This book was really good. It went back and forth from diff perspectives and left you unsure which one was true. I finished much quicker than normal, which means it held my interest throughout. Highly recommended. Thanks to netgalley and the author and publisher for the early read.

What lengths would you go to in order to protect the person you love most in the world?

Ruth Sterling has raised her daughter Catherine on her own; moving frequently and living paycheck to paycheck. Catherine thinks she knows nearly everything about her mother, that they have no secrets, but she's soon to find out that that isn't the case. So who IS Ruth? And why is she hiding it?

I enjoyed this story on audiobook. It kept me entertained and engaged on a road trip. The story flips back and forth between current day and Ruth's past. The pacing was slower than I expected. It has the thriller elements, but it also has a lot of Ruth and Catherine's relationship. I did find the shifts in their relationship compelling as Catherine learns more and Ruth tries to adapt. A big chunk of the reveal happened a lot earlier than I expected, which made the pacing for the rest of the book feel slower. The final resolution felt like it relied far too much on luck and the big reveal at the end was something I'd predicted so it lacked impact for me.

Overall this was an enjoyable, though only medium-paced, thriller. If you don't demand nearly constant big reveals, then this is a good option. The writing was solid despite the pacing.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I love anything by Sarah and was so excited to get my hands on this before all my friends. This is one of those books that once you start you are unable to put down until you finish it. So many unexpected twists and turns throughout the entire book. I was sad to finish so quickly and now have a book hangover as it will be awhile until she publishes a new one.

Catherine Sterling believes she knows her mother, Ruth – the quiet, devoted caregiver who's stood by her side through life's challenges. But as Catherine prepares to step into a new career and independence, Ruth is determined to thwart her departure at any cost. Ruth, in turn, assumes she understands her daughter's compliance. Yet, in her desperate struggle to keep Catherine close, the facade she's built around her life begins to fracture, leading both mother and daughter into an intricate dance of secrets and deceit.

I loved how few characters there were in this story. It focused the tension around mother and daughter in alternating first-person narratives. It causes you to look closer and closer at both Catherine and Ruth as you try to unravel the truth of their situation. The pacing was perfect and the chapters were short. I recommend this book if you’re looking for a quick, character-driven read.

This one didnt hold my interest sadly, the plot was shaky for me and didnt make a lot of sense. I like her other books though.

#GoneTonight #NetGalley
Brilliant
When Ruth Sterling was a teenager, she slipped away one night, desperate to escape an abusive home and a troubling boyfriend. Pregnant, alone, and prepared to do anything to survive, she eventually makes a life for herself—and soon, for her newborn daughter Catherine. For more than twenty years, Ruth has lived quietly and has provided for her daughter. But she is always ready to run at a moment’s notice, and never allows either of them to put down roots too deeply. Now, Catherine is grown and craves a life for herself. This is something her mother will do anything to prevent—but for what reasons? It has always been just the two of them against the world. But how well do they really know each other? When Ruth’s deeply held quest to keep Catherine by her side reveals cracks in her carefully constructed world, both mother and daughter begin a dance of deception. They both have secrets. But which one of them carries the real darkness inside?
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for giving me an advance copy.

This book started strong and tense, I loved the build-up of a mother-daughter relationship. However, it dropped in the middle and the pace went off. I don't think the journal entries worked for me at all and I wished there was a little bit more action.
The ending picked up and I really enjoyed the main wrap-up where we have all the answers but maybe something else lurks in the shadows.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

A family drama thriller! This book sucked me right in with the high school backstory and mother/daughter in hiding. This is a dual timeline and the pieces of the past and present slowly fall into place. I had so much anxiety reading this book. I don’t know if it was me resonating with the mother trying to protect her daughter or the not knowing what was going to happen next, but I was on edge up until the end. There were a few slow parts but overall a good thriller.

Sarah Pekkanen is a literary genius. Every book I read is better than the last and that absolutely rings truer than ever with “Gone Tonight.” I read it in less than a day!

