The Main Character is a twisty thriller with plenty of shocking turns I didn't see coming. The final few twists were some of the most jaw-dropping ones I've ever read. If you enjoy thrillers but hate when they come with unlikeable characters, I think you'll enjoy The Main Character. While there are a couple of unlikeable side characters, I liked Rory and most of the other characters.

It's impossible to talk about The Main Character without talking about its setting. Italy is a huge focus of this novel, which I absolutely adored. I loved seeing so much of Italy, and seeing it on and off the Orient Express was a huge treat. If you enjoy atmospheric settings, you need this book on your shelf. This would be the ultimate beach read, but it would also be a great read for a rainy day or any day you want to escape to sunny Europe.

The Main Character wasn't a perfect novel, but it was enjoyable. It's a great read if you enjoy mysteries and books about books. I didn't rate it five stars, but I think it's a well-written mystery and recommend it.

Thanks to Atria/Emily Bestler Books for providing me with an arc!

DNF at 37% - The story was a bit slow for me and I didn’t feel engaged or dying to know what happened next. Not a hit for me, but not every book is for every person!

Ginevra Ex is an author who uses real people and their life stories for her books. Her newest character, Rory, sends her on a train trip to end their time and interviews together. Rory doesn't know that Ginevra has also sent her brother, best friend, and ex on the same trip with her. With each stop on the trip, conversations are had that leads Rory to believe Ginevra has some secrets up her sleeve.

This mystery is an homage to Agatha Christie. It's a fun read.

If you like Christie novels & Hitchcock films but modern, this the book you….and me! I loved the idea of a modern day Orient Express trip. Add in the incredibly unique idea of an author using real people’s lives to create fictional works, makes this is a very enjoyable read. It isn’t a Christie-esque murder mystery though, more of a secrets being revealed type thriller. It’s a perfect summer read, with all the rich descriptions of the trip, Italy & the train. It’s glamorous escapism. The chapters are from the different characters perspectives & one of the issues I had is that the voices aren’t very distinct, they all read the same for me. But as the secrets are revealed, it definitely kept my attention.

I thought this novel was very interesting and while it did keep my attention, I felt it was more of a mellow pace for me. This book gave me Agatha Christie vibes with similar mystery plots. This would be great for those that like a good mystery novel.

Don’t get me wrong, 3 stars and up for me is a good sign. This book however, is at the lower end of 3 stars. Not a terrible read, but it was long.

The story is original, which is a plus. However, I do feel like the mystery aspect wasn’t really fully developed.
Not a bad read, but not “I can’t put this book down”

Twisting, turning and dramatic with a capital D, The Main Character will hold you in suspense while you try to unravel the tangled, tension-filled web spun between key players in this story. Jaclyn Goldis has delivered an absorbing Agatha Christie-esque tale that propels readers forward with a desperate need for answers.

Bestselling author Ginevra Ex takes the unusual approach of hiring real people, interviewing them and their family/friends, and then fictionalizing them for her books. Her latest main character is Rory, a former news anchor from the United States who is thrilled with the opportunity that comes along with a generous bonus and a trip along Italy’s coast on the newly renovated Orient Express. Once she boards the train, she’s shocked to find her brother, best friend and ex-fiancé are also along for the ride. And as the voyage commences, it’s clear there’s an ulterior motive for Ginevra inviting these individuals. Which induces Rory to conduct an investigation. Leading to uncovering life-altering secrets. Some of which are worth killing for.

Having the storyline revolve around an author using real people as subjects for a fiction novel is fresh, creative and unique. But on its own that isn’t enough to make a compelling novel. Thankfully, The Main Character includes interesting characters with secrets they do not want to come to light, adding a big dose of intrigue and conflict, fed to readers with a slow drip until it explodes with action, violence and clarity that satisfyingly resolves every open question. Resulting in a book that hooks readers early and takes them on an intense journey of lies, betrayal, and murder.

If you like a good reality TV drama, then Jaclyn Goldis has gifted you a book squarely in your wheelhouse. But even if that’s not your thing, The Main Character serves up enough intrigue, mystery and charm to entertain any mystery fan looking for a good story.

Thank you Atria Books, Emily Bestler Books @AtriaBooks @AtriaThrillers and Netgalley @Netgalley for the e-arc. All thoughts are my own.



