Disappearing Act’s premise is that of a newly B-listed English actress seeking out jobs in L.A. after a recent breakup. I found the backstory and behind the scenes view on auditioning actors in Los Angeles fascinating. Likewise, the onset of the conflict was equally engaging. When Mia Eliot’s newfound acquaintance goes missing, Steadman transitions the protagonist into a sleuth of sorts. I appreciated the way the main character naturally evolved. I did find some parts of the story implausible, and, similar to most page turners, I occasionally questioned the protagonist’s choices particularly towards the end. That said, Disappearing Act kept my attention throughout, and had me eagerly turning pages to find out how it all concluded.

I requested this novel after hearing so much praise for Catherine Steadman’s previous works. Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books in exchange for my honest review.

Mia Eliot is a British actress, famous in her home country for starring in an adaptation of Jane Eyre. She’s always wanted to make it in Hollywood. During pilot season, her agent fixes her up with a 3-week trip across the pond for some very promising auditions. At one of the auditions, she meets Emily, another out-of-towner actress, and they immediately bond. However, after Mia does an odd favor for Emily, Emily disappears.

Perplexed, Mia doesn’t quite know what to do...until Emily shows up at her rented condo the next night. The only thing is, this woman isn’t Emily. She’s only pretending to be her.

Something sinister is obviously going on, and Mia can’t help but get herself involved. She may not realize how dangerous the situation is until it’s too late.

DUN DUN DUN.

This one didn’t quite reach my expectations, but I still enjoyed it overall.

PROS:

-The writing is superb. Author Catherine Steadman, also an actress, does a great job fleshing out characters and locations. It was interesting to get a behind scenes look at Hollywood and the audition process.
-It’s a quick read that kept me mostly entertained throughout. I was never bored, and enjoyed every chance I got to pick it back up.
-I was surprised by the direction it went in. I thought I had it figured out, and it would’ve been horrible if it went in the direction I suspected, but it didn’t. PHEW!
-I really enjoyed Mia. She’s such a sweet character, and I couldn’t help but want her to succeed.

CONS:

-While I really liked Mia, she was also WAY too naive. It wasn’t realistic to me that someone would get themselves so deep into this mess the way she did.
-The story is pretty implausible overall, and a bit OTT. Sometimes that works for me. This time, it was a bit of a letdown.
-The ending, while ultimately satisfying, dragged on quite a bit. I started to lose a bit of interest.

While I didn’t love this one like I was expecting, I did LIKE it for the most part. However, I couldn’t help but think of an appropriate alternative title: The Slightly Disappointing Act.

3.5 stars

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on: 6/8/21.

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

British actress Mia has landed many acting jobs in the UK. Due to a change in her personal life, she decides to travel to Los Angeles to get some roles there. She finds it to be even more cut throat with many people vying for a part in anything they can get.
She meets Emily who is also looking for an acting job, but Emily does not seem to be so competitive as some others. Emily asks a favor and Mia is happy to help, little knowing that it will change her life when Emily disappears.
This story has some interesting chapters that hold your attention, but some other chapters I found boring.
I do thank the publisher, author and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a tense ride from beginning to end! I am a fan of the author’s books, and this one, like Something in the Water, was not only interesting but thought provoking. It really made me wonder what I would do if I were in a similar situation. This book read extremely quickly for me-I finished it in two days. I would definitely recommend this one to any fan of Something in the Water.

Who doesnt love a bit of an insider look at Hollywood - the glamorous (or not so glamorous) side of a life of an actress?! This book kept me on the edge of my seat as Mia tries to uncover what happened to a woman she meets at an audition. The last to see missing woman, she becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth. I finished this book within 24 hours as I couldn't put it down! Right up until the end, I still wasnt sure if Mia would make it out alive or what to make of Nick. The ending wrapped the story up in a way that left me satisfied (most of these suspense novels are a let down at the end)! Would highly recommend for a fast quick suspenseful read!

Thanks NetGallery for the advanced copy. Cant wait to read the rest of Catherina Steadman's books.

Really good book. I enjoyed reading this book. Kept my attention. Loved the characters. I would recommend this book. Thank you.

An interesting Hollywood thriller. A young actress comes to Hollywood to score the lead in a up and coming film. She meets a girl named Emily who takes her down a twisting road if intrigue, violence, and murder all to become a star. A twisty compelling read.

