Gone Tonight
Ratings8
Average rating4.2
15
Ratings8
Average rating4.2
"This riveting, original, and powerful mother-daughter story kept me glued to the pages." Colleen Hoover "Filled with buried secrets and jaw-dropping deception, Sarah Pekkanen's GONE TONIGHT is a page-turning thriller about a mother-daughter you won't soon forget." Harlan Coben 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? More praise for GONE TONIGHT "Captivating from beginning to end." - Samantha Downing
Reviews with the most likes.
This book does a solid job of starting as one thing and slowly evolving into something altogether different. I particularly enjoy stories with past timelines where the narrator travels back to high school. These were the days of InSYNC and cheer squad tryouts- before cell phones became ubiquitous and the world was not under constant surveillance. Those were easier times- for teens getting into trouble and criminals getting away with dirty deeds. Fast forward to modern day and this mother daughter duo finds themselves at a crossroads. I listened to this one on a long solo car ride- not my favorite way to absorb a book but a really great way to pass the miles. This one is a good mystery- full of secrets- and a great ending.
I tried picking this one up a few times and put it down because I didn't like the synopsis and where I thought it was going. When the story started to shift I really enjoyed it. I wasn't shocked by anything at the end, but it was a nicely paced read. Glad I stuck with it.
This is the first solo Sarah Pekkanen book I've read and I really enjoyed it! I've written a couple of the books she co-authored and it was cool to see the influence she contributed to those books. My biggest complaint about this is that I had a bit of a hard time figuring out who we were following in some of the POVs, but that could absolutely be a me problem. I really enjoyed that we learned things as the characters were experiencing them/learning them themselves, it never felt like info-dumps. This book is not specifically horror but the actual horror scenes were really well done! I definitely would check out other mystery/thrillers this author writes if they're as dark as this!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an eBook copy to review
It's been a few months since I've read a psychological thriller and I can't think of a better one to have come back to the genre. With quiet twists and extraordinarily flawed yet lovable characters, I was hooked.
Though Catherine has always had a good relationship with her mother Ruth, she's ready to leave home and begin a life and career of her own. Her plans change when her mother receives an Alzheimer's diagnosis from her doctor. Not willing to waste a minute of the time left with Ruth, she cancels her moving plans.
Ruth begins to write down her life story for her daughter... but not for the reasons one might expect at such a time. She's worked the entirety of Catherine's life to keep her past buried. Not only her past but also the secrets Catherine unknowingly carries. It isn't long before Catherine begins to pick up on the fact something deeper is amiss. How well does she really know her mother?
While the book keeps a slower pace than usually found in these kinds of thrillers, there is a constant string of events weaved in and out. Through Ruth, we get glimpses of her past. Through Catherine, we hear recollections of her mother and the conflict the plot brings into their relationship. I found Catherine's character the most fascinating element of the book. Some might disagree with me, but I also found Ruth's love for her child admirable under the circumstances. I feel she did the best she could with what she had.
I listened to the audiobook version. Kate Mara did a fantastic job narrating. Sometimes I don't love listening to thrillers because the narrator will be too dramatic. There was the perfect amount of emotion and urgency conveyed without becoming theatrical. That said, the story would have benefited from two narrators so each character had their own voice. Nevertheless, the reading experience was not hindered because of the single narrator.
Gone Tonight is easily the best thriller I've read this year. I can't wait to read Sarah Pekkanen's other books.
A huge thanks to Macmillan Audio for inviting me to listen to an audio ARC of this book through NetGalley! I am looking forward to purchasing a hard copy for myself.
