mother and the daughter determined to care for her takes many unanticipated turns. I have enjoyed Pekkanen’s work before when she has written with Greer Hendricks (I loved The Wife Between Us) but this book makes me want to read some more of her solo work.

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Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

Story: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Narration: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Overall: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Gone Tonight is a slowburn thriller about a mother and daughter navigating a very complicated relationship. Catherine believes she knows her mother, Ruth. However, when Catherine wants to go out on her own, Ruth will do anything to prevent that from happening. This push and pull reveals cracks in their relationship and secrets are revealed.

This was a very interesting mystery full of complex relationships and characters. Kate Mara does a masterful job of bringing the story to life. A very gripping story that is excellent on audio.

ALC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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