This did not do it for me. Unfortunately, I really enjoyed the writing style and how well the author can tell a story but quite honesty it was boring. I almost DNF about 3 times. The very beginning of the book the main characters boyfriend who she lived with and loved for 6 years just moved out. No words. No explanation just has a friend move his stuff. This should have been my first inclination not to continue to read as it didn’t sit right with me. Well the entire ex boyfriend storyline didn’t even need to be part of the story. It almost felt like a “fill in” for fluff. I think the overall plot is very unique but focuses much more on the actress in LA than an actual thriller or mystery. While a few parts kept me intrigued the majority of it just didn’t do it for me and I found too many plot holes. What was the entire point of mia meeting Emily? Over a movie script? Seems a little much. I just overall wanted more from the thriller aspect. I’m disappointed because the author is a phenomenal author and great at descriptions and character development but overall the plot fell way too flat for me.

The Disappearing Act was an enjoyable book that had me anxious to find out what was going on. Author Catherine Steadman is also an award-winning actress from England so she clearly knows her way around the entertainment business. From its glitz and glitter to its dark, ugly side. This is a well-written book with lots of suspense. I did find myself thinking several times, “Mia, what are you doing?” as she was extremely naïve and made some ill-advised decisions. If you can overlook this and simply suspend disbelief, this is a very entertaining book. Any book that can keep me on the edge of my seat like this one did gets a thumbs up.

✨ The Title/Cover Draw:
I thought I had read something by this author before. Turns out I hadn’t but the premise sounded good so I took a chance. Thank you to @netgalley for letting me read an advance copy of the book.
💜 What I liked:
This book was such a fast read. It definitely keeps you guessing and the end is very intense. You may think too that the book keeps going when it should be ending, but there is a nice twist that is definitely worth it later!
😱 What I didn’t like:
The story could have been tightened up with some more events or information that the main character discovers thrown in.
💁‍♀️ The Characters:
Mia is auditioning for roles in LA. Then she meets Emily who promptly disappears.
🚦 My face at the end: 🙀

💭 5 Reasons to Read:
Very fast paced and a quick read!
Sympathetic main character
Plot twists you THINK you see coming
Intense Ending
Nothing is as it seems


I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

I have read Catherine Steadman's book and I think this one is my favorite. I really enjoyed the setting of Los Angeles/Hollywood and getting an interesting perspective of the Hollywood life. The mystery element kept me on my toes and couldn't predict the ending. I think that the insider view of acting and Hollywood meshed with an element of suspense keep the book moving and a good pace. I would recommend this as a great summer/beach read.

Mia is a British actress whose boyfriend dumps her via text and she runs away to Hollywood to audition during the "pilot season". She meets another young actress named Emily during an audition and then Emily disappears. Emily's disappearance is so odd that it captures Mia's focus. This thriller is good at making you feel that Mia is completely alone-even at the outset when Mia is broken up with via text. At times it was more of a mystery than a thriller but it kept me reading to try to figure out what was going on. This story definitely showcased the dark side of Hollywood.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the ARC in return for my honest review.

OMG! This needs to be on everyone’s TBR !!! Once again Catherine Steadman, has blown me away.

I have always been a HUGE Catherine Steadman fan but The Disappearing act has solidified it . Hands down this will be a 2021 top seller.

I absolutely loved the Hollywood scenery with the coming of age British actress , I was up I was down , I just couldn’t stop . I read this book from start to finish without even so much as a bathroom break .

5 star read !! I can not wait to recommend this to all of my followers !

A compelling read. Beautifully written, well-thought-out characters, and a developed setting. The thriller components shined through in the most perfect way. I truly enjoyed this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this advanced reading copy of The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman.

Mia Eliot is a British actress on the rise with a potential BAFTA nomination on the horizon. When Mia experiences an unexpected. change in her relationship she needs a distraction while she waits to hear if the nomination will become more than just a fantasy. Enter pilot season in Los Angeles. Mia heads to the City of Angels to dive headfirst into auditions, parties and the glittering nightlife that everyone expects from Hollywood. When Mia meets and becomes entangled with another young actress at an audition, her life suddenly becomes more dramatic than the roles that she is auditioning for.

I quite enjoyed The Disappearing Act, although it wasn't nearly as suspenseful as I was hoping it would be. It had a steady undercurrent of suspense throughout the entirety of the book rather than the one big shocking event that most people expect from thrillers. It was a really good read but I did find myself rolling my eyes at Mia's decision-making skills as the story went on. All in all, I would recommend this to anyone looking for a thriller that isn't too scary or dark. Great beach read, for sure.

Not for me, I didn’t like the writing style of the book. Will be good for someone who likes short chapters but it felt disjointed, due to the short chapters, I struggled to connect and be invested:

This was a slow start for me but once I got into it I could not put it down. I finished it in one day! I loved the back and forth of who you perceived to be “good” vs “bad” and how that changed a bit as the story developed. This had me invested to the very end and I could see this being adapted as a movie, tv show or even a podcast. Love this author. This book did not disappoint!

This book is more a suspenseful mystery than a psychological thriller, but I really liked it. I felt really caught up in Mia's delema and I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to know what the heck happened the Emily. I also liked how part of the plot had a #MeToo vibe. It is a subject that we should never stop talking about and it doesn't just happen in Hollywood.

