Jaclyn Goldis’ homage to Agatha Christie continues with this refreshing new twist on “Murder on the Orient Express.” Her first mystery, “The Chateau,” gathered characters at an isolated chateau, all with secrets, much like many Hercule Poirot scenarios. Her main author character in this book hates being known as a “derivative Agatha Christie” but it really is a compliment to be compared with the very best.

In this novel, we already know the “mastermind” behind the unfolding plot: a super best-selling author named Ginerva Ex. Ginerva’s particular literary speciality is interviewing a real person about their life, then incorporating the juicy parts into a fictional murder mystery. However, her last book bombed due to a poor choice of character who was perceived as exceedingly dull.

This time, Ginerva has selected Rory Aronov, daughter of a Russian immigrant, Ansel (currently suffering from dementia) and sister of a multimillionaire pharma tech bro, Maximillian, on the cusp of developing a vaccine for Alzheimer’s. Rory was a popular newscaster in Los Angeles until something blew that up and she left in disgrace. At the same time, a ten year relationship with her boyfriend Nate imploded. Rory, Max, and Nate had all been close, including her bestie Caroline, who is employed (and loved) by Max. But they have all drifted away from each other. After her intense interviews with Ginerva, Rory took some lengthy meditative time off (a silent retreat), isolating herself from the world. Now she’s ready to resume her life and she finds she’s been gifted with a ticket from the author on the famous Orient Express (once a dream of hers that she shared with Ginerva). As she boards, she’s confronted with a not-so-pleasant surprise: Max, Nate and Caroline are onboard, too, along with Ginerva’s lawyer Gabrielle, with whom Rory had a fling. And a preview copy of the book, “Cabin on the Lake” is also given to everyone. But…is the book finished? Is Ginerva still scripting Rory’s life and those of her friends? The book contains a fictional murder, but what happens if a real murder among the group now takes place?

There are 4 first person POV narrators: Rory, Max, Caroline, and Nate. Ginerva gets a third person perspective in her chapters, many of them flashbacks. There are other background characters: Ansel, the ailing off-screen father; Marco, the steward; Gabrielle, the lawyer, and his daughter, Chiara; and various recurring train passengers. However, Goldis excels at keeping a multitude of characters easily understandable (as she did in “The Chateau”). The characters are well drawn and we eventually learn much of their emotions and motivations, although we still need Ginerva’s story to fill in the gaps.

There were some illogical leaps to hurry the storyline along, like Rory immediately assuming that because Italian Ginerva uncovered Rory’s adoption, she might be Rory’s mom or might somehow know Ansel who has primarily lived in Michigan his adult life. But that take was quickly put into the reader’s consciousness to consider.

The novel dives deep into parent/child relationships — especially ones where there’s an absent mother. But you won’t figure out all the twists until the very end…. 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Rory, the main character, has green eyes, as does Gabrielle’s daughter Chiara.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Ginerva believes that to be happy, she needs to create a garden from weeds.

Thank you to Atria Books/Emily Bestler Books and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Review of eGalley

Ginevra Ex, with her newest manuscript, has planned a trip on the Orient Express, a perfect trip for Rory and the other characters in her book. She meticulously planned, but she forgot that often those characters have minds of their own and behave in unexpected ways.

Despite the extensive interviews, Rory is excited to have been chosen to be Ginevra’s latest main character. Now, she’s received this unexpected extravagance: a trip aboard the Orient Express. But she soon discovers that her brother, Max, her best friend, Caroline, and her ex-fiancé, Nate, are all aboard the train as well.

Why has Ginevra invited them? What secrets lurk, held close by each of the guests aboard the train?

And who will end up dead?

========

Told from several perspectives . . . Ginevra, Rory, Max, Caroline, and Nate . . . the unfolding narrative holds several shocking secrets that the characters slowly reveal to the reader. An undercurrent of tension runs throughout the telling of the tale and tension builds throughout the narrative.

Intriguing [but not necessarily likable] characters, an extraordinary setting, and a truly twisted plot all work together to keep the suspense building as readers slowly unravel the mystery as they read “The Cabin on the Lake,” Ginevra’s fictionalized account of the characters.

