It’s the trip of a iifetime…..but only if she can survive it.

After her career as a TV anchor flamed out and her fiancé broke off their engagement, Rory Aronov found herself unsure of where life would take her. When bestselling but eccentric mystery author Generva Ex offered her the position of “main character”, which entailed Rory spending time in Italy letting Generva probe her past and present to use as the inspiration for the main character in Generva’s next book, Rory accepted. Now that Generva has finished, she has gifted Rory with an all-expenses paid three day trip on the luxurious Orient Express traveling to Cinque Terre, Rome and Positano. It seems like a dream come true, until Rory discovers that Generva has invited several other people to take the voyage too….Rory’s brother Max, former nerd and now CEO of a biotech company on the verge of producing a vaccine to prevent and reverse Alzheimers’; her lifelong best friend and de facto sister Caroline, a social media influencer manquée who recently started working in sales for Max’s company and with whom Max has always quietly been in love; her ex-fiancé Nate, an international crisis mediator whose struggle to overcome a professional failure led to his walking away from Rory, a decision he has come to regret; and Gabriele, Generva’s lawyer who is along to make sure the foursome’s trip proceeds according to their itinerary and without problems, and with whom Rory had had a fling while working with Generva. The tensions are thick, and only get worse; Rory begins to question Generva’s motives for orchestrating this reunion, and that is before problems arise. Is this trip a reward, or a punishment? Can relationships be revived and repaired, or will they not survive the voyage? What exactly is Generva’s end game?
Settings don’t get much more glamorous then the coastal towns of Italy and the famed luxury train known as the Orient Express, and the descriptions (though I wish there had been more of them) certainly added to my enjoyment of the book. With its tip of the hat to Agatha Christie’s well-known novel which also set its mysterious happenings on the Orient Express, The Main Character sets up a series of unexplained events happening amidst a group of people, some of whom clearly knew one another prior to boarding the other train while others…who knows? Rory is living in uncertain times, and the last thing she wants is to have to deal with the emotional entanglements and baggage with which she has been presented. As the story unfolds, we find out about Rory’s childhood, her relationships past and present with her travel companions, as well as her father’s history and how it impacts and is impacted by what she is working through. It’s not easy to forgive those who have hurt you, but it is equally difficult to resist the power longtime relationships (even imperfect ones) can have. The reader will come to suspect different people of various misdeeds as information presents itself, and it is as hard for the reader as it is for Rory to decide what is truth, what is fabrication, and who can be trusted. Fans of Hank Phillippi Ryan, Ruth Ware and Finley Turner will find this an appealing addition to their TBR pile….it is a twisty thriller with a gorgeous backdrop. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books/Emily Bestler Books for allowing me early access to the novel.

This has a great premise but unfortunately the execution fell flat for me. I stopped reading at about 25%. Although I don’t mind stories with unlikeable characters, these characters seemed a little too uniformly unlikeable and I didn’t find the different POVs to be that distinct. I think it would be good for thriller fans looking to read a book with a strong setting (Italy), that pays homage to Agatha Christie, and a cast of characters hiding lots of secrets. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

*4.5 stars rounded up*

Inspired by Murder on the Orient Express? Yes, please!

Rory’s gone through a rough patch recently, but spending time in Italy while being paid to be interviewed by a famous author named Ginevra Ex for inclusion in her next book may be just what she needed. And to top it off, at the end of the interview process Ginevra pays for Rory’s ticket to a luxurious trip on the famous Orient Express. But Rory is shocked to find that Ginevra has arranged for three people Rory knows to be on the train with her: her brother, best friend, & ex-fiance. They all receive copies of Ginevra’s fictionalization of their lives, & as they start to read the book they wonder if there’s some previously unknown truths in there as well…

The Chateau definitely held my attention throughout the story & this next book by Jaclyn Goldis is equally as impressive. The way that the author’s Jewish heritage & her family’s experiences were included was an important history lesson as well as the foundation for an intriguing thriller. I very much enjoyed the various POV’s, the globetrotting, & the interesting career choices. The inclusion of Alzheimer’s & all the complicated repercussions that go with it for the person diagnosed & for their family was handled with care, & there was a lot of introspection on the part of Rory that readers could apply to their own lives. The various betrayals throughout the plot were shocking & kept me turning pages.

Thank you to NetGalley & Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book reminded me of Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie. As much as I enjoyed that book I actually enjoyed this one more. There was so much more mystery and twists and turns in this story. The ending blew me away!

The Main Character is a great thriller. Jaclyn Goldis wrote a thriller that had intrigue, mystery, and twists and turns. I picked it up and did not want to put it down.

