
Member Reviews

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

I absolutely loved this book. Just the right amount of family drama/suspense/twists/thrills. The first few chapters as the story unfolded of a sick mother and a daughter needing to care for her had me wondering if this would be a slow book to get into. It wasn’t. The suspense quickly ramped up and grabbed my attention. This book shows the intense love a mother has for her child and how she’ll do anything to protect them. Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this amazing book.

This book sucked me in right from the first page. The dysfunctional relationship between Ruth and Catherine kept me wanting to find out more, and there were times when I didn’t know who to believe. The only thing preventing me from giving this book five stars is I feel like the plot kind of fell flat after the climax occurred, and I found myself losing my engagement from the book. Overall, great story line, great character development, and a solid ending. Anyone who enjoys suspense will definitely enjoy this “what’s gonna happen next” novel!

Sarah is one of my favorite writers in the world and the person that inspired my own creative writing projects! This one will not disappoint… I cannot wait for her next one already!!!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC! This book was so good from the very beginning I was hooked!!! To say I was shocked with the twist would be an understatement. If you like fast paced and unexpected twists this one is for you!!!

After several writing collaborations, Sarah Pekkanen is back with a solo novel - Gone Tonight.
"Catherine Sterling and her mom, Ruth, have always been close. Catherine is ready to take a new job in another city but Ruth is reluctant to let her go. Ruth wants to protect her daughter no matter what it takes.
Because there are things about her past that Ruth has kept secret...dangerous secrets..."
Dual POVs in this book - Ruth and Catherine. It's a slow start. But as Ruth reveals an incident in her past the story takes on a different tone. The pace picks up as Catherine searches for the truth about her mother and and Ruth tries to stop her. A wild ending from Pekkanen and maybe the hope of a sequel ...
Add this to your Fall reading list. Great new fiction from Pekkanen.

When I began my reading experience of this title, I thought that there was a dreadful mistake. What I had perceived as a suspense thriller, began like a mother-daughter contemporary. However, I soon realized that Sarah Pekkanen was lulling me into a false sense of security. In fact, it wasn't too long before I felt the pain of the rug being tugged from under my feet.
Ruth and Catherine are our two narrators here and as the narrative bounces from one to another, I found myself consumed with solving the puzzle. It was a fast-paced plot and as some things were revealed new questions popped up.
Definitely a late summer hit!
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
Expected Publication 01/08/23
Goodreads Review 05/07/23

WOW!
I can't believe the rapid roller coaster ride Sarah Pekkanen took me on with this book. The story went to heights I never saw coming with details that kept upping the previous ones.
The story is incredibly descriptive with characters that were so well developed I felt as if I knew them. At times, I thought Ruth/Ava might be a bit too paranoid--but then--holy cow-- more information would come into play, and I would once again be thoroughly surprised. !
This was an incredible book--unlike any plot I have come across before. Definitely worth every bit of the 5 stars I am giving it.

Wow! What did I just read? The publisher's blurb offers very little information as to what this book is about, which gives the reader the opportunity to truly go in blind to the story.
Ruth Sterling is your typical overprotective mother who will do anything for her child. Catherine Sterling is your typical child who is ready to go out on her own and start her career as a nurse. At least that's the plan until her mother is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and Catherine knows she needs to stick around and keep her mother safe. And from there, the author takes the reader on a wild ride that you wouldn't have expected from how the story was initially set up.
If you are looking for a quick read that has you on the edge of your seat with anticipation, then this is the book for you. I enjoyed the alternating points of view as well as the overall storyline. Sure, you may predict some of the twists and turns, but the author does a great job keeping you guessing until the end.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review.

As a single mom, it's always been just Ruth and her daughter, Catherine. When Catherine graduates college with plans to move away, Ruth will stop at nothing to keep her at home. Catherine has always believed her mother to be a generous, protective mother who has worked hard to give her everything she's needed but things begin to feel very off when the time to move draws near. Does Catherine really know her mom? Will she be able to figure out what Ruth is so adamant to hide about her past?

Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen explores the intricate dynamics between Catherine Sterling and her mother, Ruth. With Catherine's aspirations for independence conflicting with Ruth's desire to keep her close, their relationship is tested as a web of deception begins to expose long-held secrets and vulnerabilities.I found the premise of Gone Tonight intriguing, but it turned out to be a slow burn without much mystery, leaning more towards suspense. I found the pacing of the book to be extremely slow. The dual perspectives of Ruth and Catherine added depth, but I was more captivated by Ruth's narrative and the flashbacks to her high school days. Unfortunately, Catherine's perspective felt lacking and didn't contribute much to the overall story. I was disappointed that the author didn't delve deeper into a particular relationship in the flashbacks as it left some confusion regarding what goes in the present towards the end of the book. One of the characters felt severely underdeveloped and should have been explored further considering their importance in the book. Regarding the format, I wouldn't recommend the audiobook due to the single narrator reading both perspectives. It became confusing and distinct voices for each character would have been preferable. The narrator's voice was also monotonous which caused me to zone out from time to time so I ending up switching to the ebook. Reading the ebook enhanced the experience as the alternating chapters were clearly distinguished, making it easier to spot the clues leading to the conclusion. Considering my mixed feelings about this book and giving it three stars, this isn’t one I would recommend. However, if it's on your TBR, you may still give it a try.