Despite an ending that is likely to leave readers wanting something more, most of the questions are answered and the mystery solved. However, a plot point involving Ginevra and Orsola is likely to be a disappointment for many readers.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this book from Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#TheMainCharacter #NetGalley

This mystery has all the feels and cinematic suspense! Rory is an authentic character that is easily relatable as a person and as an inspiration for a murder mystery. Her family background and the way that her friends become her family makes for excellent character development of the integral players of the story. Ginevra is mysterious, though, as she can be a wonderful benefactor or a master manipulator - either is conceivable. The manner in which Genevra divines inspiration is an interesting concept - I like the way that she takes basic information on real people in which to spin an elaborate tale. This way, you have 2 mysteries in the book: the unfolding of Rory's life and the mystery of the fiction penned by Genevra. The pieces of the mystery are scattered like confetti - you try to gather up the pieces, but it is near impossible to fit them together to make a picture. It takes some shocking revelations to understand the full repercussions of the incredible train journey. I absolutely love the way the author penned a fairy tale out of the character's history. Persecution of Russian Jews is integral to this story, and I appreciate the sensitive way the author has woven fact into her fiction. This book is like the train ride the characters are on - hop on; you are going to love the ride!

Thank you Netgalley, and Atria Books for the ARC of this book.

I was very intrigued by the description of the book. Rory becomes thd main character of famous author, General Ex's next book. After tireless interviews over 3 months, Ginervra gifts Rory a luxurious trip on the Orient Express. Rory us quickly surprised by unexpected people on the train, her brother, her best friend and her ex-fiance. As the book proceeds, we learn about many betrayals, from the recent past to the long ago psst that will change both Rory's and Ginevra's lives forever.

I liked the book, though parts did fall short for me. I was expecting more from the ending, which seemed too rushed and didn't do the rest of the book justice. Comparison to Agatha Christie are really only valid as far as both books involve murder and The Orient Express.

3.5 out of 5 ⭐️

Rory is gifted with a lavish trip on the Orient Express through Italy, a reward from literary diva Ginevra Ex for her participation in her unorthodox writing process. But there's a twist – she's not the only one aboard. Her brother, best friend, even her ex-fiancé – all Ginevra's guests, all harboring secrets and agendas. Each among the quartet is given drafts of the author's forthcoming book, for which they were all interviewed extensively, as part of Ginevra's rituals for fleshing out her "main character." We experience the trip through each of their perspectives, and as the train rolls along, the intrigue picks up as we realize that even the secrets we thought we were privy to begin to twist in unexpected ways and lead to new revelations. Rory increasingly supects that she is much more than a mere muse to Ginevra and that no one, even those she loves dearest, are being honest with her. I thoroughly enjoyed this thrilling romp filled with history, glamorous travel, and juicy family drama.

You will be disappointed if you go into this anticipating an Agatha Christie inspired murder mystery. This was more soap opera on a train with a murder in the last 50 pages. It wasn’t until those last pages that momentum picked up and then ended abruptly. Despite the miss on marketing and mystery, I enjoyed The Main Character for what it was: a picturesque character and family-driven drama set on the Italian coastline with animated characters and some mild intrigue. While the story dragged on at times and fell short of delivering suspense, it was still alluring with dramatic characters and some unexpected twists.

I love this cover! The description of the book is fabulous but reading it didn't keep my interest in the story as much as I hoped. It fell flat and felt boring instead of a page turner to me. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Overall it was a good book but in some parts it feel a little flat . I know it was a comparison to Agatha Christie’s life and I still like her books better

Rory has been providing her life story to Ginevra Ex, a very famous author.Ginevra has an interesting way of writing her books. She buys someone’s life story that interests her, then changes it enough so that she turns it into a fictional story. But Rory is stunned when Ginevra buys her a ticket on the Orient Express as a thank you present, when their work is done. She’s even more surprised that Ginevra also invited her brother Max, her best friend, Caroline, her ex-fiancé, Nate, and Gabriele, a man she has casually dated.
The trip of a lifetime suddenly doesn’t seem quite so glamorous to Rory. She has a lot of feelings towards these people and currently they are not bringing her joy. But what can she do? Maybe some rifts can be fixed or maybe not since there are numerous secrets and lies that will be revealed.
I enjoyed finding out why Ginevra set up this trip. When everything was revealed, I was like oh my gosh what a tangled web we weave. I will say that the ending seemed rather abrupt. I just would’ve liked a bit more. Still, I cannot say that I didn’t enjoy the ride.

