Cover Image: The Disappearing Act

The Disappearing Act

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Member Reviews

This is a Psychological Thriller. I have to say this book pulled me into for the beginning, and I loved the character, Mia. I will have to add that this is more of a mystery to me then a thriller. I did not find this way thrilling or shocking, but there was suspense. I did love the story and the characters. I did not want to put this book down. The ending was just ok. I think any book that pulls you into it and keeps you wanting to read is worth reading. I am normally not one for books about actress/actors, but I really enjoyed this story. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Ballantine Books) or author (Catherine Steadman) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

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A thank you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don't necessarily have a lot to say about this one. Having so enjoyed Something in the Water, I was totally stoked to get my hands on another summer thriller by the author, and while it was fun, it failed to be as immersie and intense as the former. Things progress rather slowly, in small increments, & at times it feels like absolutely nothing is happening, but there's just enough there to keep you going...I often wondered why Mia even cared - she knew Emily, what? Like 5 minutes? But then again, curiosity killed the cat, and, yes, I totally admit that I too would insert myself into the narrative and be dying to solve the mystery. Steadman will remain one of my summer go-to authors.

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Definitely enjoyed it. I knew something bad was going to happen and that Mia would ignore all the red flags. I had so many questions going through my head. What happened to Emily and how is Mia involved? Who gives a complete stranger their wallet and car keys? I'm guessing someone up to no good. Why doesn't anyone ever call the police when something strange happens? Mia does the exact opposite of what any sane person would do. She rationalizes the reasons for missing items in her apartment. She knows it didn't disappear by itself. Why didn't she just drop Emily's stuff at the police station? Then she follows someone out in the middle of nowhere (not really nowhere since it's LA) without anyone knowing where she is. Nick was extremely suspicious in the way he just showed up and took an immediate interest in the whole Emily story. Emily's story is crazy. I can't believe the lengths people will go to get what they want. I would have loved to learn a little more about Mia and George's relationship. The ending was my least favorite part of the book.

Definitely recommend the book. It's a great mystery/thriller. Enjoyed the characters, story and writing style. I couldn't wait to find out why Mia was targeted and what actually happened to Mia. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Mia Elliott has become a successful actor in England and now she is ready to tackle a bigger stage. She flies to Los Angeles where, once a year, studios and networks hold auditions for their new shows. As hopeful actors converge from all over the world for non-stop auditions, careers will be made and dreams will be fulfilled. It’s during one of these auditions that Mia meets a fellow actor, Emily, who then disappears shortly after they become acquainted. As Mia tries to uncover the truth about Emily’s disappearance, she begins to realize that there are many unanswered questions and possibly even danger for herself as well as Emily.

The Disappearing Act is a thriller and very well-written. I enjoyed the behind the scenes look at Hollywood, the audition process, and the glitz and glamour of LA. It was entertaining and the characters are well-drawn. However, the story itself is not very believable, Mia is quite naïve, and she makes some really questionable decisions that definitely didn’t feel right. In the end, while The Disappearing Act was a bit of a disappointment, it is still a good summer read – especially if you are willing to suspend your beliefs and just go along for the ride.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

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I absolutely loved this book! I read a few reviews where people thought it was predictable but I really didn’t. I loved the slower burn of the thrill and thought the setting was perfect. I will definitely be recommending this one all summer long. Thank you random house for my free copy!

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This was just ok. I wasn’t overly impressed with this thriller. I have enjoyed Steadman’s previous books but for some reason this one wasn’t my cup of tea. Maybe next time!

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Such a strange story. Definitely one that will keep you reading, trying to figure it out.

Is the person you met really that person?

I feel like saying anything about the book will be a spoiler and I don’t want that.

Get it and enjoy!

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The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman is a psychological thriller about a British actress, Mia Eliot, who has recently come to Hollywood. She meets another actress, Emily, who seems kind. But then Emily disappears, and Mia can't help but try to find out what happened to her. She is repeatedly warned to stop searching for Emily, but she doesn't listen. This was a fast-paced, fun read. It was unbelievable at times, but I still enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

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When Mia agrees to do a favor for Emily, a virtual stranger she meets at an audition. Emily literally disappears before her eyes a bit later. Mia persists in trying to find Emily. Through inconveniences and earie occurrences, every time Mia learns something helpful, it is taken from her. Battles rage between doing the right thing and forgetting the entire episode. She is never confident who she can trust in a country of strangers.

This is an excellent mystery. Not many people who continue to look for a stranger after roadblocks appear everywhere. The righting is fun. The reader will laugh, shake their head, groan with frustration, and dip their head in wonder. The book seems implausible and possible at the same time. Mia is naïve and finds herself in a foreign world where she doesn’t understand the rules. She is determined to find out what happened to Emily, even after she is warned to look away.

This book is highly recommended.


