What twisty book with unlikeable characters! THE MAIN CHARACTER is really an ode to Agatha Christie and, specifically, Murder on the Orient Express. I will say this book is a bit on the slower-paced side, but it does eventually pick up towards the latter third of the book. But overall...it is tense! You don't know who to trust, and there is an exceptionally unique cast of characters to point fingers at.

Unlike the original story, this one doesn't start with the crime - so you don't even know what's wrong...only that something is off. There are also elements of historical fiction, with some chapters flashing back to 1980s Russia. Additionally, I loved the setting - a luxurious train and dreamy Italian cities - it made it a very atmospheric read.

I think fans of Agatha Christie (obviously!) and Peter Swanson will enjoy this.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books | Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the ARC copy!

Unfortunately there was a bit too much going on in this one to stay focused. It fell flat for me on the suspense side leaving me a tad bit bored. It was just okay for me. I was also able to predict the twist leaving it flat on that front for me also.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

One thing I can say about this book is don't give up. It was slow at first but well finishing.

I don't want to spoil anything so just give it a try.

Thank you for the ARC !
This book was great and love the author ! Good story but was a little slow at first but when you start getting to the end it gets very interesting! Recommend this book !

The concept of this book sounded so intriguing and unfortunately fell flat for me. While it did have some good twists along the way, the journey to get there was slow and at times boring. I felt the story was lost in the multiple POV’s and there wasn’t a connection to the characters, I simply didn’t care about them. I enjoyed The Chateau, so I’m bummed this one was a miss.

Interesting setting and I love Agatha Christie mysteries! But, no one can write a mystery as well as she does - this novel included.

I’m not a huge fan of fuel timelines, but it was necessary for this story. The characters seemed mostly to be terrible people with horrible motives that I could not connect with.
The ending was abrupt, but a little unexpected which was surprising.
Pros: fast read, nice setting, good twists
Cons: AC this author is not, meh ending, terrible characters

C/3⭐️

Imagine this: You are feeling hopeless. You have lost your job, your fiance. Your father is battling Alzheimer's and it pains you too much everytime you see him. To only be given a deal of a lifetime after feeling so much loss, presented to you by the worlds most prestigious author. A three day paid in full train trip vacation around Italy in exchange for her to use your life as her next novel but after boarding the Orient Express you realize quickly how you have become a puppet in some sort of twisted game when you see she has also invited your childhood best friend, brother and ex fiance.

Do you?
A. Stay on the train to see where this is going
Or
B. Run, run away as fast as you can

Rich People Drama at its best, I tell ya!!

Goldis knows how to write some drama and I was absolutely blown away by the execution.

With giving a slight nod to the famous Agatha Christie but at the same time giving such a modern, uniquely spun web of lies, deceit, betrayal and mystery.

I was immediately pulled right into the story with its very mesmerizing atmospheric descriptions, and dramatic friendship and family dynamics. There was no way I could look away.

Goldis keeps you on your toes trying to piece together this twisted puzzle of what the heck is actually going on. And when you think you have it all figured out, you are smacked with the most insane revelations.

I had the best time with this even tho there were parts that lagged a bit for me in the middle. And I highly appreciate the authors vulnerability in writing something that is very near and dear to her heart.

Defenitly give it a try!

And I'd like to extend my hugest gratitude to @jaclyngoldis @atriabooks and @netgalley for the advanced luxury train ticket. This was a train ride I will never forget.

I read this book and recommended it to my book club. We read it and enjoyed it. It slows down in the middle but if you stick it out, the twist at the end is very unexpected, if unrealistic.

I didn't enjoy this as much as I did this author's debut but I still had fun! This book is full of so many twists and turns and I honestly felt like I didn't even have time to see most of them coming. My biggest complaint is that I wish there was more about the novel the author was writing, it would've been super interesting to learn things through passages from the book and see things unveiled in the character's lives. But other than that, it was fun to follow the characters through different countries and settings while they took the Orient Express train, and I enjoyed that I disliked every character. It made the conflicts more interesting because I wasn't rooting for anyone but the resolutions were still satisfying.

