A review by blogginboutbooks
The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman

3.0

An intriguing premise is what drew me to this book as well as the fact that I've enjoyed Steadman's previous two psychological thrillers. As an actress, Steadman is adept at bringing the glitz and glamour of the business to life, although her depiction of Hollywood in THE DISAPPEARING ACT is less than complimentary. It's an atmospheric setting, nonetheless. As far as the cast, Mia is likable although not very original or memorable. The rest of the characters are less likable and really sort of bland. I have the same problem with the plot of THE DISAPPEARING ACT that I have had with Steadman's other books—it's not as intricate or twisty as I wanted it to be. Also, (THIS MAY BE SPOILER-Y, so beware) a lot of the story relies on the fact that Mia leaves her purse unattended at an audition, which makes no sense. Why would she do that in a room full of strangers? Didn't make sense to me. In spite of all this, I did want to know what was going to happen to Mia and the story did keep me guessing (although I could see where the plot was leading). All in all, then, I'd call this one an average read. I liked it enough to keep reading, but I didn't love it.