What can I say? I loved this book! For one thing it's the first time I've seen the word 'hoicks' used, as in "He hoicks the sleeve of his immaculate evening suit and checks his watch." British Actress/writer Catherine Steadman's third book is a fascinating insider's view of Hollywood attached to a page-turning plot.

PROLOGUE: "Have you ever asked yourself what kind of story the story of your life is?" FIRST LINE: "Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just can't disappear."

THE STORY: Actress/writer Catherine Steadman is the perfect choice to tell this story of a British actress who comes to Hollywood to audition for the pilot season where she meets another actress, who then disappears without a trace. "How far would one go to land the perfect part."

WHAT I THOUGHT: A likeable heroine, Mia has become known for her role as Jane Eyre in a British production and is up for an award. When she's stuck she asks herself "What would Jane do?"

Her agent has arranged several auditions for her in Hollywood and it's fun to see her discover this new world. Social media was woven into the story in a relatable way.

I easily suspend disbelief for a good story but The Disappearing Act strained credibility for me. Mia's behavior often seemed irrational, unpredictable, and even dangerous.

Mia is like a split personality. In her professional life, she is in control. In her personal life she is a hot mess. It bothered me that a professional actress, who has signed an NDA (non-disclosure agreement), wasn't concerned about finding an important script missing; wasn't concerned that someone might have been in her apartment considering her 'lost' room key; isn't worried when she thinks the cleaners might have taken the script.

You should probably forget all that and just enjoy the story. It's a great roller coaster of a ride!

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of was provided to me by Ballentine Books /Net Galley for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for my gifted copy of this book.

The Disappearing Act is the story of Mia, a British actress, who finds herself in LA for pilot season. Fresh on the heals of a BAFTA nomination for a period piece, her agent thinks going to Hollywood will generate some buzz and help her to secure the award.
During one of the auditions, she meets Emily. Emily is auditioning for the same role but things are running behind schedule and she needs to feed her parking meeter. Mia kindly offers so she can go in when it’s her turn and then it all goes off the rails from there. Mistaken identify, lies, poor decision making, and a super naïve heroine later, you find yourself at the end of a pretty interesting journey. I wouldn’t go so far as to say psychological thriller but definitely a mystery. It held my attention to the end and was thoroughly enjoyable.

Actress Mia Eliot has arrived in Los Angeles after a very public break-up ready to take on pilot season for a change of scenery. The young star is sparking BAFTA nomination rumors so the auditions begin to stack up. At one of her first auditions state-side, Mia strikes up a conversation with Emily in the waiting room and when Emily's name gets called first Mia offers to hold on to her things and refill her parking meter. By the time Mia returns for her own audition, Emily is nowhere to be found leaving Mia unsure of what to do. How far could she have gone without her wallet and car keys? When Mia is finally able to track Emily down days later she makes plans to pick up her belongings from Mia's apartment. Only when Mia opens the door, the woman standing there is not the Emily she remembers at all. Though their encounter was brief Mia is sure that the woman standing in her apartment is not who she is claiming to be but if this isn't Emily then who is she and where is the woman she met just a few days ago? I really wanted to like this book but found it to be a little unrealistic. I couldn't wrap my head around the lengths Mia went to and the choices she made. Overall I found "The Disappearing Act" to be an entertaining read just prepare yourself to forgive some plot points. Thank you to NetGalley & Ballantine for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

🌻 REVIEW 🌻 The Disappearing Act

“Actors and directors and producers, oh my!”

Mia, a London actress finds she is in over her head in the cut throat and success driven LA crowd. When she meets a woman at a casting call who mysteriously disappears as if into thin air, Mia becomes obsessed with figuring out what happened to her. This worry takes Mia down a twisted road that shows her LA is multi-layered and the people so fame-obsessed there is no telling how far someone will go for their chance in the spotlight….

I loved Catherine Steadman’s previous books but this one just might be my favorite. I loved the layers, characters, and subplots expertly thread throughout the novel. As in typical Steadman fashion, this book is much more than what it seems at first glance. If you love a twisty thriller you have to read The Disappearing Act. Atmospheric, eerie, and dark, this makes for a perfect summer thriller so compelling you won’t want to put it down.

Thank you @randomhouse for my #ARC!

5/5 🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

#thedisappearingact #catherinesteadman #hollywood #LA #california #actors #thriller #thrillerlover #bookreviewer #bookreview #ARC #lalaland #junebooks #summereeads #bookrecs #newrelease

It’s pilot season in LA, the time when all networks are looking for talent for new, up and coming shows. British actress Mia Eliot is a successful actress in England, but now it’s time for her to travel to Hollywood to see what’s next for her career. While waiting to go into one of her auditions Mia meets Emily, a fellow actress that’s looking for her own big break. Thinking nothing of it, Mia agrees to do a simple favor for Emily, a simple favor that ultimately leads Mia to find out that Emily disappeared. What happened to Emily? Was Mia the last person to see her?

