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Gone Tonight
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.
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.
338 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2023
1889 people are currently reading
69471 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Pekkanen
29 books7,256 followersI'm a #1 New York Times bestselling author of 15 solo and coauthored books, including HOUSE OF GLASS, which is a Goodreads Choice award nominee and Amazon best book of the year.
My upcoming thriller, THE LOCKED WARD, is being hailed by Lee Child as "psychological suspense at its very best."
I'm also the coauthor of four bestselling thrillers: THE GOLDEN COUPLE, THE WIFE BETWEEN US, AN ANONYMOUS GIRL, and YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
I've also written eight novels that are contemporary fiction, not thrillers: THE EVER AFTER, THE PERFECT NEIGHBORS, THINGS YOU WON'T SAY, CATCHING AIR, THE BEST OF US, THE OPPOSITE OF ME, SKIPPING A BEAT, and THESE GIRLS. My linked free short estories, published by Simon&Schuster exclusively for ereaders, are titled "All is Bright," and "Love, Accidentally."
When I'm not writing or spending time with my three kids, I'm a passionate advocate for rescue animals. I serve as Ambassador of RRSA India, a shelter and sanctuary for abused and injured street dogs and other animals in Anand, India. And I'm the founder of the nonprofit charity IndiaStreetPaws.com.
I also serve on the board of the International Thriller Writers. Readers and writers - come join us at Thrillerfest in NYC every spring!
Please find me on Insta and Facebook for more!
My website is www.sarahpekkanen.com
(Here on Goodreads, my policy is to only review books I really like. If I don't enjoy the book, I won't write about it - it's just my personal policy.)
My upcoming thriller, THE LOCKED WARD, is being hailed by Lee Child as "psychological suspense at its very best."
I'm also the coauthor of four bestselling thrillers: THE GOLDEN COUPLE, THE WIFE BETWEEN US, AN ANONYMOUS GIRL, and YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
I've also written eight novels that are contemporary fiction, not thrillers: THE EVER AFTER, THE PERFECT NEIGHBORS, THINGS YOU WON'T SAY, CATCHING AIR, THE BEST OF US, THE OPPOSITE OF ME, SKIPPING A BEAT, and THESE GIRLS. My linked free short estories, published by Simon&Schuster exclusively for ereaders, are titled "All is Bright," and "Love, Accidentally."
When I'm not writing or spending time with my three kids, I'm a passionate advocate for rescue animals. I serve as Ambassador of RRSA India, a shelter and sanctuary for abused and injured street dogs and other animals in Anand, India. And I'm the founder of the nonprofit charity IndiaStreetPaws.com.
I also serve on the board of the International Thriller Writers. Readers and writers - come join us at Thrillerfest in NYC every spring!
Please find me on Insta and Facebook for more!
My website is www.sarahpekkanen.com
(Here on Goodreads, my policy is to only review books I really like. If I don't enjoy the book, I won't write about it - it's just my personal policy.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,670 reviews
September 22, 2025
This book is a masterclass in storytelling, with its well-structured, slow-burning tension, twisty narrative, and multiple relatable yet unreliable POVs. Sarah Pekkanen, known for her brilliant collaborations with co-writer Greer Hendricks, flies solo this time, and she certainly delivers a heart-pounding, mind-bending, and earth-shattering thriller.
Let me just say, this is hands down the most captivating thriller I’ve read recently, and I’m confident it will rank among my favorite reads of 2023, even though I haven’t yet explored all the early copies set for release next year. My assumption might seem bold, but if you’ve experienced this mind-bending wild ride, you’d likely find yourself nodding in agreement without a second thought.
The story unfolds in three compelling acts, each carefully weaving a web of suspense and mystery that delves into the darkness within a person and explores the lengths a mother will go to protect her child.
At the heart of the tale are Catherine and her mother Ruth, whose relationship is truly extraordinary yet also dysfunctional, bordering on overwhelming and obsessive. They are each other’s entire world, but that closeness can sometimes feel suffocating.
Catherine, a successful nurse at just 24 years old, is about to embark on a new job and a fresh start in Baltimore when she learns that her mother may be in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, a condition Ruth has been hiding for the past four months. This revelation is compounded by the shocking news that her grandmother also suffered from the disease before passing away.
In an instant, Catherine cancels her plans to care for her mother, but as she begins digging into their past, she uncovers dark secrets her mother has been hiding. With no other relatives to turn to, Catherine starts to suspect that her mother’s desperation to keep her close is connected to something dangerous lurking in their past.
As Catherine unravels the truth, she finds herself living with a stranger under the same roof, and her life is in more danger than she ever imagined.
Overall, this book is pure addiction! Once I started, I simply couldn’t put it down. The level of intrigue and suspense is off the charts, and I wholeheartedly, highly, and emphatically recommend it to all thriller enthusiasts. It’s a gripping journey filled with surprises and jaw-dropping moments, guaranteed to leave you breathless and hungry for more.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this amazing digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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Let me just say, this is hands down the most captivating thriller I’ve read recently, and I’m confident it will rank among my favorite reads of 2023, even though I haven’t yet explored all the early copies set for release next year. My assumption might seem bold, but if you’ve experienced this mind-bending wild ride, you’d likely find yourself nodding in agreement without a second thought.
The story unfolds in three compelling acts, each carefully weaving a web of suspense and mystery that delves into the darkness within a person and explores the lengths a mother will go to protect her child.
At the heart of the tale are Catherine and her mother Ruth, whose relationship is truly extraordinary yet also dysfunctional, bordering on overwhelming and obsessive. They are each other’s entire world, but that closeness can sometimes feel suffocating.
Catherine, a successful nurse at just 24 years old, is about to embark on a new job and a fresh start in Baltimore when she learns that her mother may be in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, a condition Ruth has been hiding for the past four months. This revelation is compounded by the shocking news that her grandmother also suffered from the disease before passing away.
In an instant, Catherine cancels her plans to care for her mother, but as she begins digging into their past, she uncovers dark secrets her mother has been hiding. With no other relatives to turn to, Catherine starts to suspect that her mother’s desperation to keep her close is connected to something dangerous lurking in their past.
As Catherine unravels the truth, she finds herself living with a stranger under the same roof, and her life is in more danger than she ever imagined.
Overall, this book is pure addiction! Once I started, I simply couldn’t put it down. The level of intrigue and suspense is off the charts, and I wholeheartedly, highly, and emphatically recommend it to all thriller enthusiasts. It’s a gripping journey filled with surprises and jaw-dropping moments, guaranteed to leave you breathless and hungry for more.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this amazing digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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June 29, 2023
Let me start off by saying I have loved previous books by Sarah Pekkanen, especially the ones she has written with Greer Hendricks, An Anonymous Girl and The Golden Couple immediately coming to mind. Everyone else on GR is loving this one but for me, it was just too far out there to enjoy. This story is told in alternating chapters from the point of view of Ruth and her daughter Catherine. We get somewhat of a dual timeline with Ruth writing about the past in her journal. I loved the format of the book as this is one of my favourite ways to read thrillers. The chapters are also fairly short and I liked that as well.
What I didn’t like was the convoluted premise of the book. As we get further into the story in the present there were way too many coincidences and Catherine’s research was too easily done. One Facebook search and she has who/what she’s looking for from twenty-five years ago…I didn’t buy it and I also didn’t buy into a twenty-five-year-old allowing her mother to GPS her phone and location at all times. The more I read, the more absurd the story became and I found there were just too many plot holes. Both the women were very unlikeable characters and the big reveal wasn’t surprising in the least. Bummer, cause I like this author but was disappointed overall.
What I didn’t like was the convoluted premise of the book. As we get further into the story in the present there were way too many coincidences and Catherine’s research was too easily done. One Facebook search and she has who/what she’s looking for from twenty-five years ago…I didn’t buy it and I also didn’t buy into a twenty-five-year-old allowing her mother to GPS her phone and location at all times. The more I read, the more absurd the story became and I found there were just too many plot holes. Both the women were very unlikeable characters and the big reveal wasn’t surprising in the least. Bummer, cause I like this author but was disappointed overall.
August 2, 2023
In the last month, Ruth Sterling has lost her keys, a twenty dollar bill, her train of thought and her way home from the drugstore.
Her 24 year old daughter, Catherine, was about to move to Baltimore to start work as a nurse at John Hopkins, having graduated cum laude. Her specialty is geriatrics, and she is currently working in the Memory Wing at Sunrise, a high end facility where people with dementia, Alzheimer’s or traumatic brain injuries reside.
Catherine is well aware of the sobering, heartbreaking statistics of the disease, and since it’s always been just the two of them, she and her Mom, her future plans may have to change.
They have never lived apart, and they don’t have the money for Ruth to live in a facility like Sunrise. In fact, they moved frequently throughout Catherine’s childhood, whenever her mom became too far behind on the bills.
At least that is the “excuse” that Ruth gave to her daughter.
Now, with Ruth’s memory fading, Catherine must uncover her mother’s secrets while she still can. And, time is of the essence for reasons she could NEVER guess.
The multi layered story unfolds from the alternating perspectives of Catherine and Ruth, as each CONFIDES in us, what THEY know that the other one DOES NOT.
At the beginning of this story, the book feels like it should be listed in the genre of Contemporary Fiction, but at 30% it takes a turn that completely caught me off guard, and that is when the SUSPENSE kicks in.
I have been disappointed with many of the mystery/thriller books this year, as so many of them had similar overused premises such as “friends with a secret from their University days” “Mean Girls” or “Missing Children”
This story was COMPLETELY ORIGINAL and it was nice to read a story that was FRESH and PLAUSIBLE.
I was engaged from the start and flipped the pages eagerly to see where this one would take me!
And, as the tension ramped up towards the end, my heart was in my throat!
