Creepy tale of an actor who practices the method in his craft. He is perceived as obsessed and difficult but may be about to land an Oscar for his work. But there is a secret, one he would rather is not revealed. Good thriller which builds tension.

This is a well plotted psychological thriller which looks at how far an actor can go to get into character for an acting role. I found the exploration of method acting fascinating, bringing out the dark and obsessive side to Adam. A fast page turner that is dark and suspenseful with surprising twists I didn’t see coming!

This was a fun, pacey read I took on holiday with me.

It was incredibly compelling even though at times I felt it leaned too hard into trying to be Whiplash.

I especially loved the dual timelines though I preferred the past to the present.

I had an idea about the “twist” but it didn’t put me off enough to ruin my reading experience and I thought it was well plotted without being too illogical.

However I rolled my eyes at the second twist and it was a bit of a rush to the finish.

I always complain that I don’t like thrillers because I find so many things too convenient and contrived but I get sucked in, and this is exactly the kind of thing I end up reading as a result, so if you love a twisty pacey thriller, this is for you.

This is a chillingly dark and intense multilayered psychological thriller from Chris MacDonald, an indepth forensic examination of the murky, and obsessive acting world, stripped of its glitz and glamour, with a particular focus on 'method' acting which many readers will be familiar with some famous actors known for utilising it. It is the complex characters and their lives that the reader is immersed in that makes this a standout compulsive novel with its disturbingly unsettling narrative that seamlessly moves from past to present. The actor Adam Sealey is within touching distance of getting an Oscar, only for it all to come under a threat from what happened decades ago in his time at a London drama school.

We are given a sharply incisive picture of Adam's life story, of desperate ambitions, inner insecurities, and rivalries, a desire to succeed at any cost, nothing else matters, a willingness to make whatever sacrifices are required to be noticed. Jonathan Dors is a powerful, brutal and ruthless tutor, a manipulator, a proponent of method acting, advocating sinking into the deepest and darkest personal fears and traumas to be able to more 'truthfully' inhabit a role, opening up the possibility of incredible and inspiring performances. It is an eye opening glimpse of the environment, details and demands that go behind what it takes to become a actor of note. There are secrets and twists in this challenging read where the past, present, and the future are inextricably linked.

This is hard hitting, emotional and raw storytelling that captures the real nature of the acting world beneath the thin shiny and glossy veneer. It's the characters that pulled me in and held my interest, even when they are immensely dislikeable. This is a intelligent, tension filled and suspenseful read, well written, from an author who definitely knows and understands the world and people described in the novel. Recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

It turns out that I was lead astray by the description. "grabs you from the opening line" - nope, "compelling psychological thriller" - nope, "most original" etc etc - nope. Very disappointing. Adam is a mess, with some reason, but just did not become a character with whom the reader can sympathise. from the first timeline of his going to the acting Conservatoire to the second, present-day, where he is about to be nominated for an Oscar. The writing was good, however, giving the reader what seems to be a realistic view on the life of an actor and the plethora of trials and tribulations therein. Having now read some other reviewers' comments, I agree that this is a Marmite book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advance copy.

I tried and failed to get into this book despite great effort. The main character Adam seemed boring and lacked any sort of charisma which prevented me from being at all interested in his life.or story. Very slow paced ad .much to long to.hold my attention

A good book but not for me. I didn't like Adam so struggled to keep interested. Although it gets better I'd lost interest. Judging from other reviews I'm in the minority so most readers will enjoy it.

"The Actor" by Chris MacDonald is such an intense read. At the beginning you aren't that bothered whether the main character Adam Sealey is going to win an Oscar but towards the end you have ridden an emotional rollercoaster with him and really care about his wellbeing and outcome. The book cleverly withholds information so that it keeps your interest piqued. It also gives an insight into the involved work and lengths that some actors go to in order to deliver a "real" performance.

Gripped immediately from the get-go with this read by the tense and atmospheric atmosphere created, I raced through this in an evening, as dark takes on Hollywood seems to be my niche reading interest. I have always been intrigued by the lengths actors will go to so I knew immediately this would be a read that would fascinate me. This book feels very of the moment referencing cancel culture, how quickly people are shunned by society and for a myriad of reasons, in Adam’s case being a deeply committed method actor. Acting is such an odd transient profession, being absorbed in it for the few hours to read this book felt an insight into how it can take over a life, making Adam quite an unreliable narrator. The unsettling relationship between Jonathan and Adam as the teacher moulds the actor into the ultimate sacrifice in the name of art is dark, which I wasn’t expecting the
Also unexpected and unsettling was to read about places I have lived (Bexleyheath then Hythe/Dymchurch), although I have never seen a world famous actor decamped in the Romney Marshes! For that reason alone, I will obviously be recommending to the local book club, not sure we have ever read a book set locally.