“A British actress discovers the dark side of Hollywood when she is the only witness to the sudden disappearance of a woman she meets at an audition in this psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Something in the Water and Mr. Nobody.”

First, thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this advanced copy. I was extremely happy to read another one of Steadman’s novels!

While parts of this novel had me on the edge of my seat, the plot fell flat in several areas. There were so many unanswered questions, implausible events, and one extremely naive leading lady.

Overall, this was a decent read that did keep me guessing until the end. I just wish the plot would have been stronger and the main character would have been a bit smarter.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55421402

Dark truths are revealed in the course of a search for elusive fame in the world of wannabe actresses. The protagonist’s search for the truth is thwarted at every step. An excellent read for everyone that enjoys a good mystery!

Thank you Netgalley and Ballantine Books for allowing me to read this ARC of The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman. What a great read! The writing was so good I kept getting drawn deeper and deeper into the story.
I thought Mia was not very bright and she made a lot of mistakes, so that was annoying. She was the main character, so not liking her was tough for me.

The story started out so intriguing, but the longer the story went on, the more implausible it got.

I enjoyed the writing so much, I give this book three and a half stars, rounded up to four. I will look for other books by Catherine Steadman.

Wow! I stayed up late reading this book and it absolutely did not disappoint. Mia, an actress, travels to L.A from the U.K to audition for roles during pilot week. While at an audition she meets Emily who disappears moments after they meet. The rest of the novel has Mia trying to uncover what happened to Emily and it will keep you on your toes. The thing that makes this book stand out from the others is the fact that it keeps you guessing until the very end. It holds your attention the entire way through. It was a very enjoyable read for me.

Mia is just coming into her own as an actor with a (possible) BAFTA on the cards. Her personal life is less glittering - her boyfriend George ghosted her, going so far as to have a moving company come to the house to pick up his things so he didn't have to face her. The chance at a pilot season in LA seems heaven sent. When a fellow actor goes missing in the middle of the audition process, Mia gets caught up in an ever-deepening mystery. The Hollywood scene can be deadly - literally.

Take one part Nancy Drew and one part La La Land and stir in half a cup of The Black Dahlia and a tablespoon of The Player. Add a dash of Gone Girl, and bake until it all catches fire at the end. Now you have the recipe for this dishy Hollywood thriller, which I could not put down.

The first cool thing about this book was that I learned that the author, Catherine Steadman, is also a well-known British actress. What? Why didn’t anyone tell me this when I was listening to the five-star Something in the Water audiobook and marveling at how good the author was at reading it?

Anyway, as a fan of Hollywood gossip and a girl who did a little acting in her day, it’s like this mystery was written just for me — and I bet a lot of other Hollywood dreamers. If you like show biz and Hollywood tales, both old and new, you’ll definitely love this clever thriller about a young ingenue who goes missing, and the more experienced English actress on the brink of her first huge break in LA who gets pulled into the mystery of her rival’s disappearance. Steadman obviously knows the ins and outs of acting from personal experience, and everything about the show business aspect of this book rings true. There are some great old Hollywood touches coupled with important modern-day themes, and a great little mystery that will remind you both of film noir and Nancy Drew. (Again, if you ask me? An ideal and quirky combination.)

The one caveat I’ll add is that if you’re looking for a darker, nastier mystery (which I also do SO love) or something more like Something in the Water, you should be aware that this isn’t quite that same book. Don’t get me wrong, it’s plenty twisted, but more in the sense of a Hollywood story than a serial killer style thriller.

I just love the way Steadman writes and I thoroughly enjoyed this unputdownable treasure trove of gossip, sleuthing, leading ladies, and Hollywood heartbreak. Doesn’t hurt that it also prominently features some of the best places for Hollywood fans to hang out in LA, like the Sunset Tower hotel and the 101 Coffee Shop. 4.5 stars! Fun, fun, fun from beginning to the fabulous denouement.

Oh, and an aside to Ms. Steadman - who explains herein Chekhov’s famous “loaded gun” movie-making theory (if you show a loaded gun in the first act, make sure it goes off in Act Three) - I see what you did here, you clever author.

Big thanks to the author, RandomHouse and NetGalley for this great read - my only minor regret is that I didn’t get to hear it I read in Steadman’s voice, because I have a feeling this audiobook is also going to be fantastic.

