Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the new thriller by Sarah Pekkanen, wonderfully narrated by Kate Mara - 5 stars!

After finishing school, Catherine is set to begin her dream nursing job in Baltimore, when she discovers that her mother, Ruth, is suffering from Alzheimer's. She changes her plans and continues working at the nursing home nearby so she can help her mom. Ruth and Catherine have moved so many times and Ruth is estranged from her family. Catherine has no real clue about her past, and with Ruth's memory failing, becomes obsessed with finding more information about her past.

The story spools out in the past and present timelines and alternates between the POV of Ruth and Catherine. And wow - the twists and surprises kept coming! I started reading the digital copy but switched to the audio so I could continue listening all the time. I don't want to give anything away - it was so deliciously creepy and surprising in all the best ways - a great read!

I received the audiobook & an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was my first time reading a book for this author, and I already can’t wait to read more. I thought this story was told in such a unique way that I haven’t seen before, and I really enjoyed it. The two main characters, a mother and daughter, Ruth and Catherine, were so interesting to learn about. There were so many times throughout the book that I thought I had figured out what was gonna happen by the end, but boy was I wrong. It’s amazing the things a mother will do to protect their child. I had the privilege of also listening to this on audio, and I really enjoyed the narrator. My only complaint about the audiobook is that there was only one narrator for both parts, Ruth and Catherine. And times it was really confusing to figure out if we were on Ruth's dialogue or on Catherine’s. I often had to backtrack and confirm who’s part I was actually on. If there were two narrators for this book, I think it would’ve been a little less confusing.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It was well written, pretty twisty, and I had my anxiety through the roof at many points. If you’re looking for something original or a book you really won’t be able to put down then this is for you!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ahh, I love a thriller with tons and tons of secrets. I thought I knew where this one was going but I was completely wrong and so happy that I was. It’s a slow start but once the mystery kicks in it really ramps up. I went between reading and listening for this one and Kate Mara does a great job with the narration, although it may have benefitted from a second person to distinguish between the POVs.

I listened to the Audiobook of Gone Tonight and I have to say this was a good read. This is a slow burn psychological thriller. It's twisty and it had some jaw dropping moments. Overall a good read. 3.5⭐

Book Releases August 1, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ALC

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
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Gone tonight is a dual point of view story between a mother and daughter. It’s also partially a dual timeline, the past being written notes from Ruth to Catherine. Honestly, thats all I think you need to know about this - I highly recommend going in blind.
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This was such a fun read, it was so gripping, deceitful, thrilling, addicting and mysterious that I literally gobbled this one up in one day. Right from the start I was hooked on Ruth and Catherine’s story; then a bomb is dropped and all hell breaks loose. It was a wild ride and one I really enjoyed being on. The story flows perfectly between the two characters and the storyline bring everything full circle in the end. But like that ending though - talk about mind blownnnnnnn. Incredible..
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Not only was this a fun read but I really resonated with this one, and that makes this even more of a special read to me. As a new mom I really felt so much of Ruth’s journey. Also huge bonus, Pekkanen threw out so many fun references to my preteen/teen years that I found myself smiling from ear to ear in reminiscence - my favorite being “Where The Heart Is” (IYKYK).
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Kate Mara narrated this one and she was phenomenal. She transitioned between the two characters perfectly. I luckily had this one on audio and ebook so I was able to follow along very easily. I highly recommend the audiobook if you are an avid listener like myself.
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Gone Tonight releases tomorrow 8/1 and I am highly recommending this one to all my thriller lovers, this was a phenomenal read!
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Huge thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, St. Martins Press and Sarah Pekkanen for the eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review!

irst line: My mother walks through our tuby living room, her eyes sweeping over our old blue couch and coffee table before she briefly disappears into our galley kitchen.

Gone Tonight is a female forward domestic suspense tale. Ruth (mother) and Catherine (daughter) are close. Catherine wants to move to a new city and start a career as a nurse. She's been working in a memory care unit in preparation for this career. Ruth has started exhibiting the symptoms of early onset Alzheimer’s. She’s been writing her memoirs to leave for her daugther when she no longer remembers her life. What looks like a sweet mother daughter relationship tale twists and turns into so much more.

Gone Tonight deals with family secrets. Reading into the night, this is a book with growing and growing secrets - ones that deepen and cast a dark shadow upon the past. Told from the perspectives of Catherine in the present and her mom’s reflection on her past, we see both women’s thoughts about the way they live. What is Ruth hiding? Where has she been going when she says she's out with friends for a drink? This is something Catherine is trying to uncover.

Gone Tonight will have you asking yourself “how well do you know your children” or “how well do you know your mother?” Kate Mara does a great job narrating the audiobook and letting the story shine. Well done, Sarah Pekkanen. I will be anxiously awaiting your next book release!

Many thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for this super summer suspenseful read!

I LOVED this book! It was a twisty thriller, with relatable characters that were also quite "suspect" at the same time. I thought it all unfolded in an interesting way and I loved that the ending could even lead into another book with these characters. It was a book that I couldn't wait to get back to listening to each morning. To top it all off, Kate Mara narrated it and I love her voice.