I enjoyed the alternating viewpoints in Gone Tonight, allowing the reader to get an idea of what is going on with Ruth and Catherine...though by the end, we don't know them at all! Loved the pacing and twists, even though some of it was predictable. This was a good story that left me with that slightly creepy "it may not be over" feeling!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of Gone Tonight in exchange for an honest review.

After loving Sarah Pekkanen's other books, this was a HUGE letdown. I also didn't understand all the comparisons to Gilmore Girls.

So creepy and atmospheric, loved the thrilling twists and turns. My jaw was on the floor. Highly recommend to my thriller girlies

4 stars!

"Gone Tonight" by Sarah Pekkanen is a taut thriller that will keep you guessing from start to finish. I found this book to be engaging, and it made me question everything I thought I knew about the characters throughout the story. The premise is intriguing as it pits a mother's word against a daughter's suspicions that's she's not being entirely truthful. This leads to many suspenseful interactions, some interesting detective work, and the uncovering of the century for Catherine, whose mother, Ruth, has been lying about almost every facet of her life for her entire life. I really enjoyed the twists and turns, and though some were predictable, I still wanted more of this book. Go into this book without reading what it's about, I think you will benefit from the element of surprise. I think a sequel is all but inevitable as the ending definitely sets it up for one. I will say, I do think this book gets a tiny bit repetitive at some point, and it feels a little long because of it. Still, it didn't detract from how good and gripping this story is! Definitely recommend this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Pekkanen, and St. Martin's Press for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

This is a fast paced read filled with unreliable characters which always makes for a great thriller. The ending was a surprise but overall I felt the plot and characters could have been a little better developed.

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for the e-ARC! I will be reviewing and/or showcasing this book on my social media accounts when I can. Thanks again very much appreciated and looking forward to this book!

Gone Tonight is told from two perspectives, that of Catherine, a 24-year-old memory care nurse, and her mother, Ruth. Ruth has just been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's, which throws Catherine's world upside down.

This is one of those books that keeps pummeling you with surprises. I felt like any time I had an idea of the motivation of a character, another detail was added that changed everything. Usually, I don't have trouble predicting where these supposed "shocking ending" books are going to go, but I truly did not know where this was going and was surprised by the ending.

Very interesting premise and I loved all the twists even though some were pretty predictable. I always have a good time reading a unique thriller. Looking forward to the next book by Pekkanen.

The price we pay for our family. Career or family? Catherine is ready to begin a new chapter in her life, as she finishes up the last details on her new job in Baltimore. Currently working as a nurse in a memory care unit, there’s a land of opportunity awaiting Catherine. Her mother, a hard-working individual, is now beginning to display signs of aging: missing keys, a forgotten word, and loss of concentration. After months of reoccurrences, Catherine realizes that her mother might have Alzheimer’s. Confirming her assessment with a doctor’s visit, Catherine changes her future as her mother now needs her home.

Catherine’s has had limited knowledge about her past, including her family, so it’s no surprise to learn that her grandmother also had this disease. As Catherine digs into her family history, she begins to uncover truths that were meant to stay buried. Mother had tried to paint a good picture but now Catherine is peeling back the layers and discovering how much she really knows about her so-called life. It’s a book you want to savor yet you can’t stop the pages from flying by.

There are so many layers in this book which I really enjoyed. It’s a story that you can’t get too comfortable with, as you never know what the next page might bring. As Catherine started to uncover her mother’s deceit, she never knew what to expect. Catherine knew that she had a good mother but at what cost? Blessed with a devoted, loving mother, Catherine learns that behind that appearance was someone who wanted to be hidden. 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Pekkanen, and St. Martin’s Press for an arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

As a long-time Sarah Pekkanen fan, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Receiving an advanced copy was much appreciated. I believe both existing fans and newcomers will find it equally enjoyable.

This was slower paced than I was anticipating, so it wasn’t the thriller I was hoping for. I was really intrigued by the premise, but it didn’t quite work for me overall.