Despite some mixed reviews from my Goodreads friends, this was a WINNER for me, and it just might find itself on my favorites shelf for 2023 in the SUSPENSE category.
A buddy read with Mary Beth and DeAnn. Be sure to check out their reviews for additional insights and to see which side of the fence they ended up on…
AVAILABLE NOW!!
Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
Her 24 year old daughter, Catherine, was about to move to Baltimore to start work as a nurse at John Hopkins, having graduated cum laude. Her specialty is geriatrics, and she is currently working in the Memory Wing at Sunrise, a high end facility where people with dementia, Alzheimer’s or traumatic brain injuries reside.
Catherine is well aware of the sobering, heartbreaking statistics of the disease, and since it’s always been just the two of them, she and her Mom, her future plans may have to change.
They have never lived apart, and they don’t have the money for Ruth to live in a facility like Sunrise. In fact, they moved frequently throughout Catherine’s childhood, whenever her mom became too far behind on the bills.
At least that is the “excuse” that Ruth gave to her daughter.
Now, with Ruth’s memory fading, Catherine must uncover her mother’s secrets while she still can. And, time is of the essence for reasons she could NEVER guess.
The multi layered story unfolds from the alternating perspectives of Catherine and Ruth, as each CONFIDES in us, what THEY know that the other one DOES NOT.
At the beginning of this story, the book feels like it should be listed in the genre of Contemporary Fiction, but at 30% it takes a turn that completely caught me off guard, and that is when the SUSPENSE kicks in.
I have been disappointed with many of the mystery/thriller books this year, as so many of them had similar overused premises such as “friends with a secret from their University days” “Mean Girls” or “Missing Children”
This story was COMPLETELY ORIGINAL and it was nice to read a story that was FRESH and PLAUSIBLE.
I was engaged from the start and flipped the pages eagerly to see where this one would take me!
And, as the tension ramped up towards the end, my heart was in my throat!
Despite some mixed reviews from my Goodreads friends, this was a WINNER for me, and it just might find itself on my favorites shelf for 2023 in the SUSPENSE category.
A buddy read with Mary Beth and DeAnn. Be sure to check out their reviews for additional insights and to see which side of the fence they ended up on…
AVAILABLE NOW!!
Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
January 29, 2023
There is no bond like that of a mother and daughter….
Ruth and her daughter Catherine are inseparable. It’s always been just the two of them. Moving from city to city, never allowing anyone else to get too close.
Now Catherine is in her twenties, and spreading her wings, embarking on a separate career path. And Ruth is starting to panic. She must keep them together. At what lengths will Ruth go - to keep her grip on her daughter, and the past hidden?
But the tighter Ruth holds on, the more Catherine questions the reason why!
Told in the present and past, we learn what led up to Ruth’s obsession with maintaining secrecy. The question is…Is it justified? Well…I’m certainly not going to spill the beans. You’ll have to read this book to find out!
Wow! Sarah Pekkanen writes a gripping, suspenseful read that will keep you reading late into the night! I was captivated from the first page to the last!
Definitely one of my top thriller reads for this year!
A buddy read with Susanne 🤓📚
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press
Ruth and her daughter Catherine are inseparable. It’s always been just the two of them. Moving from city to city, never allowing anyone else to get too close.
Now Catherine is in her twenties, and spreading her wings, embarking on a separate career path. And Ruth is starting to panic. She must keep them together. At what lengths will Ruth go - to keep her grip on her daughter, and the past hidden?
But the tighter Ruth holds on, the more Catherine questions the reason why!
Told in the present and past, we learn what led up to Ruth’s obsession with maintaining secrecy. The question is…Is it justified? Well…I’m certainly not going to spill the beans. You’ll have to read this book to find out!
Wow! Sarah Pekkanen writes a gripping, suspenseful read that will keep you reading late into the night! I was captivated from the first page to the last!
Definitely one of my top thriller reads for this year!
A buddy read with Susanne 🤓📚
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press
February 8, 2023
It was fine.
The pace was a bit slow for me for most of the story, but revved up at the end. The main problem was the plot device used that really bothered me. It would be a spoiler to reveal, but it was depressing for me.
The chapters alternate with POV's from the mother, Ruth and her grown daughter, Catherine. Ruth has some big secrets from her past and her daughter gets suspicious and starts investigating her and her motives. This went round and round for most of the novel. I just grew tired of the back and forth.
There are some edge of your seat moments at the end that really helped the pace.
Please check out the other reviews, could be me and not the book. Maybe give it a try.
Thanks to NG for my ARC. OUT August 1, 2023
The pace was a bit slow for me for most of the story, but revved up at the end. The main problem was the plot device used that really bothered me. It would be a spoiler to reveal, but it was depressing for me.
The chapters alternate with POV's from the mother, Ruth and her grown daughter, Catherine. Ruth has some big secrets from her past and her daughter gets suspicious and starts investigating her and her motives. This went round and round for most of the novel. I just grew tired of the back and forth.
There are some edge of your seat moments at the end that really helped the pace.
Please check out the other reviews, could be me and not the book. Maybe give it a try.
Thanks to NG for my ARC. OUT August 1, 2023
August 22, 2025
**4.5-stars rounded up**
Gone Tonight is the latest solo-release from beloved Thriller author, Sarah Pekkanen. I have had this one on my radar for a long, long time and she did not disappoint.
I listened to the audiobook and was so impressed with how it was able to hook me from the very start. I was intrigued, I was invested, I wasn't able to put it down!!
In this story we're following a mother and daughter, Ruth and Catherine, respectively. Catherine feels like she knows her mother almost as well as she knows herself. It's always been just the two of them against the world.
Ruth loves her daughter Catherine with her whole heart and would do anything for her. Ruth was young when she got pregnant, and she gave up a lot for Catherine, but it was worth it. After all, a mother's life is full of sacrifice.
As Catherine has aged, she has grown strong, smart and independent, just like her mother taught her. She's now ready to spread her wings, move to a new city and get her first career-focused job.
It seems like everything is going her way, until it's not. Secretly, Ruth isn't ready for Catherine to be moving on. She's willing to do what she has to in order to keep her daughter close to her. She knows it's deceptive, but she also knows it's for Catherine's own good.
In her efforts to keep Catherine with her, Ruth has inadvertently opened herself up to her daughter's scrutiny for the first time.
Ruth has always been secretive about her past. Catherine knows nothing about Ruth's life before her, or even her own extended family members. Ruth's recent behavior causes Catherine to dig, discovering she may not know her mom so well after all.
Y'all, I loved this! As mentioned above, I was hooked into this one from the start. I thought the plot was well-crafted by Pekkanen, keeping the Reader invested and on the edge of their seats.
I loved the character work. The way the truth of Ruth's past was revealed was completely enticing. We do get Ruth's past perspective to help that unfold and I was just as interested in those past sections as I was with the present perspectives.
I also really enjoyed being in the minds of both of these women, as they grappled with their present circumstances and the reality that they may not know everything about the one closest to them.
The way it was written you feel like you're a fly on the wall, possibly with a piece of buttered popcorn, just watching all the drama unfold. It's juicy and captivating.
In short, I love a book that captures my attention enough that I can read it in a day. That's exactly what this one did.
I had such a fun experience with this one and would definitely recommend it to other Thriller fans, or people who enjoy reading about complicated family dynamics. If you end up enjoying this one half as much as I did, you're bound to have a good time.
Thank you so, so much to the publisher, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.
In my opinion, Pekkanen nailed this one. She should be proud!!
Gone Tonight is the latest solo-release from beloved Thriller author, Sarah Pekkanen. I have had this one on my radar for a long, long time and she did not disappoint.
I listened to the audiobook and was so impressed with how it was able to hook me from the very start. I was intrigued, I was invested, I wasn't able to put it down!!
In this story we're following a mother and daughter, Ruth and Catherine, respectively. Catherine feels like she knows her mother almost as well as she knows herself. It's always been just the two of them against the world.
Ruth loves her daughter Catherine with her whole heart and would do anything for her. Ruth was young when she got pregnant, and she gave up a lot for Catherine, but it was worth it. After all, a mother's life is full of sacrifice.
As Catherine has aged, she has grown strong, smart and independent, just like her mother taught her. She's now ready to spread her wings, move to a new city and get her first career-focused job.
It seems like everything is going her way, until it's not. Secretly, Ruth isn't ready for Catherine to be moving on. She's willing to do what she has to in order to keep her daughter close to her. She knows it's deceptive, but she also knows it's for Catherine's own good.
In her efforts to keep Catherine with her, Ruth has inadvertently opened herself up to her daughter's scrutiny for the first time.
Ruth has always been secretive about her past. Catherine knows nothing about Ruth's life before her, or even her own extended family members. Ruth's recent behavior causes Catherine to dig, discovering she may not know her mom so well after all.
Y'all, I loved this! As mentioned above, I was hooked into this one from the start. I thought the plot was well-crafted by Pekkanen, keeping the Reader invested and on the edge of their seats.
I loved the character work. The way the truth of Ruth's past was revealed was completely enticing. We do get Ruth's past perspective to help that unfold and I was just as interested in those past sections as I was with the present perspectives.
I also really enjoyed being in the minds of both of these women, as they grappled with their present circumstances and the reality that they may not know everything about the one closest to them.
The way it was written you feel like you're a fly on the wall, possibly with a piece of buttered popcorn, just watching all the drama unfold. It's juicy and captivating.
In short, I love a book that captures my attention enough that I can read it in a day. That's exactly what this one did.
I had such a fun experience with this one and would definitely recommend it to other Thriller fans, or people who enjoy reading about complicated family dynamics. If you end up enjoying this one half as much as I did, you're bound to have a good time.
Thank you so, so much to the publisher, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.
In my opinion, Pekkanen nailed this one. She should be proud!!
July 30, 2023
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!
