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The Main Character
A bestselling thriller author arranges a luxury train trip that is not what it appears to be in this electrifying modern homage to Agatha Christie from the author of the “tense and twisty” (Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author) The Chateau .
Reclusive, mysterious author Ginevra Ex is famous for her unusual approach to crafting her big bestselling she hires real people and conducts intensive interviews, then fictionalizes them. Her latest main character, Rory, is thrilled when Ginevra presents her with an extravagant bonus—a lavish trip along Italy’s Mediterranean coast on the famed, newly renovated Orient Express. But when Rory boards the train, she’s stunned to discover that her brother, her best friend, and even her ex-fiancé are passengers, as well. All invited by Ginevra, all hiding secrets.
With each stop, from Cinque Terre to Rome to Positano, it becomes increasingly clear that Ginevra has masterminded the ultimate real life twisty plot with Rory as her main character. And as Ginevra’s deceptions mount, and the lies and machinations of Rory’s travel companions pile up, Rory begins to fear that her trip will culminate like one of Ginevra’s with a murder or two. In the opulent compartments of the iconic train, Rory must untangle the shocking reasons why Ginevra wanted them all aboard—and to what deadly end.
Another stylish and compulsively readable mystery from Jaclyn Goldis, this is the perfect read for fans of Ruth Ware, Lucy Foley, and Paula Hawkins.
Reclusive, mysterious author Ginevra Ex is famous for her unusual approach to crafting her big bestselling she hires real people and conducts intensive interviews, then fictionalizes them. Her latest main character, Rory, is thrilled when Ginevra presents her with an extravagant bonus—a lavish trip along Italy’s Mediterranean coast on the famed, newly renovated Orient Express. But when Rory boards the train, she’s stunned to discover that her brother, her best friend, and even her ex-fiancé are passengers, as well. All invited by Ginevra, all hiding secrets.
With each stop, from Cinque Terre to Rome to Positano, it becomes increasingly clear that Ginevra has masterminded the ultimate real life twisty plot with Rory as her main character. And as Ginevra’s deceptions mount, and the lies and machinations of Rory’s travel companions pile up, Rory begins to fear that her trip will culminate like one of Ginevra’s with a murder or two. In the opulent compartments of the iconic train, Rory must untangle the shocking reasons why Ginevra wanted them all aboard—and to what deadly end.
Another stylish and compulsively readable mystery from Jaclyn Goldis, this is the perfect read for fans of Ruth Ware, Lucy Foley, and Paula Hawkins.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published May 21, 2024
About the author
Jaclyn Goldis
3 books349 followersJaclyn Goldis is a graduate of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and NYU Law. She practiced estate planning law at a large Chicago firm for seven years before leaving her job to travel the world and write novels. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @jaclyngoldis.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 356 reviews
July 6, 2024
Reclusive, mysterious author Ginevra Ex is famous for her unusual approach to crafting her big bestselling thrillers: she hires real people and conducts intensive interviews, then fictionalizes them. Her latest main character, Rory, is thrilled when Ginevra presents her with an extravagant bonus—a lavish trip along Italy’s Mediterranean coast on the famed, newly renovated Orient Express. But when Rory boards the train, she’s stunned to discover that her brother, her best friend, and even her ex-fiancé are passengers, as well. All invited by Ginevra, all hiding secrets.
With each stop, from Cinque Terre to Rome to Positano, it becomes increasingly clear that Ginevra has masterminded the ultimate real life twisty plot with Rory as her main character. And as Ginevra’s deceptions mount, and the lies and machinations of Rory’s travel companions pile up, Rory begins to fear that her trip will culminate like one of Ginevra’s books: with a murder or two. In the opulent compartments of the iconic train, Rory must untangle the shocking reasons why Ginevra wanted them all aboard—and to what deadly end.
Transporting. Multidimensional. Thought-provoking. Each of these phrases touches just a bit on the captivating tale told within the pages of The Main Character. A beguiling mystery mixed heavily with a generational family drama, Goldis outdid herself with her sophomore mystery/thriller. What I didn’t realize before diving into the story, however, was how the whodunnit portion of the book was just the beginning.
Above all else, this was a character-driven plot if I’ve ever seen one. With believable characters lightly painted with just a bit of fictional eccentricities, I got wrapped up in each and every one. No more, however, than Rory. With a startlingly poignant character arc and a persona that drew me in deep, I would have been happy to follow her to the ends of the earth. At the same time, I loved the rest of her party and was happy to soak in the unfolding puzzle.
As for the plot, it was certainly an homage to Agatha Christie, but it was also so much more. Dredging up complicated feelings on decidedly relevant topics, the focus on antisemitism resonated strongly for me. Adding a depth to the storyline while also lending an original spin, pinholing it as just another take on a classic Golden Age whodunnit would be a disservice. Instead, there was wisdom, insight, and sadness to what I would rather classify as a cross-genre tale.
All in all, told via multiple POVs and dual timelines, this book not only lived up to The Chateau, but perhaps surpassed it for me. With an evocatively drawn setting, clever twists, and one jaw-dropping conclusion, I’m already eagerly anticipating the next book in Ms. Goldis’ arsenal. Just don’t expect a straightforward mystery of the type personified by Christie. After all, that was just the starting point. Where it went from there, was all down to the author’s own gifted mind. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Thank you to Jaclyn Goldis and Emily Bestler Books/Atria for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: May 21, 2024
Trigger warning: Alzheimer’s disease, suicide, mention of: embezzling, antisemitism, fraud
With each stop, from Cinque Terre to Rome to Positano, it becomes increasingly clear that Ginevra has masterminded the ultimate real life twisty plot with Rory as her main character. And as Ginevra’s deceptions mount, and the lies and machinations of Rory’s travel companions pile up, Rory begins to fear that her trip will culminate like one of Ginevra’s books: with a murder or two. In the opulent compartments of the iconic train, Rory must untangle the shocking reasons why Ginevra wanted them all aboard—and to what deadly end.
Transporting. Multidimensional. Thought-provoking. Each of these phrases touches just a bit on the captivating tale told within the pages of The Main Character. A beguiling mystery mixed heavily with a generational family drama, Goldis outdid herself with her sophomore mystery/thriller. What I didn’t realize before diving into the story, however, was how the whodunnit portion of the book was just the beginning.
Above all else, this was a character-driven plot if I’ve ever seen one. With believable characters lightly painted with just a bit of fictional eccentricities, I got wrapped up in each and every one. No more, however, than Rory. With a startlingly poignant character arc and a persona that drew me in deep, I would have been happy to follow her to the ends of the earth. At the same time, I loved the rest of her party and was happy to soak in the unfolding puzzle.
As for the plot, it was certainly an homage to Agatha Christie, but it was also so much more. Dredging up complicated feelings on decidedly relevant topics, the focus on antisemitism resonated strongly for me. Adding a depth to the storyline while also lending an original spin, pinholing it as just another take on a classic Golden Age whodunnit would be a disservice. Instead, there was wisdom, insight, and sadness to what I would rather classify as a cross-genre tale.
All in all, told via multiple POVs and dual timelines, this book not only lived up to The Chateau, but perhaps surpassed it for me. With an evocatively drawn setting, clever twists, and one jaw-dropping conclusion, I’m already eagerly anticipating the next book in Ms. Goldis’ arsenal. Just don’t expect a straightforward mystery of the type personified by Christie. After all, that was just the starting point. Where it went from there, was all down to the author’s own gifted mind. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Thank you to Jaclyn Goldis and Emily Bestler Books/Atria for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: May 21, 2024
Trigger warning: Alzheimer’s disease, suicide, mention of: embezzling, antisemitism, fraud
December 10, 2023
As the Goodreads blurb states, The Main Character is a “modern homage” to Agatha Christie. I've only read a fraction of Dame Christie's novels (there are so many of them!) so there could be lots of little Christie-esque details that I missed, but I definitely recognized the Orient Express (from Murder on the Orient Express, obviously) and the “barely missed being crushed by a rolling boulder” trope that she used in multiple books (Death on the Nile probably being the most famous). But is this book really, truly anything like an Agatha Christie novel? Nah. Rory is not exactly Miss Marple, and no one is solving a murder in this one, anyway.
