This book was amazing! I kept turning pages, wanting to know what was going to happen next, and waiting to see how everything was going to come together. It was a fast and fun read, and the intricacy of the web of toxicity between the friends definitely kept the book moving along and kept me interested all the way through.

This was a decent read, but I fear I will not remember it in the long run. It was fun to experience while I was reading it, but it just wasn’t memorable enough to make my Best Books shelf.

THE NOTE – by Alafair Burke

‘It was meant to be a harmless prank.’

‘Growing up, May Hanover was a good girl, always. Well-behaved, top of her class, a compulsive rule-follower. Raised by a first-generation Chinese single mother with high expectations, May didn’t have room to slip up, let alone fail. Her friends didn’t call her the Little Sheriff for nothing.’

‘But even good girls have secrets. And regrets’

I have mixed feelings about this Book—I enjoyed the storyline but wanted to Gib’s a character or three—which is a reasonable response at the conclusion, an ending that was and was not predictable.

Though, Mays’ profession does give me misgivings about the catalyst as it pertains to plausibility, overall all—Recommend!

Thank you, NetGalley and Knopf Publishing (Penguin Random House LLC.), for providing me with an eBook of THE NOTE at the request of an honest review.

I appreciated that this book didn’t have a slow start. By 20% in or so we were thrust into the drama and mystery of it all. On top of that, I did not see that twist coming. Can’t say I’ve read another thriller with a similar twist - that’s for sure! I also appreciated May as the narrator - she had depth and an interesting POV that was complex and nuanced. While she wasn’t the star of the crime, she had her own storyline that added context to the way she viewed it all. Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy.

"I devoured the advanced copy of this gripping thriller! The story follows May, a law professor and former DA's office staffer, who's forced to lay low after a viral subway incident. She reunites with friends, all of whom have their own internet scandal baggage, for a girls' getaway in the Hamptons. But when a chance traffic encounter entangles May in a man's disappearance, decades of secrets and lies begin to surface. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and the story really picked up steam in the second half, keeping me on the edge of my seat."

Alafair Burke’s *The Note* is a well-crafted mystery that blends suspense with emotional complexity. The premise—a mysterious note tied to a suspicious death—grips you from the start. Burke’s characters are the highlight, particularly the protagonist, who is deeply relatable with her own flaws and motivations. The writing is smooth, and the pacing keeps the story moving.

That said, while the twists are satisfying, some feel predictable, and a few plot elements are left unresolved. It doesn’t break new ground in the genre but still delivers a solid, enjoyable read.

Overall, it’s an engaging, quick-paced mystery for fans of psychological suspense, though it doesn’t quite hit the level of an unforgettable thriller.

Hampton girls trip gone wrong

I’ve been missing out on Alafair Burke, as The Note is her 21st novel but my first.

One of the main characters is a true crime junkie just like moi, so having the story sprinkled with several characters and clues made me visualize a corkboard with a red string making the connections.

The story is an exploration of friendship and the push-and-pull of trusting people you (used to) know versus trusting yourself. Plus, the characters’ individual scandals make the story even juicier than the seemingly harmless prank that drives the whole plot.

I always like happening upon a new-to-me author because it gives me a solid backlist to go through.

I think many people can relate to the challenges that exist in staying connected to some of your strongest childhood friendships as you transition into adulthood. May, Lauren, and Kelsey spent summers together at a performing arts camp and now find themselves reunited after they each experienced different degrees of public scandal. When a girl's weekend ends up tied to a mysterious disappearance, they are all forced to face how well they know the grown-up versions of each other.

Overall, I really enjoyed this thriller and was engaged the entire way through. There was substantial character development and I enjoyed how each female main character was flawed in their own unique way. The plot has enough twists and turns to keep you engaged even if you can figure out some of where the story is headed. Perfect travel read.

This is a classic murder mystery, but the mystery isn't really the center of the book. It's really the relationships between the three friends that are the focus. Burke uses the secrets between the friends to create suspense and mystery throughout the book. It served to make the murder mystery more interesting. There's nothing really ground breaking about this book, but it's an entertaining read.