It’s my first solo Sarah Pekkanen book, having previously enjoyed The Golden Couple, which she co-wrote with Greer Hendricks. I’ll definitely be watching for more of her books as author and co-author.
★★★★ ½
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and author Sarah Pekkanen for this DRC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC to honestly review. They are available on August 1, 2023.
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!
It’s my first solo Sarah Pekkanen book, having previously enjoyed The Golden Couple, which she co-wrote with Greer Hendricks. I’ll definitely be watching for more of her books as author and co-author.
★★★★ ½
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and author Sarah Pekkanen for this DRC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC to honestly review. They are available on August 1, 2023.
July 5, 2025
It’s Ruth and her daughter Catherine against the world. They’ve struggled financially, and moved frequently while Ruth took on low paying jobs, but it’s always been just the two of them. They are as close as a mother & daughter could be.
Catherine has now graduated college and ready to embark on a life of her own in a new city, when Ruth begins to exhibit signs of early onset Alzheimer’s. Catherine, a new nursing graduate, is naturally curious and begins to take a closer look into her mother’s life. What she finds will turn her life upside down.
Both mother and daughter have secrets, and as each is revealed, it becomes clear that perhaps mother and daughter didn’t know each other as well as they thought.
Told in alternating points of view and timelines, this story explores the bond between mother and daughter. I particularly enjoyed Ruth’s backstory.
I absolutely loved this one, and appreciated the take on the psychological aspects of the characters. To some readers, this may be a bit of a slow beginning for a thriller, but buckle up, as things take a decidedly darker turn at around 30%.
The pieces of the puzzle click together and it becomes an enthralling story. The ending was clever and thought-provoking. The author excelled at misdirection but it becomes obvious at the end that there were bread crumbs for the reader along the way.
Definitely one of the better thrillers I’ve read this year, and highly recommended!
It was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce, and a book that inspired interesting discussions.
I prefer a cast of narrators, but in this case the audiobook narrator, Kate Mara, did an excellent job for both characters.
Catherine has now graduated college and ready to embark on a life of her own in a new city, when Ruth begins to exhibit signs of early onset Alzheimer’s. Catherine, a new nursing graduate, is naturally curious and begins to take a closer look into her mother’s life. What she finds will turn her life upside down.
Both mother and daughter have secrets, and as each is revealed, it becomes clear that perhaps mother and daughter didn’t know each other as well as they thought.
Told in alternating points of view and timelines, this story explores the bond between mother and daughter. I particularly enjoyed Ruth’s backstory.
I absolutely loved this one, and appreciated the take on the psychological aspects of the characters. To some readers, this may be a bit of a slow beginning for a thriller, but buckle up, as things take a decidedly darker turn at around 30%.
The pieces of the puzzle click together and it becomes an enthralling story. The ending was clever and thought-provoking. The author excelled at misdirection but it becomes obvious at the end that there were bread crumbs for the reader along the way.
Definitely one of the better thrillers I’ve read this year, and highly recommended!
It was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce, and a book that inspired interesting discussions.
I prefer a cast of narrators, but in this case the audiobook narrator, Kate Mara, did an excellent job for both characters.
July 26, 2023
This book is a decent read, I listened to the audiobook narrated by Kate Mara. The narration was nothing spectacular, and I think the audiobook would have been a better experience had there been a different narrator for both Ruth and Catherine.
The book starts with Catherine having just received her nursing degree and is about to take a new job in Baltimore. However her mother Ruth is showing signs of Alzheimer's Disease and Catherine thinks she may need to stay and help to care for her mother. But Ruth has some serious secrets, and she will stop at nothing to keep those secrets hidden, and that means keeping Catherine as close to her as she can.
There are a few interesting twists in this book, but I pretty much called where it was going early on and the twists weren't surprising to me at all. There are way, way too many convenient things that happen in the book, too many for me to suspend my disbelief.
Yet it is a fast paced story and I was interested to see how things would unfold and what the outcome would be. It kept my attention throughout and I was invested enough to want to see what happened (instead of wanting to skip ahead to the end like I want to do other times).
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
The book starts with Catherine having just received her nursing degree and is about to take a new job in Baltimore. However her mother Ruth is showing signs of Alzheimer's Disease and Catherine thinks she may need to stay and help to care for her mother. But Ruth has some serious secrets, and she will stop at nothing to keep those secrets hidden, and that means keeping Catherine as close to her as she can.
There are a few interesting twists in this book, but I pretty much called where it was going early on and the twists weren't surprising to me at all. There are way, way too many convenient things that happen in the book, too many for me to suspend my disbelief.
Yet it is a fast paced story and I was interested to see how things would unfold and what the outcome would be. It kept my attention throughout and I was invested enough to want to see what happened (instead of wanting to skip ahead to the end like I want to do other times).
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
August 19, 2023
**Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Sarah Pekkanen for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 8.1!**
"How far would you go to protect the person you love most in the world? I have gone to a place so dark and bleak I barely recognize myself. But I know one thing for certain:I did it out of love."
Mother knows best...or DOES she?
Catherine and Ruth think they know each other better than anyone else: Mama Bear Ruth has always put her daughter first...but now it's time for Catherine to return the favor. Ruth is entering the early stages of Alzheimer's and is showing all of the signs. Though Catherine was poised to leave home and begin her career in the medical field, she just can't bear to leave mom at this critical juncture. However...there's something that's just a bit off. And Catherine's not about to stop until she finds out EXACTLY what her mom has been hiding...
Ruth has been running for a long time...but not just from town to town. In the past, she's used financial strains and a life separate from Catherine's father as a justification for frequent moves and a bevvy of secrets. But with her daughter growing suspicious and her hidden past rushing back to meet her...can Ruth make one last escape before a certain someone---and some THING---she's been desperate to keep hidden makes one final, deadly appearance?
I've had mixed luck with Sarah Pekkanen's brand of psychological thrillers (co-penned with Greer Hendricks): The Wife Between Us was a catastrophic miss, while last year's The Golden Couple was one of my favorite reads of 2022. I was very curious to see how I'd fare with a solo Pekkanen book....and I'm 'thrilled' to report this experiment was a STUNNING success! Without a partner, I'd even go as far as to say that Pekkanen might have gone a bit further, been a bit more focused, AND had two dynamic POVs that were the perfect yin and yang to keep the mystery humming!
This might not have started off as a page turning read...but it QUICKLY turned into one! Though I was more than a bit wary of plot devices like Ruth's diary....before long, I was got a rush of excitement each time more of her backstory was revealed. There is NOTHING, and I mean nothing, that sells me faster on a plot like this than nice, JUICY backstory...and this one has it in spades! ♣ I felt Pekkanen gave her characters room to breathe, change, and evolve, and while the plot wasn't anything new, it was JUST twisty and unexpected enough to give me pause and make me think more often than not. I think what gave it that extra oomph was the way Pekkanen kept her chapters short, the action punchy, AND also colored the narrative with the complex dynamics of mother-daughter relationships.
This sort of emotional gravitas can be so difficult to capture and balance with the thrill-a-minute action found so often in the genre, but Pekkanen utilized this duo effortlessly to explore these questions of right and wrong. Again, this message isn't new, but something about the pace and the blend of old and new, now and then, felt visceral and real, as though it could have been ripped from the headlines of today's newspapers. Without spoilers, it's hard to discuss, but there are many moments from Ruth's childhood that will GRAB you...and a few that even had me choking up a bit. There are also plenty of nail-biter chapter endings...prepare to clear your schedule and keep those snacks handy! It's so rare that I would willfully forego sleep to read a book these days (with a two year old running around 🏃♂️) but this is one book that made it MORE than worth it!
This novel centers around the concept of being here and being gone, and what it means to be both physically, mentally, AND emotionally. And while I won't give anything away, I'll leave you with just a TASTE of the intrigue you'll find in this one: "She never even noticed me, which was my intention. I'm used to traveling through life as a ghost. I'm very good at disappearing."
"Women do it all time."
😉
4.5 stars
"How far would you go to protect the person you love most in the world? I have gone to a place so dark and bleak I barely recognize myself. But I know one thing for certain:I did it out of love."
Mother knows best...or DOES she?
Catherine and Ruth think they know each other better than anyone else: Mama Bear Ruth has always put her daughter first...but now it's time for Catherine to return the favor. Ruth is entering the early stages of Alzheimer's and is showing all of the signs. Though Catherine was poised to leave home and begin her career in the medical field, she just can't bear to leave mom at this critical juncture. However...there's something that's just a bit off. And Catherine's not about to stop until she finds out EXACTLY what her mom has been hiding...
Ruth has been running for a long time...but not just from town to town. In the past, she's used financial strains and a life separate from Catherine's father as a justification for frequent moves and a bevvy of secrets. But with her daughter growing suspicious and her hidden past rushing back to meet her...can Ruth make one last escape before a certain someone---and some THING---she's been desperate to keep hidden makes one final, deadly appearance?
I've had mixed luck with Sarah Pekkanen's brand of psychological thrillers (co-penned with Greer Hendricks): The Wife Between Us was a catastrophic miss, while last year's The Golden Couple was one of my favorite reads of 2022. I was very curious to see how I'd fare with a solo Pekkanen book....and I'm 'thrilled' to report this experiment was a STUNNING success! Without a partner, I'd even go as far as to say that Pekkanen might have gone a bit further, been a bit more focused, AND had two dynamic POVs that were the perfect yin and yang to keep the mystery humming!
This might not have started off as a page turning read...but it QUICKLY turned into one! Though I was more than a bit wary of plot devices like Ruth's diary....before long, I was got a rush of excitement each time more of her backstory was revealed. There is NOTHING, and I mean nothing, that sells me faster on a plot like this than nice, JUICY backstory...and this one has it in spades! ♣ I felt Pekkanen gave her characters room to breathe, change, and evolve, and while the plot wasn't anything new, it was JUST twisty and unexpected enough to give me pause and make me think more often than not. I think what gave it that extra oomph was the way Pekkanen kept her chapters short, the action punchy, AND also colored the narrative with the complex dynamics of mother-daughter relationships.