Now, this was a great book that I couldn't help but to devour. From start to finish I didn't want to put it down and with every newfound clue into Emily's disappearance, I was pulled deeper and deeper into the plot. This is truly one of those "just one more chapter" books only, you'll say that right up to the very end and even then, you'll want more. Overall, this was a quick and enjoyable novel and I would definitely read another book by this author.

Fans of Catherine Steadman’s Something in the Water (such as myself) will be equally intrigued by her newest thriller, The Disappearing Act!

Mia is an up-and-coming actress who flies from her home in London out to LA to pursue the possibility of making it big in Hollywood. At one of her auditions, she meets another young actress, Emily, who mysteriously disappears afterwards, leaving Mia with the last traces of her existence. Just as Mia is reaching for her biggest role yet, she’s being pulled into Emily’s life, which may threaten everything she’s built for herself.

I read this compulsively, in just a few sittings. Steadman is brilliant at creating that creepy, unsettled feeling in this book (as in her others), that you know something is off but you simply cannot put your finger on it. While the plot felt a little slow in the first half, the second half saw a steady buildup that will keep readers turning pages.

What I loved about this book - when an Emily look-alike showed up at Mia’s door to collect her wallet and keys. CREEPY! So mysterious, and we see Mia already challenging these strange circumstances. This really made me want to keep reading. Additionally, at the end when Mia meets with Marla, it’s not clear how much Marla can be trusted until the stakes are too high. I was constantly thinking, what would I do in this situation? Sometimes, I questioned whether a real person in Mia’s shoes would have done what she did, but then again, there would be no book without Mia, so it’s easy to set that aside.

I also felt like the depiction of Hollywood was accurate and compelling. It’s not hard to believe that what happened to Emily (at least, the assault) would happen for real (in fact, we KNOW it has) and that there’s shady business going on in Hollywood. The characters driving this story will do almost anything for the fame and success they are seeking out, even if that means sacrificing their moral values. I loved the ending - satisfying, with one last surprise for the reader, and with Mia realizing that although she’s happy with her career, it’s not worth the life-threatening turmoil that she and the other characters have gone through.

Overall, the perfect summer thriller!

British actress Mia's live-in boyfriend has effectively ghosted her- even sending a company to move him out-just as she learns she might be nominated for a BAFTA, making it perfect timing to do publicity and audition in Los Angeles. All is terrific until she meets Emily at an audition and....Emily disappears, leaving behind her keys and wallet. Mia becomes committed to finding Emily and what she finds, ultimately is a mishmash of sorts. Read this for the fun behind the scenes little details (avocado on rice cakes and the gifting suite) but somehow I doubt a British actress on the circuit would buy the ingredients for, cook and eat fajitas in her loaner luxury apartment the night before a big meeting. So yes, there are some plot holes, the end is implausible. and it's had to understand why Mia goes as far as she does in the hunt for Emily etc. but you know what, I kept reading, pulled in by Steadman's storytelling. I've been a fan of hers from the beginning and while this isn't her best offering, it's still pretty darn good. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. An entertaining read.

I read this in a day and it had me hooked.

A lot of what you see in Hollywood will be fool's gold. What Steadman does is show that there is so much grittiness in LA, and you sometimes really need to dig below the surface to see it. There will always be an ulterior motive.

The characters had interesting stories, I loved the twists, and there were some subplots that really creeped me out in the. way that only a good thriller could.

I found this book enjoyable overall, and though parts of it were slow, it was overall quite enjoyable.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the chance to read this book!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine Books for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review. I started the book this morning and I've already finished it! I couldn't stop reading it; I just HAD to know where Emily went. The ending was not what I expected, but I love that! I also really liked the character of Mia and found myself relating to her. I did find some plot holes and unexplained things but overall, I really enjoyed the story enough to overlook them.

So nice to hear that the author is a British actress as well. I think that made the details a bit more believable. I will definitely pick up more books by Ms. Steadman.

The book comes out June 8th, 2021!

Find my Goodreads review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3999827637

Another amazing book by Catherine Steadman. I have been a fan since her first book. Also, I realized after reading her notes on this book that she is also an actress, when I looked her up I couldn't believe I didn't make the connection sooner! Now I know that writing is her second career but she certainly doesn't write like it's secondary. I loved the plot development and then depth and complexity of the characters. This book keeps you guessing until the end and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes mystery/thrillers. I cannot wait for her next book!

Sorry for the delayed review, I was having trouble accessing my account.

I really liked the main character of this book and found the insights into Hollywood and the acting world fascinating. The slow burn had me second guessing all of the characters the whole way through and the ending took a turn I didn’t expect (although did become a tad outrageous in my opinion). Overall an enjoyable read that kept me turning the pages!

Mia is a British actress who is traveling to Los Angeles. She is on the cusp of international stardom, and she is going to major auditions in Los Angeles. Mia inadvertently gets caught up in drama, as the reader gets caught up and swept along as well.
I loved this book! This is Steadman’s third novel and the first I’ve read. She is a good writer and keeps the story compelling. I will definitely read her previous novels, and look forward to her next book!

The Disappearing Act is the latest thriller from Catherine Steadman who takes her experience with acting and weaves it into this story about an up and coming British actress who is about to have her breakout moment. Mia comes from London to Los Angeles for a flurry of auditions and meetings, but she can't get her mind off of Emily who left her keys and wallet with Mia and never returned. While the big reveal fell a little flat for me, I still tore through the book and was decently surprised. This is a summer thriller that isn't too stressful/scary that gives a fun look behind the scenes of Hollywood. As with most thrillers, check your trigger warnings before you pick this one up.