Page 9 - Boca Exposure - May '24

Boca Exposure, Page 9
Book Review

The Main Character pages reluctantly—but Now, having just finished reading The Main Character,
was then caught up in I am reminded of what impressed me so much about
By Nils A. Shapiro what surprisingly turned Goldis, and why I had looked forward to her next book.
Many years ago I read out to be an impressive Rarely in any work of fiction have I come across a writer
a couple of the all-time and intriguing story that who combines intricate and imaginative story lines with
bestselling murder mystery deserved a rave review and an innate ability to narrate perfectly—dialogue so natural,
novels by Agatha Christie and strong recommendation in and other actions related with such exquisite word choices
decided that this literary genre my book review column. that for me the loveliest part of this reading experience
was simply not my cup of tea. The name of that novel was savoring the author’s writing style, prompting me
While my own personal was The Chateau. Its many times to put the book down for a few minutes to
reading tastes lean toward author, Jaclyn Goldis, is reflect on precisely that.
nonfiction, especially history a young American woman Fans of Agatha Christie will be well aware that one of
and anything related to nature who practiced law in her most famous murder mystery novels was Murder on
and a better understanding of Chicago before leaving the Orient Express, which was made into a film more than
the wonderful animals with whom we share this planet, I do her job to travel the world once. Her readers will immediately recognize Goldis’s nod
make it a point to review several novels a year in consideration and write novels, and finally settle in Tel Aviv, where she to Dame Christie by setting most of her own new novel
of this column’s readers’ more varied preferences. writes from cafes near the beach. She has now published on an Orient Express train!
So, when a year ago I was urged to read a new author’s her second novel, and it is clear that her first success will But that is where the similarities end. Where Agatha
first book, a murder mystery novel, I turned the first few not be her last. Christie’s story follows the usual plot—a murder takes
place and we must then try to figure out who committed
the dastardly deed—in The Main Character we are taken
on a very different journey.
I won’t reveal any more about that because I don’t
want to spoil your fun. Instead, I am forced to use a
phrase here that I absolutely despise: Nothing on this
ride is as it seems. (I once devoted an entire column to
how much I hate that phrase, which is used to promote
so many books and films by lazy advertising writers who
can’t think of more creative ways to describe what they
are promoting. But in the case of The Main Character it
is the most important element in the story line.)
The book gets its title from its theme: A famous
bestselling author of murder mysteries, Ginevre Ex, has
figured out that her biggest successes have come from
stories based on real people’s lives. So she hires real
people and pays them to become the main characters in
her books, interviews them extensively, then fictionalizes
their lives in novels.
Her newest main character, an American woman named
Rory, has just lost her job as an anchor person on a TV
news show and, as a double blow, her boyfriend whom
she was expecting to marry, has just broken up with her.
Some time after Rory’s in-depth interview relating her life
story to Ginevre Ex, she learns that the author has gifted
her with a luxury trip through Italy aboard the sumptuous
Orient Express train.
But when she boards the train, Rory is shocked to find
that Ginevre Ex has also arranged for the most important
people in Rory’s life to join her on that trip: Max, her
brother, whose pharmaceutical company is reportedly
about to introduce an Alzheimer’s treatment drug that
will help to cure his and Rory’s father and make himself a
billionaire; Nate, the man Rory loves who has just broken
up with her; Caroline, her best friend since childhood,
who works for Max and has had a crush on him almost
her entire life; and Gabriele, a handsome Italian to whom
Rory was once attracted.
As if that weren’t enough, Ginevre Ex has arranged
to have distributed to all of them advance copies of the
INNOVATIVE CARE FOR EVERY novelized mystery she has just written based on Rory’s
life, a tale that includes a secret one of the group is
NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION hiding—and a murder in their future! But before any
can read the book, one of them has stolen all of the copies.

The story of The Main Character is told through the
eyes of these different people in alternating chapters—a
chapter from Rory, then one from Max, one from Caroline,
At Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital, our team of renowned back to Rory, then to Ginevre Ex, and so on. It is an
neurologists and neurosurgeons provide comprehensive care adventure fascinating to view from each one’s perspective.

for every neurological condition. From stroke recovery But you are advised to keep in mind my—despised but
necessary—caution that nothing on this ride is as it seems.
and epilepsy treatments to specialized spine care and If you enjoy murder mystery novels, The Main
brain tumor surgery, our experts are here for you. Character, published this month, is a must. Even I am
anxiously awaiting the next stop on Jaclyn Goldis’s
literary journey.

Advanced neurological care is in your community.

Call 877.463.2010 to schedule an appointment, or visit
ClevelandClinicFlorida.org/Neuro to learn more.