An overall decent & entertaining short story. This story shows how the toxic relationship between a father and son. When his father ends up dead, William has to do all things possible to avoid being a suspect especially with the toxic level of their relationship! I enjoyed the narration in the audiobook..

Rating: 2.75
Format: Audiobook
What I enjoyed: narration
Length: 1 hour 9 minutes

Thank you Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for this listening copy. All opinions are my own.

False Note had all the ingredients for a compelling thriller: espionage, secrets, and a backdrop steeped in music and intrigue, but unfortunately, it never quite hit the right rhythm for me. David Lagercrantz sets the stage with care, but the pacing felt uneven, and the tension that should have escalated gradually fizzled instead.

As an audiobook, the narration was solid and easy to follow, but even strong delivery couldn’t fully compensate for a plot that felt overly dense in some places and underdeveloped in others. I found myself drifting during sections that should have been high-stakes, and while the premise was promising, the payoff fell short.

There are moments of intrigue, and the writing is intelligent, but overall, it didn’t leave a lasting impression.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Twisted webs of regret, the mix of past and future, double crossing, self awareness, and surprise ending you won't see.

This was a quick, emotionally uncomfortable read ...and maybe didn't land in the best way. The story centers on a long-toxic father-son relationship, with a girlfriend who eventually adds even more tension to the mix. Honestly, none of the characters felt particularly likable or redeemable. It’s basically a triangle of toxicity: an emotionally manipulative, narcissistic father; a girlfriend who pushes the son to reconnect with him, only to get involved with the father herself; and a son who, in the end, unravels.

While the premise had potential, the execution felt a bit messy. The emotional shifts weren’t always convincing, and the story left me with more frustration than impact. The audiobook narrator had a pleasant voice, so I think it saved the story a bit.

Not the worst thing I’ve read, but definitely not one I will come running to for a re-read. It had intriguing themes, but they didn’t land cleanly for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. This review reflects my honest opinion.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing and Brilliance Publishing for gifting me an audio ARC of this short story, part of the Alibis Collection, by David Lagercrantz, narrated by Graham Halstead. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

William has a very toxic relationship with his father, a beloved opera singer. He knows all his dark secrets and has kept his distance. But when a new woman in his life wants to meet his father, he introduces the two of them.

Whew - this was dark and neither character is likable. But it's creepy and works well as a short story. This is #3 in the collection and the first that I have listened to. The narration was wonderful and added to the creep factor.

False Note by David Lagercrantz (translated by Elizabeth DeNoma) is short story number three of six of Alibis, "a collection of stories about lies, truth, and deception. It’s just a matter of what you can get away with."

After finishing reading, I was delighted to discover this short story is from the same author who continued the "Millennium" series, and once again, I'm a big fan of translated work by journalists! With despicable, disgusting characters, this one was a tough read, but I promise it's all worth it in the end! Because like father, like son, they both got their comeuppance! My only wish is that this story had a bit of a different outcome and ending.

Graham Halstead performed such a believable audiobook narration making this one perfectly cast!

This series features 60-ish page/1.5 hour-ish long books, and they're just the sort of story to slip into when you've got just a bit of spare time!

Thank you NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing and Amazon Original Stories for the complimentary audio copy to read and review.

This was a very fast paced, interesting story about terrible people, doing their thing.

It wasn't bad at all. It was entertaining, fast to read and with a decent plot twist. However, I can't rate it higher given that I guessed the ending from the very beginning. The narrator did a great job bringing this story to life and making it feel even shorter.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for in exchange for an honest review.

This was an awful lot of story packed into a short story! Great narrator made for a quick and easy read. Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review