The Disappearing Act
The gripping new psychological thriller from the bestselling author of Something in the Water
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3.7 • 29 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
THE NEW GRIPPING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF MR NOBODY AND SOMETHING IN THE WATER
A woman has gone missing
But did she ever really exist?
Mia Eliot has travelled from London to LA for pilot season. This is her big chance to make it as an actor in Hollywood, and she is ready to do whatever it takes. At an audition she meets Emily, and what starts as a simple favour takes a dark turn when Emily goes missing and Mia is the last person to see her.
Then a woman turns up, claiming to be Emily, but she is nothing like Mia remembers. Why would someone pretend to be Emily? Starting to question her own sanity, she goes on a desperate and dangerous search for answers, knowing something is very, very wrong.
In an industry where everything is about creating illusions, how do you know what is real and how much are you willing to risk to find out the truth?
Praise for Catherine Steadman
‘A thriller for our times’ Louise Candlish
‘A proper page-turner’ New York Times
'Fans of The Silent Patient will love it' CJ Tudor
'Had me racing through the pages’ Sarah Vaughan
'An enjoyable, nail-biting ride' Observer
‘Original, ingenious and utterly gripping, with characters you’ll really care about as they race towards the brilliantly unexpected ending’ JP Delaney
'From the intriguing opening to the shocking ending, I loved it…' CJ Tudor
'Very clever, brilliantly compelling, another amazing read from Catherine Steadman' BA Paris
‘A highly imaginative tale tinged with Hitchcockian tension and kinetic pacing… Deliciously provocative… Delightfully compelling’ Washington Post
'Perfectly paced with an exciting race to the end, this is one clever novel' Woman’s Weekly
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The day that London actor Mia Eliot, the narrator of this entertaining psychological thriller from Thriller Award finalist Steadman (Mr. Nobody), learns she's on the shortlist for the prestigious BAFTA award, she also discovers her live-in actor boyfriend has accepted a role in a major film and is leaving her for his nubile young costar. Mia's agent quickly arranges a trip for her to Los Angeles to "drum up some studio interest." In an audition waiting room in L.A., Mia hits it off with the woman sitting next to her, Emily Bryant. When Emily asks Mia to feed her parking meter so she doesn't miss her turn, Mia agrees. Mia returns to the room to find Emily gone. The sordid tale of murder and blackmail that follows builds to a climactic battle atop the iconic Hollywood sign. The authentic movie business details and nicely developed characters more than compensate for some confused plotting and Mia's at times breathtakingly naive behavior. This tale of Hollywood glamour, cruelty, and myth is sure to win Steadman new fans.
Customer Reviews
A thrilling read
When you live your life blurring the lines between make believe and reality, would it make it easier or harder when faced with a similar situation off set? The cameras are not rolling, but it’s hard to tell the truth between fact and fiction in this story. Can Mia crack the mystery of the changing Emily and what will it cost her?
I love a story that incorporates the cutthroat world of the entertainment industry and Catherine Steadman has done a great job of bringing this to life. As an actress herself, she uses this to her advantage giving the reader a glimpse into Hollywood and show business.
The mystery itself plays out well and pulls you in giving off Black Dahlia vibes, the characters well fleshed out and play their roles well. The writing was engaging and held my attention and whilst the story is dark, I would have been comfortable if it had of been a bit more so.
The Disappearing Act is a slow burn that had me engrossed and captivated. It is Intense, suspenseful, a real page turner and one that I throughly enjoyed. This is my first book I have read by Catherine Steadman and I will be looking forward to reading more. All up this one is a very entertaining read.