The farther that the friends get into the mystery the more that their bonds are tested. The book really shines when delving into the friendships. They have all been terrible friends to one another, but that's what makes the story interesting. It's hard to tell which friend the reader should believe. None of them seem like they would be reliable narrators. Burke goes out of her way to make all three of the women seem unbelievable. However, Burke manages to walk the fine line of making these friends complex with real issues, while still making them likable enough to root for. Even when it's hard to tell who the reader should be rooting for.

Burke has clearly tried to make the book very current with recent events. There is a lot of focus on social media, race, and covid effects. While some this great, some of it seems a little forced in. Some elements don't bring the reader farther into the story. Instead they take the reader out of the story. All of these topics are important. To put them all in one story makes it seem disingenuous.

This book is a fun and short read. It's easily finished within an afternoon. The murder mystery wasn't overly easy to figure out. There were several twists and turns that make the book hard to put down. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery.

I was provided this ARC from Knoph, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor. All views are my own.

Pretty good, i felt like it was progressing at a nice pace and then it went to 100 miles an hour and wrapped up very quickly.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5/5

Finished my first thriller of the new year!

An exciting thriller from Alafair Burke. The story centers around three life long friends that have each had moments in their lives that have gotten them “cancelled.” May, Lauren, and Kelsey head off to the Hamptons for the weekend to escape. At dinner one night what starts as a silly prank quickly unravels into something much bigger. When a police investigation begins tensions rises, loyalties are tested, and secrets are revealed.

I recommend to anyone who enjoys legal thrillers, women fiction, and family drama!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

A few city girls in midst of multiple homicides. Who dun it? I felt like story spends 40% of the book just reminiscing between the girls at a rental house party. Then it suddenly becomes court drama, then relationship drama. Oh and throw in some covid and crazy lady drama. Too many different plot lines that didn't have any meaning to tolhe total story. What point did Josh's character serve? It just didn't flow well for me and the ending felt like every option thrown at a wall and see which one sticks. It didn't feel twisty, more messy.

Overall, I thought the content in this book was good. It was a little hard to get into. The dynamic and secrets between all the parties involved were many and ran deep. I had figured out the plot ahead of the reveal, but not by much. This was good, but did not focus on the note as much as you would think, being the title of the book!

This book was really hard to read. Three friends meet at a vacation home and while eating dinner, one does something dumb to a car. Not long afterward, they find out the car's owner has been killed. A very convoluted story results and the ending just fell flat. I was not invested in the story at all and the characters were very unlikable. I wouldn't classify this as a thriller either. Maybe a bit of suspense and mystery though.

Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf for an early copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. Alafair Burke did not disappoint me again! I loved this book and the twists, WOW!! I would definitely recommend this book.

A page-turner with lots of tension, as friends reunite and find themselves deep in stress. Unlikable characters of the best kind.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Alafair Burke. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 3.5 stars rounded up!

Three friends are reuniting in the Hamptons, but a chance encounter with a pair of strangers leads to a drunken prank that goes terribly wrong. May, Lauren, and Kelsey are each hiding secrets from each other, testing their friendship and loyalty.

I'm a fan of Burke's mysteries and thrillers, and I enjoyed the plot of this one, especially the exploration of women's friendships. None of the characters are very likable and, in fact, I found myself getting them confused a bit. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you engrossed in this one.

Entertaining. Juvenile. Toxic. Would Repeat (or recommend at least)
I haven’t read any of Burkes books, but this one was pretty good.
Three friends have all been “canceled” in their social circles. When they decide to go on vacation together, a silly prank goes too far. Will their toxic friendship make it out alive?
Good read. Thank you netgalley for the ARC!

Lots of tension in this book as three friends reunite. A prank goes definitely awry and soon all the characters are in knee deep in stress and possible harm. Going to the Hamptons was supposed to be fun and relaxing not a nightmare. The author does great job in creating characters that you don't really like!

The Note is such a great book! The concept was so unique and the plot really kept me guessing until the end. Alafair Burke is an engaging writer for sure!