TLDR: Goldis’s 2023 locked-room thriller THE CHATEAU was one of the biggest surprises for me last year. It was suspenseful and twisty and had some excellent cultural specificity that really elevated it above others in the genre. So I was eagerly anticipating the author’s latest -about a reclusive author with ulterior motives who pays for an all-inclusive luxury train trip for the real life people who inspired her new novel. However, having now read the book twice, I’m bummed to report…it’s a complete snooze. Similar to Emma Rosenblum’s VERY BAD COMPANY, this book gets completely bogged down by a corporate malfeasance subplot, and the flashbacks to the author and a long-lost lover feel completely separate from the main story on the actual train and neither are compelling enough to keep this “train on the tracks”. I’m still curious to see what Goldis does next, but this is not a great follow-up.

Ginevra X is a famous Italian author who writes mysteries similar to Agatha Christie. One difference is that she picks an actual person to use as a main character to build her mysteries around.

Rory is a young woman who recently lost her job as a newscaster and is trying to find a way to rebuild her life. When Ginevra contacts Rory about being the main character in her new book, Rory decides to do it, since she needs the money and more time to plan her future.

I loved the premise of the book. What I didn’t love was the slow pace of the story and the mostly boring characters. It was fun to try and figure out who ends up being the murderer and who gets murdered, and it had a great twist at the end. I know I would have loved this more if the story wasn’t so full of the characters talking to themselves and analyzing everything.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review.

The Main Character is a compelling and thought-provoking thriller that stands out for its innovative approach to storytelling. Jaclyn Goldis' masterful blending of suspense, family drama, and ethical questions makes for a rich and engaging read. The novel's strengths lie in its well-crafted characters, intricate plot, and the atmospheric setting of the luxury train journey. However, some readers may find the predictability of certain twists a minor drawback. Overall, The Main Character is a highly recommended read for fans of psychological thrillers and literary mysteries.

By offering a fresh take on the classic whodunit genre, Jaclyn Goldis has created a novel that is both entertaining and intellectually stimulating. Whether you are a longtime fan of thrillers or new to the genre, The Main Character is sure to captivate and intrigue you.

Free stuff are never free. Don't fall for it. Especially if someone is offering you a free trip to Italy in this beautiful train (even if there is a chance that this offer was well deserved by you), you just won't take that offer. Rory didn't think of anything when she got exactly this offer from the successful author Ginevra Ex. Until she started to see some characters in the same train and things started to sound too familiar to an ARC she was reading

Ginevra did not like to have made up characters. All her main characters were actual people. She would somehow put them into these settings and circumstances from which she could drive her storyline. The characters' reactions would be real; conversations would be real. In theory, it was a great plan. I mean imagine having a storyline that people cannot poke holes in. No one can say "there is no way it could happen!". But like I said, its great IN THEORY. This time around Ginevra played a very dangerous game. Eventually she understood what she had done, but it was way too late.

I liked that it had some Agatha Christie vibes and twists and turns in every page. I liked the premise of the story but also I felt like I was lost in details at times. Final wrapped up little too quickly than I would like it to be. Fun book to read on a train though!

unfortunately, this one was pretty boring for me and fell flat. I was really excited to read "The Main Character" after reading the synopsis. However, it did not deliver in the slightest.

The characters were AWFUl. Was painful to read. Really boring and repetitive. I almost did not make it through a few times. Felt like a bit of a chore to read. The slow pacing was not ideal for a thriller

Thank you Atria Books | Atria/Emily Bestler Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

My rating is 2.5 stars. I felt bored through the whole story. The first 75% of the book was character development where nothing really happened and I almost DNF’d this three separate times.

The writing and ending was good as that is the reason for my stars, but I wasn’t wowed. It did end pretty abruptly.

If you like slow burn with HEAVY character development you’ll probably like this.

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

I loved the Chateau written by Jaclyn Goldis. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much. Reminiscent of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express Ms. Goldis assembles her characters on lavish trip along Italy’s Mediterranean coast on the famed, newly renovated Orient Express. Author Ginevra uses real life people to create her characters for her books. As a reward to all she books them a vacation on the train. She's devastated when one is killed. As a mystery writer she feels she should be able to find the killer. Looks of false clues.

