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3.23 AVERAGE
3.23 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Whoa, so twisty
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Main Character starts with Rory, a person famed author Ginerva Ex is basing her next novel on, going on a train ride. She is surprised to stumble upon past some of the past-loved ones she was intentionally avoiding and distancing herself from, with a surprising note from Ginerva setting her off on the journey.
Once I got into this, I couldn't put it down. It didn't end as I expected, and was a great mental escape as I tried to figure it out. It went all other the place as I tried to make sense of it - keeping me engaged.
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for the ARC.
Once I got into this, I couldn't put it down. It didn't end as I expected, and was a great mental escape as I tried to figure it out. It went all other the place as I tried to make sense of it - keeping me engaged.
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for the ARC.
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
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.
My Thoughts:
Going into this book, I was excited by the premise. The combination of a European thriller set aboard a luxurious train, combined with the complexities of ‘rich people problems’ and a cast full of hidden agendas, had all the hallmarks of something I should have absolutely loved. There’s just something about thrillers where personal secrets slowly come to light amidst opulent settings that usually pulls me in immediately. The description promised drama, deception, and the kind of mounting tension that could keep a reader glued to the pages.
However, while the book started off strong, setting up its multiple POVs and intriguing characters with different motives, things began to unravel as the story progressed. The primary plot involving Rory and her travel companions on the Orient Express was fine for the most part—it had potential, but ultimately felt lacking in tension. The pacing that initially drew me in started to feel sluggish, as if the story was biding its time without truly digging into the suspense. I kept waiting for the stakes to be raised, for some shocking twist to completely change the direction of the story, but it didn’t quite get there. Instead, the characters’ interactions, though mildly entertaining, weren’t enough to elevate the suspense that’s so crucial for a thriller like this.
What really took away from my enjoyment was the secondary plot involving Rory’s family and their connection to her father. The foreshadowing in this part was so heavy-handed that it became far too easy to guess the major twist well before it was revealed. While thrillers often benefit from well-placed hints that allow readers to piece things together, this one felt less like a mystery and more like the author was practically shouting, “Here’s the answer!” It didn’t leave much room for genuine surprise.
And then there’s the ending. After spending most of the novel moving at a relatively slow but steady pace, the last 15 pages completely shifted gears, hitting me with a twist that felt jarringly out of place. While I can appreciate a good final twist, this one didn’t have enough buildup to feel earned. It wasn’t foreshadowed properly, and it came off as a desperate attempt to shock the reader at the very last moment. The abruptness of the ending left me feeling disoriented, like I had missed something important. I found myself flipping back through the pages, wondering if there was a chapter missing that would tie everything together more cohesively.
It’s rare for me to be this disappointed by a thriller that had so much potential. The setting was fantastic, the idea behind Ginevra’s manipulation of real-life events into fiction was intriguing, and the overall concept was strong. But the execution, particularly the pacing and the way the twists were handled, fell flat. A lot of the novel was enjoyable enough in the moment, but the unsatisfying conclusion left a bitter aftertaste. Based on other reviews, it seems I’m not alone in feeling this way—many readers have noted similar frustrations with the book’s sudden, rushed ending.
What could have been a fun, escapist thriller set in a glamorous locale instead became a story that fizzled out just when it should have been at its most exciting. If you’re looking for an atmospheric, character-driven mystery, this one might still be worth a read, but be prepared for an ending that doesn’t quite deliver on its promise.
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.
My Thoughts:
Going into this book, I was excited by the premise. The combination of a European thriller set aboard a luxurious train, combined with the complexities of ‘rich people problems’ and a cast full of hidden agendas, had all the hallmarks of something I should have absolutely loved. There’s just something about thrillers where personal secrets slowly come to light amidst opulent settings that usually pulls me in immediately. The description promised drama, deception, and the kind of mounting tension that could keep a reader glued to the pages.
However, while the book started off strong, setting up its multiple POVs and intriguing characters with different motives, things began to unravel as the story progressed. The primary plot involving Rory and her travel companions on the Orient Express was fine for the most part—it had potential, but ultimately felt lacking in tension. The pacing that initially drew me in started to feel sluggish, as if the story was biding its time without truly digging into the suspense. I kept waiting for the stakes to be raised, for some shocking twist to completely change the direction of the story, but it didn’t quite get there. Instead, the characters’ interactions, though mildly entertaining, weren’t enough to elevate the suspense that’s so crucial for a thriller like this.
What really took away from my enjoyment was the secondary plot involving Rory’s family and their connection to her father. The foreshadowing in this part was so heavy-handed that it became far too easy to guess the major twist well before it was revealed. While thrillers often benefit from well-placed hints that allow readers to piece things together, this one felt less like a mystery and more like the author was practically shouting, “Here’s the answer!” It didn’t leave much room for genuine surprise.
And then there’s the ending. After spending most of the novel moving at a relatively slow but steady pace, the last 15 pages completely shifted gears, hitting me with a twist that felt jarringly out of place. While I can appreciate a good final twist, this one didn’t have enough buildup to feel earned. It wasn’t foreshadowed properly, and it came off as a desperate attempt to shock the reader at the very last moment. The abruptness of the ending left me feeling disoriented, like I had missed something important. I found myself flipping back through the pages, wondering if there was a chapter missing that would tie everything together more cohesively.
It’s rare for me to be this disappointed by a thriller that had so much potential. The setting was fantastic, the idea behind Ginevra’s manipulation of real-life events into fiction was intriguing, and the overall concept was strong. But the execution, particularly the pacing and the way the twists were handled, fell flat. A lot of the novel was enjoyable enough in the moment, but the unsatisfying conclusion left a bitter aftertaste. Based on other reviews, it seems I’m not alone in feeling this way—many readers have noted similar frustrations with the book’s sudden, rushed ending.
What could have been a fun, escapist thriller set in a glamorous locale instead became a story that fizzled out just when it should have been at its most exciting. If you’re looking for an atmospheric, character-driven mystery, this one might still be worth a read, but be prepared for an ending that doesn’t quite deliver on its promise.
I liked this locked room mystery that is a modern homage to Agatha Christie's famous novels. Reclusive author, Ginevra Ex, writes her bestselling books by researching the lives of real people. Her latest main character, Rory, is invited on the newly renovated Orient Express. When Rory arrives, she discovers that several people from her life are also invited and all of them harbor secrets. Ginevra orchestrated a real life mystery as secrets and twists are revealed. I liked that there are several POVs in the this book and we get to learn about all the characters as the book goes on. There are elements of the mystery that are revealed with each chapter and that kept me engaged throughout. I did find that the beginning and middle are slower than the ending. The pace really picks up at the end and most of the questions I had are answered. The ending is pretty abrupt that leaves the actual outcome a little open ended. I thought that was pretty well done, but I would have liked some closure. The characters are fairly unlikeable, but I enjoy reading about unlikeable characters in thrillers, they usually add to the plot and I feel like these characters did. Overall, I think this was a decent thriller and I liked the homage to Agatha Christie's novels. I enjoyed the audiobook as well and the writing kept me engaged.