I didn’t love this one or hate it; it was just okay. I really liked the Hollywood/actress theme. Being labeled a “thriller” the suspense was low key with no real big twists or surprises, but the plot kept me interested and wanting to find out more about Emily. I felt the pacing was a mix of both slow and fast paced, and at times there were parts that were rushed. Overall, as mentioned before, this one was just an “okay” read for me, I’ll let you decide if you want to read it.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Love love loved this!!! In the oversaturated thriller genre it can be hard for anything to feel new or unique but this one definitely stands out. Catherine Steadman used her experience as an actress to write a thriller set in Hollywood, wrapping in critique of the film industry and the rampant abuse of women that men in power in the industry get away with. Twisty turny, kept me on my toes and I could not put it down - finished it in just over a day. I liked this a lot more than her previous novel Something in the Water. Rounding up from 4.5 stars because damn this main character made some stupid and infuriating choices and some things felt confusing in the end, but overall HIGHLY recommend.

The Disappearing Act was an intriguing book. The beginning was slow, which I don't necessarily mind in books, but I wish the excitement and suspense had started a little sooner. The Disappearing Act was more like a mystery than a psychological thriller. I also enjoyed the realistic glimpse into Hollywood and the world of acting.

The main character, Mia, was likable, although she was definitely naive. She gets in way over her head when trying to figure out what happened to an actress she meets at an audition who disappears. I couldn't imagine anyone becoming that involved in what appeared to be a weird situation from the beginning, so this part of the story felt a bit unrealistic.

However, the mystery of what was going on with the actress who disappeared and why there was another actress pretending to be her kept me reading the book because I wanted to find out what was going to happen next.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

—t h e d i s a p p e a r i n g a c t—⁣
What was the last book that you could not put down?⁣
—⁣
The Disappearing Act is the third thrilling novel from British actress turned author, Catherine Steadman. I loved her first book and haven’t read her second, but this one was just magic for me.⁣
—⁣
The book follows up and coming British actress, Mia, as she seeks success in Hollywood. Reeling from a recent breakup, she crosses paths with a young woman at an audition. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is as it seems, when the woman vanishes and Mia tries to track her down. ⁣
—⁣
No one can be trusted which is EXACTLY THE KIND OF BOOK I LOVE. The plot is propulsive and I read it speedily and in just a few sittings. Mia’s character, complex and a little broken, the ins and outs of Hollywood, and the twists and turns were all strengths of this book.⁣
—⁣
If you dig psychological thrillers and if you liked her first book (Something in the Water), check this one out! ⁣
—⁣
Thank you @netgalley and Ballantine Books for my copy in exchange for a review. ⁣
—⁣
This one is out now!

This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Well this was exciting! I was completely invested from the get go. Mia is an actress who’s boyfriend just left her so she goes to LA to reset and expand her network. She meets a girl named Emily at a gig and things get weird from there’s when I say the twist and turns of this story had me on the edge of my seat, it was serious. Is it Emily, is it not? What really happened to Emily, how is Mia involved?

I thought Mia was a great character, I loved how much she fought to find the truth and I liked that she was relatable. This story literally has me freaked out so many times, ugh. Such a good story. I also truly loved the background info on the LA acting scene, it was such an original idea for a book.

Mia is a rising actress, nominated for an award, and headed from London to L.A. to promote her career. While at an audition, Mia meets another actress named Emily. In a strange turn of events, Mia ends up with Emily's wallet and car keys and, Emily is nowhere to be found. Mia becomes determined to find out what has happened to Emily. Mia's hunt into the sudden disappearance of a woman she just met sucks you in and won't let you go. Just like when watching a scary movie, when you want to yell at the characters not to enter a room, I found myself wanting to yell at Mia, "Stop what you're doing!" This novel started off at a normal pace, then picked up and became an intense read that I didn't want to put down.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #penguinrandomhouse for an ARC of #TheDisappearingAct by #CatherineSteadman 4 stars

A good thriller - a slow build but a quick read with lots of twists and turns. Sometimes it got a bit strange, but I was interested and wanted to keep reading. I loved the main character and her outsider's take on the LA acting scene.

Mia Eliot is an actress from London who is just beginning to make it. She has been nominated for a BAFTA award and as a result is sent to London to audition for shows for pilot season. At one of these auditions, she meets Emily, another actress from out of town, whose company she enjoyed, and who makes her feel a bit less lonely. Before her audition, Emily realizes she must feed the meter for her car, and not wanting to go next, Mia takes her keys and wallets and heads down to feed the meter for her. When she returns, Emily has vanished. Mia finds Emily's contact information in her car and messages her. The following day, Emily comes to claim her belongings, except that Mia is sure this is not the same woman that she met at the audition. This begins a search for Emily, which is followed by a bizarre series of events that confound Mia. She is sure Emily is missing but even the police do not believe her. With nothing to go on but a brief meeting at an audition, Mia shows she has some acumen as a detective, as well as being a good actress, and begins to uncover clues to what may have happened to Emily. The progress is slow, but she makes it, all while auditioning for the role of a lifetime.

