Gone Tonight: A Novel by Sarah PekkanenPublication Date: August 1, 2023
Pages: 352
Add the Book on:Goodreads
Rating: ★★★
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Fiction / Thrillers / Domestic
Publisher: St. Martin's Press / Macmillan
Synopsis:
Nothing is as it seems in New York Times bestselling author Sarah Pekkanen's latest novel about a mother's secrets to protect her daughter and what happens when they begin to unravel.
New from the #1 bestselling co-author of The Golden Couple and The Wife Between Us!"I'm a huge fan of Sarah Pekkanen's books, and GONE TONIGHT is her best yet." —Colleen Hoover
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
Sarah Pekkanen’s Gone Tonight is a gripping, slow-burning psychological thriller that weaves together tension, emotion, and deeply buried secrets into a story that’s impossible to put down. Told through shifting perspectives, the novel creates an intimate, layered portrait of a mother-daughter relationship shadowed by questions and unease. Pekkanen’s writing is sharp yet empathetic, drawing readers into a world where truth feels just out of reach. One haunting line captures the novel’s tone perfectly: “The past doesn’t stay in the past, it waits for the right moment to come looking for you.”
What makes this book stand out is its emotional depth paired with steadily rising suspense. The dual narratives are handled seamlessly, each voice distinct and compelling, revealing just enough to keep the tension taut without giving too much away. Pekkanen masterfully builds a sense of dread not through shocking twists alone, but through the slow unravelling of trust and the realization that even the closest relationships can conceal unimaginable truths. The pacing is deliberate, allowing the emotional stakes to land just as powerfully as the suspenseful ones.
At its core, Gone Tonight is about identity, memory, and the lengths people will go to protect the ones they love, or protect themselves. The mother-daughter dynamic adds richness and complexity, elevating the story beyond a typical thriller into something more intimate and affecting. Themes of loyalty, secrecy, and the fragility of perception run throughout, giving the narrative both tension and heart.
Gone Tonight is a compelling, character-driven thriller that balances emotional resonance with edge-of-your-seat intrigue. It’s a story that lingers, not just for its suspense, but for the questions it raises about trust and the stories we tell the people closest to us.
