Review - The Main Character

Title:  The Main Character

Author:  Jaclyn Goldis

Publisher:  Atria

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   336

Date of Publication:   May 21, 2024

My Rating:   2 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

A bestselling thriller author arranges a luxury train trip that is not what it appears to be in this electrifying modern homage to Agatha Christie from the author of the “tense and twisty” (Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author) The Chateau .

Reclusive, mysterious author Ginevra Ex is famous for her unusual approach to crafting her big bestselling she hires real people and conducts intensive interviews, then fictionalizes them. Her latest main character, Rory, is thrilled when Ginevra presents her with an extravagant bonus—a lavish trip along Italy’s Mediterranean coast on the famed, newly renovated Orient Express. But when Rory boards the train, she’s stunned to discover that her brother, her best friend, and even her ex-fiancé are passengers, as well. All invited by Ginevra, all hiding secrets.

With each stop, from Cinque Terre to Rome to Positano, it becomes increasingly clear that Ginevra has masterminded the ultimate real life twisty plot with Rory as her main character. And as Ginevra’s deceptions mount, and the lies and machinations of Rory’s travel companions pile up, Rory begins to fear that her trip will culminate like one of Ginevra’s with a murder or two. In the opulent compartments of the iconic train, Rory must untangle the shocking reasons why Ginevra wanted them all aboard—and to what deadly end.

Another stylish and compulsively readable mystery from Jaclyn Goldis, this is the perfect read for fans of Ruth Ware, Lucy Foley, and Paula Hawkins.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Authors hire main characters? New to me, and in the book appropriately title, Genevra Ex has done exactly that. 26 times. 26 Main Characters. Genevra will go to any lengths to reesearch those who become her chosen ones. And then she can practice veritas, spinning truth from fiction. As a mostly successful author, her last book has bombed. Meanwhile, Genevra has orchestrated a three-month trip on the famed Orient Express for Rory, who is her latest main characters. Rory soon learns she is not on the  trip alone, as she will be riding along her friends and her brother. However, it is Rory alone who will be enjoying decadent accommodations. Being one of Genevra’s main characters does not come without cost. In fact, it comes with dire consequences. 

Excellent premise, to be sure. However, the execution fell short of my expectations. I admittedly struggled through this book, and it nearly reached the point of abandonment on several occasions. Maybe it was the storyline. Maybe it was the characters. As a diehard fan of Murder on the Orient Express, I was excited to imagine such a murder mystery, but that didn’t happen. Furthermore, the characters failed to evoke any emotional connection, making it difficult for me to remain engaged with the narrative.

Many thanks to  and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jaclyn Goldis is a graduate of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and NYU Law. She practiced estate planning law at a large Chicago firm for seven years before leaving her job to travel the world and write novels. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @jaclyngoldis.

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