I'm not sure, as I haven't read it specifically. But usually there's a detective.
Perhaps there is a butler or a maid in the story. They often play important roles in mystery novels set in a dinner - like setting. They might have overheard something during the dinner preparations or the after - dinner clean - up, and this could be a key to solving the mystery. Also, there could be a smart and observant friend of the main character who helps in unraveling the mystery.
Since I don't know the exact 'the dinner novel', I can't say for sure. But it could be a host of the dinner as a main character, who might be controlling the flow of the evening. There could also be a mysterious guest.
The suspense. In 'after dinner mysteries novel', the suspense keeps you hooked. You want to know who did it or what will happen next.
One great 'after dinner mysteries novel' is 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd' by Agatha Christie. It's full of twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end.
Well, it could be the unique characters. They add a lot of charm and mystery to the story. For example, the detective might have some quirky habits that make the whole reading experience interesting.
Given that we have no details about this 'dinner list novel', the main characters could be anyone. Maybe there's a character who is in charge of creating the dinner list and their friends or family who are affected by it. Or perhaps it's a group of strangers brought together by this dinner list in a rather mysterious way.
I don't know as I'm not familiar with this particular novel. But typically in a dinner party - themed novel, there could be the host or hostess as a main character.
I don't know specifically as I haven't read it. But it could be the host of the dinner, the guests on the list. Maybe there's a mysterious stranger who shows up unexpectedly.
I'm not sure without more information. It could be a couple in love. Maybe it's a story about a man and a woman who meet at a dinner party and they become the main characters in this love story centered around dinners.
It could be that there are multiple main characters. For instance, there might be a group of friends where two of them end up falling in love. In this case, all the friends could be considered main characters as they influence the love story in different ways. Their personalities and relationships with each other play important roles in how the love story unfolds.
Often there are characters who are directly affected by the mystery. For example, if the mystery involves a missing heirloom, the family members who own the heirloom would be main characters. They would be the ones with the most at stake and would be involved in the search or investigation in some way.