“The Main Character” by Jaclyn Goldis follows Rory, the latest main character Geneva Ex has decided to interview. Rory is happy to be chosen because this gives her some income despite her world falling apart, but when Genevra gifts Rory the trip of a lifetime, things start to seem off. Why did Genevra pick Rory in the first place?
This book was fun, with a slight nod to Agatha Christie. The train theme was there, but otherwise, this book felt like its own creature in most rights.
I enjoyed Rory as a main character. She was tough and unique, but also kind and someone you wanted to root for. As you watch her world fall apart, you’re drawn to sympathy.
Overall, I really enjoyed this read! Especially the ending- did anyone see that coming?! I gave this book a solid 4 stars rating! What should I read next?
Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this who done it set in Italy and on the luxurious train. The author delved deep into the characters, and they were flawed and human, and sometimes a little bit unlikable. I. Love the setting and I really enjoyed finding out the mystery. There is more to everyone than first appears. I will read more by this author! There were slow spots and because I enjoyed her last novel a lot more I rated this one 3 1/2 stars. Thank you, NetGalley for the digital copy.

Dnf’d at 37%. I was not a big fan of this. The characters felt lackluster to me and there was way too much detail for unnecessary things. The “mystery” didn’t feel at all mysterious and I just could not connect to the story unfortunately.

Basically late-stage Ruth Ware with a little less whining.

I probably should have realized after being unable to make it through even half of The Chateau that this author’s style is not for me. This is a better book than her first, but it’s still the kind of insipid domestic drama that I find hard to tolerate.

The premise for this was actually pretty good (except for the part where the publisher called it an “ode to Agatha Christie” <Rolls eyes>). The problem is that the appealing parts of the premise aren’t really the focus of the book. This is taking place on the Orient Express (or at least a solid portion of it is) but outside of one action sequence, it never once felt like the characters were on a train. Which is a huge miss for me, as I care more about sense of place and atmosphere than just about anything.

This is dialogue-heavy and very driven by the inner monologues of a lot of people who aren’t very likable and are fairly pitiable, which also didn’t help. In the end, these books just aren’t much in the quality of content department, and there are so, so many similarly-themed mystery/thrillers out there that there is no reason to settle for this kind of stuff.

Ginevra is a best-selling author, with an unusual method of writing. She hires real people, interviews them, takes a deep dive into their lives, then uses that information to weave a tale for her next book. setting up circumstances to see how the react.

Ginevra’s latest main character is Rory, who she sends on the Orient Express along the Italian coast as a thanks for her willingness to be her main character. Rory initially believes it to be a luxurious solo trip so imagine her shock when she discovers her brother, best friend, and ex-fiancé are also on the trip. As the trip progresses secrets and lies unravel. It seems the author uncovered some truths while researching Rory, truths that will shock her.

I loved this premise but I found it to be too slow for my liking, and I love a good character study. Don’t be fooled by the description of this book as an homage to Agatha Christie.

The story is told from multiple points of view with a dual timeline. I struggled with this format, which dampened my enthusiasm. I found myself bored with this cast of unlikable immature characters.

* I received a digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own

“𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞. 𝐖𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐰𝐞’𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲.”

I loved Jaclyn Goldis’ suspense debut, The Chateau, expertly weaving a character-driven drama-filled mystery. I couldn’t wait to dive into her follow-up.

The premise is incredibly intriguing: famous mystery author Ginevra Ex draws inspiration for her novels from real-life people; in gratitude (and something more) to her latest, Rory, she arranges for an all-expenses paid trip on the Orient Express. Besides Rory, her fractured friend group are also on the train consisting of brother Max, like-a-sister & best friend Caroline, and ex-fiancé Nate. Although there are secrets and strain amongst the friends, their shared history and love bonds them; I related immensely to this long-term shared history which I have with a few of my own friends who are like family (but also was very grateful mine don’t hold the secrets this group does!). Goldis’ descriptions of various locales as the Orient Express travels make you feel like you are there, and had me wanting to travel on the famed train myself. I also love how Goldis puts in pieces of Jewish heritage and history in her story and characters; I always end up learning something new. The character-driven generational family drama takes centre stage over the mystery of who dies and why. Nonetheless, Goldis’ well-placed reveals had me quite surprised at some places, including the very Christie-like ending.

The Main Character is a story of found family, revelations, repercussions, judgement and jealousy. If you like a slow-build character-driven mystery, this is for you. Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for the gifted copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

I was so excited for this after reading another book by this author and that is was "Agatha Christie" like. It was more of a family drama with a slow plot and strange flashbacks. The characters were okay, but the blurb didn't match book, in my opinion.

