Ginevra Ex, the biggest mystery writer in the world, plots her stories by hiring people to act them out. For her newest she employs Rory, a recently fired news anchor. As a reward Ginevra gifts Rory an Italian train journey on the Orient Express. When Rory boards she finds her ex-fiancé, her best friend and her brother. What is going on? Is this some extension of the mystery?

The story is told in varying points of view from all the main characters, Rory, Caroline, Max, Nate and Ginevra. All have secrets (natch.). The locations (Cinque Terre, Rome and Positano) are all gorgeous and are used to lovely effect. This is a cute little mystery with some Russian history thrown in for good measure. Recommended.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for providing me with an advance copy ♥️

I was utterly captivated by this book! I went in with some preconceived notions, thinking it would be a run-of-the-mill Orient Express tale, but it blew me away! Rory's adventure with her diverse group of companions had me on the edge of my seat from the start. The characters are expertly crafted, with just the right amount of complexity and secrecy to keep me on my toes. If you love clever whodunits with added depth and intrigue, this story will consume you in one sitting!

The description of the book seemed interesting, so I wanted to check the story out. Unfortunately, it is not working for me right now. It is nothing against the story or the author, but I couldn't get into the story/characters. I may try and find a physical copy to add the my library when it is released, though, because I think my readers could like it!

Thank you to Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this eARC!

The summary of this book had me hooked and I loved the setting of the Orient Express. I really enjoyed the first half of this book and read it over the course of one afternoon. However, I do have to say the second of the half took a different direction than the first and it felt slightly chaotic. There were too many plot points going on and coming together at the same time. It felt like a lot of the revelations came together in a way that muted their thrill factor. Overall, I found this to be a good domestic thriller with more emphasis on domestic drama than a straight thriller. I would recommend with these caveats.

“The Main Character” by Jaclyn Goldis is a thriller that will have you engaged from the very first chapter. The story is about the most famous author in the world who bases her mystery novels on real people. She chooses these people by interviewing them, their families and friends. In this novel as a gift, she sends her unique main character, her brother, best friend and ex fiancée on a once-in-a-lifetime trip on the lavish and newly renovated Orient Express. From here we have a fun and extra twisty mystery which has a slight nod to Agatha Christie that has an ending you will not see coming!

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

This book is an intriguing mystery and drama aboard the Orient Express through Italy. The descriptions of Italy and later, Moscow are beautiful and interesting. Rory, the main character, is working through her relationships with her friend, brother, and ex-boyfriend. This is complicated by the new book coming out based on her life by her friend. The book delves into that author’s relationships and past which further entangles the story. I enjoyed the book but did not feel the story was resolved. The ending was quite abrupt.
Thank you Atria books and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

interesting plot! i enjoyed reading it. thanks netgalley & the publisher for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for a free e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"The Main Character" by Jaclyn Goldis is a thrilling and sophisticated modern homage to Agatha Christie, perfect for fans of Ruth Ware, Lucy Foley, and Paula Hawkins. The novel centers around Rory, who becomes entangled in a mysterious and dangerous adventure orchestrated by the reclusive author Ginevra Ex. Ginevra, known for her unconventional approach to writing bestselling thrillers, invites Rory and several others from her past on a luxury train trip along Italy's Mediterranean coast on the famed Orient Express, where secrets and deceptions unravel in dramatic fashion.

Goldis' storytelling is captivating, blending the glamour of the Orient Express with a suspenseful and twisty plot. The setting is richly described, evoking the elegance and mystery of the iconic train journey. The characters are intriguing and well-developed, each hiding secrets that add layers of intrigue to the narrative.

The story is skillfully structured, with Rory’s discovery that her travel companions include her brother, best friend, and ex-fiancé, setting the stage for tension and drama. As the train moves from Cinque Terre to Rome to Positano, the stakes rise, and Rory finds herself in a situation reminiscent of one of Ginevra’s novels, where a murder could be the climax.

Goldis masterfully weaves together the threads of the story, keeping the reader guessing with each twist and turn. The novel is a brilliant blend of psychological thriller and classic murder mystery, with an air of suspense that keeps the pages turning.

However, readers who prefer straightforward narratives may find the intricate plot and numerous characters challenging to follow. The complex web of relationships and the layering of secrets require close attention.

Content warnings for themes of deception, betrayal, and murder are appropriate. "The Main Character" is ideal for readers who enjoy a modern twist on classic mystery tropes, set against a backdrop of luxury and historical intrigue.

In conclusion, "The Main Character" by Jaclyn Goldis is a gripping and elegantly written novel that offers a thrilling ride through deception and danger on the legendary Orient Express. Its compelling plot, rich setting, and intriguing characters make it a must-read for mystery and thriller enthusiasts.

This book was a great read, kept me intrigued on what is going on. The cover was def one of the main reasons i wanted to read this besides the synopsis.