So what did I like about this book? If you ignore the parts of the story that are obviously taken from Christie's novels, the plot is pretty original. I love the idea of a modern-day Orient Express, and the mystery surrounding Ginevra Ex and the purpose of the surprise luxurious train trip is unique. And even though the characters are almost all completely unlikeable (excluding Rory and Max's dad Ansel), Ginevra's character (and her role in the mystery) is interesting and complex. Also, the setting is delightfully exotic – the characters' time is split between the Orient Express and various towns and cities in Italy.
But, with that said, I definitely had some issues with this book. First of all, I could not get into it at all, at least not until the action started happening toward the end. The characters are tremendously unlikeable and not all that interesting – Ginevra and Ansel being the exceptions as previously mentioned – and all of them have exactly the same “voice.” The point of view changes from chapter to chapter, and I kept getting confused about who was narrating because the main characters don't have distinct personalities. Well, right up until one of them does a complete 180 during the climax, anyway – where in the heck did that come from?!
Also, the ending is super abrupt and leaves a lot of issues unresolved. I'll admit that I like the books I read to be tied up with a neat little bow at the end, but this one is particularly open-ended. And just … no. I need more of a conclusion than we are given, and I despise it when books end right in the middle of a dramatic scene.
So, yeah. This book has a great premise but it ultimately fell flat for me in the execution. I won't say that it's not worth a read because it isn't terrible and I'm sure lots of other readers will enjoy it more than I did, but definitely don't go into it expecting the genius of Christie's works.
Overall rating: 3.35 stars, rounded down.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
So what did I like about this book? If you ignore the parts of the story that are obviously taken from Christie's novels, the plot is pretty original. I love the idea of a modern-day Orient Express, and the mystery surrounding Ginevra Ex and the purpose of the surprise luxurious train trip is unique. And even though the characters are almost all completely unlikeable (excluding Rory and Max's dad Ansel), Ginevra's character (and her role in the mystery) is interesting and complex. Also, the setting is delightfully exotic – the characters' time is split between the Orient Express and various towns and cities in Italy.
But, with that said, I definitely had some issues with this book. First of all, I could not get into it at all, at least not until the action started happening toward the end. The characters are tremendously unlikeable and not all that interesting – Ginevra and Ansel being the exceptions as previously mentioned – and all of them have exactly the same “voice.” The point of view changes from chapter to chapter, and I kept getting confused about who was narrating because the main characters don't have distinct personalities. Well, right up until one of them does a complete 180 during the climax, anyway – where in the heck did that come from?!
Also, the ending is super abrupt and leaves a lot of issues unresolved. I'll admit that I like the books I read to be tied up with a neat little bow at the end, but this one is particularly open-ended. And just … no. I need more of a conclusion than we are given, and I despise it when books end right in the middle of a dramatic scene.
So, yeah. This book has a great premise but it ultimately fell flat for me in the execution. I won't say that it's not worth a read because it isn't terrible and I'm sure lots of other readers will enjoy it more than I did, but definitely don't go into it expecting the genius of Christie's works.
Overall rating: 3.35 stars, rounded down.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
April 7, 2024
After enjoying The Chateau written by Jaclyn Goldis, I was intrigued to read her upcoming 2024 release, The Main Character. Set on a revived Orient Express traveling north to south in Italy, it had all the right things going for it... an author creates fictional characters from those she's met in real life. So, when she assembles the main character and several people close to her, why does someone die in reality? And what hidden connections lurk beneath the surface of this peculiar story? There's more to the author than we all realize, and many of the characters seem to harbor secrets. For the most part, I enjoyed the book. It wasn't quite Agatha Christie-esque, but there were some similarities. Mostly, it jumped around a lot and left me struggling to accept each new POV. I liked the big reveal at the end, and along the path were some interesting Ukrainian and Jewish histories that educated me on details with which I'd been unfamiliar. But there was a little disconnect between the characters admiration / care for each other and the reality of their situations. Too many unanswered questions, and how or why did the people agree to such a thing with so much to hide! That said, it was an easy read and I'll give the author's next book a chance too.
July 1, 2024
**3.5-stars**
The Main Character is the 2nd-release that I have read from Jaclyn Goldis, the 1st being The Chateau, which ended up not being a great fit for me.
While I still had some issues with this one, it was definitely a more enjoyable read, IMO. Thus, Goldis and I have an upward trajectory together, and I love to see that.
In this story we are following a group of characters on a luxury train trip aboard the newly-renovated Orient Express. The focus of our tale is Rory, who has recently worked as the main character for a bestselling mystery author, Ginevra Ex.
What does that mean exactly? Basically, Ginevra researches Rory, her main character, including everything in her life, and everyone, and then the author frames the main character of her next book on what she discovered while learning about Rory.
I'm sure that sounds intrusive and it was, but Rory willingly participated. How bad can it be?
The train trip was a gift to Rory from the author at the conclusion of the project. The ARCs are ready and Ginevra wants to thank Rory for her time.
Upon boarding the train though, Rory is shocked to find her brother, her best friend and her ex-fiance already aboard. What the heck is going on here? Why would the author bring them all together like this?
It seems Ginevra uncovered some truths during her research that could shock the heck out of Rory. Playing out on the train, as twisted as any fictional story, Rory finds herself suddenly in a vacation from hell. Was this the author's plan all along? Rory needs to find out.
As with The Chateau, there's a lot going on here. We get various perspectives in the present, as well as a historical perspective. Generally, I enjoy that, and by the end, I enjoyed that here as well, but in the beginning, I will admit to being bored by the historical portions.
I did appreciate how the author ended up tying the two timelines together though, and it does make sense in light of everything that ultimately played out.
I did enjoy the characters and all of their interpersonal dramas. They're not likable, but they were definitely interesting. I did have times when I felt for Rory, and I sort of liked her best friend, Caroline, as well.
As with most friend groups, there are secrets which end up being exposed. It makes for an intense trip and I do feel like Goldis did a solid job building that tension throughout.
One area where I was disappointed, however, was the atmosphere. I'm an atmosphere girlie and when you tell me we are going on a train journey, especially on the infamous Orient Express, I want to feel that.
Honestly, I kept forgetting they were even on a train. There was so much focused on their interactions, they really could have been anywhere. It's unfortunate, because the train is a huge selling point for this novel.
Nevertheless, there are still some fun and engaging attributes to this, so I can see a lot of Readers really enjoying it. I'm also happy that I had a much better experience with this than with The Chateau.
If you pick this one up, I highly recommend reading the Author's Note at the end, where Goldis discusses some of her inspiration for the historical portions of this story. I thought that was so good to know and I'm sure her family is extra proud of this one because of it.
Thank you to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm 100% on board with future work from this author.
The Main Character is the 2nd-release that I have read from Jaclyn Goldis, the 1st being The Chateau, which ended up not being a great fit for me.
While I still had some issues with this one, it was definitely a more enjoyable read, IMO. Thus, Goldis and I have an upward trajectory together, and I love to see that.
In this story we are following a group of characters on a luxury train trip aboard the newly-renovated Orient Express. The focus of our tale is Rory, who has recently worked as the main character for a bestselling mystery author, Ginevra Ex.
What does that mean exactly? Basically, Ginevra researches Rory, her main character, including everything in her life, and everyone, and then the author frames the main character of her next book on what she discovered while learning about Rory.
I'm sure that sounds intrusive and it was, but Rory willingly participated. How bad can it be?
The train trip was a gift to Rory from the author at the conclusion of the project. The ARCs are ready and Ginevra wants to thank Rory for her time.
Upon boarding the train though, Rory is shocked to find her brother, her best friend and her ex-fiance already aboard. What the heck is going on here? Why would the author bring them all together like this?
It seems Ginevra uncovered some truths during her research that could shock the heck out of Rory. Playing out on the train, as twisted as any fictional story, Rory finds herself suddenly in a vacation from hell. Was this the author's plan all along? Rory needs to find out.
As with The Chateau, there's a lot going on here. We get various perspectives in the present, as well as a historical perspective. Generally, I enjoy that, and by the end, I enjoyed that here as well, but in the beginning, I will admit to being bored by the historical portions.
I did appreciate how the author ended up tying the two timelines together though, and it does make sense in light of everything that ultimately played out.
I did enjoy the characters and all of their interpersonal dramas. They're not likable, but they were definitely interesting. I did have times when I felt for Rory, and I sort of liked her best friend, Caroline, as well.
