A weekend reunion of three female friends, The Note (2025) by Alafair Burke is a mystery thriller. Former Assistant DA, May Hanover attends a girls-get-together in East Hampton. Whilst waiting for a car parking space so they can attend dinner at the restaurant, they are annoyed when it is pinched from them. They decide to leave a note for the male driver, only to discover later, he has disappeared. They get caught up in the police investigation. As events unfold, the various secrets and hidden past of the three women come to light, reigniting historic tensions and pointing to one of them as a major suspect. An enjoyable enough read, if little real tension and run of the mill characters that is a three star rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given. With thanks to Faber and Faber Ltd and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes.

I will always appreciate a book that his characters that feel like real people, even more so characters who are inherently flawed, maybe even difficult to like.
The Note has them in spades. I sped my way through the novel with its lush locations and cocktails that I really wish I’d been drinking.
My only slight negative was that the ending seemed to come together in a bit of a rush, which felt like a shame. I wanted more of an opportunity to play with the characters and wouldn’t be upset if there was a sequel in their future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Publishing Group for my copy of The Note by Alafair Burke.
3 women are having weekend in the Hamptons, having been friends for years, recent contact has been restricted to group chats but now they are together again. What can go wrong, EVERYTHING !!!!
A great read with lots of twists and turns.
I've yet to read a bad book by this author.

I usually enjoy books by this author, but this one, sadly, left me disappointed as it never really lived up to my expectations. Three childhood friends get together for a weekend away and a prank goes wrong after a night out drinking. I failed to like any of the characters, although I did enjoy the tension between the three women. There was just too much going on and it felt that everything was thrown together in the plotting. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Burke is good - no doubt about it - but for me, although I could see the strong virtues of characterisation and plot pace - i just wasn't engaged with these friends and their prank - it is almost a locked door type mystery - we are 'stuck' with the intertwining lives of these old acquaintances - but they connect online too often without close encounter. it just felt tedious eventually since I did not click with their ambient and style of friendship - but it is more than good at what it does - and I am an admirer of Burke's work - recommendable but just not for me .

Amazing!! That's all I can say. A really original plot, completely fresh take on a domestic noir. It was like watching a yv series on *insert streaming service of choise*. I was absolutely hooked and had no clue what was about to happen next. It wad just everything I'd want from a thriller. A must read

I really enjoyed this book I couldn't put it down I read it in one sitting. Fast paced and kept me guessing. This is my first book by this author but it wont be last

Burke is great at writing twisty, fast paced thrillers and she does not disappoint with The Note.

The story centres around three friends who have their names linked to the death of one of their peers at camp when they are teenagers and as adults, controversy seems to follow them. When they get caught up in the investigation surrounding the death of someone that cut them up whilst driving on a rare night out together the plot twists begin and several suspects seem viable.

Overall a really enjoyable read that kept me guessing for a good proportion of the book. I highly recommend adding this book to your TBR pile!

The Note by Alafair Burke is a captivating, suspense-filled thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. With a compelling mix of intricate relationships, dark secrets, and unexpected twists, Burke once again demonstrates why she is one of the masters of contemporary suspense.

The story centres on May Hanover, a well-behaved and rule-following woman raised with high expectations by her first-generation Chinese mother. May has always been the dependable one—the “Little Sheriff”—with a strong sense of duty to her lifelong friends, Lauren and Kelsey. However, even the most well-behaved individuals have their secrets, and May is no exception. The trio's bond, forged when they were just twelve, has survived the tragedy, scandals, and personal heartache, but nothing could prepare them for the events that unfold during a reunion in the Hamptons.

What begins as a light-hearted vacation full of sun and relaxation takes a dark turn when May and her friends meet a pair of strangers, and a drunken prank goes wrong. As May becomes embroiled in a police investigation, she is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her friends and the limits of loyalty. Are Lauren and Kelsey hiding something from her, and if so, what lengths will they go to keep their secrets?

Burke’s writing is fast-paced and sharp, with each twist and turn making it nearly impossible to put the book down. The dynamics between the three friends are expertly developed, with a strong focus on trust, guilt, and the complexity of friendship. The tension builds steadily, and just when you think you have it all figured out, Burke throws in a curveball that will leave you gasping for breath.