The book kept you guessing and had some great twists. I will def read another book by this author. Great writing and made me not want to put the book down.

Great Read! Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

Thrilling intrigue on a train - what’s not to love? Rory is the “main character” of a famous author’s next novel, and is gifted a surprise train excursion by the author. She discovers that her brother, ex-boyfriend, and best friend are all on the train with her. They are all having conflicts with each other and many strange things start happening, until things come to a deadly conclusion.

I enjoyed this thriller quite a bit. The characters were interesting and the plot twists were unexpected. I did feel it bogged down a bit when history was being discussed, but I know others might enjoy the history lesson. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I look forward to seeing more from this author.

A murder mystery set on the Orient Express. Yes, please. I loved this and absolutely devoured it. Fast paved and filled with twists. The descriptions of the train and its journey through Italy had me feeling like less there with the characters.

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.

I absolutely loved and devoured the author's previous book The Chateau, so when I heard she was coming out with a new book, I immediately had to request it. I finished this one so fast ! I loved how fast paced this was and how it was set on the opulent Orient Express. The descriptions of the train and all their stops along the way in Italy were flawless. I felt like I was on the train ride with all the main characters careening towards chaos. What a ride of a lifetime ! There were so many twists and turns toward the middle to end and it really kept me guessing and staying up late reading. I also enjoyed the historical aspects of the book such as life in the Soviet Union for Rory and Max's Jewish father. I would 100 percent recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written thriller. 4.5 Stars !

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

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 murder. 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

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

Oof. I really did not connect with this one. I was expecting an Agatha Christie inspired literary thriller with a ton of foreshadowing, twists and turns, etc. This was more like a melodramatic, somewhat soap opera feeling domestic novel about a weirdly intertwined cast of characters... and then it took a weird turn into Soviet era Russia? Nothing felt cohesive, nothing made any sense but also managed to be predictable at every turn. I struggled to finish this one and ultimately, should have quit the second I felt skeeved out by the idea of a "main character"

Ginevra Ex has a unique approach to her mystery novels; she bases her main characters on real people she hires and interviews. It’s a method that has mostly served her well, and she is hoping her latest book will be her best. After all, this main character is unlike any other she has found.

After crafting her novel with the main character Rory, Ginevra decides to thank her with a once-in-a-lifetime trip on the Orient Express along Italy’s Mediterranean coast. Unbeknownst to Rory, Ginevra has also invited Rory’s brother, best friend, and former fiancé. Once the trip is underway, it becomes clear to Rory she is still playing the role of the main character, but this time with greater stakes. Can she uncover Ginevra’s true intentions of inviting all of them on this trip before it’s too late?

Told from the different perspectives of each character, this is a fun and twisty mystery. The author does a nice job of creating a scenic atmosphere, using both the train and Italy to her advantage. It almost feels like watching a movie. Additionally, the plot works as a cute nod to Agatha Christie. It is easy for the reader to get caught up in the mystery.

Ultimately, this is a great choice for anyone looking for an entertaining mystery to pass an afternoon. There are some cliché moments, but it is overall an enjoyable read.

Holy Mary……..what just happened??? I was completely unprepared to love this book as much as I did.
Honestly I was thinking okay….we all know how these Orient Express books go. This one definitely did not go that way for me.

The Main Character follows Rory as she is joined by her brother, best friend and ex fiance for a train ride through Italy which has been provided by author Ginevra Ex. The characters are complex and well rounded with just enough mystery to keep to a classic who-dun-it.

If you like a good mystery with extra twisty side plots then you’ll love this story!!

My honest review was given on this digital ARC from net galley and Atria books.

The Main Character had me at inspired by Agatha Christie’s The Orient Express, plus I absolutely loved Goldis’s The Chateau. Her newest novel does not disappoint!

Goldis seems to have carved out a niche for herself in a market saturated with thrillers as someone capable of keeping you on the edge of your seat while also infusing a good dose of history into her stories. First with The Chateau, and now with The Main Character, she has a talent for engaging the reader fully within the world of her stories and giving her characters motives that extend beyond the surface. It’s not just their present day personas we get to know, but everything that defines who they were and who they have become.

I was engaged in the plot of The Main Character right from the start - everyone has secrets and you’re just dying to know what they are. Who is telling the truth? Plus, it’s clear Genevera has her own agenda and I enjoyed the snippets of her interview with Rory. Although this was in many ways a retelling of The Orient Express, Goldis makes it her own and keeps you guessing until the end. I did not see it coming - it was so devastating and so perfect. If you enjoyed The Chateau, then you’re sure to love The Main Character. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Bestler Books, and Atria Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Agatha Christie for the Influencer Age- twisted tale of deadly luxury. I googled it like an artisanal confection.

Can’t wait for more from this author!