As with most friend groups, there are secrets which end up being exposed. It makes for an intense trip and I do feel like Goldis did a solid job building that tension throughout.
One area where I was disappointed, however, was the atmosphere. I'm an atmosphere girlie and when you tell me we are going on a train journey, especially on the infamous Orient Express, I want to feel that.
Honestly, I kept forgetting they were even on a train. There was so much focused on their interactions, they really could have been anywhere. It's unfortunate, because the train is a huge selling point for this novel.
Nevertheless, there are still some fun and engaging attributes to this, so I can see a lot of Readers really enjoying it. I'm also happy that I had a much better experience with this than with The Chateau.
If you pick this one up, I highly recommend reading the Author's Note at the end, where Goldis discusses some of her inspiration for the historical portions of this story. I thought that was so good to know and I'm sure her family is extra proud of this one because of it.
Thank you to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm 100% on board with future work from this author.
May 23, 2024
The two similarities this has to Murder on the Orient Express:
1. Happens on a train.
2. Death. (eventually)
Comparing any mystery to Queen Agatha Christie is a bold move. You'd be hard-pressed to find a mystery-lover who hasn't read at least one of her novels. I rarely think the comparison is fair, and that's certainly the case here.
I do love a good dramatic cast, but the characters are more immature than anything. Despite being in their thirties, they were petty and childish in many ways. Despite the insane drama (cheating, unrequited love) it was still boring.
The story dragged out. It would have helped if this was an actual murder mystery. This reads more like a boring thriller. It's based on secrets that weren't super exciting. I can't decide if the secrets bored me because of what they were or if I didn't care about the characters.
If you love a soap opera cast and go into this expecting a thriller, you might like this one. Unfortunately, it was not for me.
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books, for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
1. Happens on a train.
2. Death. (eventually)
Comparing any mystery to Queen Agatha Christie is a bold move. You'd be hard-pressed to find a mystery-lover who hasn't read at least one of her novels. I rarely think the comparison is fair, and that's certainly the case here.
I do love a good dramatic cast, but the characters are more immature than anything. Despite being in their thirties, they were petty and childish in many ways. Despite the insane drama (cheating, unrequited love) it was still boring.
The story dragged out. It would have helped if this was an actual murder mystery. This reads more like a boring thriller. It's based on secrets that weren't super exciting. I can't decide if the secrets bored me because of what they were or if I didn't care about the characters.
If you love a soap opera cast and go into this expecting a thriller, you might like this one. Unfortunately, it was not for me.
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books, for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
April 23, 2024
The setting and premise of this one are really fun & entertaining enough as a domestic thriller type plot. However, I was hoping for a Christie-esque mystery which this did not delivery IMO - more family drama than whodunnit
January 25, 2024
Ginevra is a well known author living in Italy whose last book has not done well. Promising to fictionalize the story, she pays Rory, an American woman who has recently lost her job as a news anchor, to tell about her life. After their arrangement is done, she offers Rory an all expense paid trip on the luxurious Orient Express train through Italy. Rory's shocked to find that her best friend, her ex fiancé, an Italian man she dated, and her brother are all on the trip too, courtesy of Ginevra. What is Ginevra's motivation? We learn that each person has shocking secrets which will all be revealed by the end of the trip. Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the ARC.
May 26, 2024
The Main Character has to be one of the most original mysteries I’ve read to date. This story within a story revolves around an author who hires individuals as a sort of inspiration to what she’ll be writing about. How she does this is by getting to know them through interviews and then fictionalizing them. However, what her latest inspiration doesn’t know is that her part of the story is far from over. Rory, the new muse, is given a lavish trip along Italy’s Mediterranean coast on the famed, newly renovated Orient Express (yes, think Agatha Christie). But it’s not just a thank you gift. Instead, Rory is thrust into a real-life murder mystery with a set of characters she wasn’t expecting to see (her brother, best friend, and ex-fiancé) and each one of them is hiding something.
This is a twisty murder mystery and completely original. Yes, most have read Agatha Christie so that part of the story may be nostalgic but everything else is unique. I found myself extremely interested in this story and didn’t want to put it down.
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is a twisty murder mystery and completely original. Yes, most have read Agatha Christie so that part of the story may be nostalgic but everything else is unique. I found myself extremely interested in this story and didn’t want to put it down.
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
November 30, 2023
An interesting premise that did not deliver.
Maybe I’m too much an Agatha Christie fan, maybe the melodrama was cringey, maybe it was the abundance of unlikeable characters … this was a fail for me. And, dare I say, bored me?
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Maybe I’m too much an Agatha Christie fan, maybe the melodrama was cringey, maybe it was the abundance of unlikeable characters … this was a fail for me. And, dare I say, bored me?
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.
March 28, 2024
Jaclyn Goldis has been on my radar ever since her debut novel, The Chateau, was released last year. Once I saw this gorgeous cover, I knew that THE MAIN CHARACTER (which I also call myself) was a book that I needed to read.
Infusing the elements of Murder on the Orient Express, Everyone on This Train is a Suspect, and Who is Maud Dixon, THE MAIN CHARACTER takes place on a renovated Orient Express train through Italy. Rory was hired to help Ginevra Ex, a famous mystery author, for her next book. Rory is the inspiration for Ginevra's next book and as a gift, she gives her a ticket on this unique and once-in-a-lifetime experience. That is, until she discovers that her brother Max, her best friend Caroline, and her ex-fiancé Nathan are all aboard the train, all invited by Ginevra. As the journey from Rome to Positano continues, it becomes clear that this was a masterminded attempt for story, but nobody took into account what would happen when a murder happens aboard the train.
This book is similar to Goldis' debut in which it's a light mystery in a character-driven drama. The story slowly builds with each chapter, but it's definitely not the fast paced race-against-the-clock you may expect since we're in a locked room mystery. If you liked the books I mentioned above and Lucy Foley's novels, THE MAIN CHARACTER is definitely your speed. I had fun with this one and was glad that I picked it up at a time where I wanted more time to dive into a world with a book. I am excited to see what Jaclyn Goldis has in store for readers next. STARS: 3.5, PUB: 5/21
Infusing the elements of Murder on the Orient Express, Everyone on This Train is a Suspect, and Who is Maud Dixon, THE MAIN CHARACTER takes place on a renovated Orient Express train through Italy. Rory was hired to help Ginevra Ex, a famous mystery author, for her next book. Rory is the inspiration for Ginevra's next book and as a gift, she gives her a ticket on this unique and once-in-a-lifetime experience. That is, until she discovers that her brother Max, her best friend Caroline, and her ex-fiancé Nathan are all aboard the train, all invited by Ginevra. As the journey from Rome to Positano continues, it becomes clear that this was a masterminded attempt for story, but nobody took into account what would happen when a murder happens aboard the train.
This book is similar to Goldis' debut in which it's a light mystery in a character-driven drama. The story slowly builds with each chapter, but it's definitely not the fast paced race-against-the-clock you may expect since we're in a locked room mystery. If you liked the books I mentioned above and Lucy Foley's novels, THE MAIN CHARACTER is definitely your speed. I had fun with this one and was glad that I picked it up at a time where I wanted more time to dive into a world with a book. I am excited to see what Jaclyn Goldis has in store for readers next. STARS: 3.5, PUB: 5/21
July 3, 2024
4.5⭐️
I read The Château last year and really enjoyed it so I knew exactly what type of book I was getting into and really loved this one too! Both of her books are more historical mystery than they are thriller, so I can see why some people find them too slow or not action filled enough. Her writing is solid and the plot was very engaging and I didn’t want to stop reading this! I definitely recommend both of her books IF you like slower mystery books that have a lot of character development
I read The Château last year and really enjoyed it so I knew exactly what type of book I was getting into and really loved this one too! Both of her books are more historical mystery than they are thriller, so I can see why some people find them too slow or not action filled enough. Her writing is solid and the plot was very engaging and I didn’t want to stop reading this! I definitely recommend both of her books IF you like slower mystery books that have a lot of character development
June 9, 2024
This book's premise sounded incredibly exciting, but sadly it fell short of expectations. This novel deviates greatly from the premise; it's not like an Agatha Christie mystery, and there's no actual murder to solve. This book is okay; it's just not the story it's claimed to be.
