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TO ACHIEVE GREATNESS, HE MUST SACRIFICE EVERYTHING . . .

Read most original new thriller, a story of glamour, secrets and obsession

‘This compelling psychological thriller set in the acting world is both uncompromising and unsettling, with deeply layered characters and a narrative voice that grabs you from the opening line and won’t let you go’ Alex Michaelides, author of The Silent Patient

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Actor Adam Sealey owes his Oscar nomination to mentor Jonathan Dors. It was Jonathan who trained him in the Method: digging deep into personal trauma in pursuit of the greatest performance.

It gets results.
But there’s a price.

For Adam, it cost him the love of his life.
And then there’s what happened twenty years ago.
An awful secret he’s buried deep inside.

Yet as Oscar night beckons, someone is threatening to dig up the truth.
Adam is finally in the spotlight that he craved for so long.
But it might just mean the world is watching as everything falls apart . . .

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‘A compulsive thriller . . . very, very moving, I adored it’ Abigail Dean

‘Twisty, compulsive fun’ i

‘A barnstorming performance’ The Times

‘A brilliantly twisted (and twisting) tale . . . I loved it’ Mat Osman

‘Brilliantly evoked, totally compelling. A first-class thriller’ Daily Mail

‘Brilliant, dark, immersive, and ultimately hugely satisfying’ Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things

Publisher Review

Brilliantly evoked, totally compelling. A first-class thriller * Daily Mail * This compelling psychological thriller set in the acting world is both uncompromising and unsettling, with deeply layered characters and a narrative voice that grabs you from the opening line and won’t let you go. Fascinating. — Alex Michaelides A barnstorming performance * The Times * Twisty, compulsive fun * i * The Actor is both a compulsive thriller and a fascinating insight into the world of method acting. Chris MacDonald’s writing captures it all, and beautifully: from the glamour of Hollywood to the grunge of 90s Camden. It’s also very, very moving, packed with characters both lovable and entirely detestable. I adored it. — Abigail Dean Ego and ambition, guilt and redemption collide in this masterfully plotted and beautifully written psychological thriller. I couldn’t tear my eyes from the page. — Erin Kelly A darkly dazzling and glamorously wicked thriller. Take a bow, Chris MacDonald. — Chris Whitaker Brilliant, dark, immersive, and ultimately hugely satisfying — Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things What an incredibly tense, immersive debut. I was completely absorbed by this window into the world of method acting and the dark, twisted consequences of such intense commitment. A bravura performance from MacDonald – I didn’t want it to end. — Amy McCulloch An intense, absorbing read about the danger of sacrificing everything for your art, with echoes – in its fascinating depiction of the relationship between student and mentor – of The Secret History and Black Swan. — Mark Edwards Brilliantly twisting (and twisted) tale of method acting, madness and Hollywood glamour. I loved it. — Mat Osman If you are interested in the world of acting, this is one for you. If you like to be kept at the edge of your seat, this one is for you. If you like classy, unique thrillers with richly-drawn characters at their heart, then, you’ve guessed it – this one is for you. I loved it! — Emily Koch, bestselling author of If I Die Before I Wake A blistering story of obsession and where it can lead; a crackling whiplash of a book — Lou Morgan An unsettling, all-encompassing read that explores obsession and ambition. So sharp, so visceral, I just couldn’t look away. — Jo Jakeman I was obsessed. Laughing one moment, absolutely speechless the next, I was completely swept away in Adam’s story. This book lives up to expectations – and then exceeds them — Sam Holland Enthralling and unsettling, The Actor will get you wondering how far one would go for recognition and acceptance — Laure Van Rensberg A masterful thriller that keeps you guessing until the final twist. Exploring a group of drama students in thrall to a toxic tutor and methodology, it has echoes of The Secret History. MacDonald skilfully treads the line between taut, suspenseful thriller and a layered exploration of method acting, with a very moving ending — Alice McIlroy, author of The Glass Woman