This is an amazing story about a mother and daughters bond and how far a mother will go to protect her daughter.

I love that it is written in past and present perspectives allowing you to learn more about Ruth and her past. Ruth, a single moms memory has been getting worse by the day. Catherine, Ruths daughter starts digging in her mothers secrets and begins to wonder who her mom really is. How far will a mother go to protect her daughter?

A twisty page turner that did not disappoint and leaves you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Ruth and her daughter Catherine have an exceptionally close bond. It's always just been the two of them. As a pregnant teenager, Ruth was cast out of her home and Catherine's father has never been present. Mother and daughter have moved from apartment to apartment over the years, something without warning, always without explanation. Catherine is not sure what Ruth is running from or towards, but the rootless existence they have cultivated together is something she has come to reluctantly accept.

As a twenty-something woman now, however, Catherine is yearning to break out on her own and claim some normal adult independence.. She's been accepted into the nursing program at John Hopkins hospital in Baltimore and she is eager to move to a different city and embrace change.

Ruth however, has started exhibiting troubling lapses in memory. She's misplacing items in random places, losing focus, and growing increasingly frustrated in trying to express herself.

When Ruth's doctor diagnoses early onset Alzheimer's, Catherine is understandably heartbroken. How can she leave now? Who will care for her mother?

However, as Catherine begins to probe into her mother's mysterious past for answers, she is stunned by what she uncovers. Who is her mother really? Catherine is not sure that she knows anymore. And it may be more critical than ever to understand .

This was a great, slow-building, twisty thriller that delivered steady ripples of shock waves until the final crowning twist! Pekkanen holds her audience enthrall with this bingeable thriller. I highly recommend to get this on your TBR immediately!

Ruth Sterling begins to show signs of Alzheimer's disease - she has lost her keys, cash, and way with words. Her daughter, Catherine, was about to embark on a new journey to Baltimore, where she secured a job as a nurse at John Hopkins. However, with Ruth's health and future in question, Catherine needs to be close to her mother. She currently works in a unit with individuals suffering from Alzheimer's and dementia, so she is aware of the grave statistics.

Catherine is also curious about her mother's past. It has always just been Ruth and Catherine. Catherine knows nothing about Ruth's life growing up or her past relationships. Catherine does not know her father. Catherine wonders if there is some dark reason why her mother does not want her to know about the past. As Catherine begins digging, she realizes Ruth has told her many lies over the years. Who is Ruth?

This was a great read that definitely amped up as the book progressed. In the thriller genre, we often see similar storylines. However, I found Gone Tonight's plot line refreshingly new. I could not put it down! I was eager to see how Catherine and Ruth's stories played out. The author did an excellent job at creating a thought-provoking and clever story. The twists and turns really had me thinking and were not obvious. Definitely a must read!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

**Gone Tonight** is a testament to how we never really know the people we are closest to. For Catherine’s whole life, it’s been her and her mother, Ruth. They didn’t have any connection to Ruth’s life before giving birth to Catherine. They worked hard and struggled to live on Ruth’s wages as a waitress, but they survived. Catherine studied to become a nurse and was ready to become more independent until Ruth began to show signs of dementia. Hoping she can help her mother, Catherine is determined to uncover the facts about her mother’s past before she loses Ruth.

Told through dual POVs, we follow Catherine’s search for answers and Ruth’s efforts to hide the truth. I thought I saw where this book was going, but the plot twists kept coming and the characters surprised me all the way to the ending.

I became a fan of Sarah Pekkanen through her collaboration with Greer Hendricks. Together, they wrote four excellent domestic thrillers. I liked all of them, but **An Anonymous Girl** is my favorite so far. Over the last few years, I’ve added several of Pekkanen’s earlier books to my TBR pile and am working my way through them.

Thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for sending me an advanced copy of the novel.

I love a structured buddy read. When my Sleuth Crew chose this for our June buddy read, I figured we’d be in for great discussions! I was not disappointed! We had some wild theories but none of us were able to suss out all the twists and turns in this one!

