I’ll never say no to a book set in Italy and I was very excited to receive an ARC of this one. The setting did not disappoint and I would love to take a journey on the Orient Express. I really enjoyed learning about the Jewish experience, especially as someone living in the Societ Union in the 80s. Otherwise, I was a bit let down with the character and this moved just a little too slow. I did like how the big mystery unfolded.

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for an ARC of this title but this was a DNF for me. I don’t mean to disparage the author, but this reads like bad fan fiction. The writing is horrendous. I did not make it past the second chapter because it was so terrible. Definitely not for me.

I LOVED The Chateau and I’m a big Agatha Christie fan, so I was very excited to see that Jaclyn Goldis’ latest was being compared to Christie’s novels. While The Main Charachter certainly nods to Christie’s works, I think it’s rather different. This is not your bread and butter murder mystery and I think going in with that expectation is a disservice. True, this has a murder and a mystery, but the pacing and the stakes differ from the typical formula. In my opinion, The Main Character is much more of a family drama, how our past influences our future and messy characters making messy decisions. Forgetting the comparison to Christie’s novels allowed me to truly appreciate the unique story that Goldis has crafted. And I really liked it. The setting is luscious, aboard the Orient Express and along various locations throughout Italy. The characters are compelling. I was propelled by the need to uncover who was lying to whom and why. And I absolutely loved the way Goldis expertly wove the history of antisemitism in the Soviet Union into the plot. It is a history that needs to be told now, more than ever.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Atria Books for the ARC.

This was such a intriquing read I read it to conclusion in one sitting. Very much like Agatha Christies Orient Express this is a multi layered array of charachters on a fabulous train ride to exotic locations when murder occurs. Each person is suspect to suspicion and no one is free from suspicion. The famous author that invited the guests on this ride has arranged everything perfectly with the exception of a murder. Or did she? This is a fun read with many interesting characters that is pleasing to read to conclusion. Well done to the author. The atmospheric beauty of this book is lovely.

Thank you to the publisher, Net Galley and to the author for the opportunity. My review opinons are my own. A very enjoyable read I highlly recommend.

This novel really exceeded my expectations in all the best ways. I loved the nod to Agatha Christie with the train trip on the modern day Orient Express (dream vacation destination truly) but I loved the rich storyline so much more. The added history of and plot lines in the Soviet Union was the perfect touch to add insight into the different backstories

This wasn't horrible by any means, but I just didn't end up liking it that much. I found that the jumping around disrupted the flow of the story a good amount, and even with that, the story felt pretty slow-paced. For me personally, a slow-paced mystery just doesn't keep me captivated because I find my mind wandering and getting bored. The characters were okay, though they weren't well bolstered by the slow-paced pacing of the story. Even with how slow the story felt, the ending was shockingly jarring with how abrupt it was. Strange pacing abounds, lol.
Though some of the twists and turns were fun/unexpected, the pacing of this novel and the sudden halt of the ending made this a novel that was not for me.

Cover art 10/10 book, 3/5 as it reminds me a bit too much of her debut novel. This has hints of Murder on the Orient Express and Who is Maud Dixon to me but, I wouldn't say it truly meets the mark of Agatha Christie.

It jumps around a bit and can be a bit hard to follow. I also found some of the characters unlikable or hard to connect with. It was "meh" for me.

Thank you to the publishing team and NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The story met each layer that unfolded with the characters. Each relationship is developed well. I was kept on my toes. Ginevra is charismatic and mature with a well-rounded arc.

This book had me at Orient Express. Within it, Rory has been sent on a lavish trip to the Italian riviera aboard the newly remodeled famous train. It’s her reward for being celebrated writer Ginevra Ex’s newest main character – the real-life person who inspires each of Ex’s novels.

But Rory is shocked to see her brother, her best friend, and her ex-fiance aboard as well – all at Ginevra’s expense. The story opens with one of them being murdered but who and by whom remains to be seen.

