British actress Mia Eliot has arives in sunny Los Angeles to put a humiliating breakup behind her and audition for a major role in a movie. Her agent lined up other readings for Mia as nothing is promised when auditioning.
During an audition to read for a television show Mia meets Emily Bryant, an aspiring actress whom she feels an immediate connection. As they chat during a break, Emily's script reading comes up next and she realizes her meter will run out for her rental car. She offers to let Mia go ahead of her. Mia doesn't want to go ahead as she's still preparing. Unbelievably, Emily gives Mia her wallet and car keys so she can feed to parking meter. Who does that? Here is where the mystery and disappearance play in.
With the sudden disappearance of Emily intruding on Mia's thoughts she knows she must banish them while auditioning for this role of a lifetime. The setting of the movie is years before cell phones and war so she closes her eyes and forces herself back to Edwardian England, Covent Garden and immerses herself in the part. I like the descriptions of the auditions.
Once Mia calls the police and reports Emily missing I would think that would be the end of it. In real life it probably would be but in this story Mia goes the extra mile to find out what happened to Emily. Creepy things happen after this point such as items missing or moved in her apartment. There is a sinister element to this amateur investigation and things start to fall into place at the 80% mark. The ending has a chilling scene as well.
If you are interested in more by Ms. Steadman check out Mr. Nobody on a previous post. In addition to authoring several novels she is also a successful actress appearing in The Tudors, Downton Abbey and Mansfield Park to name a few.
Much thanks to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book. Publication date is June 8, 2021 by Random House Publishing - Ballentine. Genre is Mystery, thriller, general fiction. Opinions and thoughts regarding this book are all mine; I was not compensated for this review.
I will be starting Something in the Water next. That's the only other Catherine Steadman novel I have not read
Sharing with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.
Vicki, I have not seen her in any of those shows either but I like her books.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds good and like a book that I would really like on audio. I'll have to look up Steadman because her name sounds so familiar but I haven't watched any of the shows you mentioned. Maybe I know her from her books.
ReplyDeleteKatherine, I think she had a total of three books out. I’m currently reading her first publication & I like her. I prefer the English setting to this one here. Net gay may still be taking requests for this one.
DeleteI like the sinister sound of this one!
ReplyDeleteIt was pretty good, Greg, but I am loving her forst book (which I am just now reading) called Something in the Water - lots of suspense!!
DeleteI'd enjoy the inside look at the world of acting.
ReplyDeleteJoy, you had to suspend disbelief on the personal investigation but the auditions and cating world sceneces were good.
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