Vanishing Act

Vanishing Act is the 15th Kate Gray game. It is set to be released on December 20, 2023. However, with the purchase of a bundle, early access is available from November 29, 2023.

## Summary

Kate and Murphy finally get a night to themselves. What secrets will be revealed?

## Characters

* Kate Gray
* Aaron Murphy
* Gail the Great
* Charlie Dumas
* Elias Legrand
* Sanford Roy
* Harry

## Plot

Kate and Murphy go to the theatre one night for Gail the Great’s magic show. Soon, Murphy is called onstage for a magic trick. Gail then makes Murphy disappear and, due to Kate request, reappear. After the show, Murphy then finds his wallet missing. Later, they go backstage, where they find Murphy’s wallet without his ID in a box which, according to Harry, belonged to Gail. This leads to them asking Gail to come out the dressing room, but a noise is heard and Gail doesn’t respond, forcing the two to crawl through the ventilation shafts to enter Gail’s room. There, they find that Gail had vanished. They later find a threatening message from Elias Legrand about securing an ID for Charlie, proving that they had stolen Murphy’s ID. After a while, they find a hidden trapdoor and unlock it. Under it was an escape tunnel and a membership card for a club called Smoke and Mirrors, leading them to investigate that place next.

At the entrance, they try to pass off Gail’s card as theirs, but are stopped by the bouncer asking them to do ‘the trick’. They end up asking a jazz musician for help, who tells them that it’s simply pulling a bird out of a hat after they give her cherry cola. Kate then uses birdseed an old neighbour gave them and takes a nearby hat to perform the trick, despite a minor mistake. The bouncer then lets them in, where they attempt to use Gail’s heart membership card to get into the VIP room, but they soon discover they need membership cards of every club to enter. Eventually, after flooding a toilet and helping an aspiring magician perform, they give the Clovers magician another drink, unlock the Spades magician’s briefcase, and helping the Diamonds magician pick up cards in a certain order, they borrow their cards and enter the VIP room, where Kate discovers that Gail Leary was actually her sister, Allison Gray.

20 years ago, Kate was writing in her diary, when Allie called her over to bring their pet rabbit Lola to assist with a magic trick. Kate then took their grandfather’s canoe, repaired it, put Lola in a pet carrier, and rowed through strong currents to the other side. After figuring out a password knock Allie made minutes prior, Kate entered the treehouse and helped prep the magic show before bringing Lola and Allie’s supplies inside the treehouse. There, Allie tied balloons to make it look like Lola was flying, but Kate then opened the door and the window shortly after the show ended, bringing in a strong gust of wind that blew Lola into the forest nearby. After apologising, they enter the forest, and catch Lola, but not before a they bump into each other, causing the contents of Allie’s backpack to spill out. There, Kate realises Allie had been passing off Kate’s homework for revision as hers. Back in the present day, Allie then vanishes with a smoke bomb, but then sends Kate a message telling her to meet at their old house alone.

At their old house, Kate reminisces about her younger years, before finding a way to enter the house and lights the fireplace to clear bills, revealing that Allie was in a lot of debt. Underneath the bills is an album, and Allie enters soon after. Later, Kate restores the power by fixing the fuse box outside. After turning on the lights, Allie explains that she had been picking pockets for two guys named Charlie and Elias, but leaves without much further explanation. Kate then looks through Allie’s bag and retrieves Murphy’s ID. Soon, she enters the attic and later manages to open a secret wall clock compartment containing Allie’s diary, explaining how her life in Paris led to her becoming part of a plot in Charlie’s plan. Shortly after, Allie meets up with Elias and Charlie, the latter looking remarkably like Murphy, who take her away after she realises that Murphy’s ID was missing. Shocked, Kate finds Allie’s computer in her car, which she unlocks with help from a hidden message in invisible ink in Allie’s diary and an old game they used to play together. Kate then finds out that the final stage of their plan involves the boat party of someone named Sanford Roy. She then decides to take Murphy to the boat club, fearing for her sister’s life.

## Trivia

* The magician with the Spades membership card is named Atticus Trevarrow.
* It is unknown how Allie got into the VIP room without her heart membership card, though she likely got a spare.