I wanted to like this book. The premise sounds really interesting. However, there are too many characters and too many years of history to keep track of. Not my favorite.

Something about this one just wasn't working for me. None of the characters captured my attention and the storyline felt meandering. There's mystery here for sure, but not enough answers to keep me engaged. I'm not sure I fully understood what the author was trying to do here and that really just made it fall flat for me.

This book wasn't entirely for me, but I think others will enjoy it. It is a slow burn, light mystery with a locked room feel. This author certainly has a talent for writing, but I personally tend to like books that have a little bit of a quicker pace.

If you like locked room thrillers and character driven plots, this one is for you.

I was so excited to receive an ARC of Jaclyn Goldis’ “The Main Character” as the premise sounded so fascinating, and I can’t resist a comparison to the famed Agatha Christie. However, after reading this book pales in comparison to Christie’s ingenuity and I struggle to understand the basis of this comparison (the only similarity being a murder on the Orient Express, of course). I found the writing style clunky (less telling, more showing please!) and the characters insufferable, and I was bored by the seemingly perpetual inner monologue without any actual plot development. I appreciated the twist at the end, but ultimately this fell flat for me.

Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my review!

Jaclyn Goldis, in her latest thriller “The Main Character,” introduces us to the enigmatic author Ginevra Ex, who is as much a part of the story’s fabric as the protagonist she creates. The novel follows Rory, a character brought to life with such depth and complexity that readers are immediately drawn into her world—a world that takes a dramatic turn when she is presented with an extravagant trip on the Orient Express by the very author who penned her.
Goldis’s narrative begins with a sense of adventure and luxury, as Rory embarks on a journey along Italy’s Mediterranean coast. However, the glamour is quickly overshadowed by the presence of familiar faces—her brother, best friend, and ex-fiancé—all invited by the reclusive Ginevra Ex. Each character is shrouded in secrecy, their hidden motives adding layers to the unfolding drama.
As the train makes its way through iconic Italian destinations, it becomes clear that Ginevra has designed a real-life plot twist, transforming the scenic trip into a stage for manipulation and mystery. Rory finds herself entangled in a web of lies, where every interaction is suspect, and every alliance is questionable. The tension escalates with each revelation, mirroring the suspenseful arcs found in the works of Ruth Ware and Paula Hawkins.
What sets “The Main Character” apart is its metafictional element—the idea that an author within the story manipulates events as if they were part of her own literary creation. This approach provides a fresh retelling of the classic “Murder on the Orient Express,” with Rory serving as both participant and observer in a game where the stakes are dangerously high.
The characters are the cornerstone of this narrative, each one meticulously fleshed out by Goldis to serve the dual purpose of advancing the plot and enriching the thematic tapestry of the novel. Rory’s evolution from a delighted beneficiary to a distressed centerpiece is handled with a deft touch, allowing readers to experience her fear and uncertainty firsthand.
The final twist of the novel is a masterstroke by Goldis, delivering a jaw-dropping moment that stands as a hallmark of a great thriller. It is a testament to her storytelling prowess and her ability to craft a conclusion that resonates with the shock and awe of a classic whodunit.
In summary, Jaclyn Goldis’s “The Main Character” is a riveting tale that weaves together the elegance of the Orient Express with the dark undercurrents of human deception. It is a book that promises to keep readers on the edge of their seats, offering a blend of psychological intrigue and narrative innovation. For aficionados of suspense and admirers of well-developed characters, this novel is an unputdownable read that echoes long after the final page is turned.

This book was a joy to read and I like the name. I enjoyed the way the story flowed and I had a few moments that kind of made me question a few things. The characters were very interesting and I had smile quite a few times. This author really knows how to tell a story that will captivate you from the very beginning. I highly recommend this book and this author.

I was very excited to receive and ARC of this book, because the premise sounded so cool. Unfortunately, I ended up DNFing this book. I did not enjoy the writing style, as the book felt clunky and overwritten. I found myself very bored by the plot, as it felt like nothing was happening besides watching the main characters inner monologue. Unfortunately, this was not for me.

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.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

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.