The setting of The Orient Express was amazing. I love the description of the different suites and could picture them as the book continued. The towns that the train stopped in were familiar to me but not places that I have visited before. I enjoyed seeing the sights, visiting the cities, riding the train, and meeting the characters.

Jaclyn Goldis is a must-read thriller author. I will continue to recommend her books, including The Main Character, to all my fellow mystery thriller readers.

Thank you @atriabooks & @netgalley for sending me this book for review. Opinions are my own.
I loved Jaclyn Goldis’s last book, The Chateau, so I was excited to get an advanced copy of The Main Character. I didn’t connect with this one as much but there were elements I enjoyed.
Like The Chateau, The Main Character has five points of view – Rory, her three closest friends, and famous novelist Ginerva Ex. Ginerva constructs her books by basing the story around a real person that she has adapted into her main character. She selects Rory and after three months getting to know each other, Ginvera sends Rory and Rory’s brother, best friend and ex-fiance on a three-day train trip through Italy on the Orient Express. Secrets begin to unfold and Ginerva promises to reveal all when they get to their final destination in Positano. However, Rory is concerned this trip will play out like one of Ginerva’s murder mysteries and we know from the beginning that someone dies on the train.
I had trouble getting into it and it was pretty slow for the first 75%. It picked up at the end as I read to see who had died and what everyone’s secrets were. The author’s note makes it clear that this was a personal novel. A lot of her father’s story of hiding his Judaism growing up in the Soviet Union is given to Rory’s dad. I enjoyed the Jewish representation, especially about a time and location I don’t think is often captured in novels. However, I think as a result, she maybe tried to do too much to make everything fit the narrative, and some things felt a bit random.
Sadly, some of the quotes about that time are still relevant today regarding Jews being persecuted, as antisemitism is rising all over the world. Against this backdrop and reading this book directly following Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, this quote rings true: “Jews had a moral responility to save one another – because, by and large, no one else in the world could be relied upon to do so.”
I will definitely read Jaclyn Goldis’s next novel, The Safari. I love her writing and the exotic settings of her books.
I rated this book 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I liked this book. The characters were enjoyable and kinda fun to root against (especially Max who I never liked). The ending felt a little abrupt and I wish there was a little less time on some of the train parts and more at the end. It would have been fun to see an epilogue of Genevra going to America to meet Ansel again. But, overall I did enjoy this and would read more by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC.

This was only okay for me. It will for sure be better for others. I consistently find myself struggling with books set in Italy for some unknown reason. And, probably not going well for me is that I never read Agatha Christie's book either...

The Main Character was, for the most part, an entertaining story to read. Each POV felt distinct. The descriptions of Italy as a backdrop were wonderful. I did find myself more enticed with Ginevra's story in the past timeline than I did with the modern day storyline on the train though. The ending left me feeling slightly underwhelmed, as well. Still a fun read overall.

Thanks for the e-ARC

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this read. I liked this but didn’t live it. I am kind of Agatha Christie our for remakes of her books. I want things to be a bit more original in the thrillers of today. I know time revolves but I think the story was slow for me because of that and I didn’t enjoy the ending. I loved her other book but this was not my favourite.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The pacing took me from slow to hyper speed, immersing me in the events and realities of life in Russia and Europe in the 1980s. The author's clever ending tied everything together beautifully, making for a compelling read. Reminiscent of Agatha Christie's mysteries with its intriguing storyline involving trains and murder, this book was a delightful binge-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC!

The editor's note was a great addition to this story, as it shared the inspiration of this story incuding Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. This was an interesting story to follow. As Rory's friends and family members surprised her on the Orient Express, I knew there was something to be suspicious of. Learning how the past, present and relationships tied each of the characters together, and why the author brought them on this trip, was a great adventure. I do wish that the historical aspects of the story were weaved in a bit cleaner, they felt like they did not entirely fit the story and were shoved in there to explain Genevra's life (which was necessary!).

The problem with main characters is despite being a creation of our own minds, they take on a life of their own. They do things that you don’t expect them to. And they react in ways that you don’t expect. Because the problem with a main character is, once you give them a life of their own, anything can happen.

In Jaclyn Goldis’ novel The Main Character, the famous author Ginevra Ex pays someone to be the inspiration for her main character. She uses their life, their characteristics, and the same information about those close to them to set a novel in realistic and plausible circumstances that results in a murder. It’s how she’s become so famous. Because who can doubt the authenticity of a character who exists except for the fiction of murder? When she awards her main character, Rory, and those closest to her with a bound manuscript and tickets on the famed Orient Express, what could possibly go wrong? Of course, secrets coming out in such close proximation brings out stressors that put unique pressure on the four focuses of her novel. Being in such a loaded environment in a claustrophobic setting makes the perfect recipe for murder. Is this all part of Ginevra’s process? A way of playing puppets with her very own real dolls? Or is it a unique way to instigate a real murder for publicity’s sake?