The plot is somewhat unique if you overlook the passages that are blatantly lifted from Christie's novels. Both Ginevra's mystery and the concept of a contemporary Orient Express were interesting.
Although I must admit that I really liked the first half of this book, the second half took a different turn and felt a little disorganized.
There was just too much happening on at once. Chapter to chapter, the points of view also shifted, making it difficult for me to follow who was telling the story.
The Main Character's premise was intriguing, but until the final few pages, the plot didn't really take any exciting turns. In addition, a lot of questions remain unanswered and the ending is a little abrupt.
Even though I wasn't very impressed by this novel, it was still a passable read if you needed something to pass the time.
The plot is somewhat unique if you overlook the passages that are blatantly lifted from Christie's novels. Both Ginevra's mystery and the concept of a contemporary Orient Express were interesting.
Although I must admit that I really liked the first half of this book, the second half took a different turn and felt a little disorganized.
There was just too much happening on at once. Chapter to chapter, the points of view also shifted, making it difficult for me to follow who was telling the story.
The Main Character's premise was intriguing, but until the final few pages, the plot didn't really take any exciting turns. In addition, a lot of questions remain unanswered and the ending is a little abrupt.
Even though I wasn't very impressed by this novel, it was still a passable read if you needed something to pass the time.
December 8, 2023
So…it’s probably a me problem, but this is not at all like Agatha Christie. I mean, even if you squint. It’s got two things in common with Christie. It’s on the Orient Express. There’s eventually (eventually, like way too far into the book) a death. Also, the author talks about Agatha Christie for about a paragraph - just in case you don’t get that it’s supposed to remind you of her.
This is a domestic thriller that is sometimes on a train and sometimes off the train in Italy. (And flashbacks.)
The main character has zero main character energy. She’s a cheese sandwich. Basic, bland and totally unworthy of any drama happening to her.
The other characters are more interesting, though very unlikeable.
Once I resigned myself to the fact that this was yet another domestic thriller wrapped up in a pretty package, I found the story interesting enough to continue.
The ending was a bit abrupt.
The read is okay, but I’m not certain I’d revisit the author.
• ARC via Publisher
This is a domestic thriller that is sometimes on a train and sometimes off the train in Italy. (And flashbacks.)
The main character has zero main character energy. She’s a cheese sandwich. Basic, bland and totally unworthy of any drama happening to her.
The other characters are more interesting, though very unlikeable.
Once I resigned myself to the fact that this was yet another domestic thriller wrapped up in a pretty package, I found the story interesting enough to continue.
The ending was a bit abrupt.
The read is okay, but I’m not certain I’d revisit the author.
• ARC via Publisher
May 2, 2024
1.5 ⭐
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the advanced reader's edition for review. Unfortunately, this one fell short of expectations.
Bear with me, folks, this is going to be a lengthy review. And just as a note, this is my first Jaclyn Goldis novel - I have not read The Chateau. I would have given this 2.5 stars but as I progressed, the stars just kept falling. I'm normally not a harsh reviewer, but this was an infuriating read. If I were the type of person to DNF a book, this would've been it.
The exposition sets up high hopes. The scenery is picturesque. The first chapter instantly draws you in: a murder of an unknown character, a distraught protagonist, a reader curious to learn more. However, it was too slow-paced to truly be characterized as a thriller. (I even finished 2 other books and 4 comics while reading this book.) The actual murder doesn't happen until 86% of the way in. The rest of the novel before the murder was bland. It might have been better suited if it was written as historical fiction.
First, the novel was extremely melodramatic. Starting with Rory's indignation at seeing her loved ones aboard the train. This was histrionic because we didn't have much of her backstory at that point to truly empathize with her reaction. Some of this melodrama was alleviated by the revelations in Ginevra's letter a mere three short chapters later, but over 100 pages in, all we had were more questions than answers. Ordinarily, that would have lent itself to a suspenseful plot, but the anticipation fell short as it was difficult to connect with the characters.
The characters lacked depth. Though the chapters are told from different characters' perspectives, their voices blended together, and I had to constantly remind myself which character was narrating. (How many men know what votive candles are?! How many would describe a plate as “covered in pastoral lemon prints”?! Nate does and would, apparently.) Also, certain details about each character's background are constantly reiterated to the reader without new information or further character development (e.g., Max is working on an Alzheimer's vaccine for his father's benefit, Caroline has been their friend since childhood). It would have been more beneficial if instead of these repeated details, more of Rory's backstory was provided to truly flesh out her character and make her compelling. We're only given a surface glance into the details about her past and are only passingly told in one sentence that she was fired from her job as a reporter because she didn't fully fact check a story (without ever knowing what kind of story, whether this was her first offense, etc.) and that her engagement to Nate ended because a work situation caused him to behave differently (but surely there had to have been more to it since they were together for over a decade).
In addition, at times, the novel just felt like a series of poor decisions that led to predictably unfavorable results. Towards the beginning of the novel, Rory chose stylish attire over a functional outfit to hike Italy's terrain, received a few scrapes as a result, and we have to hear her whine about it twice, all of which could have been avoided if she used half of her brain. And, at the very end, same old Rory chooses espadrilles to climb steep stairs! Then, Rory and her pals rent 4 beach chairs, inexplicably decide to split up in 4 different directions into town, and leave the beach chairs unattended with their advanced copies of Ginevra's books stored on the chair to hold their place .
Rory is simply unlikable. Throughout the novel, she glares at her so-called friends and accuses them of not wanting her to read Ginevra's book so she wouldn't find out their secrets. She then waits until they are eating in a crowded restaurant to a cause a scene, yelling at them and disturbing the other patrons. She also kept internally lamenting over the fact that when she first skimmed the novel while half-asleep, she felt like she missed something within its pages. Yet she refuses to read it while she's fully awake. When she finally does get around to reading it, she's drunk, and once again, it's the middle of the night! Though, lo and behold, the alcohol is on her side and her eyes finally glaze over the two words that help her realize something is amiss.
The reveal in Chapter 37 was trite and worthy of an eye roll. The only redeemable quality to the novel was that the last 50 pages were a page-turner. The victim and killer did surprise me, but it is a common trope and may not surprise other readers. The third big reveal was also not as astonishing as the author intended to be. And once that secret was divulged, the fourth was extremely predictable and added 0 shock value.
I also can't fathom what would possess Rory to have the completely asinine thought that a character would have acted differently if they'd had a mother to take care of them. As if everyone who grows up without a mother has a murderous propensity?!
Overall, this reads more like a family melodrama than a thriller. (It was actually more akin to My Sister's Husband than an Agatha Christie novel - there's a "beautiful" sister and a jealous sister, the jealous sister throws the beautiful's sister favorite clothes in the trash when they're teenagers, one sister steals the other's crush, .) Furthermore, Rory's in a catatonic state for the entire novel so if you like main characters who grow by the end, who take action and don't just let life happen to them, this novel isn't for you.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the advanced reader's edition for review. Unfortunately, this one fell short of expectations.
Bear with me, folks, this is going to be a lengthy review. And just as a note, this is my first Jaclyn Goldis novel - I have not read The Chateau. I would have given this 2.5 stars but as I progressed, the stars just kept falling. I'm normally not a harsh reviewer, but this was an infuriating read. If I were the type of person to DNF a book, this would've been it.
The exposition sets up high hopes. The scenery is picturesque. The first chapter instantly draws you in: a murder of an unknown character, a distraught protagonist, a reader curious to learn more. However, it was too slow-paced to truly be characterized as a thriller. (I even finished 2 other books and 4 comics while reading this book.) The actual murder doesn't happen until 86% of the way in. The rest of the novel before the murder was bland. It might have been better suited if it was written as historical fiction.
First, the novel was extremely melodramatic. Starting with Rory's indignation at seeing her loved ones aboard the train. This was histrionic because we didn't have much of her backstory at that point to truly empathize with her reaction. Some of this melodrama was alleviated by the revelations in Ginevra's letter a mere three short chapters later, but over 100 pages in, all we had were more questions than answers. Ordinarily, that would have lent itself to a suspenseful plot, but the anticipation fell short as it was difficult to connect with the characters.