The Note is a page-turner that keeps the reader guessing at every step. With its tight plot, complex characters, and compelling exploration of loyalty and betrayal, it’s a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers. If you enjoy books that make you think while keeping you on the edge of your seat, this is one to add to your reading list.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Kelsey, May and Lauren all prefer to stay away from the public eye because of their past, so when a prank goes wrong and they find themselves in the spotlight when a man, who they knew in their past, goes missing, they know they need to do something. Do they stay quiet or do they share what they know? Each one of them had a motive and the opportunity to hurt him...
This was a good read, exploring the ripple effect of what appear, in the first place, to be harmless actions. Although I saw the end coming, it didn't matter as I was invested enough in the story.

The Note is a very good psychological thriller by Alafair Burke that deals with explores the dangerous area between friendship, secrets and deception. Well plotted and interesting characters make this book an entertaining read.

May Hanover was always a good girl who followed the rules but when she reunited with her two best friends for an holiday in the Hamptons a prank results with the trio involved in a missing persons investigation. It was meant to be an harmless prank but it spiralled out of control and they became mixed up in a web of lies, betrayal and murder.

May and her friends are forced to face their dark secrets and they become to doubt who they can trust, including each other. All three girls have secrets and as we learn about them the tension builds. The story is well paced and delves into the complications of friendship and keeping secrets.

A psychological thriller with complex characters and unpredictable twists.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Faber and Faber for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

A thriller about three old friends reuniting for a weekend in the posh Hamptons. The friendships seemed unbelievable and I could not engage with the story.

I expect most people have seen this happen, someone parking in the space you were going into (I recently saw this happen at Tesco) but in this book a note was left on the offending drivers car. Supposedly a joke, but soon the friends are involved in a murder investigation, with suspicion landing on all. I enjoyed this book and trying to decide who did it

A gripping present-day thriller. 3 women who have been best friends since their teenage years, take a holiday together in the popular Hamptons. On their first night they go out and have a few too many cocktails, and things get out of control when they write an incriminating note as a prank.
The results of this note could not be foreseen and as events spiral out of control, their friendships are put to the test. Are they still faithful friends? Are they telling each other the truth? Will they be able to continue their careers? They each have a dark secret in their past.
An exciting thriller that keeps you guessing until the end.

This author pulls you in, tosses you around and spits you out and youre left wondering what just happened, a thrilling ride. The note, seemingly harmless but with undercurrents that has everyone trusting no one.

Three old friends meet up in exotic, rich Hamptons for a week-end. They drink a lot, leave a silly note on the car of a couple who whipped into their parking place, drink some more and are generally rather silly characters. They have historical issues which come into play when the driver of the offending car goes missing. It sort of started well but then got more and more into silliness interspersed with the girls' history starting at a school camp when they were 12 and when a tragic accident occurred. The story then started to drag and I found it hard to finish. A week or so later and I really can't even remember the details. sorry, not for me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

I have had to give up on this one. Like other reviewers I was enjoying for the first 25% but then it just seemed a lot of alcohol swilling silly behaviour that can get very tedious to read about.
I really fancied reading about the Hamptons, one of those American destinations we have mostly heard about associated with wealth and fame.
However this book felt way too long for me, I could not face ploughing through 3 more hours than the hours I had already committed so I have stopped.
.

I’m torn about this one. While I thought this was going somewhere unique it didn’t and while the introductions to the characters were good and you could understand the prank….this book sort of collapsed in pace and I didn’t really care too much by the end.

THE NOTE BY ALAFAIR BURKE.
Release date set for the 24th of April 2025.
From the get go this book had my attention.
This book has a way of sucking you in and holding tight.
I didn't guess the ending and it took me by surprise.
I highly recommend this book when it's released.

A revenge prank during vacation in the Hamptons goes horribly wrong for three friends who are already on thin ice. Each of them has a dark event in their past, which they have been working to overcome (although this bit will require a slight suspension of disbelief, Burke makes it well worth your while to play along).

When the object of the prank, a wealthy young man, goes missing shortly thereafter, the last thing any of the trio wants is police attention. But unfortunately for them, that's exactly what they are about to get...

Enormously entertaining and cleverly plotted as always, Burke is at the height of her powers with this one. Highly recommended.