Told in three parts, this mother and daughter story is full of deception at every turn. Catherine knows nothing of her mother’s sordid past and Rose will do everything in her power to keep it that way. And when I say everything…I mean it. Sarah Pekkanen proves yet again she knows how to write a nail-biting thriller full of break-neck twists that is sure to suck you in until you’ve consumed every page.

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

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the advanced copy of this book.

Ruth and Catherine, mother and daughter. Nearly inseparable for more than twenty years, but what do they know about each other?

Throughout the book, the reader learns through alternating perspectives the secrets that have been kept in preparation for the past that will come back to haunt them.

I found this to be a quick, fast-paced and thrilling read. I enjoyed the characters and the author did a good job closing potential loop holes in the story. Would recommend for anyone who enjoys a domestic-type thriller.

This was a great read, full of suspense, and a few unpredictable twists and turns. A story of survival, relationships, and the complexities of family.

What an intriguing ride this was! The two multilayered protagonists, Catherine and Ruth, surprised me at every turn. Just when I thought I knew where the story was going, it would take yet another hairpin turn. The plot was masterful, and the two main characters compelling. Gone Tonight is packed with both heart and suspense, and I highly recommend it.

What a great book by Sarah Pekkanen! One of my favorite authors and this book does not disappoint! You definitely need to read this twisty novel! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Ruth Starling and her daughter Catherine live a quite life together. Catherine, at 24 yo, is ready to move out and start working as a nurse. It starts with Catherine dealing with Ruth's health and quickly moves to learning her mom is not the person she always thought she was. Several twists. Good thriller that keeps you guessing.

Excellent narration by Kate Mara. Funny coincidence but I was also binge watching Class of 09 with Kate Mara while listening to the audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Gone Tonight.

This story is about a mother and daughter, told from their perspectives, about the choices we make and the consequences of those decisions.

There was nothing new or original about the premise; a woman with something to hide, running from a terrible secret in her past.

The writing was fine, though I didn't connect with Catherine or Ruth, so I didn't care about their fate.

The narrative lacked suspense or urgency, and the pacing dragged.

When Catherine is digging for clues into her mother's past, at the same time her mother keeps talking about how she's got a bug out bag and ready to run, these actions sounded repetitive after a few chapters.

There really is no plot; just Catherine playing Nancy Drew and catching her mom out in a series of lies and Ruth ruminating about her past and keeping up the charade that she has Alzheimer's.

There are no startling or shocking revelations, no thrills, and I found the ending a bit hard to suspend disbelief for.

Gone Tonight wasn't for me, it wasn't suspenseful as I had hoped, but I think some readers would enjoy it.

Catherine is about to start a job in a new city when she finds out her mother Ruth might be suffering from early onset Alzheimer's. When cracks in her story emerge, she discovers dangerous secrets about her mothers past and starts to question everything. This was super orginal comapred to a lot of mystery/thrillers I've read lately and I absolutely flew through it.

*Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for my gifted copies. Pub date 8/1/23*

The chapters alternate between the mother Ruth and daughter Catherine. It's just been the two of them Catherine's whole life, they are best friends and do everything together. Catherine is studying to be a nurse and is about to move away to college but then Ruth is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. Catherine's plans for college come to a hault because she wants to spend her time with her mom. Catherine knows absolutely nothing about her father and Ruth's past so she asks Ruth to tell her everything before she completely forgets. Catherine catches her mom in many lies and and starts to wonder if she is hiding something big from her.

I loved this book! It is a slow burn but in a good way and I did not want to put it down. The mother/daughter alternating POV'S was done perfectly and I loved the character development. Definitely add this one to your list for August! 4.5 stars

Gone Tonight is a tension filled, well-paced thriller told from two points of view. Ruth and her daughter Catherine work hard just to make ends meet but they are happy. Until one day Ruth's past comes back to haunt her. She will go to any length to protect Catherine. Catherine begins to slowly question her mother's decisions over the years and uncovers her own truths. In the end, who can you trust?