This sort of emotional gravitas can be so difficult to capture and balance with the thrill-a-minute action found so often in the genre, but Pekkanen utilized this duo effortlessly to explore these questions of right and wrong. Again, this message isn't new, but something about the pace and the blend of old and new, now and then, felt visceral and real, as though it could have been ripped from the headlines of today's newspapers. Without spoilers, it's hard to discuss, but there are many moments from Ruth's childhood that will GRAB you...and a few that even had me choking up a bit. There are also plenty of nail-biter chapter endings...prepare to clear your schedule and keep those snacks handy! It's so rare that I would willfully forego sleep to read a book these days (with a two year old running around 🏃♂️) but this is one book that made it MORE than worth it!
This novel centers around the concept of being here and being gone, and what it means to be both physically, mentally, AND emotionally. And while I won't give anything away, I'll leave you with just a TASTE of the intrigue you'll find in this one: "She never even noticed me, which was my intention. I'm used to traveling through life as a ghost. I'm very good at disappearing."
"Women do it all time."
😉
4.5 stars
August 19, 2023
“Rotten genes are programming me. I inherited them from my mother and she from hers. Fury seems to be the legacy passed down to the women in our family.”
This is the story of a mother who will do anything she can to protect her daughter…anything, except tell her the truth.
Gone Tonight starts as a heart-wrenching mother-daughter drama about Ruth and Catherine Sterling, single mom and only child.
Told in alternating chapters in three acts, we quickly learn that Ruth is a 42-year-old waitress in a diner, while recent nursing school graduate Catherine works in the Memory Care Unit of an extended living facility.
An appointment with a neurologist confirms that the symptoms Ruth has begun exhibiting seemingly overnight — getting lost on the way home from the neighborhood drugstore; forgetting the name for ice cubes and calling them “water squares;” putting a carton of eggs away in a cupboard instead of the refrigerator — are indeed indicators of early onset Alzheimer’s. Sadly, Ruth shares that her own mom also succumbed to the debilitating disease.
Soon, however, little discrepancies tip Catherine off that her mother’s story might not be fully accurate.
Like pulling at a thread, Ruth’s carefully constructed life (read: intricate web of secrets and lies) begins to unravel.
Turns out, Ruth — a helicopter mom on steroids — has been on the run for 25 years: she’s had three names, held twelve jobs, and lived in nine different apartments.
Paranoid, vigilant, always watchful and looking over her shoulder, Ruth regularly varies her routine (so she doesn’t have one) and is rarely seen outdoors without donning a pair of large Jackie O sunglasses. She has a burner phone, escape plan, and go-bag at the ready.
Poor Catherine runs the emotional gamut, first grieving her mom’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s to then thinking she may in fact have a serious mental illness, and finally questioning whether anything she’s ever been told by her mom has a kernel of truth to it.
While Ruth seems hellbent on protecting her daughter — from what/who?? — Catherine is equally driven to finally know her mother.
And this reader? Well, I spent most of Act Two screaming, “Oh, for crying out loud, just freaking tell her the truth and this won't be such a clusterf*ck.”
I dunno. As an avid reader of thrillers, I’m often called upon to suspend disbelief…and I’m okay with that. But, some of the plot points here were a wee bit of a stretch (read: completely unrealistic and implausible) to me.
Suspenseful? Yes. But, Gone Tonight, left me wanting.
And, speaking of wanting…after finishing the novel, I am jonesing for some lasagna pizza. Anyone else?
This is the story of a mother who will do anything she can to protect her daughter…anything, except tell her the truth.
Gone Tonight starts as a heart-wrenching mother-daughter drama about Ruth and Catherine Sterling, single mom and only child.
Told in alternating chapters in three acts, we quickly learn that Ruth is a 42-year-old waitress in a diner, while recent nursing school graduate Catherine works in the Memory Care Unit of an extended living facility.
An appointment with a neurologist confirms that the symptoms Ruth has begun exhibiting seemingly overnight — getting lost on the way home from the neighborhood drugstore; forgetting the name for ice cubes and calling them “water squares;” putting a carton of eggs away in a cupboard instead of the refrigerator — are indeed indicators of early onset Alzheimer’s. Sadly, Ruth shares that her own mom also succumbed to the debilitating disease.
Soon, however, little discrepancies tip Catherine off that her mother’s story might not be fully accurate.
Like pulling at a thread, Ruth’s carefully constructed life (read: intricate web of secrets and lies) begins to unravel.
Turns out, Ruth — a helicopter mom on steroids — has been on the run for 25 years: she’s had three names, held twelve jobs, and lived in nine different apartments.
Paranoid, vigilant, always watchful and looking over her shoulder, Ruth regularly varies her routine (so she doesn’t have one) and is rarely seen outdoors without donning a pair of large Jackie O sunglasses. She has a burner phone, escape plan, and go-bag at the ready.
Poor Catherine runs the emotional gamut, first grieving her mom’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s to then thinking she may in fact have a serious mental illness, and finally questioning whether anything she’s ever been told by her mom has a kernel of truth to it.
While Ruth seems hellbent on protecting her daughter — from what/who?? — Catherine is equally driven to finally know her mother.
And this reader? Well, I spent most of Act Two screaming, “Oh, for crying out loud, just freaking tell her the truth and this won't be such a clusterf*ck.”
I dunno. As an avid reader of thrillers, I’m often called upon to suspend disbelief…and I’m okay with that. But, some of the plot points here were a wee bit of a stretch (read: completely unrealistic and implausible) to me.
Suspenseful? Yes. But, Gone Tonight, left me wanting.
And, speaking of wanting…after finishing the novel, I am jonesing for some lasagna pizza. Anyone else?
April 21, 2023
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)
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)
July 14, 2023
I was pleasantly surprised by this book, despite a slow start. The main character, Ruth, has a secret that she's determined to protect, especially for the sake of her daughter, Catherine. What I really enjoyed about the book was the way it used diary entries from the past to tell the story. It made the narrative come alive. I also liked how the chapters switched between Ruth and Catherine's perspectives, giving us insight into both sides of the story. While I expected more thrilling moments, the book leaned more towards mystery. The plot revelation happened a bit too quickly, and I wish there had been more to it. However, overall, it was an enjoyable read that kept me engaged until the end.
Thank you Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Thank you Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
August 5, 2023
3.5⭐
Utterly reviting!
This is my first book by Sarah Pekkanen. She has a way of building a suspenseful story by alternating between mother and daughter perspectives with a good dose of flashbacks.
Life hasn't been easy for the pair in Harrisburg, PA. But single mom Ruth Sterling and daughter Catherine are super close. At 24, Catherine landed a golden nursing opportunity in Baltimore at John Hopkins' Geriatric Department. However, her dream came crashing down when her own mother show early signs of Alzheimer's. Would Catherine be able to leave her mother behind?
I was drawn to the story from the very beginning. As more secrets are revealed it was impossible for me to put this book down. Ruth has plenty of secrets and I love her flashbacks part the most. Meanwhile, Catherine is trying to piece the puzzle about her mother she thought she knew.
Gone Tonight really kept me on my toes. I wanted to know how the story unfolds and for me, this was a 4 solid star story until the last third of the book. Without any spoiler....Yes, it sort of make sense and NO, it does not. LOL. I happened to care about the third character and wish there was more.
I listened to Gone Tonight narrated by Kate Mara. As much as I like her in movies and enjoy her familiar voice, I don't think she brought anything extra to the story. It was difficult to know whose chapter it was because the narrator gave the same voice for Ruth and Catherine. As a listener, you have to make sure you don't miss the chapter heading. Absolutely, most of the time the story is a big tell of who is doing the talking but wish the narrator differentiates the characters through some voice acting.
Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for my ALC.
Published Aug 1, 2023!
Utterly reviting!
This is my first book by Sarah Pekkanen. She has a way of building a suspenseful story by alternating between mother and daughter perspectives with a good dose of flashbacks.
Life hasn't been easy for the pair in Harrisburg, PA. But single mom Ruth Sterling and daughter Catherine are super close. At 24, Catherine landed a golden nursing opportunity in Baltimore at John Hopkins' Geriatric Department. However, her dream came crashing down when her own mother show early signs of Alzheimer's. Would Catherine be able to leave her mother behind?
I was drawn to the story from the very beginning. As more secrets are revealed it was impossible for me to put this book down. Ruth has plenty of secrets and I love her flashbacks part the most. Meanwhile, Catherine is trying to piece the puzzle about her mother she thought she knew.
Gone Tonight really kept me on my toes. I wanted to know how the story unfolds and for me, this was a 4 solid star story until the last third of the book. Without any spoiler....Yes, it sort of make sense and NO, it does not. LOL. I happened to care about the third character and wish there was more.
I listened to Gone Tonight narrated by Kate Mara. As much as I like her in movies and enjoy her familiar voice, I don't think she brought anything extra to the story. It was difficult to know whose chapter it was because the narrator gave the same voice for Ruth and Catherine. As a listener, you have to make sure you don't miss the chapter heading. Absolutely, most of the time the story is a big tell of who is doing the talking but wish the narrator differentiates the characters through some voice acting.
Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for my ALC.
Published Aug 1, 2023!
June 8, 2023
This mystery starts off so differently that I was wondering how it qualified as a psychological thriller. But give it time and all becomes clear.
