“Gone Tonight” by Sarah Pekkanen

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

Catherine has no idea the secrets her mother keeps. Ruth can’t tell Catherine the truth. It’s too hard, too painful… but most importantly, too dangerous.

Ava Morales didn’t have the best home life, but she was fairly popular, was on her school’s Pom Squad… on the outside it appeared she had a normal life. After a rivalry with a teammate comes to a head at a local pizza parlor, Ava’s life is forever changed by a waiter she meets there – James. The handsome older boy came to her aid against her rival & her domineering mother & even the coach when they blatantly insulted her in front of the entire team. Ava & James become close fast. The entire relationship moves fast.

After an unforgivable act perpetrated on teenage Ava, James hatches a plan to get revenge. Once the plan was carried out… they’d run. Together. But Ava got cold feet – she ran – but not with James.

Ava spends the next 24 years outrunning her past, building walls to protect herself & her daughter, planning for the worst-case scenarios. When her daughter starts putting together pieces that just don’t add up, she digs into her mother’s past. That digging eventually leads Ava’s worst nightmare right to her… & her daughter.

Unreliable narration that doesn’t become immediately obvious ((because 24 years of lies)) builds suspense all the way into the epilogue. Finally. Finally. All the loose ends are tied up… but… old habits die hard.