Get our latest book recommendations, author news, competitions, offers, and other information right to your inbox.
Table of Contents
About The Book
When a wealthy family goes on a South African safari, a series of shocking murders rocks their exclusive compound in this unputdownable thriller from the acclaimed author of the “rollicking good fun” (The Wall Street Journal) The Main Character.
Odelia Babel, CEO of a sustainable fashion empire, is about to marry for the second time—to a man twenty-five years her junior. Asher Bach is the thirty-something designer of Odelia’s luxury clothing line, the darling of every high-fashion journalist, and madly in love with Odelia.
Eager to celebrate her nuptials with her nearest and dearest, Odelia invites her adult children, her daughter-in-law, her grandchild, and her best friend/assistant to an all-expenses-paid luxury safari at Leopard Sands in South Africa, the Babel family’s favorite vacation spot. In its soil, they have deep roots—and even deeper secrets.
It seems like the perfect trip, but not everyone is thrilled for the happy couple. Amid game drives in the bush and bonfires beneath the desert stars, tensions among the family threaten to boil over. And then, the morning after a big fight with her son Sam—and hours before the wedding—Odelia is found murdered. Sam is immediately the prime suspect, but he claims he has an ironclad alibi—he was with his twin sister, Bailey. Only Bailey is nowhere to be found…
As the heat roils, desperate poachers and ferocious animals lurk, and dark motives fester, it becomes clear that whoever killed Odelia isn’t quite finished yet, and the rest of the Babel family is their prey.
Odelia Babel, CEO of a sustainable fashion empire, is about to marry for the second time—to a man twenty-five years her junior. Asher Bach is the thirty-something designer of Odelia’s luxury clothing line, the darling of every high-fashion journalist, and madly in love with Odelia.
Eager to celebrate her nuptials with her nearest and dearest, Odelia invites her adult children, her daughter-in-law, her grandchild, and her best friend/assistant to an all-expenses-paid luxury safari at Leopard Sands in South Africa, the Babel family’s favorite vacation spot. In its soil, they have deep roots—and even deeper secrets.
It seems like the perfect trip, but not everyone is thrilled for the happy couple. Amid game drives in the bush and bonfires beneath the desert stars, tensions among the family threaten to boil over. And then, the morning after a big fight with her son Sam—and hours before the wedding—Odelia is found murdered. Sam is immediately the prime suspect, but he claims he has an ironclad alibi—he was with his twin sister, Bailey. Only Bailey is nowhere to be found…
As the heat roils, desperate poachers and ferocious animals lurk, and dark motives fester, it becomes clear that whoever killed Odelia isn’t quite finished yet, and the rest of the Babel family is their prey.
About The Author
Photograph by Shai Hansav
Jaclyn Goldis is a graduate of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and NYU School of 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. After culling her possessions into only what would fit in a backpack, she traveled for over a year until settling in Tel Aviv, where she can often be found writing from cafés near the beach. She is the author of The Chateau, The Main Character, and The Safari.
Product Details
- Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books (May 20, 2025)
- Length: 320 pages
- ISBN13: 9781668066973
Browse Related Books
Raves and Reviews
*PRAISE FOR THE CHATEAU*
*PRAISE FOR THE MAIN CHARACTER*
"This riveting meta-murder-mystery poses an ingenious question: if we are all the main characters in our own stories, what if someone wanted to buy ours and make it their own? The most glamorous, opulent train in the world carries a fascinating set of passengers… and this entertaining thriller is wrapped in a heartfelt and psychologically astute study of love, success, and, most touchingly, family. A terrific book!"
– Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of ONE WRONG WORD
"All aboard this glamorous thriller! A novel with more twists than a train winding through the Italian countryside, THE MAIN CHARACTER will surprise even the most eagle-eyed reader. Goldis has mixed 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 on a hot summer’s day: perfect."
– Katy Hays, New York Times bestselling author of THE CLOISTERS
“Suspenseful, stylish, and seductive—what you’d expect from Jaclyn Goldis—but with something deeper at its core: a love letter to family. THE MAIN CHARACTER is a runaway train that will leave you mesmerized. All aboard!”
– Alex Finlay, author of IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME
"Delicious tension and drama. Grab your suitcase and board the Orient Express for a trip you won’t soon forget."
– Kirkus Reviews
"Jaclyn Goldis slays it in her latest twisty propulsive thriller, THE MAIN CHARACTER. It has all the goods reminiscent of an Agatha Christie murder mystery – and yes, it even takes place on a luxury trip along the Italian coast on the Orient Express. There’s murder, secrets, lies, love, loss, and deception – all the delicious elements of a modern whodunnit . . . . Goldis has a sharp instinct for tragedy, rich complex characters, taut prose, and twists and turns that keep those pages turning as the plot thickens. Readers will enjoy the ride, down to the very last stop."
– Lisa Barr, New York Times bestselling author of WOMAN ON FIRE
"Jaclyn Goldis is a master of atmosphere as she whisks readers away on a luxury train ride along the Italian coast. . . THE MAIN CHARACTER is full steam ahead when it comes to betrayals and secrets, all wrapped up in a deliciously claustrophobic ride that you’ll never forget."
– Finley Turner, author of THE ENGAGEMENT PARTY
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): The Safari eBook 9781668066973
- Author Photo (jpg): Jaclyn Goldis Photograph by Shai Hansav(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