Ruth is a hardworking, low income woman who suddenly starts to suffer with memory issues. Her daughter, Catherine, recently graduated from nursing school and working at a memory care unit, knows all too well what this might mean. And she’s determined to learn about her mother’s past before it’s too late. Her mother has worked hard to hide her past from Catherine, including the identity of her parents or Catherine’s father. Both of the main characters were fully formed with lots of shades of gray in their makeup.
The book alternates between the two women, and the reader gets to see the past through their memories. There’s a great sense of tension as these two have vastly different views. There were moments when I would begin to doubt the plausibility of a scene, but then it was like the author could see my doubt and would provide a reasonable explanation. The ending does get a little too OTT but by then I was really curious how it would all play out.
I also want to say Pekkanen really did her research when it came to Alzheimer’s and I even learned a few things.
I listened to this and Kate Mara did a great job as the narrator.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this book.
Ruth is a hardworking, low income woman who suddenly starts to suffer with memory issues. Her daughter, Catherine, recently graduated from nursing school and working at a memory care unit, knows all too well what this might mean. And she’s determined to learn about her mother’s past before it’s too late. Her mother has worked hard to hide her past from Catherine, including the identity of her parents or Catherine’s father. Both of the main characters were fully formed with lots of shades of gray in their makeup.
The book alternates between the two women, and the reader gets to see the past through their memories. There’s a great sense of tension as these two have vastly different views. There were moments when I would begin to doubt the plausibility of a scene, but then it was like the author could see my doubt and would provide a reasonable explanation. The ending does get a little too OTT but by then I was really curious how it would all play out.
I also want to say Pekkanen really did her research when it came to Alzheimer’s and I even learned a few things.
I listened to this and Kate Mara did a great job as the narrator.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this book.
July 30, 2023
EXCERPT: CATHERINE - My mother walks through our tiny living room, her eyes sweeping over our old blue couch and coffee table, before she briefly disappears int the galley kitchen.
'I just had them in my hand.' Her voice is tinged with something darker than frustration as she begins another lap.
I should jump up from the couch and help her look for her keys so she isn't late for her shift at the diner.
But I don't want her to notice I've begun to tremble.
'Check your purse again?' I suggest.
She frowns and reaches into her shoulder bag.
My mother is organized. Methodical. Detail oriented. Her purse isn't a jumble of crumpled receipts and loose change. Sunglasses in a case, small bills facing the same way in her wallet, cherry Chapstick and hand lotion zipped into her makeup bag - it's containers within a container.
She shakes her head and walks to the raincoat hanging on a hook by the front door, searching through its pockets.
Maybe her father is absentminded. Perhaps her cousins grew distracted when they approached middle age. It could be something our relatives tease each other about when they gather for holidays.
I don't know. I've never met them.
ABOUT 'GONE TONIGHT': 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.
No one can know Ruth's history. There is a reason why Ruth kept them moving every few years, and why she was ready--in a moment's notice--to be gone in the night.
But danger is closing in. Is it coming from the outside, from Ruth's past? Is Ruth reaching a breaking point? Or is the danger coming from the darkness that may live in Catherine, herself?
MY THOUGHTS: At the end, I had chills running up and down my spine!
The two main characters in Gone Tonight are chameleons, changing constantly to present to others only what they want them to know, including each other. Now, this is a mother and daughter, so you would think that they have few secrets from each other, right? WRONG! This mother has so many secrets from her daughter it made my head spin. BUT it's not a one-way street. Sweet, compliant Catherine is perhaps not quite so sweet and compliant as she seems. She has a devious streak. One she carefully keeps hidden from her mother. Until . . . .
The start to this book is deceptively slow, but it soon took a turn I wasn't expecting and got a whole lot more interesting. I can't say that, once I got to know them, I particularly liked any of these characters. Ruth, Catherine's mother, is manipulative, but she has good reason to be. I initially felt sorry for Catherine, but gradually my feelings toward her changed too. And as I said, by the time I turned the last page, I had chills running up and down my spine.
A riveting book that I read in just a little over twenty-four hours.
Gone Tonight is due for publication 03 August 2023.
⭐⭐⭐.7
#GoneTonight #NetGalley
I: @sarahpekkanen @orionbooks
X: @sarahpekkanen @orionbooks
#contemporaryfiction #crime #familydrama #mystery #thriller
THE AUTHOR: When I'm not writing or spending time with my three kids, I'm a passionate advocate for rescue animals. I serve as Ambassador of RRSA India, a shelter and sanctuary for abused and injured street dogs and other animals in Anand, India. And I work with rescue horses weekly, doing everything from mucking stalls to cleaning hooves.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Orion Publishing Group for a digital ARC of Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen for review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own personal opinions.
'I just had them in my hand.' Her voice is tinged with something darker than frustration as she begins another lap.
I should jump up from the couch and help her look for her keys so she isn't late for her shift at the diner.
But I don't want her to notice I've begun to tremble.
'Check your purse again?' I suggest.
She frowns and reaches into her shoulder bag.
My mother is organized. Methodical. Detail oriented. Her purse isn't a jumble of crumpled receipts and loose change. Sunglasses in a case, small bills facing the same way in her wallet, cherry Chapstick and hand lotion zipped into her makeup bag - it's containers within a container.
She shakes her head and walks to the raincoat hanging on a hook by the front door, searching through its pockets.
Maybe her father is absentminded. Perhaps her cousins grew distracted when they approached middle age. It could be something our relatives tease each other about when they gather for holidays.
I don't know. I've never met them.
ABOUT 'GONE TONIGHT': 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.
No one can know Ruth's history. There is a reason why Ruth kept them moving every few years, and why she was ready--in a moment's notice--to be gone in the night.
But danger is closing in. Is it coming from the outside, from Ruth's past? Is Ruth reaching a breaking point? Or is the danger coming from the darkness that may live in Catherine, herself?
MY THOUGHTS: At the end, I had chills running up and down my spine!
The two main characters in Gone Tonight are chameleons, changing constantly to present to others only what they want them to know, including each other. Now, this is a mother and daughter, so you would think that they have few secrets from each other, right? WRONG! This mother has so many secrets from her daughter it made my head spin. BUT it's not a one-way street. Sweet, compliant Catherine is perhaps not quite so sweet and compliant as she seems. She has a devious streak. One she carefully keeps hidden from her mother. Until . . . .
The start to this book is deceptively slow, but it soon took a turn I wasn't expecting and got a whole lot more interesting. I can't say that, once I got to know them, I particularly liked any of these characters. Ruth, Catherine's mother, is manipulative, but she has good reason to be. I initially felt sorry for Catherine, but gradually my feelings toward her changed too. And as I said, by the time I turned the last page, I had chills running up and down my spine.
A riveting book that I read in just a little over twenty-four hours.
Gone Tonight is due for publication 03 August 2023.
⭐⭐⭐.7
#GoneTonight #NetGalley
I: @sarahpekkanen @orionbooks
X: @sarahpekkanen @orionbooks
#contemporaryfiction #crime #familydrama #mystery #thriller
THE AUTHOR: When I'm not writing or spending time with my three kids, I'm a passionate advocate for rescue animals. I serve as Ambassador of RRSA India, a shelter and sanctuary for abused and injured street dogs and other animals in Anand, India. And I work with rescue horses weekly, doing everything from mucking stalls to cleaning hooves.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Orion Publishing Group for a digital ARC of Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen for review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own personal opinions.
June 23, 2023
3.5
Catherine Sterling is growing increasingly concerned about her mother Ruth, as she’s lost her keys, some money and some of her words. At a doctor‘s appointment, Ruth drops a bombshell that rocks Catherine’s world. Despite being estranged from her family from the age of 16, Ruth has received news of her mothers death, aged 50, from early onset Alzheimer’s. As Catherine currently works in the memory wing of a facility for those with dementia, she knows all too well what the realities are. The story is told in alternating points of view by the mother and daughter and where we start in this novel is not where we end up.
The beginning of this novel is extremely slow, and I find it hard to connect with either character, although Ruth’s is a much more interesting perspective than Catherine’s. Eventually, the storyline tracks in a different direction and it gets much more engrossing although I never warm to Catherine, who just keeps picking and picking at things! The dynamics between the two of them are fascinating and it becomes clear how huge burden Ruth is carrying. There are some good twists when the pace picks up, but nothing that is revealed especially blows my socks off. There are some things that are just too much of a stretch, especially Ruth at sixteen.
Overall, because this is pretty much the same throughout as the two bat things backwards and forwards , I find it hard to rate this higher than a three. However, it is an easy read and parts of it are very entertaining. Other readers rate this much higher than I have so I accept I’m on outlier island here!!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Orion Publishing Group for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Catherine Sterling is growing increasingly concerned about her mother Ruth, as she’s lost her keys, some money and some of her words. At a doctor‘s appointment, Ruth drops a bombshell that rocks Catherine’s world. Despite being estranged from her family from the age of 16, Ruth has received news of her mothers death, aged 50, from early onset Alzheimer’s. As Catherine currently works in the memory wing of a facility for those with dementia, she knows all too well what the realities are. The story is told in alternating points of view by the mother and daughter and where we start in this novel is not where we end up.
The beginning of this novel is extremely slow, and I find it hard to connect with either character, although Ruth’s is a much more interesting perspective than Catherine’s. Eventually, the storyline tracks in a different direction and it gets much more engrossing although I never warm to Catherine, who just keeps picking and picking at things! The dynamics between the two of them are fascinating and it becomes clear how huge burden Ruth is carrying. There are some good twists when the pace picks up, but nothing that is revealed especially blows my socks off. There are some things that are just too much of a stretch, especially Ruth at sixteen.
Overall, because this is pretty much the same throughout as the two bat things backwards and forwards , I find it hard to rate this higher than a three. However, it is an easy read and parts of it are very entertaining. Other readers rate this much higher than I have so I accept I’m on outlier island here!!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Orion Publishing Group for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
July 29, 2023
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.