With the backdrop of Hollywood both beautiful and sinister, Catherine Steadman spins two simultaneous stories - one of Mia the actress and her life as she moves through pilot audition season and one of mystery and suspense as she looks for Emily. Both stories were compelling to me, and I could never have seen the ending coming. It was not particularly believable, but I was engrossed in the story regardless and worked on suspending my disbelief so I could continue to enjoy the story. I would give it 3.5 stars if that was an option!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this e-book ARC to read in exchange for my honest review.

Overall I really enjoyed this novel. It reminded me a lot of a Lifetime movie which was entertaining. Overall 3.5/4 stars from me. I will be recommending this one to friends.

Synopsis: When actress Mia Elliott decides to venture out and try something new she leaves London and finds herself looking for her next big role and where else but LA. She is drawn in by the Hollywood sign but does not enjoy the traffic. When she meets another actress at an addition she finds herself getting caught up in a missing person report but is her new friend really missing or is it all just another scene written out for real life.

Thought: I was very intrigued by this book from start to finish. I enjoyed the mystery of the story and how the characters were connected. I think this book was well written and kept me guessing what was going to happen next. I also enjoyed how this book talks about some of the difficult parts of being in Hollywood and how many people really struggle. It isn't always the glitz and glamor that we see.

This is my second book by Steadman and boy does she know how to tell a suspenseful novel! This book follows Mia who is an aspiring actress from England. She is in LA currently going through a bunch of auditions and she meets a girl named Emily at one of her auditions. Emily’s parking meter ran out and Mia offers to go fill it for her but when she gets back Emily is nowhere to be found. This book is one giant puzzle piece and you get to slowly solve this mystery of what happened to Emily and why did she disappear that day. I love the suspense throughout and there were a few shocking moments! I will say that Mia makes a lot of awful decisions which drove me nuts, but this was one book I just couldn’t put down!

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A British actress is celebrating the highs of her career while mourning a personal loss. In the midst of her drama, she is faced with the disappearance of an acquaintance.

The role of a lifetime if she makes it to the last page

“The Disappearing Act” is modern noir fiction. Mia Eliot is a nearly-thirty-year-old actress from Bedfordshire who finds herself in Los Angeles, a city with a glamorous surface but a sleazy underbelly. Each chapter is conveniently labeled much like a daily diary of events. The story unfolds in Mia’s first person narrative. She speaks directly to the reader, and talks to herself, pondering what to do, and speculating about what others are doing.

Mia is disillusioned, fleeing her own personal nightmare, going to L.A. to find the role of a lifetime. What she finds instead is a complex web of moral ambiguity. This is L.A. where everyone is obsessed, not with “the work” but with the win. She wants something better for herself and new friend Emily whom she met at an audition. Instead, she finds herself on a path to doom and destruction. She expects the worst to happen at any minute, and no matter how hard she tries, she just keeps making incorrect choices. Along the way, she encounters both the bad and the good of Hollywood, the dangerous – an absurdly self-confident film executive as well as the classic hero -- a romantic successful film producer who takes “a shine” to her.

Steadman creates an atmosphere filled with claustrophobic entrapment and compulsive confrontation. Mia is in a desperate situation due to circumstances beyond her control, and she teeters on the edge of a moral breakdown. I received a review copy of “The Disappearing Act” from Catherine Steadman, Penguin Random House Publishing, and Ballantine Books. It is modern noir fiction at its dark and shadowy best.

3.5 stars rounded to 4

“Have you ever asked yourself what kind of story the story of your life is?”
 
I was really looking forward to this book having read Something in the Water and Mr. Nobody. This book really didn’t pick up until 40% in but from 40-80% I was extremely hooked. It was fast paced and kept my interest. I didn’t want to put it down until I had it all figured out. I really loved the concept of this book and how it gave you an inside look of the entertainment industry. I also really liked the main characters Mia and Nick. I gave this book 3.5 stars due to the slow paced beginning as well as wanting more from the ending. I am not sure what exactly I wanted but I would have liked a more dramatic ending I suppose. Overall, it was a good book and I would recommend it to any mystery/thriller lovers.
 
Thank you to Ballantine Books, NetGalley and Catherine Steadman for providing me with an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

TW: suicide, death, sexual assault, rape

This book kept me guessing the whole time, even up until the very end. The main character Mia is a British actress who goes to America after her breakup from her actor boyfriend to do some screen tests and try to get over her broken heart. She finds herself investigating a mystery that she just can't seem to let go of even when she is warned off by several different people in some what frightening ways. I loved the use of the Hollywood sign and it's history to add to the mystery and spookiness of this story. Great read for the mystery lover!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for letting me receive an ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a rollercoaster ride not just for the events that took place throughout the book but my feelings while reading it. There were sections of the book that felt really fast-paced that would then lead to sections that felt especially slow, littered with a bunch of unimportant details. For the most part, The Disappearing Act read less like a thriller and more of a literary fiction novel with mystery elements.

There was also an annoying romance that I thought would eventually lead somewhere and was probably linked to the core mystery of the book, but alas, it did not and I was stuck with these boring couple moments that I ended up skimming through at the halfway mark.

Overall, I thought that Steadman is good at writing a story but tends to add too many details that I felt slowed down the story.

2.25/5