I really liked the lush and decadent setting of the Orient Express in Italy. The characters all seemed likable enough until pressure was put on them. Towards the end I began to wonder if that was it, that this was really how the story was turning out. And I’m happy to say, it wasn’t. Because, like in every good mystery novel, the best twists are saved for last.

This one sadly didn’t do it for me. My biggest issue is that it was marketed as a thriller but read more so like a family drama with a dash of mystery. Sigh.

The setting is gorgeous, and I appreciate the nods to Agatha Christie! However, that comparison is always going to fuel high expectations. She was the Queen of Crime, after all. IMO there isn’t enough crime or mystery to hold up to the claim that this is a modern homage to Christie.

I also think there are one too many POVs. I get wanting to convey that everyone has something to hide, but a few times I had to flip back to remember whose chapter I was on; their voices kept blending together.

What I loved most: the many Ann Arbor references. So for that I’m grateful!

Ginevra Ex is a reclusive author, famous for the way that she hires real people and does in-depth interviews & investigations into their lives, then fictionalizes them as the main character in her novels. In this newest novel, Ginevra has hired Rory,, who recently lost her job as a news anchor, and is at odds with what direction she wants her life to go next. As a bonus, now that the novel is completed, Ginevra presents her with an all-expense-paid trip along Italy’s Mediterranean coast on the famed, newly renovated Orient Express. After Rory boards, she discovers that Ginevra also paid for her brother, her best friend, and her ex-fiancé as well. What Rory doesn't know is that they are all hiding secrets from her. With every stop, it becomes increasingly clear that Ginevra planned this trip as part of a twisty plot, and it is up to Rory, the main character, to figure out what that is.

The blurb on this book likened it to Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, but I didn't really get that from it. To me, it felt a lot like, Catherine Mack's novel "Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies", except this wasn't as humorous, The majority of the story took place outside of the train, on the various stops it made, and only at the end was there any real action that was on the train itself. The book was good, a bit slow at times, but overall a very enjoyable read that will keep the reader guessing.

The Main Character is a good homage to Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. I really liked the picturesque setting, the unique mystery set-up, and that each of the characters POVs were distinct. The ending was a little underwhelming and left a few loose ends.

To be honest, there were some things that were pretty obvious, but there were also a lot of things going on with each one of the characters, in the past and present. And, in the end, was incredible and satisfying story. Besides, the picturesque Italian landscapes are well described. Congrats to the author and thank you NetGalley for sending me this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I had a great time reading this book! It had strong mystery elements woven with great thriller elements that all played well together. I especially thought that all the twists were excellent, and I definitely didn’t see any of them coming! I thought some were kind of obvious at first, but then it took a turn that I didn’t expect. I truly love when a book does that!

The characters were all great, and I loved reading from each of their POVs. Figuring out what everyone’s secret(s) are and the lengths that they’ll go to in order to keep them from being revealed was super interesting to see. I also enjoyed how certain characters interacted with each other, and why they were nicer to some and cold to others. I appreciate reading about a group of people who don’t all get along.

One more thing I loved was all the Italian and Russian history that came up throughout this novel. I didn’t expect any of that, but it was a welcome treat. As someone who enjoys learning about another country’s history (especially its past), I truly enjoyed that! It also didn’t feel out of place; it all made sense with the book’s plot and characters. It never felt awkwardly thrown in.

The only issue I had with this book was the ending. While it was a solid ending and the climax was great, there were still some unanswered questions I had long after the last page. It wasn’t a bad ending- it just felt a tad undone, in my opinion. I really wished there had been one more chapter to tie up those loose ends.

This was still a solid mystery/thriller novel that I genuinely enjoyed. If you into that, I recommend it!

The Main Character had such a compelling blurb, a very promising plot - maybe a little TOO promising. Because while I was entertained, the grand reveal still left me feeling a little underwhelmed. It was certainly a little more subtle and subdued from The Chateau, but like the TC the author threw in antisemitism, infidelity, and the Holocaust. Unlike the TC, TMC took several pages from Agatha Christie’s book and the characters and plot are more tightly plotted and developed. And the descriptions of the scenery were a nice touch. But with how many other great thrillers are out there, I wouldn’t recommend reading this over all the others. It was entertaining but nothing I’d write home about.

Take a wild ride on the Orient Express through Italy. It will have you squealing in delight with all of the twists and turns in this one. Just a wonderful whodunit.