June 8, 2023
It has always been Catherine and her mother, Ruth, against the world. Catherine knows her mother to be a quiet, serious, and hardworking woman. They have always been together but now Catherine wants to advance her career and doing so means moving.
Ruth will do anything to keep Catherine with her. She wasn't expecting Catherine to want to move, to question things, or to dig into her past. What secrets will be uncovered?
How well do you really know someone? How well do you know your parent(s)?
This was a gripping and hard to put down book. I enjoyed how the book is told through the past and present timelines. As more is divulged, I found myself more immersed in the story. I felt for Catherine wanting to grow and move on with her life. She is an adult now and ready to spread her wings. Ruth is fearful and willing to do whatever it takes to keep Catherine close to her. I was intrigued with why she felt the need to keep her so close. As children, we only know our parents as parents, we don't know everything about them, their pasts, their experiences, only what they choose to share with us. Ruth has not shared much at all.
This was a well written and thrilling book. I enjoyed the mounting suspense, especially in the last half of the book. There are secrets and then there are secrets!!! Wowza! So good! What an enjoyable thriller that built into a thrilling second half. I enjoyed Catherine and Ruth's mother-daughter relationship, it's an interesting dynamic. I also enjoyed the role of secrets in this book.
Sarah Pekkanen has written another thrilling book that kept me on my toes. I had both the kindle and audiobook versions of this book and found myself listening to most of the book via audiobook as the narration was so terrific.
Gripping, suspenseful, thought provoking and hard to put down!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Ruth will do anything to keep Catherine with her. She wasn't expecting Catherine to want to move, to question things, or to dig into her past. What secrets will be uncovered?
How well do you really know someone? How well do you know your parent(s)?
This was a gripping and hard to put down book. I enjoyed how the book is told through the past and present timelines. As more is divulged, I found myself more immersed in the story. I felt for Catherine wanting to grow and move on with her life. She is an adult now and ready to spread her wings. Ruth is fearful and willing to do whatever it takes to keep Catherine close to her. I was intrigued with why she felt the need to keep her so close. As children, we only know our parents as parents, we don't know everything about them, their pasts, their experiences, only what they choose to share with us. Ruth has not shared much at all.
This was a well written and thrilling book. I enjoyed the mounting suspense, especially in the last half of the book. There are secrets and then there are secrets!!! Wowza! So good! What an enjoyable thriller that built into a thrilling second half. I enjoyed Catherine and Ruth's mother-daughter relationship, it's an interesting dynamic. I also enjoyed the role of secrets in this book.
Sarah Pekkanen has written another thrilling book that kept me on my toes. I had both the kindle and audiobook versions of this book and found myself listening to most of the book via audiobook as the narration was so terrific.
Gripping, suspenseful, thought provoking and hard to put down!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
September 29, 2024
Catherine thinks she knows her mother. Ruth is quiet, hardworking and lives for her daughter. All her life it has just been the 2 of them. Now Catherine is ready to branch out on her own. The problem is that Ruth will do anything to prevent Catherine from having a life away from her.
Why?
Ruth thinks she knows her daughter. Catherine has never rebelled, never questioned anything about her mother’s past.
But…When Catherine takes steps to quelch her daughter’s independence from her, everything changes.
The story unfolds in both present time and Ruth’s past when she lived with an alcoholic mother.
Catherine works in a memory ward of a retirement home and lives with her mother who is struggling with memory loss.
When in the past, readers learn about Ruth’s childhood, the mean girls at school, her abusive mother, her loving father, the brother she tries to protect.
While in the present, we experience Catherine’s concerns over her mother and her over-protectiveness.
When things don’t add up, and Catherine chooses to investigate, she opens the door to danger and a chilling climax.
Twists. Turns. Suspenseful thriller. Expert plotting. Inherent evil.
But…Even as I say, inherent evil…
Readers have…That one last recognition…
And then ask themselves…Where does that evil truly lie?
This is when we know the author has done an incredible job of reeling her readers in…
Where nothing is as it seems… And… We must read everything up to that very last page.
Why?
Ruth thinks she knows her daughter. Catherine has never rebelled, never questioned anything about her mother’s past.
But…When Catherine takes steps to quelch her daughter’s independence from her, everything changes.
The story unfolds in both present time and Ruth’s past when she lived with an alcoholic mother.
Catherine works in a memory ward of a retirement home and lives with her mother who is struggling with memory loss.
When in the past, readers learn about Ruth’s childhood, the mean girls at school, her abusive mother, her loving father, the brother she tries to protect.
While in the present, we experience Catherine’s concerns over her mother and her over-protectiveness.
When things don’t add up, and Catherine chooses to investigate, she opens the door to danger and a chilling climax.
Twists. Turns. Suspenseful thriller. Expert plotting. Inherent evil.
But…Even as I say, inherent evil…
Readers have…That one last recognition…
And then ask themselves…Where does that evil truly lie?
This is when we know the author has done an incredible job of reeling her readers in…
Where nothing is as it seems… And… We must read everything up to that very last page.
June 14, 2023
TW: Sexual Assault
Catherine and her mother Ruth have always had each other for support. But when Ruth starts exhibiting signs of early onset Alzheimer’s, Catherine’s hopes and plans come crashing to a halt. Ruth has always avoided discussing anything from her past, and with her memory degrading, Catherine tries to learn as much as possible about her childhood. But when she notices some inconsistencies in Ruth’s stories, Catherine begins to wonder if her mother has been telling her the truth and what exactly she is so desperate to leave in the past.
I quite liked how the author chose to tell this story. It is told from the dual POV of Catherine and her mother, Ruth. Both POVs were intriguing and in combination told an interesting and well-fleshed out story. The characterization was good between the two and there was minimal overlap between their sections, which kept the story moving at a good pace.
There were several times where I thought I knew where a subplot or hint was going to lead, but I ended up being wrong. These red herrings were skillfully incorporated and made the plot and characters feel well rounded without leaving any unfulfilling dead ends. That being said, the larger plot was relatively predictable towards the end, but I still quite enjoyed how it was executed. The author also did a great job at incorporating tension throughout the read, especially during the second half of the book. Even with the dual POVs and the portions told in the past, the story never felt slow.
What sold me on this one was how different it is from so many of the mystery/suspense books I’ve read recently. It didn’t have me on the edge of my seat, but it did keep me entertained from beginning to end. I listened to the audiobook version of this work, and I’d recommend reading it rather than listening – only one narrator is used for both POVs, which made it difficult to distinguish which narrator was which, and the narrator was generally monotone, making it less engaging than it could have been. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work, which will be published 1 August 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Catherine and her mother Ruth have always had each other for support. But when Ruth starts exhibiting signs of early onset Alzheimer’s, Catherine’s hopes and plans come crashing to a halt. Ruth has always avoided discussing anything from her past, and with her memory degrading, Catherine tries to learn as much as possible about her childhood. But when she notices some inconsistencies in Ruth’s stories, Catherine begins to wonder if her mother has been telling her the truth and what exactly she is so desperate to leave in the past.
I quite liked how the author chose to tell this story. It is told from the dual POV of Catherine and her mother, Ruth. Both POVs were intriguing and in combination told an interesting and well-fleshed out story. The characterization was good between the two and there was minimal overlap between their sections, which kept the story moving at a good pace.
There were several times where I thought I knew where a subplot or hint was going to lead, but I ended up being wrong. These red herrings were skillfully incorporated and made the plot and characters feel well rounded without leaving any unfulfilling dead ends. That being said, the larger plot was relatively predictable towards the end, but I still quite enjoyed how it was executed. The author also did a great job at incorporating tension throughout the read, especially during the second half of the book. Even with the dual POVs and the portions told in the past, the story never felt slow.
What sold me on this one was how different it is from so many of the mystery/suspense books I’ve read recently. It didn’t have me on the edge of my seat, but it did keep me entertained from beginning to end. I listened to the audiobook version of this work, and I’d recommend reading it rather than listening – only one narrator is used for both POVs, which made it difficult to distinguish which narrator was which, and the narrator was generally monotone, making it less engaging than it could have been. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work, which will be published 1 August 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
September 21, 2023
Well-crafted! As Ruth's story slowly unravels, the author takes great care to provide the details needed to make the story plausible. Only one thing needed a bit more attention -- Ruth's fear of retribution didn't seem well-founded given the scenes the author painted. I kept wondering how she knew with certainty she was a target and why she never considered alternate possibilities; I understood her reasoning, but I didn't see it for myself. A few more words and actions during the critical scene may have swayed me towards her position instead of me viewing her as paranoid and only focusing on one potential outcome.
From start to finish, you find yourself thinking about what you would do if you were in the same position as these characters. The choices made spur of the moment, those made with forethought, and even the mistakes you might/would have made, all come to mind as you read on to see how it will all turn out. An enjoyable read set in a time when an ugly past could still be run away from.
From start to finish, you find yourself thinking about what you would do if you were in the same position as these characters. The choices made spur of the moment, those made with forethought, and even the mistakes you might/would have made, all come to mind as you read on to see how it will all turn out. An enjoyable read set in a time when an ugly past could still be run away from.
June 8, 2023
Everyone seems to really think this was the bees knees, but unfortunately for me it fell . . . .
I knew the first big reveal at only the 4% mark, but had to wait until 31% for confirmation. The journal entries regarding the past were quite deliciously horrible, but I found the present to be so lackluster until nearly the halfway mark that I was really just slogging through. And the last 25% could have been condensed to a few chapters and wrapped things up perfectly fine. So there you have it. Every reader has a different experience with each book they pick up. I wish I would have enjoyed this one as much as all of my friends did.
