Vanishing Games

A shipment of incredibly valuable uncut sapphires, smuggled out of Burma and hijacked by pirates in the South China Sea, provides the MacGuffin for Edgar-finalist Hobbs’s fantastic sequel to 2013’s Ghostman. Enter a pair of professional thieves, Jack (aka Mr. Outis/Ghostman) and his onetime mentor, now partner, Angela. Each of them is a master of disguise, able to alter posture, attitude, accent, and expression to suit the moment. Equipped with an array of false passports, they move through the glamorous world of the super-rich in Hong Kong and Macao. Jack has no qualms about killing and does his share. Yet Hobbs stops the action, when he sees fit, in the most amazing fashion. In one scene, Jack and a professional assassin pause to discuss Greek mythology and the story of the cyclops Polyphemus for several pages before resuming their battle to the death. Those who can stomach the graphic violence will find this an irresistible ride. Agent: Nat Sobel, Sobel Weber. (July)