I received an ARC from Random House Publishing – Ballantine through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

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Mia is a British actress that is trying to get over a failed relationship, so she heads to LA for a big audition. While at an audition, she meets another actress that looks a lot like her. The actress, Emily, asks her for a favor and then *poof* she is gone. Next thing you know, Mia is involved in Emily’s life in a way that she wasn’t expecting. I really enjoyed this one, and it was a fast read.

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Twisty, turny, and designed to keep you guessing, this novel is an able thriller for people who, like me, enjoy their mysteries with a glitzy sheen.

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This was a pretty good, moderately suspenseful book, yet another job well done by Catherine Steadman! British actress Mia is in L.A. auditioning for several roles and meets a young woman who leaves her wallet and keys with Mia and disappears. Mia gets very invested in finding out what happened to this young woman she has just met.

Interesting premise and great twists and turns!

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When I started this piece, I was immediately captivated. It’s been such a long time since I’ve read a work I wanted to finish, let alone review. Steadman’s writing was a breath of fresh air and I am so thankful I haven’t read her previous works yet as now I have something to look forward to!

The Disappearing Act has proved to be a lovely thriller. It did keep me guessing and contained several twists and turns. I would definitely add this book to your summer reading list.

That being said, the conclusion did not hold as much weight as I would have expected. I found myself unsurprised, though I appreciated the curves put in place to dissuade the reader. Additionally, I found Mia to be one of the most irritating protagonist I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. Then again, if it weren’t for her inane decisions, we wouldn’t have a story now would we?

Overall, I thought this was an engaging read and one perfectly timed for a summer release.

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Really wanted to love this one more, but I don't think that this author is for me.

It was mildy suspenseful, but what threw me off the entire story was how much I disliked the main character. The actual premise of the story was really intriguing, but I did not enjoy this book as much as I was hoping to.

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3.5 stars.

This book was really intriguing and the mystery of who Emily was and where she went had me hooked the whole time. I liked the story and I think it was fast paced and twisty like I like but something just seemed missing. It wasn't the mind blowing twists and turns like some thrillers. Still a very enjoyable novel that was well written!

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Once again, Catherine Steadman hits it out of the park! This book kept me guessing all throughout. I loved that it was unpredictable and I wasn't able to guess how it was going to end. Plus, it was really interesting to read about some of the "behind the scenes" activity in Hollywood. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

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I've been following Catherine Steadman since her debut, Something in the Water, which I really liked. So I was really pleased when I got an advance copy of her latest.
The Disappearing Act is all about the behind the scenes happenings in Hollywood. Mia, an up and coming British actress, is newly in LA for audition season, Through a random encounter she gets involved in a missing person situation, which then turns out to be much more sinister than expected. It all builds up to a twisty finale!
This is well written thriller, Steadman does a really good job of building up the suspense - I found myself tensing up in certain scenes! The setting is good too, having been to LA several times I could recognise the city well (traffic, weather, the contrast with glamour / grit) and I enjoyed getting an insight into the filming business. Only thing is that it was hard to get invested in some of the side plots as Mia is the only character who is somewhat well developed, the others just exist to move the story along. There were also a few British / American inconsistencies - I'm pretty sure Americans don't put xs in texts. Still, I was intrigued till the end, and it was fun to delve into a different world. Definitely give it a go!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

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Dark Hollywood is featured in this thriller. Mia is ready for her big break….but will the circumstances of a missing person break her?

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This book kept me flipping pages as fast as I could! Mia a British actress gets a four word break up text from her actor boyfriend and heads to Hollywood to work and get away. At an audition, she meets Emily who asks her to put change in the meter so her car isn't towed and goes into the audition.....Mia can't get a hold of Emily to give her the keys and her wallet and tries to figure out what happened to her. The more Mia digs the stranger things become. This fast paced suspense keeps the reading wanting to know what is going on here? Excellent - totally recommend. The story about the actress who jumped from the Hollywood sign in 1932, I did not know - chilling!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an copy for an honest review.

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British actress Mia Eliot has made her mark across the pond and is now in Hollywood for a plethora of auditions with some of the movers and shakers of tinsel town.

On one of her auditions she meets Emily, a fellow actress, who asks her for a small favor and promptly disappears. Mia (who must have a galloping case of OCD) promptly begins searching for the missing Emily (who she has met all of that one time) rather than focusing on her career and the opportunities being offered to her. When the elusive Emily shows up at Mia’s apartment, Mia is pretty sure she is not the same person she remembers meeting. She is, however, cognizant enough to notice that things in her apartment have either been moved or have disappeared. Oh my, has someone been there while she was out and how could they have entered without a key?

What ensues is a convoluted plot where our protagonist does unexplainably stupid things, it is difficult to tell the players without a scorecard, and the motivation and actions of various characters are improbable at best.

I had high hopes when I began this book and will say that the plot does keep you reading, if for no other reason, than to count how many twists and dead ends you are willing to accept to get to the final reveal. 2 1/2 stars

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