Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub Date: 8/1/2023

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the free copy on NetGalley & MacMillan Audio for the free audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

GoodReads Synopsis: 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.

Review: 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.