The Vanishing Act

Paperback Published on: 26/03/2026
Price: £10.99
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Synopsis

'Completely gripping and incredibly addictive... I absolutely loved it and can't recommend it highly enough!' - The Book Magnet blog ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Life as a missing person is absolute murder...

When artist Eloise Ford hears that human remains found in an abandoned mine are believed to be those of long-missing teenager Elizabeth King, the shock sends her reeling.

It can't be true. Eloise knows this for a fact because... she is Elizabeth King.

Now, her carefully curated life in Cornwall is falling apart. Her husband is acting strangely, her children aren't speaking to her and she can't sell a painting for love nor money. But much more worrying are the signs that someone knows exactly who she is... and why she had to vanish thirty years ago.

Eloise needs answers. Is her son's ex-girlfriend just plain annoying... or does she know something? Will the detection skills of the online 'Truth Seekers' group prove more than amateurish? What's the real story behind those village newcomers?

And just how far would she go to keep her family, her friends, and her fraudulent life, safe?

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Readers and reviewers love The Vanishing Act!

'I have laughed, I have gasped at the twists, I have loved characters, I have hated characters. This is crime fiction laced with dry wit that is incredibly clever' - Random Things Through My Letterbox, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I loved this book... it just kept on giving and delivering. Just as I thought I had it mapped out - wham! Another curve ball. Another direction. Another secret or lie exposed. And all so expertly plotted, and very ably executed' - Amazon reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Cleverly plotted with many surprises and twists' - Amazon reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Witty and twisty' - My Weekly

'Ingenious and impossible to put down' - Yours

'I absolutely loved it and flew through it; the perfect combination of suspense, heart and humour!' - Laura Marshall, author of Friend Request

'I raced through this intriguing, twisty and darkly funny thriller!' - Roz Watkins, author of The Red House

'Cleverly plotted and compulsively readable' - _fortheloveofbooksx

'I couldn't put this down - such a clever, witty mystery, with great twists and a brilliant cast of characters who aren't always what they seem... I loved it!' - Nicci Cloke, author of Her Many Faces

'A deliciously darkly funny thriller of the very best kind' - Fiona Cummins, author of When I Was Ten

'As well as a good mystery, Jakeman writes warm and funny dialogue that brings the relationships between the characters thoroughly to life' - The Morning Star

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Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Lisa Jewell and Kristen Perrin, this clever, darkly comic thriller will keep you glued to the pages!

Publisher information

  • Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
  • ISBN: 9781408718452
  • Number of pages: 368
  • Dimensions: 196 x 126 x 30 mm
  • Weight: 250g
  • Languages: English

Customer Reviews

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The Vanishing Act
A Perfect Blend of Suspense and Humour
This was a great, fast-paced read that had me hooked from the start. I loved the main character and the unique blend of suspense and witty humour. The myst... READ MORE
readingstuffnthings.blogspot.co.uk
The Vanishing Act
The Vanishing Act
Well... wasn't this book the gift that kept on giving! I have read and enjoyed quite a few books by this author so I was quite excited to get my hands on ... READ MORE
Ashrae
The Vanishing Act
When The Human Remains Found Aren't Who They Expect Them To Be
When artist Eloise Ford hears that human remains are found in an abandoned mine are believed to be those of long-missing teenager Elizabeth King, the shock... READ MORE
Louise Wilson
The Vanishing Act
A great read that will keep you turning the pages
I really enjoy books written by Jo Jakeman, she has a really easy style of writing that pull you into the story. If you have never read one of her books th... READ MORE
Caroline R
The Vanishing Act
Truth seekers
Eloise Ford leads a comfortable and tightly controlled life in Cornwall until the day she sees that human remains have been found in an abandoned mine near... READ MORE
Jo-anne Atkinson
The Vanishing Act
Fast paced mystery!
This was a fast paced mystery set in Cornwall. Eloise is a happily married artist with two grown up children. When a body is discovered in an abandoned bui... READ MORE
Annette Librarian