As the foursome read Ginevra’s new manuscript secrets unravel, but behind the scenes, Ginevra’s own past is catching up to her and just why she was drawn to Rory in the first place remained unanswered.

Why I Love It: While the who-dun-it mystery within Ginevra’s novel was so well executed and the suspense of who was killed kept me turning the pages, it was Ginevra’s storyline that intrigued me most.

I was enthralled by Russia’s history with the Jewish people, having been mostly unaware of the animosity there before this book, and was shocked to learn that element came from Goldis’s own family history!

I was drawn to this book based on its beautiful cover, intriguing description, and luxury train setting, but it wasn't quite what I expected. Noted as a "modern homage to Agatha Christie," the book did not live up to "Murder on the Orient Express." I did enjoy the underlying mystery, and there were certainly many unexpected twists and turns. There were also some very interesting flashbacks to the Jewish experience in the Soviet Union during the 1980s. The pace was quite slow, though, and I struggled to get through some of the book. And even with its slow pace, the ending seemed abrupt, and there were a few loose ends that weren't tied up. I didn't necessarily dislike this book, but it just wasn't what I was expecting, and I would still like to read more from the author in the future.

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

The story takes place in beautiful Italy on the luxurious Orient Express, adding to its intrigue. I enjoyed The Château, so I was thrilled to read this one, and it didn’t let me down! It lacked speed but made up for it with suspense. The plot was clever, engaging, and full of twists. If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie, this is a must-read!

When this novel starts, Rory, her brother Max, her best friend Caro, and her ex-fiancé Nate are all on a luxurious trip through Italy on the Orient Express train, paid for by famous writer Ginevra Ex. Ginevra has an unusual writing technique - she hires someone to be the "main character" of her next book - that is, she interviews them extensively and creates a detailed psychological portrait of them, and then uses that to create a fictional story starring a version of them. And, she has just concluded her time having hired Rory as the main character for her new book, and has gifted her and the others in her life she interviewed with this trip.

The book is told mostly from Rory's perspective, but also occasionally from all four others, and we know from the start that someone on the trip is going to wind up dead, but it takes a long time to find out who. It also is clear from the start that everyone there has their own secrets that they're keeping.

I absolutely adored Jaclyn Goldis' previous book, The Chateau, so I am sorry to say I didn't love this one quite as much. The pace was quite slow for most of the book, before getting quite twisty at the end - with some secrets and twists that I guessed at least in part, and some that came out of nowhere and not always in a good way. However, I did enjoy the book nonetheless and absolutely will read whatever Goldis writes next. I also loved the Italy travelogue that really made you feel like you were seeing all the sights, from the Cinque Terre to Rome and more, and I also loved the Jewish representation.

3.5 stars

Pure, escapist fun. A murder on the Orient Express surrounded by the most amazing Italian landscapes, insane luxuries, several mysteries, a central plot that spans decades and countries, a final twist that I hadn’t seen coming… it all adds up to a very entertaining, suspenseful and addictive read. Ginevra Ex is one of the most famous mystery writers in the world. Rory has been chosen as her main character, a job that entails answering questions about her life and eventually having the most luxurious trip on the most famous train. The book opens with the author crying over a dead body and this is the story of how it happened, whodunit and why. The chapters are told by the different characters, and they all have their own, distinctive voice. I absolutely hated some of them and liked the others, but I was rooting for them all. The descriptions of the settings help situate the action, and you can almost feel the thick carpets on the train. Some parts were a little over the top, but I was so invested that I didn’t mind. Very entertaining.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Atria Books.

The setting is perfect - a luxury train ride through Italy. The concept is great - put a group of longtime friends who are in the midst of conflict in a confined space and watch their secrets come out.

The execution, though… was a bit of a miss for me. The writing felt frantic - a few times, I had to backtrack a few pages to try to figure out where we were (physically; on the train? off the train? still at the restaurant or on to the next location? etc.) and there were a handful of poorly-used words that took me out of the flow. I hated every character and I didn’t want any of them to succeed in the end. They all seemed like vapid, selfish babies. We see things from everyone’s POV, which I felt took some of the mystery out of things.

