I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Main Character: A Novel by Jaclyn Goldis Published by Atria, Emily Bestler Books, Simon & Schuster on May 21, 2024
Genres: Fiction / Thrillers / Psychological
Pages: 336
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley
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“Rollicking good fun.” —The Wall Street Journal
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 that is filled with “rich, complex characters, taut prose, and twists and turns that keep those pages turning as the plot thickens” (Lisa Barr, New York Times bestselling author).
Reclusive author Ginevra Ex is famous for her unusual approach to crafting her bestselling thrillers: 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 books: 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.
The perfect read for fans of Ruth Ware, Lucy Foley, and Paula Hawkins, The Main Character mixes “the family drama of Knives Out with the locked room atmosphere of Murder on the Orient Express and the resulting cocktail is like an Aperol spritz on a hot summer’s day: perfect” (Katy Hays, New York Times bestselling author).
Review
Ever wonder what would happen if you packed a failing author, a luxury train, and a bunch of secrets into one spectacular mess? Jaclyn Goldis’s The Main Character answers that question with style.
This is a book that knows exactly what it’s doing. Goldis takes the bones of an Agatha Christie classic and injects it with a shot of modern anxiety. Our protagonist, Ginevra Ex (yes, that’s really her name), is a thriller writer whose latest book bombed so hard it left a crater. Her solution? Charter a fancy train through Italy and invite a carefully chosen group of passengers. Because that always ends well, right?
The train clicks and clacks through stunning Italian landscapes, but nobody’s really there for the views. As the miles roll by, tensions rise like steam from the engine. Goldis, a former lawyer who traded courtrooms for plotting murders (fictional ones, thankfully), knows how to build suspense. She stacks secrets upon secrets until you’re sure the whole thing’s going to topple – and then she pulls the rug out from under you not once, but several times.
Sure, the story takes its time leaving the station. The first half moves like a local train hitting every stop. But stick with it – the payoff is worth the wait. When things finally go off the rails (metaphorically speaking), they go spectacularly wrong in the best possible way.
Is it perfect? No. Some of the plot twists require you to squint and nod along. But here’s the thing: you won’t care. You’ll be too busy trying to figure out who’s lying to whom about what to worry about plausibility.
Think of this as Murder on the Orient Express for the Instagram age, minus the hashtags but with all the drama. If you like your mysteries with a side of luxury travel and enough red herrings to fill a fish market, hop aboard. Just don’t get too comfortable – this train ride’s about to get bumpy.
4/5 stars
For readers who loved: Ruth Ware’s Death of Mrs. Westaway, Lucy Foley’s The Hunting Party, and naturally, Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express.