2.5 Stars
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
I knew the first big reveal at only the 4% mark, but had to wait until 31% for confirmation. The journal entries regarding the past were quite deliciously horrible, but I found the present to be so lackluster until nearly the halfway mark that I was really just slogging through. And the last 25% could have been condensed to a few chapters and wrapped things up perfectly fine. So there you have it. Every reader has a different experience with each book they pick up. I wish I would have enjoyed this one as much as all of my friends did.
2.5 Stars
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
January 1, 2024
Ruth Sterling has misplaced her keys in the past. She’s even lost her train of thought. What really worried her daughter, Catherine, however, is when she starts forgetting what ice cubes are called or how to get home from the corner store. A recent grad from nursing school who specializes in geriatrics, Catherine has been working part-time in a memory care unit and she knows full well what all of these symptoms mean. Unsurprisingly, they scare her out of her mind.
Unfortunately, the potential diagnosis couldn’t come at a worse time. Set to move to a new city after scoring her first job as a new nurse, Catherine was about to leave Ruth’s side for the very first time in her life. But despite the ramifications it will have for her own situation, she can’t possibly abandon her mother now. After all, Catherine’s well aware of the sobering reality that is facing Ruth so how could she walk away—especially given the fact that it’s always been the two of them against the world.
As the piece of Catherine’s history that lives in her mother’s mind is about to be erased, she decides it’s about time she learned everything she possibly can about her mother and their shared past. Previously, all discussions of that nature were avoided like the plague and, for the most part, Catherine has let it go. Now that those facts are set to disappear for good, though, she’s determined to learn everything she can while she still has the chance.
Ruth, however, is hiding more than Catherine ever knew. As her daughter starts raking up the past, the consequences could be devastating for them both. But Catherine is hiding what she’s been up to as she’s well aware that her mother wouldn’t approve. What dark truths has Ruth been hiding for the past twenty-four years? And what will happen when all of the secrets and lies are finally exposed?
If you haven’t yet read anything by the dynamite duo of Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendricks, you’re really missing out, which is how I knew I just had to grab the former’s first solo thriller. Now, after closing the cover of Gone Tonight, I am awe-struck by Pekkanen’s whip-smart, heart-pounding excursion into the genre that she single-handedly filled with slow-burning tension that won me over hook, line, and sinker.
Starting from the top, the mother-daughter relationship was where this story utterly shined. A mix of thickly layered secrets and a well-tested bond, it was complex and complete in a way that few fictional relationships seem to be. What made them resonate all the more, however, were the rich backstories and eloquent character development for both of the central identities. Told via alternating POVs, they each rang with distinct personalities that made this book easy to read and profoundly compelling.
As for the plot, it was truly top-notch. Starting off with what one might consider a slow burn start, it felt nothing like what I would expect as the ground was peppered with lies and secrets that kept me spellbound. And, while not overflowing with twists and turns, the few that I found hit just right, sending my constantly guessing brain in the completely wrong direction every single time. Packed full of suspense and a very real feeling of growing unease, there was no doubt in my mind that this came from a true master of the written word.
What really made this into what is sure to be a favorite for 2023, however, was what came in the last third of the book. After all, when the truly epic climax rolled around, I found myself reading so fast that I actually had to stop myself from skimming, as I yearned to discover what was going to happen to these two captivating individuals. While perhaps mildly over-the-top, it still managed to hit just the right chord and pull me even deeper into the story. As for the conclusion, it actually brought tears to my eyes and, IYKYK, but that’s thoroughly unusual for a thriller, domestic or otherwise.
All said and done, Pekkanen absolutely hit it out of the park on this solo thriller debut that was crammed full of suspense but also explored the intricacies of the parent-child bond. A deftly written story that actually made me forget I was reading, I stayed up altogether too late just to finish as I literally could not put this one down. The best way for me to explain how blown away I was by this book is to declare that Pekkanen has firmly implanted her name on my auto-buy author list. So if you haven’t yet grabbed your own copy of this completely original novel that was also shockingly plausible, take this as your siren’s call to do just that. Rating of 5+ stars.
👉 Be sure to head to my Amazon Storefront to order. I get a small commission and would love your support!
Trigger warning: dementia, bullying, child abuse, gaslighting, alcoholism, molestation, running away from home, getting caught in a fire, strangulation, mention of: teen pregnancy
*Note about the TW: If you have first-hand experience with dementia, you may want to give this one a wide berth.
Unfortunately, the potential diagnosis couldn’t come at a worse time. Set to move to a new city after scoring her first job as a new nurse, Catherine was about to leave Ruth’s side for the very first time in her life. But despite the ramifications it will have for her own situation, she can’t possibly abandon her mother now. After all, Catherine’s well aware of the sobering reality that is facing Ruth so how could she walk away—especially given the fact that it’s always been the two of them against the world.
As the piece of Catherine’s history that lives in her mother’s mind is about to be erased, she decides it’s about time she learned everything she possibly can about her mother and their shared past. Previously, all discussions of that nature were avoided like the plague and, for the most part, Catherine has let it go. Now that those facts are set to disappear for good, though, she’s determined to learn everything she can while she still has the chance.
Ruth, however, is hiding more than Catherine ever knew. As her daughter starts raking up the past, the consequences could be devastating for them both. But Catherine is hiding what she’s been up to as she’s well aware that her mother wouldn’t approve. What dark truths has Ruth been hiding for the past twenty-four years? And what will happen when all of the secrets and lies are finally exposed?
If you haven’t yet read anything by the dynamite duo of Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendricks, you’re really missing out, which is how I knew I just had to grab the former’s first solo thriller. Now, after closing the cover of Gone Tonight, I am awe-struck by Pekkanen’s whip-smart, heart-pounding excursion into the genre that she single-handedly filled with slow-burning tension that won me over hook, line, and sinker.
Starting from the top, the mother-daughter relationship was where this story utterly shined. A mix of thickly layered secrets and a well-tested bond, it was complex and complete in a way that few fictional relationships seem to be. What made them resonate all the more, however, were the rich backstories and eloquent character development for both of the central identities. Told via alternating POVs, they each rang with distinct personalities that made this book easy to read and profoundly compelling.
As for the plot, it was truly top-notch. Starting off with what one might consider a slow burn start, it felt nothing like what I would expect as the ground was peppered with lies and secrets that kept me spellbound. And, while not overflowing with twists and turns, the few that I found hit just right, sending my constantly guessing brain in the completely wrong direction every single time. Packed full of suspense and a very real feeling of growing unease, there was no doubt in my mind that this came from a true master of the written word.
What really made this into what is sure to be a favorite for 2023, however, was what came in the last third of the book. After all, when the truly epic climax rolled around, I found myself reading so fast that I actually had to stop myself from skimming, as I yearned to discover what was going to happen to these two captivating individuals. While perhaps mildly over-the-top, it still managed to hit just the right chord and pull me even deeper into the story. As for the conclusion, it actually brought tears to my eyes and, IYKYK, but that’s thoroughly unusual for a thriller, domestic or otherwise.
All said and done, Pekkanen absolutely hit it out of the park on this solo thriller debut that was crammed full of suspense but also explored the intricacies of the parent-child bond. A deftly written story that actually made me forget I was reading, I stayed up altogether too late just to finish as I literally could not put this one down. The best way for me to explain how blown away I was by this book is to declare that Pekkanen has firmly implanted her name on my auto-buy author list. So if you haven’t yet grabbed your own copy of this completely original novel that was also shockingly plausible, take this as your siren’s call to do just that. Rating of 5+ stars.
👉 Be sure to head to my Amazon Storefront to order. I get a small commission and would love your support!
Trigger warning: dementia, bullying, child abuse, gaslighting, alcoholism, molestation, running away from home, getting caught in a fire, strangulation, mention of: teen pregnancy
*Note about the TW: If you have first-hand experience with dementia, you may want to give this one a wide berth.
August 1, 2023
Update 8/1/23: Reposting my review to celebrate that today is publication day!
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Publishing Group for sending me an ARC of Gone Tonight in exchange for an honest review.
20-something Catherine Sterling and her 40-something mother Ruth have always been unusually close. It’s always been them against the world: no other living family, moving every few years, and never having enough money. Things are looking up, though. Catherine is a nurse who just got offered a new job at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. When Ruth begins showing symptoms of early onset Alzheimer’s, Catherine is devastated and decides she has to stay in Pittsburgh to help. But when Catherine begins to suspect that Ruth is faking the illness to keep her from leaving, she decides it’s time to finally dig into Ruth’s past and find out why they’ve really been on the run all her life.
Gone Tonight is a well-plotted thriller. Told in alternating perspectives between Catherine, who slowly begins to suspect that her mother has been hiding important information about her past from her, and Ruth, who has absolutely been hiding important information about her past from her daughter. I especially liked that the reader learns Ruth’s secret much earlier than is typical in these types of stories. The story moves at a good pace, one that ratchets up in the final scenes. While I have to say the story on the whole was somewhat predictable, there were a couple of late twists that were solid. Another entertaining thriller from Ms. Pekkanen. Recommended.
I’ve succeeded in not repeating my mother’s mistakes. But I’ve made new ones that are all my own. Terrible ones that have caused my daughter unnecessary pain.
…
I guess I’ve never really looked at my mother as an individual. She has always felt more like a planet that orbits around me. Maybe that’s true for most daughters, at least until we reach a certain point in adulthood. We define our mothers through the lens of how they relate to us.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Publishing Group for sending me an ARC of Gone Tonight in exchange for an honest review.
20-something Catherine Sterling and her 40-something mother Ruth have always been unusually close. It’s always been them against the world: no other living family, moving every few years, and never having enough money. Things are looking up, though. Catherine is a nurse who just got offered a new job at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. When Ruth begins showing symptoms of early onset Alzheimer’s, Catherine is devastated and decides she has to stay in Pittsburgh to help. But when Catherine begins to suspect that Ruth is faking the illness to keep her from leaving, she decides it’s time to finally dig into Ruth’s past and find out why they’ve really been on the run all her life.
