The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman and More Than Malice

 I received a copy of The Disappearing Act in my Strand Bookstore subscription last month.

It is a really good psychological thriller.

About: 

"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 would you risk to find out?"

This book has many many twists and turns. Think Hank Phillipa Ryan - Trust Me or A.J. Finn - Woman in the Window. What you think you know, you probably don't. Let me know what you think about the ending.

About the author: 

"Catherine Steadman is an actress and author based in London. She has appeared in leading roles on British and American television as well as on stage in the West End, where she has been nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award. She grew up in the New Forest, Hampshire, and now lives in North London with her husband and daughter. Steadman’s first novel, Something in the Water, was a New York Times bestseller with rights sold in over thirty territories. Film rights have also been sold to Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Hello Sunshine. Steadman’s second novel, Mr. Nobody, was published in 2020. The Disappearing Act is her third novel. "

Catherine Steadman has been in Downtown Abby as Mabel Lane Fox and Victoria as Mrs. Forbes.

More than Malice starts Wed. July 14 and runs through July17. You can still register for this virtual book conference. Great option for those of us who would probably never get to attend normally.

"More Than Malice (July 14 - 17, 2021) is a festival-style crime convention specially designed to fill the void left when the 2021 live Malice Domestic had to be cancelled. It is important to remember that MORE Than MALICE is not intended to be a recreation of the standard Malice Domestic in virtual format; rather it is a new entity designed to entertain a large audience by bringing together a unique collection of authors exploring every avenue on the crime fiction map."

As a person who is registered for the event, I got to participate in voting for a few authors for awards. 

Here are some of the authors that I am familiar with that will be participating: David Baldacci, Rhys Bowen, CJ Box, VM Burns, Linda Castillo, Anne Cleeves, Amanda Flower, Charlaine Harris...the list goes on. 

The Agatha Awards will be presented July 17th virtually. If you can't attend "real time", you will be able to view the events later. Should be fun.