This was sold as an Agatha Christie retelling, which I’m all for, but it was more family drama than anything. I finished this and hoped it would get better. It did not :(

Genre: Fiction/Mystery Thriller
Rating: DNF

Ginevra Ex is a bestselling thriller author who hires real people to interview and fictionalize for her books. Her most recent “main character,” Rory, is thrilled when she’s gifted a bonus trip along Italy’s coast via the infamous Orient Express. However, this trip comes with strings attached— it includes her brother, her best friend, and two of her exes. Each of her bonus passengers are hiding secrets from her, and they all begin to unravel. Rory begins to wonder if this trip was given with ulterior motives.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Jaclyn Goldis for an ARC copy of this book!

I was super excited for this one after reading Goldis’ other book, The Chateau. I had very high hopes for the premise— a thriller author using real people?? How intriguing! The possibilities! However, this one fell flat for me. I found myself disconnected from/disliking all of the characters, waiting for *something* to happen and grab my attention, and consistently wondering if it was over yet. I powered through about 80% before I decided to DNF. Besides disliking all of the characters and feeling like the storyline wasn’t progressing, I think this was also giving more Historical Fiction vibes (which I’ve discovered isn’t really my cup of tea) rather than the labeled mystery/thriller vibes.

👍🏻:
-The setting
-The premise
-The Agatha Christie references

👎🏻:
-The characters
-Lack of suspense
-Slow plot/storyline
-More historical fiction vibes than thriller
-The flashbacks

Any book positioned as a “modern homage to Agatha Christie” is immediately added to my list! This is another book with a similar format to the Lucy Foley novels, as readers follow multiple perspectives leading up to a murder in a beautiful location.

The story is written from multiple perspectives and follows a group of friends and a famous author as they take a luxurious train along the Italian coastline. The author, Ginevra, bases each of her novels on a real person and the person at the center of the latest book is a former news anchor named Rory. After the novel is finalized, the author surprises Rory with a trip on a new luxury trainride along the Italian coast. Unbeknownst to Rory, Ginevra has invited Rory’s brother, best friend, and former fiance to meet her on the train. You find out very quickly that there is a murder and spend the rest of the story figuring out who is murdered and who is the likely murderer. Each character is obviously incredible suspicious and Ginevra’s intentions become increasingly unclear…

I would definitely recommend this book if you like mysteries, unreliable narrators, and descriptions of beautiful scenery! I’m adding this author to my list of favorite mystery writers.

My mom always told me that if I don't have anything nice to say, I shouldn't say anything at all.

But I'm breaking the rules today because this book was so bad I need everyone to know.

Billed as an Agatha-Christie-style murder mystery, I expected this book to be a fun read, but it was horribly mismarketed. This was a slow burn family drama with "twists" that made no sense and characters you don't like or want to root for. I was incredibly bored throughout the entire story and ended up angry with myself for not DNFing.

The only redeeming quality of this book was its amazing Jewish representation, but it honestly felt shoehorned in. I'm so disappointed I spent so much time with this book.

Especially disappointed because I loved this author's debut! I would definitely be willing to give her another chance in the future, just because I saw promise there!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this advance copy in exchange for this review.

I wanted to give Jaclyn Goldis another chance after I absolutely hated The Chateau last year, and unfortunately I’m going to have to accept the fact that she just might not be the author for me. This was another one that uses two different timelines, but has a million different characters and side plots that add nothing to the story. I don’t believe I’ll be interested in any more from this author.

I love the concept of an author researching real life people and basing a novel/murder mystery of their lives. Knowing the Ginerva Ex's last book was a flop, she was going to up her game for the next book. She invites the main character, along with her 3 closest friends, on a dream trip to present an early copy to them. Was it for thanking them? Or to expose the deceit she uncovered while interviewing everyone and waiting for them to find out upon reading the book? Either way, someone ends up dead. The chapters swap between the 4 characters in the book and the author. I loved getting the inside scoop on the secrets everyone is hiding from each other. However, the author's parts are back story from her childhood and unfortunately I found myself skimming through that part a lot. And unfortunately the end was wrapped up quickly and I wasn't impressed. It left me a tiny bit underwhelmed after being intrigued through most of the start.