I found the premise of The Main Character by Jaclyn Goldis intriguing, and despite comparisions to Agatha Christie, the story is its own. A reclusive, best-selling author sends her latest story inspiration on a lavish trip with friends and family, and of course, everyone is hiding something.

This was a fun read for me from the beginning. I enjoyed the writing style and was interested the whole way through. It may have suffered a bit from one too many twists or secrets, but it's a book that I would recommend to most any mystery lover. This isn't a high-paced thriller but more a character study that looks at the impact of deception.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #AtriaBooks for a free copy of #TheMainCharacter by Jaclyn Goldis. All opinions are my own.

I’m obsessed with the cover. It’s perfection. Exact vibes, NAILED.

I stopped after chapter 1, but the prose feels luscious and overall well-executed. This seems like it will be a treat for readers. Likely a very easy three stars, four to five for the right readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC.

Thank you #NetGalley for an ARC of #Main Character in exchange for an honest review.

I was excited about this book at first, because of the parallels between this book and the Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, but Christie is a tough act to follow most of the time. This book unfortunately fell flat for me in a lot of spots. I had trouble with the pacing, but I enjoyed the prose. I think my problem was that I was comparing it to Christie's version... I was determined to finish the book, but then I found the lack luster. I think some may enjoy and it wasn't a bad read, just not my fave. 3.5 starts seems fair.

The two similarities this has to Murder on the Orient Express:
1. Happens on a train.
2. Death. (eventually)

Comparing any mystery to Queen Agatha Christie is a bold move. You'd be hard-pressed to find a mystery-lover who hasn't read at least one of her novels. I rarely think the comparison is fair, and that's certainly the case here.

I do love a good dramatic cast, but the characters are more immature than anything. Despite being in their thirties, they were petty and childish in many ways. Despite the insane drama (cheating, unrequited love) it was still boring.

The story dragged out. It would have helped if this was an actual murder mystery. This reads more like a boring thriller. It's based on secrets that weren't super exciting. I can't decide if the secrets bored me because of what they were or if I didn't care about the characters.

If you love a soap opera cast and go into this expecting a thriller, you might like this one. Unfortunately, it was not for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books, for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I really wanted to love this one. I absolutely love Agatha Christie retellings, and I was excited to read a Murder on the Orient Express retelling. But… it just fell so flat me for me. Genevrie was portrayed too much of a god, and the rest of the friend group had zero personality. There was too much and not enough going on at the same time. It also just felt too far fetched for why they were on the train, to the point that the plot felt useless. Such a bummer this was a miss!

I had a hard time getting through this book. I thought the premise was new and interesting, and I looked forward to seeing how the author would execute the story. I also liked the Italian setting and the nod to Agatha Christie and the Orient Express. All of these elements should have combined for an exciting and tense murder mystery, but I didn’t feel as though the book quite got there. I have been thinking about the story since finishing and the only word(s) that keep coming to mind is ‘bogged down’.

Thank you, Netgalley and Atria Books, for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

A unique spin on an Agatha Christie inspired train, where motives are murky and plot twists abound!

I loved this story and the steady build up as the threads all start to tie together towards the end. I predicted a few of the early twists but not the final one which really brought the entire narrative together.

I enjoyed this one just as much as The Chateau! Goldis is now 2 for 2 with her suspense novels!

A rip-roaring good read, and I loved the homage to Agatha Christie and the opulence of The Orient Express. I enjoyed the mystery an and various twists and turns. My one criticism, is I’m not sure I buy the twist at the end, and it wrapped up a bit to cleanly for me, but having said that, this a great weekend read, and I’m happy to recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Main Character.

I've never read anything from this author before and the premise sounded so intriguing I was excited my request was approved.

Bestselling, reclusive author Ginevra Ex is famous for writing bestsellers based on real life people and their personal trials and tribulations.