A total page-turner, Catherine Steadman does it again! Follow the twists and turns as Mia Eliot works to solve the mystery of what happened to a fellow actress who goes missing. With Hollywood & LA as the setting, get ready for a fascinating and fast-paced escape.

I have loved all of Catherine Steadman’s books and this is no exception! It’s written in a similar style to her previous novels but because it takes place in LA and involves the movie industry it was very easy to visualize the setting and the characters. I finished this in 2 days - couldn’t put it down!

Mia Elliot, a British actress, is in Hollywood to try out for a part in a new pilot. Los Angeles is a far cry from her home in London. While at a tryout she strikes up a conversation with another actress, an American named Emily. When Emily has to go into audition, she realizes her car may be towed so Mia volunteers to pay the meter. When Mia returns Emily has disappeared. Now things take a very dark turn for Mia. It’s. No good deed goes unpunished kind of story. And Catherine Steadman is a master at plotting events where Mia gets deeply involved in the mystery. Is it all real or a bizarre kind of illusion? Another great one from Steadman! I could not put it down.! Highly recommend.

Thank you to #netgalley#RandonHouse#Ballentine#CatherineSteadman

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of The Disappearing Act. I absolutely loved this book. I knew upon reading the description I had to read it, so I was ecstatic when I received my copy. I think Catherine Steadman hit the nail on the head with her portrayal of the LA scene of rush and hustle and the string of aspiring artists auditioning. Mia, a British actress, foreign to California, is overwhelmed and lonely, trying to get cast in a role. Here she befriends Emily, who is more casual about her auditions. Emily then vanishes and a new Emily is at her doorstep. She questions herself, does she dig further to solve Emily’s disappearance or does she focus on her dreams? Definitely plan a day to read this because you won’t want to put it down:

Mia is a British actress who flies to LA for some auditions. While there, she meets Emily, who is also auditioning for a role. During the course of the audition, Emily disappears, sending Mia on a frantic search for her. That’s the premise for The Disappearing Act, a spellbinding thriller that had me breezing through the pages. Loved the different premise, with a small cast of characters and enough twists to keep you guessing right to the end. I really enjoyed the author’s first two books, and this is another great effort. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Before starting this book I didn’t realize that Catherine Steadman is an actress as well as an author, which certainly gives her good perspective for The Disappearing Act! Color me impressed, because Something in the Water and Mr. Nobody were both amazing, and had nothing to do with acting.

The Disappearing Act was a very quick read for me. I was drawn in by descriptions of Mia’s high-flying lifestyle, and kept interested by the mystery. I thought the author did a great job of describing the feeling of being alone in a new city, and the creepy feeling that someone has been touching your things. I loved the insider look into Hollywood life and the rush of pilot season.

I didn’t love how Mia was portrayed. She’s very much the dumb tourist--who leaves their purse unattended? Twice in one day?? I didn’t find it realistic that a woman in this day and age would blindly trust a man she met on the street.

I thought Mia was likable, but the way she was written into the story didn’t do her character justice, if that makes sense. I enjoyed her dialogue but not her choices. I was on her side, even though I rolled my eyes at some (lots) of her actions.

Overall, a very enjoyable read, but not quite as mind-blowing as I remember her previous two novels being.

I loved Catherine Steadman’s last two novels so I was thrilled when Random House gave me an ARC copy of her latest novel, “The Disappearing Act,” to review. In this book, an English actress, Mia Eliot, is given an opportunity of a lifetime to audition for roles in Hollywood. She relishes this chance to escape London and memories of the boyfriend who abandoned her for another, younger actress. Mia is soon enmeshed in a mystery surrounding a missing actress she met in an audition. Trying to find the whereabouts of this actress, who left her purse and car keys with Mia while Mia fed the actress’ parking meter, Mia feels that she is being shadowed, and after discovering missing and misplaced items, she realizes that someone has been in her apartment not only while she was away, but also in the night while she slept.

The book is ultimately based on a somewhat faulty premise—specifically that Mia, a seasoned Londoner, would leave her handbag unattended in a waiting room while she went into an audition room. If the reader overlooks this issue, the novel itself is enjoyable, as it has a likable main character with a wry sense of humor who gets herself involved in a dangerous situation while giving readers an inside look at Hollywood through the eyes of an emerging actress.