By Catherine Steadman
Published by Simon & Schuster https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/books/The-Disappearing-Act/Catherine-Steadman/9781471189784
Publishing date 24 June 2021
312 pages ISBN 97814711899784
I read an uncorrected proof copy provided by the publisher. Many thanks to Jess for organising that for me.
From the blurb
It all starts with a simple favour. Who wouldn’t help a stranger in need?
British actor Mia Eliot is in LA for pilot season. This is her chance to make it in Hollywood, and she is ready to do whatever it takes. At an audition she meets Emily, and a 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 what Mia remembers. Why would someone pretend to be Emily? She starts 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?
Synopsis
Mia finds out that she has been deserted by her long-term partner just as she is told by her agent that she has a BAFTA nomination. The agent suggests a trip to LA to attend some auditions during the pilot season when new shows are cast, if she doesn’t get a role at least there will be publicity for her. Mia sees it as a chance to get over her partner George, after all what could go wrong?
Mia is thrust into the glitz of showbiz LA with the flash cars, parties, and gifts for influencers. During the wait for one of her auditions Mia befriends Emily and ends up doing her a favour by feeding a parking meter and his left with her purse and car keys when Emily seemingly disappears. Mia enlists the help of others, but Emily is not immediately found, and some cannot even recall her existence. After a couple of days of auditions and trying to find her Mia goes back to the car and finds the rental document bearing a phone number which she calls.
When Emily turns up at Mia’s rental apartment, she seems different; Mia is convinced it is a different woman. She also notices that items are being moved or disappearing from the apartment which convinces her she needs to get to the bottom of the mystery and pursue the fake Emily. This exposes Mia to great danger which comes to a head in the Hollywood hills.
My thoughts
They say write about what you know which explains why so many of Steven King’s novels have writers in them and why I, an accountant, have never seen fit to put pen to paper. This is Catherine Steadman’s third novel and the first to be based on her first career of acting.
I enjoyed her first novel ‘Something in the Water’ which I read earlier this year and this book follows in a similar style. The prose is unfussy, and the plot appears relatively straightforward but with a few twists making for an entertaining if undemanding read. There is plenty of incident and intrigue to keep the reader interested without being padded out. The plot could easily be one used by Alfred Hitchcock during his heyday, a missing person who may not be and a lot to self-doubt for the heroine, though he would have made it more of a psychological thriller whereas here the paranoia is dialled down a few notches. No doubt this story will be optioned for the big screen shortly and would produce an effective vehicle for a young actress.
The heroine, Mia, has just been nominated for a BAFTA for her role in Jane Eyre and there is a clear inference that Jane’s traits of stoicism and tenacity are transferred to Mia, though I’m sure that Jane would not have been has naïve as her. The setting for the missing person set piece being at an audition is quite clever in that naturally those seeking to be cast in the role will look broadly similar and dress according to the character role. After a day of seeing people for the same role to the casual on looker it would likely appear that they all merge into one and individuals become less memorable.
The novel provides insight into the ruthlessness needed to be a success in the profession and highlight the vulnerability of young actresses in an industry where predators still hold power. The #MeToo movement is relevant to the plot but is handled with a light touch and doesn’t plunge the book into excessive darkness. Perhaps I read too much Noir, I’m sure there will be a very dark novel grounded in #MeToo but this one isn’t it. It tries to stay in the LA of bright lights not that of the shadows and Philip Marlowe.
Having read 2 of Ms Steadman’s 3 novels it appears that she is developing a distinct style of pragmatic heroine who is willing to have their scruples stretched to come out at a suitable conclusion. This is no bad thing, as the world becomes more complex and competitive few heroes are truly whiter than white. I also like it when I am proved wrong and one character, I was convinced would turn out to be a ‘wrong un’ did not!
I’m sure that this novel will appear to a great many people, fans of Catherine Steadman and probably fans of Downton Abbey, along with those fascinated with the glamour of Hollywood. The Disappearing Act is ideal holiday entertainment, it’s just a pity that so few of us can take it on one in these Covid times.
Peter turns the page 