I love Sarah Pekkanen's work and highly recommend this thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Get ready to stay up half the night if you start reading this one! It’s a well-constructed thriller with lots of unexpected twists and two unforgettable main characters.

Ruth Sterling and her adult daughter Catherine are enmeshed in each other’s lives to an unhealthy degree, but there are good reasons for that. Ruth was a teenage single mom with no family support, and part of the novel is her memoir of how she earned enough money to support herself and her baby. It’s interesting reading.

The other part of the novel is in the present day, and alternates between Ruth’s and Catherine’s POV. Catherine is aware her Mom hides a lot of information about both her past and her present day activities, and she’s on a mission to discover her Mom’s secrets. She doesn’t anticipate that digging into Ruth’s past will be very dangerous for them both, and the suspense builds and builds as we readers see Catherine being oblivious to the information that Ruth is protecting her from.

The end of the novel was a little unsatisfying for me, but overall I really liked this book. Anyone who likes contemporary thrillers will women main characters would enjoy this book. I’m giving Gone Tonight a solid four stars.

I’m grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me both the eARC and the audiobook ARC of Gone Tonight.

Gone Tonight" by Sarah Pekkanen is a thrilling and captivating novel that hooks you from the very beginning. The story follows Emily, a determined young woman whose life takes a drastic turn when she witnesses something traumatic during a late-night run. As Emily sets out to uncover the truth, she becomes entangled in a dangerous web of secrets and lies.

The characters in "Gone Tonight" feel real and relatable. Emily's strength and growth make her a protagonist you can't help but root for. The pacing is fantastic, keeping you on the edge of your seat with each twist and turn. Pekkanen's writing is smooth and immersive, making it easy to get lost in the story.

While the plot occasionally relies on convenient coincidences, it doesn't take away from the overall enjoyment. "Gone Tonight" is a suspenseful novel that explores themes of trust, friendship, and the consequences of our actions. It's a must-read for fans of gripping mysteries with well-crafted surprises.

Ruth Sterling is showing signs of Alzheimer's as her daughter watches helplessly - or has she? When her daughter Catherine notices that the memory issues are only at home, she knows something is off. She digs deeper into her mother's past only to discover that her mother seemed to come into existence when she was born. As bits & pieces of her mother's life come to light, Catherine wonders if she knows her at all. Little does she know her mother is keeping a secret so big that when it's discovered…it will be life-changing.

This was the best thriller I've read in a while. There are twists and turns around every corner. The chapters go back and forth between mother and daughter, as one discovers the story of her mother's life as Ruth slowly unfolds her story for the reader. The change of energy is palpable towards the end of the story where Ruth's true past becomes known and the duo must make the best decision for themselves. This was a novel that I devoured in one day and believe that others will do the same.

This was a very chilling book. The ending is a bit surprising. The writing is very good. It was an intriguing book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Wow! That was a twisty turn ride. Without spoiling anything the story starts out as a simple story told by the alternating POV of a mother and her 24 year old daughter. The daughter is dealing with grief and fear as her mother has just been diagnosed with Alzheimers. The mother has been a single mother for her daughter’s entire life and has made protecting her daughter her number one priority. Seems pretty run of the mill- but at the 25% mark it starts twisting in to something else entirely.
Nothing is as it seems and there are some huge secrets here- first the mother’s we learn a bit about what the mother has been hiding. As the daughter becomes suspicious, more is revealed about exactly why the mother has been lying- the expression-“curiosity killed the cat” comes to mind. Recommend

I’ve read books co-authored by Pekkanen & Hendricks (with The Wife Between Us being an all-time fav), but this was my first read by Sarah Pekkanen alone. It was very interesting and attention-grabbing, I loved it! She has a way of writing that is almost poetic, and makes the story flow together that much better. The plot was well put together and the way the characters’ stories intertwined with different perspectives made you not want to put it down. Thank you to the author/publisher/NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy, can’t wait to recommend this to friends and see it out on the shelves!