A few of the secrets felt like they were revealed (to the reader or to Rory) too early - make me work a little! The ending was quite abrupt, almost as if the author ran out of time. Overall though, an enjoyable read. A few of the twists escaped my notice, and when I got to the last quarter of the book I really didn’t want to put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jaclyn Goldis, and Atria Books for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review. I didn’t dislike this book, it was just very different from what I was expecting. It’s marketed as a retelling of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express and that was not how this story read. It did take place on a train, and someone did end up dead but the steps involved were not in the same realm. The stakes involved didn’t feel “high” enough and I felt a lack of urgency throughout making it slow and with not a lot of suspense or thriller-like elements. There was also a good chunk of historical background about one of the characters which was interesting but didn’t help out the already poor pacing of the story. Most of the action occurred in the last 30% of the book and even when it did it the ending wasn’t anything spectacular. I did like the setting and the start of the book started out strong, it just missed the mark for me.

3/5 Stars

Once you recognize that this book is NOT like Murder on the Orient Express and NOT much like an Agatha Christie story, you are free to enjoy a book that is both predictable and surprising at the same time. I loved the odd way Ginerva finds the basis for her books and thought that was a unique way to develop the characters for the reader. Along with lots of twists, both expected and unexpected, this kept the story moving along, making this a great escapist read! (And, yes, gotta say how much I love the cover!)

The Main Character gave me a great vibe along the lines of And Then There was None meets the White Lotus. Chaotic and beautifully written.

I was sooo excited to read this book. The premise sounded so interesting. Unfortunately, I had to DNF it 20% in. I couldn't stand the writing. These characters were insufferable, coming across as dramatic, whiney teenagers instead of full-fledged adults in their thirties. This author cannot write men. All of the men acted and thought like women. There were too many POV characters. I didn't care for or feel the others were necessary. I would have liked, however, to have been in the mind of the author more (in the book, not the real one lol). This book was just not for me. Not well written and not the plot I thought it was going to be. I was hoping it was going to be more about the writing of the book but instead that part had already been done.

I saw so many similarities between this book and EVERY TIME I GO ON VACATION, SOMEONE DIES. Both occur on an author-sponsored bookish trip to Italy, with packed tourist itineraries. Both start with the knowledge that a murder occurs, although the reader doesn't know who or why. Both feature authors who write fiction books based on people's real lives.

Italy is the hot book setting right now, it seems! I've read at least four books set there in the past month, possibly more. I love it! It's making me want to visit Europe again.

What I like most about Jaclyn Goldis's writing is the important history she slips into her thrillers. As stated in her author's note, she based the experiences Rory's father had as a persecuted Jew in Russia on her own father's life. I love that I always learn something new and important from her books.

I enjoyed the hints of Christie, the mysterious author, and the backstory between the characters. There's not a lot of action until the very end, though, at which point there's an abrupt personality change and then the story ends right after the climax. I won't say too much and spoil it, but I wanted a bit more resolution from what Ginevra and Rory discovered.

While there's lots of drama and some mystery, it didn't have enough action or twists to feel like a thriller. It's an interesting family drama in a great location, though!

I was easily drawn in by this book with it being described as an homage to Agatha Christie, as well as the premise sounding interesting.

I really enjoyed the multi POV, I love seeing things from different perspectives, especially in thrillers. It took me a while to predict the twist, but I eventually did get one part, but the rest was really well done.
The characters were a little frustrating at points, I wanted to shake them a few times.
I loved the setting, Italy is such a beautiful place to read about.
There was quite a bit of drama and suspense that kept me interested despite it being a very slow burn.
The final twist was fully insane and although being incredibly well done, was absolutely heartbreaking to consider.

The Chateau has been on my TBR for quite a while but I’m definitely more interested now after reading The Main Character, I did enjoy this author’s writing.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author for this eARC.
Publication date 5/21/24