Author Ginevra Ex is famous for her unusual approach to writing thrillers. She hires people to conduct interviews and fictionalizes them. Rory is her latest character, and Ginevra presents her with the opportunity to take a lavish trip along Italy’s Mediterranean coast.

As she rides along, at each stop, it becomes increasingly clear that Ginevra has planted some mysterious twists along the way and its up to Rory to untangle things before it gets too deadly.


This wasn’t a bad book, but this wasn’t exactly my favorite read either. I really didn’t like any of the characters, and I couldn’t find anything to relate to, or even root for them. They were written in such a way that it just felt that they were bland and lacked depth as well as emotion. I also found that they were very similar, so similar in fact that it was hard to distinguish whose point of view it was supposed to be each chapter. It got confusing and I tend to get annoyed when I spend too much time confused when reading. Once I finally got into the story around the halfway mark, it felt that one of the characters shifted and left me confused and this time angry, yet again. When I finally made it to the end, which honestly I am asking myself why, it just ended. Over. Done. The end. What? Things were left wide open in a very unsatisfying way.

So many things about this book just left me unsatisfied, but hey it does have a really pretty cover and I’ve bought books for less.

I loved the story line in this book; A mystery writer that hires people to be the main character in her stories, using their own background and experiences to create her works of fiction. With great characters, amazing setting and locations, I devoured this book!

A modern twist on Agatha Christie's The Orient Express - a murder takes place on a train while on a trip through Italy. The plot was pretty original, except of course the pieces that were inspired by Christie. I found myself getting really into it at first, but the middle dragged on a bit. I didn't find the characters very likable and the plot didn't move forward for a bit, but it picked up again at the end. I liked hearing the backstories of Ginerva and the father, and overall found it an enjoyable mystery.

Ginerva Ex is a thriller writer who hires people to be her main character. Rory is that person. She is given a fancy trip on the Orient Express train in Italy and is surprised to find on board several people she was once close to. Things get complicated pretty quickly and no one is who they seem to be. I enjoyed the story and especially the author’s note at the end regarding her inspiration.

Overall, this was deeply enjoyable, but I will say I found that last twist more superfluous than satisfying.

I have to start off by saying I’m not sure I’ve ever read an Agatha Christie move 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.

I really enjoyed the setting and the links to Agatha Christie. It was a bit slow at times but overall I enjoyed this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

Multiple POVs; flashbacks; an intriguing prologue that had me hooked right away and an interesting plot that kept me eager to know everyone's secrets and how it would all play out; the amount of exposition was excessive and boring at times; enjoyed the final plot twist but I wish the ending hadn't been so abrupt; overall, a very twisty and entertaining murder mystery, full of drama and suspense, and a great reminder to take control of your own narrative.

Special thank you to Simon & Schuster, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I get excited about mysteries on the orient express, thanks to the queen Agatha Christie. But that’s literally where the similarities end. This plot was meh, twists were meh, and I felt the whole experience was mid.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC of this book. This will be out in May.

Ok wait dare I say it it’s like Agatha Christie with a touch of saw. I know those sound like they would never go together but it does. Sooo many mysteries and twists and I can’t imagine being stuck with all these people close to me only to figure out it’s a whole mystery at the same time. Who would you trust

I’m not used to this style of writing/plot type and was caught off guard as the story went on. I tried to give this story a chance, but I personally cannot get along with this plot. It’s perfect for fans of Agatha Christie

The Main Character
by Jaclyn Goldis
Pub Date: May 21, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Another stylish and compulsively readable mystery from Jaclyn Goldis, this is the perfect read for fans of Ruth Ware, Lucy Foley, and Paula Hawkins.
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 was a book that I needed to read.
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.
3 stars

The concept of a Orient Express retelling was really fun, but this was incredibly slow moving and skimmable. I was considering DNFing around the 40% mark, but read other reviews saying there's a lot crammed in at the end, so I skimmed forward and finished the book from there. There was SO MUCH at the end. Like big revelation after big revelation, and I think if they had been better spread throughout the book, it would've been much more engaging. Overall the writing isn't bad and if you like a slow burn, I think this isn't a ~bad~ read, but it wasn't for me.