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

5 stars-This book takes you on such a roller coaster ride. I generally write more in my reviews, but in this case, I think the less you know going into it, the better your reading experience will be. The summary may even say too much in my opinion, but I was still SHOCKED and awed by this one! Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc. All opinions are expressed are my own (but go preorder this one and clear your schedule! You won’t want to put it down.)

5.0
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of crimes.” 🎵 Katherine and Ruth have a tenuous and symbiotic relationship that leads them to be forever intertwined. This book took me on a perilous journey to show our family members aren’t always who we think they are. The characters were well developed and I enjoyed Sarah’a writing. The best part of the whole book is the audio narration by Kate Mara. Truly a gifted actor and reader. Would love to listen to any future books she does…definitely recommend for a semi dark thriller that takes you on a ride!

I loved this! I have read all of Sarah's novels with Greer Hendricks and liked them, so I was intrigued to pick this up. It was very twisty and fun, and definitely kept me on the edge of my seat, needing to know the answers. I definitely recommend this.

Gone Tonight is a slow burn suspense featuring mother-daughter duo Ruth and Catherine Sterling. For Catherine’s entire life, it’s just been her and her single mother against the rest of the world. Now Catherine is grown, a recently graduated nurse ready to fly the nest for a prestigious position at Johns Hopkins, when Ruth starts exhibiting some terrifying symptoms of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. As the story progresses, we learn just how far a mother will go to keep her daughter safe and her secrets hidden.
I hoped I would love this book because I’m a big fan of the novels that Sarah Pekkanen has co-authored with Greer Hendricks, but it ended up being only okay. I did enjoy the dual POV structure, a bit of cat and mouse between Ruth and Catherine with who knew what and who was hiding what from whom. I also liked the way Ruth’s past was revealed through her journal entries. The short chapters kept me engaged and turning the pages, but overall this story didn’t work for me as a thriller. The twists felt predictable and it was far too easy for Catherine to solve everything. There were also some plot points that just didn’t sit well with me, but I want to keep this review spoiler-free so I'll leave it at that.
I’m definitely in the minority on this one, as many more reviewers really enjoyed this book, so don’t let my middle-of-the-road rating dissuade you from picking this one up. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Wow! This book was awesome! This book is told from dual perspectives, Ruth is a mom with a troubled secret past that is struggling with early on set Alzheimer’s. Catherine is Ruth’s daughter who is struggling with helping her mom with Alzheimer’s, her own future and her moms past. She feels like her mom has been lying to her and she starts to research why. In the meantime, Ruth is telling her story in a journal that she plans for Catherine to have eventually.
There are so many twists and shocking events in this story that you didn’t expect. I really enjoyed the cat and mouse game! I highly recommend for someone who is looking for a quick, twisty thriller read!
Thank you to NetGalley, St Martins Press and Sarah Pekkanen for the opportunity to read this book early! My honest review is completely my own.

What lengths will you go to to protect your family?
Well, I really enjoyed that one! I liked the way the story was told, in alternating POVs between Catherine and her mother, Ruth, and also inside of Ruth's POVs, flashbacks told in journal entries. It really tied the story together and, in the end, tied it up nicely. I also liked the morality questions tucked neatly into the story. A fascinating psychological thriller (don't worry, you'll get there). I've enjoyed most of duo Hendricks/Pekkanen novels but this was my first solo Pekkanen. Won't be my last!

Catherine has only ever had her mom, Ruth. When Ruth starts exhibiting signs of Alzheimer’s, Catherine is devastated. However, she soon starts to doubt her mom is telling the truth. Ruth has her own secrets besides this that come out as Catherine investigates.
I think this has some good moments of thrill/suspense especially with some of the twists. Between that though, I felt like it was slow at times. I think it was more the writing style rather than the actual plot. I enjoyed it overall, but I didn’t feel like I couldn’t put it down, which is my trademark of a great thriller.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for an ARC of Gone Tonight!
POSITIVES:
The setting and location are accurate. I grew up in New Castle and live in Youngstown. It’s clear the author did her research.
The author is very skilled at writing thrillers where two time periods seem SO far apart that they couldn’t possibly connect — but then the twists make the story come together at the end.
NEGATIVES:
The mean girls seemed over the top mean. They were not realistic.
I also felt like the story drug in some regards and could have been shorter.