The characters lacked depth. Though the chapters are told from different characters' perspectives, their voices blended together, and I had to constantly remind myself which character was narrating. (How many men know what votive candles are?! How many would describe a plate as “covered in pastoral lemon prints”?! Nate does and would, apparently.) Also, certain details about each character's background are constantly reiterated to the reader without new information or further character development (e.g., Max is working on an Alzheimer's vaccine for his father's benefit, Caroline has been their friend since childhood). It would have been more beneficial if instead of these repeated details, more of Rory's backstory was provided to truly flesh out her character and make her compelling. We're only given a surface glance into the details about her past and are only passingly told in one sentence that she was fired from her job as a reporter because she didn't fully fact check a story (without ever knowing what kind of story, whether this was her first offense, etc.) and that her engagement to Nate ended because a work situation caused him to behave differently (but surely there had to have been more to it since they were together for over a decade).
In addition, at times, the novel just felt like a series of poor decisions that led to predictably unfavorable results. Towards the beginning of the novel, Rory chose stylish attire over a functional outfit to hike Italy's terrain, received a few scrapes as a result, and we have to hear her whine about it twice, all of which could have been avoided if she used half of her brain. And, at the very end, same old Rory chooses espadrilles to climb steep stairs! Then, Rory and her pals rent 4 beach chairs, inexplicably decide to split up in 4 different directions into town, and leave the beach chairs unattended with their advanced copies of Ginevra's books stored on the chair to hold their place .
Rory is simply unlikable. Throughout the novel, she glares at her so-called friends and accuses them of not wanting her to read Ginevra's book so she wouldn't find out their secrets. She then waits until they are eating in a crowded restaurant to a cause a scene, yelling at them and disturbing the other patrons. She also kept internally lamenting over the fact that when she first skimmed the novel while half-asleep, she felt like she missed something within its pages. Yet she refuses to read it while she's fully awake. When she finally does get around to reading it, she's drunk, and once again, it's the middle of the night! Though, lo and behold, the alcohol is on her side and her eyes finally glaze over the two words that help her realize something is amiss.
The reveal in Chapter 37 was trite and worthy of an eye roll. The only redeemable quality to the novel was that the last 50 pages were a page-turner. The victim and killer did surprise me, but it is a common trope and may not surprise other readers. The third big reveal was also not as astonishing as the author intended to be. And once that secret was divulged, the fourth was extremely predictable and added 0 shock value.
I also can't fathom what would possess Rory to have the completely asinine thought that a character would have acted differently if they'd had a mother to take care of them. As if everyone who grows up without a mother has a murderous propensity?!
Overall, this reads more like a family melodrama than a thriller. (It was actually more akin to My Sister's Husband than an Agatha Christie novel - there's a "beautiful" sister and a jealous sister, the jealous sister throws the beautiful's sister favorite clothes in the trash when they're teenagers, one sister steals the other's crush, .) Furthermore, Rory's in a catatonic state for the entire novel so if you like main characters who grow by the end, who take action and don't just let life happen to them, this novel isn't for you.
April 2, 2024
Have you ever read Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie? This story line was based on that book. I thought this story was much better then Agatha Christie book. More twists More mystery and a shocking end.
January 15, 2024
Rory goes for the ride of her life on the Orient Express through Italy à la Hercule Poirot. She glimpses all the sights and secrets those around her could be hiding. Especially those close to her. And throughout her trip, she soul-searches and finds there to be no coincidences.
The reason she is sent on this trek through different Italian locales is due to none other than famed author, Ginevra Ex. Even her name oozes drama and promises this to be the story of a lifetime. Her approach to storytelling is unconventional and intriguing to say the least. She intentionally selects real people to be her fictional main characters to star in each of her works. But her reasons for selecting Rory are a little more personal than usual. As you read, you’ll discover why and get a look into several different perspectives: Rory herself, Caroline, Rory’s best friend, Max, her brother, and Nate, her ex-fiancé.
I mostly enjoyed this book and was readily allured by its premise, but there were a couple loose ends left behind. Some including never finding out why Rory lost her job as a news anchor, and mostly towards the end in regards to the twist, which was powerful yet not fully believable.
Sometimes to seek beauty, however, we must look deeper into ourselves and coax our insecurities out of hiding in order to address them and this book genuinely speaks to that. It also speaks to what it means to heartbreakingly lose time.
It is sad, devastating, and original through and through and reminds that we can’t be someone else’s main character our whole lives, but own the integrity and truths of our own stories. Really, take control of our specific narratives and rewrite and edit them in the ways we see fit. And along the way, hopefully enjoy life more than survive it when we can because it passes by in the flash of an eye.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review!
The reason she is sent on this trek through different Italian locales is due to none other than famed author, Ginevra Ex. Even her name oozes drama and promises this to be the story of a lifetime. Her approach to storytelling is unconventional and intriguing to say the least. She intentionally selects real people to be her fictional main characters to star in each of her works. But her reasons for selecting Rory are a little more personal than usual. As you read, you’ll discover why and get a look into several different perspectives: Rory herself, Caroline, Rory’s best friend, Max, her brother, and Nate, her ex-fiancé.
I mostly enjoyed this book and was readily allured by its premise, but there were a couple loose ends left behind. Some including never finding out why Rory lost her job as a news anchor, and mostly towards the end in regards to the twist, which was powerful yet not fully believable.
Sometimes to seek beauty, however, we must look deeper into ourselves and coax our insecurities out of hiding in order to address them and this book genuinely speaks to that. It also speaks to what it means to heartbreakingly lose time.
It is sad, devastating, and original through and through and reminds that we can’t be someone else’s main character our whole lives, but own the integrity and truths of our own stories. Really, take control of our specific narratives and rewrite and edit them in the ways we see fit. And along the way, hopefully enjoy life more than survive it when we can because it passes by in the flash of an eye.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review!
May 31, 2024
Goldis returns with another locked-room mystery, inspired by and an homage to Agatha Christie’s legacy. It opens with a reclusive and eccentric author, Ginevra Ex. One of the most successful authors in the world.
Ginevra has written what she believes to be her triumphant return to the best seller charts. I found it fascinating that Ginevra bases her book on real people, and this is where the rest of the cast comes in. For her grand finale, Ginevra has gathered the cast of real-life people onto the Orient Express for one opulent and twisted ride. Unfortunately, things don’t go at all as planned.
Ginevra has cast Rory Aronov as her main character, and placed her in the most expensive compartment onboard the luxury train. Of course, she did this before she discovered a dead body three days before the trip. Rory has just left a ten-day meditation retreat, hoping that it will give her clarity. Her relationship has just ended, her career is in ruins, and she’s learned a life-changing secret while working with Ginevra on her new book. But when Rory arrives in the bar car, she sees it filled with people she knows. Her best friend, Caro, her older brother, Max, and her ex-fiancé Nate.
No one is more surprised than Rory to find these three on the same luxury train as her. It seems Ginevra arranged it as a surprise. Secrets are now trapped on a luxury liner traveling across Italy and are just waiting to be spilled. The characters are wildly unreliable, and their various perspectives slowly fill in the details about what exactly Ginevra intended. But even Ginevra couldn’t have foreseen how this would all play out.
One of the most mysterious and compelling parts of the story for me was how much Ginevra already knew. She had sent a few copies of the book onboard, but they are stolen before any of the central characters can read what’s in them. Or did one of them steal the books to keep the others from finding out a terrible secret?
The central characters are pitted against one another, and it seems at some points as though they won’t escape this train without blowing up every long-standing relationship they have. Can there be healing through forced proximity? The tension was high throughout, and Goldis kept the pace moving with well-timed reveals. This was a fun ride for the reader (though perhaps less fun for the characters). I loved the premise of a writer arranging this for the real life inspiration of her characters, only to see what happens.
Brilliant, entertaining, and compelling!
Ginevra has written what she believes to be her triumphant return to the best seller charts. I found it fascinating that Ginevra bases her book on real people, and this is where the rest of the cast comes in. For her grand finale, Ginevra has gathered the cast of real-life people onto the Orient Express for one opulent and twisted ride. Unfortunately, things don’t go at all as planned.
Ginevra has cast Rory Aronov as her main character, and placed her in the most expensive compartment onboard the luxury train. Of course, she did this before she discovered a dead body three days before the trip. Rory has just left a ten-day meditation retreat, hoping that it will give her clarity. Her relationship has just ended, her career is in ruins, and she’s learned a life-changing secret while working with Ginevra on her new book. But when Rory arrives in the bar car, she sees it filled with people she knows. Her best friend, Caro, her older brother, Max, and her ex-fiancé Nate.
