A Mind-Bending Psychological Mystery: Read our Review of The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman

The new gripping psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Mr Nobody and Something in the Water.

A woman has gone missing

But did she ever really exist?

Mia Eliot has travelled from London to LA for pilot season. This is her big chance to make it as an actor in Hollywood, and she is ready to do whatever it takes. At an audition she meets Emily, and what starts as a simple favour takes a dark turn when Emily goes missing and Mia is the last person to see her.

Then a woman turns up, claiming to be Emily, but she is nothing like Mia remembers. Why would someone pretend to be Emily? Starting to question her own sanity, she goes on a desperate and dangerous search for answers, knowing something is very, very wrong.

In an industry where everything is about creating illusions, how do you know what is real and how much are you willing to risk finding out the truth?

Catherine Steadman is an actress and writer best known for her role as Mabel Lane Fox in Downton Abbey. Her debut novel, Something in the Water, was a number one New York Times bestseller with rights sold in over 30 territories and film rights sold to Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Hello Sunshine. Her second novel, Mr Nobody, was published in 2020. Now with The Disappearing Act, she’s really hit her stride, combining both her worlds, as a writer and an actress, in one cracking read.

Protagonist Mia Elliot has some solid success in the UK, and word is she’s going to be nominated for a BAFTA. Her agent wants to capitalise on that and take meetings in LA. Mia’s boyfriend of six years has just landed a major role, so has dumped her via the removalist guy he sent to collect his things. So, Mia jumps at the chance to get away and heads off to LA.

It’s pilot season, when actors from all over the world descend on the City of Angels, after that elusive big break. It’s not an easy city … everyone is looking out for themselves, so when Mia meets Emily, she feels she’s made a connection with someone. But then Emily disappears … and returns looking very different.

This is a mind-bending psychological mystery and Steadman propels it along with her polished writing and perfected craft. But what makes it so utterly engrossing is the show biz setting, first in London, and then in LA. Knowing Steadman herself is an actress adds to this: it feels authentic—glamorous and soul destroying all at once.

I sat down to read a few pages before dinner and didn’t get up until I’d finished. Enough said. The Disappearing Act is entertaining and addictive.