Gone Tonight is a well-plotted thriller. Told in alternating perspectives between Catherine, who slowly begins to suspect that her mother has been hiding important information about her past from her, and Ruth, who has absolutely been hiding important information about her past from her daughter. I especially liked that the reader learns Ruth’s secret much earlier than is typical in these types of stories. The story moves at a good pace, one that ratchets up in the final scenes. While I have to say the story on the whole was somewhat predictable, there were a couple of late twists that were solid. Another entertaining thriller from Ms. Pekkanen. Recommended.
August 2, 2023
3.5⭐
Genre ~ domestic mystery
Publication date ~ August 1, 2023
Page Count ~ 337
Audio length ~ 10 hours 9 minutes
Narrator ~ Kate Mara
POV ~ dual 1st
Featuring ~ 3 act story, dual timeline, se*ual assault, secrets and lies, of course
Catherine is trying to leave the nest at 24, but her mother, Ruth, is doing everything she can to prevent that from happening. As a mother of a daughter I can say too that I never want my baby to leave me, but at some point I know I'll have to be okay with it. Does Ruth take it a little too far, though? Yep.
I see it's not in the blurb, so I'll be vague~ish ~ I did not like Ruth's lie that she told Catherine in order for her to not move away. This is something that scares me and I hope to never have to experience it in my life. I wish a different lie was told because I do see the reasoning of why she had to protect her.
Why Ruth tells all the lies is not a real mystery to us readers, but it's a mystery to Catherine as she tries to piece together Ruth's life. Ruth writes journal entries that give a glimpse into her past and why she had to hightail it. Is how she got away plausible? Nah, not really. A bit slow going at points with a couple of suspenseful moments. An overall decent thriller.
Narration notes:
I suppose Kate did a fine job, but I really could have went for a 2nd narrator. Kate has that younger sounding voice, which was fine for Catherine, but for Ruth she didn't even try to alter her voice to sound different at all. Luckily each chapter stated who was talking, so I wasn't super confused. She hardly gave much emotion at all either. Since it's dual 1st person, with different aged women, I would absolutely expect dual narrators. Honestly, this took me out of the story a little bit, so I'd recommend reading if this is something that might bother you.
*Thanks to the author, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ domestic mystery
Publication date ~ August 1, 2023
Page Count ~ 337
Audio length ~ 10 hours 9 minutes
Narrator ~ Kate Mara
POV ~ dual 1st
Featuring ~ 3 act story, dual timeline, se*ual assault, secrets and lies, of course
Catherine is trying to leave the nest at 24, but her mother, Ruth, is doing everything she can to prevent that from happening. As a mother of a daughter I can say too that I never want my baby to leave me, but at some point I know I'll have to be okay with it. Does Ruth take it a little too far, though? Yep.
I see it's not in the blurb, so I'll be vague~ish ~ I did not like Ruth's lie that she told Catherine in order for her to not move away. This is something that scares me and I hope to never have to experience it in my life. I wish a different lie was told because I do see the reasoning of why she had to protect her.
Why Ruth tells all the lies is not a real mystery to us readers, but it's a mystery to Catherine as she tries to piece together Ruth's life. Ruth writes journal entries that give a glimpse into her past and why she had to hightail it. Is how she got away plausible? Nah, not really. A bit slow going at points with a couple of suspenseful moments. An overall decent thriller.
Narration notes:
I suppose Kate did a fine job, but I really could have went for a 2nd narrator. Kate has that younger sounding voice, which was fine for Catherine, but for Ruth she didn't even try to alter her voice to sound different at all. Luckily each chapter stated who was talking, so I wasn't super confused. She hardly gave much emotion at all either. Since it's dual 1st person, with different aged women, I would absolutely expect dual narrators. Honestly, this took me out of the story a little bit, so I'd recommend reading if this is something that might bother you.
*Thanks to the author, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
July 29, 2023
Gone Tonight is a gripping tale that dives into the relationship between a mother and her daughter. Sarah Pekkanen skillfully flips the familiar trope of "how well do you know your children" to ask, "how well do you know your mother?" As Catherine ventures towards independence, she uncovers a web of secrets that Ruth, her devoted mother, has shielded from her, and she is determined to uncover the truth.
One of the strengths of this book is the dual perspectives of Ruth and Catherine. It gives us insights into their thoughts and actions, allowing us to know things the other characters don't know yet. I found myself fully engrossed, on the edge of my seat, often shouting at them, urging them to make the right choices.
The pacing is spot-on, building tension as the secrets unravel, endangering both characters. The revelations lead to a thrilling climax that delivers a satisfying and rewarding payoff.
Traveling Friends Read
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley
One of the strengths of this book is the dual perspectives of Ruth and Catherine. It gives us insights into their thoughts and actions, allowing us to know things the other characters don't know yet. I found myself fully engrossed, on the edge of my seat, often shouting at them, urging them to make the right choices.
The pacing is spot-on, building tension as the secrets unravel, endangering both characters. The revelations lead to a thrilling climax that delivers a satisfying and rewarding payoff.
Traveling Friends Read
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley
August 5, 2023
Ruth Sterling and her daughter Catherine are very close but how well do they really know each other. There are so many reviews of this book that, rather than me synopsising the story, I recommend you read the blurb or some other reviews to get the gist.
The story is told in alternating chapters by Ruth and Catherine plus Ruth is keeping a journal shedding light on her past which she has kept from her daughter all these years. It's a very slow book with much repetition of basic information. Things got a little more interesting towards the end but I had suspected how things would progress. I didn't care much for either of the main characters but the chapters are short and it's a pretty quick read. I'll be joining some of you on outlier island as I'm giving this one 2.5 stars, rounded up.
TW:
My thanks to St. Martin's Press via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: August 1, 2023
The story is told in alternating chapters by Ruth and Catherine plus Ruth is keeping a journal shedding light on her past which she has kept from her daughter all these years. It's a very slow book with much repetition of basic information. Things got a little more interesting towards the end but I had suspected how things would progress. I didn't care much for either of the main characters but the chapters are short and it's a pretty quick read. I'll be joining some of you on outlier island as I'm giving this one 2.5 stars, rounded up.
TW:
My thanks to St. Martin's Press via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: August 1, 2023
July 5, 2023
Looking for something original? Twisty? Well-written?
Author Sarah Pekkanen has taken the road less travelled with this thriller and it has made all the difference in the world! I love it when an author can bring something new and fresh to the table.
The success of this book is secrets; some the reader is privy to and some they aren’t. The delicate balance is expertly crafted by Pekkanen and her twists come out of left field.
Pekkanen explores dysfunctional relationships and highlights the lengths a parent will go to protect a child. The Sterling girls will leave you gobsmacked. Guaranteed.
I was gifted this copy by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Author Sarah Pekkanen has taken the road less travelled with this thriller and it has made all the difference in the world! I love it when an author can bring something new and fresh to the table.
The success of this book is secrets; some the reader is privy to and some they aren’t. The delicate balance is expertly crafted by Pekkanen and her twists come out of left field.
Pekkanen explores dysfunctional relationships and highlights the lengths a parent will go to protect a child. The Sterling girls will leave you gobsmacked. Guaranteed.
I was gifted this copy by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
January 30, 2023
I’ve been a fan of the writing duo Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen since their debut novel The Wife Between Us in 2018. So when I learned that Sarah Pekkanen had written a solo novel, I was immediately interested it read it it.
Gone Tonight centers around single mother Ruth Sterling and her daughter Catherine. Ruth has struggled as a single mom to give Catherine the best life possible and will do anything to keep her safe. For all of Catherine’s life, her mother has been her entire world- her best friend and only family. Catherine knows nothing about Ruth’s life before her birth since Ruth keeps her past a secret. Catherine becomes suspicious of her mom's History when she catches Ruth up in a couple of lies. As Catherine starts to dig into Ruth’s past, she soon learns that maybe Ruth had a good reason to keep her History a secret.
The story is told in three parts and switches between Catherine and Ruth’s point of views. Ruth’s point of view alternates between past and present.
The beginning introduces the reader to the characters. Soon after the mystery is revealed I found myself absolutely enthralled in Ruth’s story. I really enjoyed reading from both pov’s but my favorites were the parts told from Ruth’s pov in the past. Slowly the pieces of the puzzle come together and in part three the story takes an electrifying spin that kept me on the edge of my seat dying to know what would happen next!
Sarah Pekkanan is an amazing storyteller alone or with Greer Hendricks. I see a lot of thriller readers enjoying Gone Tonight as much as I did! Gone Tonight will be available on August 1. A massive thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the copy!
Gone Tonight centers around single mother Ruth Sterling and her daughter Catherine. Ruth has struggled as a single mom to give Catherine the best life possible and will do anything to keep her safe. For all of Catherine’s life, her mother has been her entire world- her best friend and only family. Catherine knows nothing about Ruth’s life before her birth since Ruth keeps her past a secret. Catherine becomes suspicious of her mom's History when she catches Ruth up in a couple of lies. As Catherine starts to dig into Ruth’s past, she soon learns that maybe Ruth had a good reason to keep her History a secret.
The story is told in three parts and switches between Catherine and Ruth’s point of views. Ruth’s point of view alternates between past and present.
The beginning introduces the reader to the characters. Soon after the mystery is revealed I found myself absolutely enthralled in Ruth’s story. I really enjoyed reading from both pov’s but my favorites were the parts told from Ruth’s pov in the past. Slowly the pieces of the puzzle come together and in part three the story takes an electrifying spin that kept me on the edge of my seat dying to know what would happen next!
Sarah Pekkanan is an amazing storyteller alone or with Greer Hendricks. I see a lot of thriller readers enjoying Gone Tonight as much as I did! Gone Tonight will be available on August 1. A massive thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the copy!
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