No one is more surprised than Rory to find these three on the same luxury train as her. It seems Ginevra arranged it as a surprise. Secrets are now trapped on a luxury liner traveling across Italy and are just waiting to be spilled. The characters are wildly unreliable, and their various perspectives slowly fill in the details about what exactly Ginevra intended. But even Ginevra couldn’t have foreseen how this would all play out.
One of the most mysterious and compelling parts of the story for me was how much Ginevra already knew. She had sent a few copies of the book onboard, but they are stolen before any of the central characters can read what’s in them. Or did one of them steal the books to keep the others from finding out a terrible secret?
The central characters are pitted against one another, and it seems at some points as though they won’t escape this train without blowing up every long-standing relationship they have. Can there be healing through forced proximity? The tension was high throughout, and Goldis kept the pace moving with well-timed reveals. This was a fun ride for the reader (though perhaps less fun for the characters). I loved the premise of a writer arranging this for the real life inspiration of her characters, only to see what happens.
Brilliant, entertaining, and compelling!
June 9, 2024
The Main Character is a soap-opera like page turner with secret after secret, mystery after mystery. Its characters, a group of friends and family who are not only flawed, but have underlying problems, some of which have never been spoken about. But a famous train ride will open the flood gates on those unspoken problems, and perhaps turn these pals against each other.
So, let's begin:
Ginerva Ex is a best-selling author whose genre is to do a deep dive into someone's life, interview their friends and family, discover the good the bad and the ugly of the person and create a main character out of their story and write a fictional account of what she has discovered. Unfortunately, her last two books did not sell very well and Ginerva has decided she perhaps needs someone who had already been in the spotlight.
Enter Rory, who was a television news anchor until she was let go recently. Unsure of what she will do next, Ginerva convinces her to be the next main character. Since Rory and Ginerva have had a history, Ginerva would only allow Rory to interview her each time one of her books was coming out, and was offering her an astronomical amount of money, she decides to say yes.
So, after three months of interviews with Ginerva, her brother Max who owns a company trying to create an Alzheimer drug, a condition her father unfortunately has, her best friend Caroline who now works for Max and others in her circle, the book is ready to be published and as a thank you Ginerva has decided to give Rory's innermost group a vacation of a lifetime. The newly renovated Orient Express train is doing an Italian trip with stops.
But when the group finally gets together to board the train, she is shocked to see her ex-fiancé, Nate among the cast of characters. Confused and angry, she stuffs her feelings and tries to go with the flow and enjoy this incredible opportunity. What no one knows is Ginerva has planned this trip to expose all the dark secrets she has found that were hidden. She too has an agenda for this group.
Suddenly problems begin to occur. Rory is almost killed by a bolder, the book being published which they were all given copies all disappear, and the group begins to fight with each other.
But Rory finds a copy of the book and begins to read it. And she is stunned. What she begins to understand is that the no one is really who they say they are. This group of best friends since childhood have so many hidden agendas. What does she do now?
And then she discovers Ginerva's hidden agenda... and her whole world explodes in front of her.
The Main Character is a juicy complex thriller with hidden secrets, unknown personality flaws and puzzles from the past that when pieced together will shock and astound. Trust me, it's truly a killer of a book!
Thank you #Goodreads #Atria/EmilyBestlerBooks/TheMainCharacter#JaclynGoldis for the advanced copy.
So, let's begin:
Ginerva Ex is a best-selling author whose genre is to do a deep dive into someone's life, interview their friends and family, discover the good the bad and the ugly of the person and create a main character out of their story and write a fictional account of what she has discovered. Unfortunately, her last two books did not sell very well and Ginerva has decided she perhaps needs someone who had already been in the spotlight.
Enter Rory, who was a television news anchor until she was let go recently. Unsure of what she will do next, Ginerva convinces her to be the next main character. Since Rory and Ginerva have had a history, Ginerva would only allow Rory to interview her each time one of her books was coming out, and was offering her an astronomical amount of money, she decides to say yes.
So, after three months of interviews with Ginerva, her brother Max who owns a company trying to create an Alzheimer drug, a condition her father unfortunately has, her best friend Caroline who now works for Max and others in her circle, the book is ready to be published and as a thank you Ginerva has decided to give Rory's innermost group a vacation of a lifetime. The newly renovated Orient Express train is doing an Italian trip with stops.
But when the group finally gets together to board the train, she is shocked to see her ex-fiancé, Nate among the cast of characters. Confused and angry, she stuffs her feelings and tries to go with the flow and enjoy this incredible opportunity. What no one knows is Ginerva has planned this trip to expose all the dark secrets she has found that were hidden. She too has an agenda for this group.
Suddenly problems begin to occur. Rory is almost killed by a bolder, the book being published which they were all given copies all disappear, and the group begins to fight with each other.
But Rory finds a copy of the book and begins to read it. And she is stunned. What she begins to understand is that the no one is really who they say they are. This group of best friends since childhood have so many hidden agendas. What does she do now?
And then she discovers Ginerva's hidden agenda... and her whole world explodes in front of her.
The Main Character is a juicy complex thriller with hidden secrets, unknown personality flaws and puzzles from the past that when pieced together will shock and astound. Trust me, it's truly a killer of a book!
Thank you #Goodreads #Atria/EmilyBestlerBooks/TheMainCharacter#JaclynGoldis for the advanced copy.
June 15, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Jaclyn Goldis for this ARC.
This nod to Agatha Christie sadly fell flat for me. The premise sounded good, but unfortunately I found the characters to be boring and unlikeable.
Had this not been given to me for an early review, I likely would have DNF’d at ~35%. I am glad I pushed to finish the book; however, as a traditional reader of this story I doubt I would have carried on the the end.
2 ⭐️
This nod to Agatha Christie sadly fell flat for me. The premise sounded good, but unfortunately I found the characters to be boring and unlikeable.
Had this not been given to me for an early review, I likely would have DNF’d at ~35%. I am glad I pushed to finish the book; however, as a traditional reader of this story I doubt I would have carried on the the end.
2 ⭐️
March 9, 2024
This was a great read! But it's gonna be an IMPOSSIBLE book to review without spoilers, since basically everything is a clue or a hint or foreshadowing. I love the setting, blending a retro-mystery luxury train with modern tech bro/health startup secrets and modern-day immigrant secrets. The relationships are believably complicated and mystery-novel dramatic. So good.
May 11, 2024
PUBLICATION DAY: May 21, 2024
Rory’s life is not going the way she expected - recently fired from her dream job as TV anchorperson, and dumped by her fiance, she is suddenly at a loss regarding her next step, so accepts a very unconventional position. She will be the “main character” for famous author Ginerva Ex, serving as inspiration for her next book. But a reward turns ominous when she boards the luxurious Orient Express and discovers her best friend, brother and ex-fiance also in attendance. What is Ginerva up to by bringing them all together like this? A better story? And what will Rory learn as she delves deeper into Ginerva’s motives?
PROS and CONS:
Initially I did have trouble differentiating between the various POV’s, but I hung in there and it all got quite good for a while! Unfortunately, the characters simply wouldn’t help themselves, and I ended up feeling a little frustrated with them all. I also felt that some things weren’t explained very well (job loss, break up, and a few others I won’t spoil), but the scenery descriptions were amazing and I’d love to go on this train for myself (without the murder of course.)
READ IT?
If you are a die hard fan of murders on trains, then this one's for you.
3 Stars
Rory’s life is not going the way she expected - recently fired from her dream job as TV anchorperson, and dumped by her fiance, she is suddenly at a loss regarding her next step, so accepts a very unconventional position. She will be the “main character” for famous author Ginerva Ex, serving as inspiration for her next book. But a reward turns ominous when she boards the luxurious Orient Express and discovers her best friend, brother and ex-fiance also in attendance. What is Ginerva up to by bringing them all together like this? A better story? And what will Rory learn as she delves deeper into Ginerva’s motives?
