GONE TONIGHT

Kate Mara gives a quiet powerhouse of a performance of this taut and original thriller. Catherine Sterling and her mother, Ruth, are unusually close. Keyword "unusually." Note also the title's nod to the iconic twisty thriller GONE GIRL. This book earns the association; the plot takes turn after turn you won't see coming, and its revelations are persuasive and earned. Why do Ruth and Catherine have no family or friends? Why have they moved so often? Is Ruth protecting Catherine, or keeping her prisoner? Is Catherine the innocent she seems? Every time we shift from the private thoughts and memories of one to the other, the picture reveals surprising new size and detail. Skillful plotting is matched by Mara's crisp, well-paced, and beautifully controlled delivery. B.G. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2023]