I’m sad to say that try as I might I really did struggle to get into this book as I just couldn’t seem to connect with the characters and storyline. I know that I am probably in the minority and I’m sure others will enjoy the book more than I did but it just wasn’t for me. The writing was very well done and the story was different and i thought it got better towards the end, I liked the descriptions of method acting and found that interesting but sadly it was just a book that I didn’t really enjoy.
My thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A really clever take on the thriller, with a background event shaping the lives of all of the main characters one way or another. Centered around Adam, a successful graduate of the Conservatoire and his all consuming method acting approach to his work, stemming from Jonathan- one of his tutors.
The story switches between then and now and gives an insight into the processes many of us would never even be aware of, many of which are traumatic and focus around criticism and rejection.
The characters are, on the whole, difficult to like but the story itself is a masterpiece!

I loved this fresh, original thriller and think this one is going to be huge in 2024. It reminded me of the equally brilliant film 'Whiplash' for its dark look at obsession and the 'peek behind the curtains' of what it takes to be a great artist. Really recommend

This is a very dark and intense book. It did take me a little while to get into and then I was completely engrossed and didn’t want to put it down- another late night reading! The two main characters are Jonathan Dors a method acting tutor at the Conservatory, a drama school in London, and one of his pupils Adam Sealey, a damaged boy who will do anything to get Dors attention and to succeed in his chosen profession. Totally character driven with a lot of really good, well written characters alongside the main protagonists. I enjoyed the book, but I can see that this is going to be a bit of a marmite read. I felt that, although it is billed as a psychological thriller, that element really does take second place to Adam’s life story.

Briefly, set in two alternating timelines and as scenes from a play rather than chapters, we first meet Adam as a successful, if not popular within the industry, actor. Adam is nominated for the best actor Oscar and everything is looking good until @measuredbella starts posting on social media hinting at his involvement with a missing girl. Then we start seeing his past, following him through his painful journey at the Conservatory as he tosses everything and everyone aside in his desire to be the best. Adam decides he has to revisit his past and find out who is trying to kill his career.

Adams friendship with Nina was one of the bright lights in the book but his treatment of her was terrible, even though he knew he loved her, she was a distraction from his studies. I didn’t like either main protagonists but I did feel sympathy for Adam who was manipulated by Jonathan because of his unhappy childhood and his lack of self belief. Jonathan however is just pure evil, a narcissistic sociopath who has no genuine feelings for anyone. A tense literary read, opening up the unpleasant side of the acting world, that really grabbed me and held on tight until the very last word. It’s a standing ovation from me.

Original style of writing and it helps if you're interested in actors and their craft. Written like a play script, it's dramatic and tense.

Not for me, unfortunately. This reason more as a psychological exploration of the main character than a thriller. I'm an educated woman but it was just too wordy for me to keep my attention. I do wish the author well with it, though, as there are some great reviews.

A blockbuster of a story.
This book is written in the format of scenes within a five act play rather than chapters. These scenes alternate between a young man gaining entry to prestigious acting school renowned for method acting and his progress there and then his later life.
The school takes Stanislavski's system of acting to some extremes under the tutelage of Svengali-like manipulator.
The cast of characters are all believable as are their actions.
I found this book very hard to but down as I found it compulsive reading, and would recommend it, though some scenes are graphic and not for the faint hearted.

This was pitched as a very exciting, simply brilliant thriller. I'm afraid it's not. At least not for me anyway, but I can see I'm in the minority it seems. I just found it dull and at 50% going nowhere so unfortunately DNFd.

It probably didn't help that the formatting on the proof wasn't great – but at the end of the day I didn't connect with the story or any of the characters.

It's probably not for me to say but I do feel this book will succeed purely because of the hype surrounding its early ARCs. Books live or die on how publishers push them and this will probably do well based on the pre-publicity.

In the end, for me, neither thrilling nor compulsive reading (That's another quote being used).

The Actor is a dark, psychological read that looks into just how far artists will go for their craft - in this case, acting. It’s got this great tension throughout, and lots of characters who you’ll love to hate, whilst also getting a little envious of the glamorous side of the business! You can tell Chris knows the industry well, but this story shows us that it’s anything but perfect…

If you like your novels dark and disturbing, with that real page turning quality, then get this one on your radar!

It would seem from reviews already posted that this is a Love it or Hate it book. I absolutely loved it. I think many have missed what this book is really about. It’s about a narcissistic teacher Johnathan Dors, who picks out students, who have been traumatised as children, and are desperate for his approval who he coldly manipulates, one against the other in the name of immersive method acting. Some will pay the ultimate price to gain his approval. There are some who see him for what he really is, but with rumours flying, who is friend and who is foe? Adam Sealey must question what his life has become and if it was really worth loosing the love of his life for an Oscar.

Thank you for a chance to read this advanced copy of the actor. Unfortunately I did not connect with this style of writing and I struggled with the main character. I think I just didn't get it and this wasn't for me. However, it is definitely a different kind of book that may appeal to others.