PROS and CONS:
Initially I did have trouble differentiating between the various POV’s, but I hung in there and it all got quite good for a while! Unfortunately, the characters simply wouldn’t help themselves, and I ended up feeling a little frustrated with them all. I also felt that some things weren’t explained very well (job loss, break up, and a few others I won’t spoil), but the scenery descriptions were amazing and I’d love to go on this train for myself (without the murder of course.)
READ IT?
If you are a die hard fan of murders on trains, then this one's for you.
3 Stars
July 1, 2024
If you love Agatha Christie or murder mystery style, “the main character” is definitely giving these vibes in a new modern day twist
The plot follows a well known renowned author who hires every day people to study and use for inspiration for her next book.
Rory is the latest muse who gets more than she bargained for when she is offered a fully paid for vacation to the scenic picturesque Italy travelling along the Mediterranean coast on the Orient Express.
When a real life murder mystery begins to unravel she is thrown into doubt when people from her real life are involved.. her sibling, bff and ex fiancé are all on board and all seemingly have something to hide.
I loved the stunningly visual setting, the excitement of a moving locked door scenario, the vacation aspects, the murder mystery, the multiple cast of suspects. This had all the markings of an excellent summer thriller. A must read!
Thank you to Atria books, Jaclyn Goldis and NetGalley for the EARC!
Publish date: available now
The plot follows a well known renowned author who hires every day people to study and use for inspiration for her next book.
Rory is the latest muse who gets more than she bargained for when she is offered a fully paid for vacation to the scenic picturesque Italy travelling along the Mediterranean coast on the Orient Express.
When a real life murder mystery begins to unravel she is thrown into doubt when people from her real life are involved.. her sibling, bff and ex fiancé are all on board and all seemingly have something to hide.
I loved the stunningly visual setting, the excitement of a moving locked door scenario, the vacation aspects, the murder mystery, the multiple cast of suspects. This had all the markings of an excellent summer thriller. A must read!
Thank you to Atria books, Jaclyn Goldis and NetGalley for the EARC!
Publish date: available now
May 28, 2024
A trip of the lifetime.
That is what Ginevra Ex wanted for Rory, Caroline, Nate, and Max.
She wanted them to experience a train trip through Italy and to bond with each other.
Her motive, though, was for them to read her book and to bring to light what she found out about each of them.
We also meet Gabriele - he is the person who brought them the manuscripts and says something chilling.
What he says is: one of you has to die in the book. But does Ginevra Ex mean to bring the things in her book to life?
But then the books disappeared after they left them on their chairs at the beach.
Who didn’t want anyone to know what is in the book and stole them?
THE MAIN CHARACTER has an interesting premise and beautiful writing, but I was lost most of the time even though I laughed at some of the things the MANY characters did.
It wasn't a book I was anxious to get back to. It was confusing and had too many characters to keep track of. 3/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
That is what Ginevra Ex wanted for Rory, Caroline, Nate, and Max.
She wanted them to experience a train trip through Italy and to bond with each other.
Her motive, though, was for them to read her book and to bring to light what she found out about each of them.
We also meet Gabriele - he is the person who brought them the manuscripts and says something chilling.
What he says is: one of you has to die in the book. But does Ginevra Ex mean to bring the things in her book to life?
But then the books disappeared after they left them on their chairs at the beach.
Who didn’t want anyone to know what is in the book and stole them?
THE MAIN CHARACTER has an interesting premise and beautiful writing, but I was lost most of the time even though I laughed at some of the things the MANY characters did.
It wasn't a book I was anxious to get back to. It was confusing and had too many characters to keep track of. 3/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
March 3, 2024
What do you expect or want from a book before you start reading ?
I want to be kept on my toes in anticipation of what will happen next.
I want that can’t stop won’t stop feeling when I know I should really only read just “one more chapter”
And ultimately I want characters who feel real and relative .
Well…
Check ✔️
Check ✔️
Check ✔️
This book checks off every box on my list for what I believe is a soon to be bestseller .
I was consumed early on and didn’t want to put this book down for even a bathroom break.
This was my first by Jaclyn Goldis, but it won’t be my last ! Due out 5/21/2024!!! You don’t want to miss this one!
The Main Character
Teaser :
Reclusive, mysterious author Ginevra Ex is famous for her unusual approach to crafting her big bestselling thrillers: she hires real people and conducts intensive interviews, then fictionalizes them. Her latest main character, Rory, is thrilled when Ginevra presents her with an extravagant bonus—a lavish trip along Italy’s Mediterranean coast on the famed, newly renovated Orient Express. But when Rory boards the train, she’s stunned to discover that her brother, her best friend, and even her ex-fiancé are passengers, as well. All invited by Ginevra, all hiding secrets.
With each stop, from Cinque Terre to Rome to Positano, it becomes increasingly clear that Ginevra has masterminded the ultimate real life twisty plot with Rory as her main character. And as Ginevra’s deceptions mount, and the lies and machinations of Rory’s travel companions pile up, Rory begins to fear that her trip will culminate like one of Ginevra’s books: with a murder or two. In the opulent compartments of the iconic train, Rory must untangle the shocking reasons why Ginevra wanted them all aboard—and to what deadly end.
I want to be kept on my toes in anticipation of what will happen next.
I want that can’t stop won’t stop feeling when I know I should really only read just “one more chapter”
And ultimately I want characters who feel real and relative .
Well…
Check ✔️
Check ✔️
Check ✔️
This book checks off every box on my list for what I believe is a soon to be bestseller .
I was consumed early on and didn’t want to put this book down for even a bathroom break.
This was my first by Jaclyn Goldis, but it won’t be my last ! Due out 5/21/2024!!! You don’t want to miss this one!
The Main Character
Teaser :
Reclusive, mysterious author Ginevra Ex is famous for her unusual approach to crafting her big bestselling thrillers: she hires real people and conducts intensive interviews, then fictionalizes them. Her latest main character, Rory, is thrilled when Ginevra presents her with an extravagant bonus—a lavish trip along Italy’s Mediterranean coast on the famed, newly renovated Orient Express. But when Rory boards the train, she’s stunned to discover that her brother, her best friend, and even her ex-fiancé are passengers, as well. All invited by Ginevra, all hiding secrets.
With each stop, from Cinque Terre to Rome to Positano, it becomes increasingly clear that Ginevra has masterminded the ultimate real life twisty plot with Rory as her main character. And as Ginevra’s deceptions mount, and the lies and machinations of Rory’s travel companions pile up, Rory begins to fear that her trip will culminate like one of Ginevra’s books: with a murder or two. In the opulent compartments of the iconic train, Rory must untangle the shocking reasons why Ginevra wanted them all aboard—and to what deadly end.
June 2, 2024
The Main Character
⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Author: Jaclyn Goldis
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Atria Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Reclusive, mysterious author Ginevra Ex is famous for her unusual approach to crafting her big bestselling she hires real people and conducts intensive interviews, then fictionalizes them. Her latest main character, Rory, is thrilled when Ginevra presents her with an extravagant bonus—a lavish trip along Italy’s Mediterranean coast on the famed, newly renovated Orient Express. But when Rory boards the train, she’s stunned to discover that her brother, her best friend, and even her ex-fiancé are passengers, as well. All invited by Ginevra, all hiding secrets.
With each stop, from Cinque Terre to Rome to Positano, it becomes increasingly clear that Ginevra has masterminded the ultimate real life twisty plot with Rory as her main character. And as Ginevra’s deceptions mount, and the lies and machinations of Rory’s travel companions pile up, Rory begins to fear that her trip will culminate like one of Ginevra’s with a murder or two. In the opulent compartments of the iconic train, Rory must untangle the shocking reasons why Ginevra wanted them all aboard—and to what deadly end.
My Thoughts: This was a mystery mixed with family domestic drama. Ginevra Ex is known for usual method of interviewing actual people for her thrillers. Her latest thriller endeavor is featuring Rory. She is thrilled when an added incentive is presented of a lavish trip to Italy. However, on the train, she discovers her brother, her best friend, and ex-fiancee are also passengers, all have been invited to this lavish trip by Ginevra. As the deception from Ginevra begins to accumulate, the lies and secrets from the passengers start to rack up as well looking more like one of Ginevra’s novels and Rory begins to worry what is the deadly endgame?