I would highly recommend reading or listening to this book. It's a 5 star rating from me.

This was so great!! Told from dual POV of mother and daughter, this was a fantastic listen on audio! It is truly better to go in without much background knowledge of the plot, just trust me on this one. The twists were interesting and gasp-worthy, but still believable within the storyline. At times it was a slow burn but the action really picked up during the final third and the ending was both dramatic and satisfying. This was perfect for a road trip listen and I would absolutely recommend!

This was such a great listen! It was fast-paced and kept me guessing the whole time. I definitely recommend 😍

3.5 stars. This one is definitely a slow burn, and it took quite a while for me to get into. I was far more engaged in the second half of the book than the first half of the book. Yes there are things that go wrong for the characters, but there are so many things that fall into place nicely for them (way too many to be practical). I am not a huge fan of the character motivations that drive the plot forward, and I don't really love the way the author wrapped things up in the end.

Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen
Thriller mystery. Dual POV and timelines.
Ruth and Catherine Sterling, a mother and daughter team have been everything for each other for the time Catherine was just a baby. Just the two of them. Their own little family unit. When Ruth starts having forgetful moments, and admits that she found out her own mother had died from Alzheimer’s, Catherine starts doing some background sleuthing. It’s out of character for her mother to know specifically about her mother much less admits that she knows. Catherine starts digging through her own memories of instances that didn’t fit her mothers stories and pulls clues about background and ways to find out more than Ruth is saying. It’s to protect her and her mother, of course. Until it isn’t anymore. Too much isn’t adding up.

🎧 I listened/read this book via audiobook narrated by Kate Mara. The actor’s performance is wonderful with distinct voices for the secondary characters. I even double checked at one point to make sure was truly only one person. I did have to pay attention mother daughter switches. Those weren’t always clear by the voice but more by the content. Maybe because I listened to this at my usual 1.5 speed, I missed the nuances but it was the most comfortable for a Midwest standard.

Chilling, thrilling, and unforgettable. I won’t forget about these women anytime soon. I’ll probably have to listen to this again for the finer details I may have missed in the first pass.
Hereditary.
4.5
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher Macmillan Audio.

Ruth left home as a pregnant 16 year old and it's been her and her daughter Catherine against the world ever since. But with Catherine coming into adulthood and getting ready to spread her wings, and Ruth wanting to hold on to what they have, secrets each have been holding threaten to change everything.

This book was filled with suspense, twists and turns. From the beginning, I kept being surprised by the pieces of information that were slowly revealed. I flew through this book in a day because I could not put it down! This book was unique and filled with tension. I don’t want to give too much away but I loved it!

The audi0book narrated by Kate Mara was phenomenal!

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the advance copy.

This was a really great book. For several parts I didn’t really know what was happening and I loved it! I always love a book that takes time for the truth to come out and questions need to be answered. And the narrator was great!

Wow. This is my first Sarah Pekkanen novel and it did not disappoint! Ruth and Catherine Sterling have always been close. This mother/daughter duo has always relied on each other and Catherine would never question anything about her mother. But when Catherine has a new life lined up with a new job in Baltimore, Ruth will do anything to keep her by her side. When Catherine starts to question her mother's background, she finds out much more than she bargained for...

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio e-arc.* (Also, Kate Mara is the narrator!!!)

Slow slow burn. Wasn't a horrible thriller.

I was curious where it was going to go and what the mom was going to do.
This was my first from this author so I will keep a look out more thrillers from her.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to listen

This book was not for me. It was predictable and the prose was not to my liking. I really wanted to like it because the premise and plot sounded so interesting.

Master storyteller Sarah Pekkanen (fav author) returns following The Ever After 2018 (solo) and The Golden Couple 2022 (co-author) with her BEST yet! GONE TONIGHT —a twisty, emotionally captivating suspense thriller—a powerful mother-daughter relationship, both poignant and terrifying of dark, buried secrets and a dangerous past that will have you glued to the pages until the satisfying conclusion.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! My top thrillers of 2023!

Meet the mother and daughter duo, Ruth and Catherine. They have always been close and never needed a lot of outsiders, happy with their relationship like best friends. Ruth has been on the run for a quarter of a century.

Three names. Twelve different jobs. Nine different apartments. What is she hiding? They moved around often and never stayed anywhere long enough to make real friends or have anyone get too close.

Ruth Sterling (42), mother, a single, quiet, hardworking waitress who would do anything for her daughter. She would give up food for her daughter, which has happened quite often. She sacrifices for her daughter in every way. Ruth has had a rough life. Her mom was a drunk, and her father was a handyman. Things were tough in high school. However, she is a fighter. Indestructible.

She was caught up in a dangerous situation in high school, and her ex-boyfriend is currently in prison. She left her parents and brother and has been on the run since. She was pregnant at the time and has been in survivor mode since. She is intelligent, proactive, and always looks over her shoulder. When things get too close, she runs with her daughter.

