The Disappearing Act
A Novel
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3.4 • 16 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
From the New York Times bestselling author of Something in the Water and Mr. Nobody comes “an unputdownable mystery about the nightmares that abound in the pursuit of Hollywood dreams” (Caroline Kepnes, author of the You series).
“Stylish, riveting, hugely atmospheric—I couldn’t put it down.”—Lucy Foley, author of The Guest List
A woman has gone missing. But did she ever really exist?
A leading British actress hoping to make a splash in America flies to Los Angeles for the grueling gauntlet known as pilot season, a time when every network and film studio looking to fill the rosters of their new shows entice a fresh batch of young hopefuls—anxious, desperate, and willing to do whatever it takes to make it.
Instead, Mia Eliot, a fish out of water in the ruthlessly competitive and faceless world of back-to-back auditioning, discovers the sinister side of Hollywood when she becomes the last person to see Emily, a newfound friend. Standing out in a conveyor-belt world of fellow aspiring stars, Emily mysteriously disappears following an audition, after asking Mia to do a simple favor. But nothing is simple. Nothing is as is seems. And nothing prepares Mia for a startling truth: In a city where dreams really do come true, nightmares can follow.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
In British actress and best-selling novelist Catherine Steadman’s thriller, a starlet risks her safety and sanity to track down a missing woman. Fresh off an acclaimed art house film, London actress Mia Eliot lands in Hollywood to take her career to the next level—and to forget her cheating ex. But a meeting with another actress at an audition drags her into a strange, dangerous conspiracy. Steadman (whom we loved as Mabel Fox in Downton Abbey) knows what it’s like to be newcomer in L.A., and that perspective helps ground her twisty, fast-moving plot in reality. Mia’s obsessive tendencies, innate curiosity, and compassionate nature make her a strong and relatable lead, and we found the mysterious, elusive Emily as alluring and puzzling as Mia does. The Disappearing Act kept us scratching our heads until the startling final twist.
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.