This novel has been compared to Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. While there are definite similarities, I think it stands on its own. Narrated by multiple characters and in dual timelines. The characters were realistic, however, most were unlikable. While some of the characters were interesting, they did not have distinct voices. From chapter to chapter, I got confused who was narrating. The characters needed their individual personalties more defined. Then one of them did a complete flip during a plot twist that was very left field. There are multiple characters and at times, it was hard to keep up with who was who. The characters were created with depth, mystery, secretive, and were intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, twisty, and compelling. The characters were slowly build up. The plot was a character driven plot, was still delved into twisty layers. The conclusion unexpected, but a bit rushed and abrupt, and was kind of open, you had to make some assumptions.
The premise was interesting and unique. However, the execution of the plot just fell a little short for me. Having said that, I still enjoyed the novel and would recommend to other readers.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Author: Jaclyn Goldis
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Atria Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Reclusive, mysterious author Ginevra Ex is famous for her unusual approach to crafting her big bestselling she hires real people and conducts intensive interviews, then fictionalizes them. Her latest main character, Rory, is thrilled when Ginevra presents her with an extravagant bonus—a lavish trip along Italy’s Mediterranean coast on the famed, newly renovated Orient Express. But when Rory boards the train, she’s stunned to discover that her brother, her best friend, and even her ex-fiancé are passengers, as well. All invited by Ginevra, all hiding secrets.
With each stop, from Cinque Terre to Rome to Positano, it becomes increasingly clear that Ginevra has masterminded the ultimate real life twisty plot with Rory as her main character. And as Ginevra’s deceptions mount, and the lies and machinations of Rory’s travel companions pile up, Rory begins to fear that her trip will culminate like one of Ginevra’s with a murder or two. In the opulent compartments of the iconic train, Rory must untangle the shocking reasons why Ginevra wanted them all aboard—and to what deadly end.
My Thoughts: This was a mystery mixed with family domestic drama. Ginevra Ex is known for usual method of interviewing actual people for her thrillers. Her latest thriller endeavor is featuring Rory. She is thrilled when an added incentive is presented of a lavish trip to Italy. However, on the train, she discovers her brother, her best friend, and ex-fiancee are also passengers, all have been invited to this lavish trip by Ginevra. As the deception from Ginevra begins to accumulate, the lies and secrets from the passengers start to rack up as well looking more like one of Ginevra’s novels and Rory begins to worry what is the deadly endgame?
This novel has been compared to Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. While there are definite similarities, I think it stands on its own. Narrated by multiple characters and in dual timelines. The characters were realistic, however, most were unlikable. While some of the characters were interesting, they did not have distinct voices. From chapter to chapter, I got confused who was narrating. The characters needed their individual personalties more defined. Then one of them did a complete flip during a plot twist that was very left field. There are multiple characters and at times, it was hard to keep up with who was who. The characters were created with depth, mystery, secretive, and were intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, twisty, and compelling. The characters were slowly build up. The plot was a character driven plot, was still delved into twisty layers. The conclusion unexpected, but a bit rushed and abrupt, and was kind of open, you had to make some assumptions.
The premise was interesting and unique. However, the execution of the plot just fell a little short for me. Having said that, I still enjoyed the novel and would recommend to other readers.
Read
May 23, 2024Sigh.... I always get drawn in by Jaclyn Goldis's fun premises (a group of friends in a French Chateau, or in the case of this one, a group of friends/family assembled by a mystery writer to take a trip on the Orient Express).
Sadly, I didn't click with this one for the same reasons I really didn't click with this author's first book, namely, a multi-character narration in which I struggled to figure out whose chapter I was reading, and characters who spent too much time ruminating in their heads.
Good news: if you loved her first book, I think you will love this one as well!
Subscribe to my amazing newsletter HERE at JenRyland.com Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Sadly, I didn't click with this one for the same reasons I really didn't click with this author's first book, namely, a multi-character narration in which I struggled to figure out whose chapter I was reading, and characters who spent too much time ruminating in their heads.
Good news: if you loved her first book, I think you will love this one as well!
Subscribe to my amazing newsletter HERE at JenRyland.com Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
April 17, 2024
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted (free) ARC
I’m personally not a fan of Agatha Cristie, I’ve really tried, but ultimately her books just do not keep my interest. But since I do usually love a locked door, I was looking forward to this book since it had that setting.
Unfortunately, it left me feeling similar to how I feel with Agatha Christie novels; uninterested.
For a mystery, I like to be intrigued at least by 50 pages in. This one didn’t deliver that for me. There are also a lot of characters whose POV you read from, so it can be difficult to keep track of. None of them are that memorable either, so it can get confusing who you’re reading from.
I think there’s definitely an audience for this book, but it’s just not me. The cover is really nice tho.
I’m personally not a fan of Agatha Cristie, I’ve really tried, but ultimately her books just do not keep my interest. But since I do usually love a locked door, I was looking forward to this book since it had that setting.
Unfortunately, it left me feeling similar to how I feel with Agatha Christie novels; uninterested.
For a mystery, I like to be intrigued at least by 50 pages in. This one didn’t deliver that for me. There are also a lot of characters whose POV you read from, so it can be difficult to keep track of. None of them are that memorable either, so it can get confusing who you’re reading from.
I think there’s definitely an audience for this book, but it’s just not me. The cover is really nice tho.
May 24, 2024
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked the concept of this book! It was really intriguing to have an author that makes an actual person the main character in their own story with all types of twists and turns added in. The backdrop of the orient express fit the story perfectly and the characters were well developed and complex. I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes mysteries and familial drama!
I really liked the concept of this book! It was really intriguing to have an author that makes an actual person the main character in their own story with all types of twists and turns added in. The backdrop of the orient express fit the story perfectly and the characters were well developed and complex. I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes mysteries and familial drama!
February 22, 2024
You will be disappointed if you go into this anticipating an Agatha Christie inspired murder mystery. This was more soap opera on a train with a murder in the last 50 pages. It wasn’t until those last pages that momentum picked up and then ended abruptly. Despite the miss on marketing and mystery, I enjoyed The Main Character for what it was: a picturesque character and family-driven drama set on the Italian coastline with animated characters and some mild intrigue. While the story dragged on at times and fell short of delivering suspense, it was still alluring with dramatic characters and some unexpected twists.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
April 3, 2024
I have to start off by saying I’m not sure I’ve ever read an Agatha Christie novel but but I’ve definitely seen several movie adaptations of her stories and several novels inspired by her legacy. This one proudly claims to be inspired by Christie. I will say it does have several twists and a murder and that tracks for what I’ve seen of Christie’s work but it’s also a lot to live up to, so I would take that comparison with a grain of salt.
Ginevra Ex is a famous thriller author who follows around an individual for a set period of time as inspiration for the main character in her next novel. This time she has chosen Rory and also gifted her with an extravagant train trip to Italy aboard the Orient Express.
Rory is surprised after boarding the train that it’s filled with significant people in her life: her ex, her best friend, a former fling and her brother are also along for the ride.
This novel has several different POV’s including some that are historical and those sections read as historical fiction covering things in Jewish and Ukrainian history, that the author covers in their note at the end come from personal family history.
I felt that the author did a good job of getting you hooked and invested in the story and kept the pace to make you want to keep reading during the present day sections. There were several red herrings that made you question the motives of several of the passengers including Ginevra herself but at times there were almost TOO many of these ultimately unimportant side-plots. This is likely personal preference, but I found the historical passages a bit slower paced and tended to slow down e pacing with the rest of the story.
I enjoyed this overall and am giving it 3.5 stars.
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Ginevra Ex is a famous thriller author who follows around an individual for a set period of time as inspiration for the main character in her next novel. This time she has chosen Rory and also gifted her with an extravagant train trip to Italy aboard the Orient Express.
Rory is surprised after boarding the train that it’s filled with significant people in her life: her ex, her best friend, a former fling and her brother are also along for the ride.
This novel has several different POV’s including some that are historical and those sections read as historical fiction covering things in Jewish and Ukrainian history, that the author covers in their note at the end come from personal family history.
I felt that the author did a good job of getting you hooked and invested in the story and kept the pace to make you want to keep reading during the present day sections. There were several red herrings that made you question the motives of several of the passengers including Ginevra herself but at times there were almost TOO many of these ultimately unimportant side-plots. This is likely personal preference, but I found the historical passages a bit slower paced and tended to slow down e pacing with the rest of the story.
I enjoyed this overall and am giving it 3.5 stars.
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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