However, she has kept the reasons behind all this and her past from her daughter. She also maintains a journal collecting thoughts for her daughter—one day, she may not be around to explain. Her daughter thinks her father was a sperm daughter. He was not.

Now things have become more complicated, so Ruth is forced to be creative. She cannot have her daughter move anywhere close to where she plans to go- Baltimore. The only way to stop her is to pretend she has Alzheimer's to keep her close until this problem is resolved.

Catherine Sterling (24), the daughter, will soon be a nurse. She graduated cum laude and is about to start work at John Hopkins and move to Baltimore in two weeks. Her specialty is geriatrics, and she works part-time at a nursing home in the Memory Wing with patients with dementia, Alzheimer's, and TBI. Catherine is worried about her mom and very familiar with the path of destruction regarding Alzheimer's.

However, things are not what they seem, and now Catherine is conducting her secretive sleuthing into her mom's past. She suspects something is off with her mom. The more she digs, she questions if she knows her mom. Is everything about her a lie? Her mother is keeping secrets.

Catherine is also keeping secrets. Little does she know the danger she is putting them both in by digging where she shouldn't. In the meantime, the threat is getting closer, and Ruth must keep her daughter safe from the monster coming for them. REVENGE.

I loved the part where Ruth lived in a Target store while pregnant. Immediately, I thought of the Natalie Portman movie (I saw it years ago: "Where the Heart Is"). A pregnant 17-year-old teen was living in a Walmart after being dumped off by her boyfriend, has her baby, and becomes an overnight celebrity. Immediately upon the comparison, the author comments on the movie.

WHAT A BOOK! First, I have been an enormous fan of Sarah Pekkanen since her first book in 2010 and have read every book since. (see her book list below). She is a superb writer, writing with heart and soul. Her skills shine with her well-developed characters and twisty plots, whether contemporary, domestic, or thriller. My top author list and a favorite.

GRIPPING, INTENSE, AND BINGE-WORTHY!

GONE TONIGHT hooked me from page one to the end. Brilliantly layered, the author's writing is beautiful, the journal entries heartfelt with a mother's genuine love, and the characters highly relatable—you are invested in them, plus heroines you’ll cheer for.

Razor sharp! A riveting cat-and-mouse game that becomes twisty, wild, and more suspenseful throughout the novel. I cannot recommend this one enough. Nature vs. nurture. Get it. You will love it! Movie-worthy.

AUDIOBOOK: I enjoyed reading and listening. The audiobook was TOPS! Kate Mara gave a first-rate performance for all voices, and I was hanging on her every word. I highly recommend the book & audio.

Thanks to St Martins Press and Macmillan Audio for a gifted ARC and ALC via Netgalley to share my review and thoughts.

Blog Review Posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Pub Date: Aug 1, 2023
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A mother/ daughter domestic suspense story full of secrets and lies. The pacing started off slow but as the plot developed, there were some clever twists integrated throughout that held my interest. I enjoyed the dual POV format and how chapters were told in the past and present. However, when listening to the audiobook, I wish there were two narrators to better differentiate between the two main characters. Still, Kate Mara did a great job keeping me engaged and building the suspense.

3 stars to Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen. I enjoyed this slow burn thriller (I am using the word lightly) on this secretive mother-daughter duo.

Ruth and Catherine have an incredibly close relationship but what Catherine doesn’t know…Ruth will do anything to keep her from finding out. At first, since we obviously have Ruth’s perspective I found Catherine to be irksome. Like girl, can you just let your mom do what she needs to do?!? But I tried to see it from her POV and give her a little grace. Once we learned more about Ruth’s past the story picked up a bit but I can’t say it ever felt thrilling in nature.

The reunion scene was very sweet, and the last little twist was a bit predictable all things considered but I didn’t dislike it. Not the worst, not the best. Solid story.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan audio for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

At 24 years old Catherine is ready to move out of the home she shares with her single mother, Ruth, and take on a new job opportunity. But, Ruth has a lot of secrets of her own and needs to keep Catherine close.
This is definitely a slow burn, and took me a while to fully understand what was going on. The audio narration was great and I think it kept me a little more engaged than if I had simply read this. But, I did find myself having to rewind and re-listen a few times until I got up to 60%.
Aside from the slower pacing at the start, there were a couple of things that didn't work for me:
- False early Alzheimer's. I've seen first hand progression of this disease and it is devastating. I wish the author would've used something else as the reason Ruth tried to make Catherine stay. This one gave me the ick.
- Overall kind of unrealistic. Between Ruth being able to survive and get away with what she did for so long, and for Catherine to suddenly figure it out so easily.
- How everything went down with James seemed very quick compared to the slower, drawn out pacing of the rest of the book. I would've also liked to see his character have a little more background.
Overall, I did end up enjoying this and wished Catherine's side story would've been explored more. This is perfect for fans of "Pieces of Her" by Karin Slaughter.