Rory, a recently disgraced reporter, is Ex's new main character, and is delighted when the author offers a lavish trip on the newly renovated Orient Express (yes, borrowing from Agatha Christie so you know something murderous will be afoot).

When Rory discovers her older brother, BFF, and ex-bf has been invited along for the ride, Rory knows something is amiss, and it's up to her to figure out what that is.

I appreciate a slow burn narrative as much as the next person but I soon realized the story wasn't going the way I wanted to.

First, Rory is a boring, bland main character. I didn't understand why her ex wants her back so much.

Sure, none of the characters are likable, but you don't have to be likable for me to be interested in the story, but here's what bugged me; everyone has something to hide and the various POVs slowed the pacing.

Not everyone's POV was warranted and it bogged down the book, read like filler as each character monologued about their association with Rory, their memories and reminisces.

Since I read SOO (TOOO) many books in this genre, I guessed some of the twists, including the obvious; Ginevra had a connection with Rory.

Rory and Max's father's past serves as a huge backdrop to why the author has invited Rory and her closest friends and family on this disaster of a trip.

I got the feeling the author wanted to write a historical novel highlighting the horrors and atrocities Jews have endured throughout history but added in a 'mystery' to make it 'interesting.'

But to me made the story unnecessarily long; I would have preferred a historical novel featuring Rory's dad and Ex and her sister.

I still don't understand why Ex planned this elaborate ruse to get everyone on the train or did I miss that part?

Ex isn't a pleasant or likable character, either. She lacks confidence and self esteem despite her success, which I understand.

If you grew up without praise and respect from your family, you rarely have any for yourself.

Still, it was difficult to take Ex seriously as an author; she doesn't factor in the narrative often except mostly in flashbacks but she came off as arrogant, haughty, lacking street smarts despite everything she's been through.

The writing was good, but there was too much of everything; too much historical background, too many perspectives, the constant monologuing from each character became tedious and repetitive.

The story was not suspenseful or thrilling. It was basically just a couple of people with secrets and not communicating with one another.

I didn't mind the ending, despite some reviewers having expressed their dissatisfaction.

Sometimes, there are no happy endings and no one lives happily ever after.

This book was an atypical mystery and I liked the details and intricacies that made it unique! We've got a trip on The Orient Express as a nod to Agatha Christie, the beautiful setting of Italy that I'm partial to, and perspectives from 5 different characters. This is one of those books you won't want to put down---lots to uncover!

Plot: Famous author, Ginerva Ex, chooses a real life "main character" to be the inspiration for each of her books. When she chooses Rory Aronov, she doesn't just bring her story to life on the page, but intervenes in her real life in many unexpected ways. Not least of which is a once-in-a-lifetime trip through Italy on The Orient Express! The catch? Ginerva has also invited Rory's brother, Max, ex-fiancé, Nate, and best friend, Caroline, all without her knowledge. Rory is currently having issues with each of these surprise passengers, which makes for quite the interesting trip. Secrets start getting revealed as each character reads a manuscript of Ginerva's book about all of them and the line between fact & fiction becomes blurred quickly. When a passenger is murdered toward the end of the trip, everything they thought they knew is turned on its head.

I thought the fictional book about our characters, The Cabin on the Lake, could have played a bigger role in the plot. I was genuinely invested in the continuing mishaps to Rory and uncertainty about her relationships that loomed in the foreground of this story, but felt her character could have had more layers. I think it was an ambitious undertaking to try to give us the POV of so many characters---to me, their voices ran together and it was hard to distinguish their individualities through their storytelling. The Main Character has a little bit of everything---family drama, murder mystery, historical background, and more. The ending left a little to be desired, but I still enjoyed this read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Jaclyn Goldis for the ARC of The Main Character!

I would actually give it a 3.5 if I could because it was a fun and twisty ride on the orient express. I have never read the Agethie Christie and Im sure that’s a factor. The main character wasn’t super flushed out imo but I still enjoyed her journey. The problem is mostly that there was so many moving parts and a weird wrap up at the end. Thank you NetGalley for giving me this arc. I would recommend for anyone interested in a ride on the orient express.