4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rounded up!
As creatives, it's hard to believe there are still original ideas out there. Good writers amaze me. Alafair Burke fits easily into this file. I found the concept for this thriller to be completely original and magnetic!

<i>The Note</i> follows three friends who decide to reunite after years of not seeing one another. Lauren, May, and Kelsey have been friends since they served as counselors at a summer music camp over the course of several years. Since camp, these three have had histories of going viral for the wrong reasons. Lauren was involved in a scandalous relationship that ended up in the news; May went viral for a video someone took of her as she was yelling at someone else on the subway; and Kelsey? Kelsey has lived in the aftermath of her husband's murder. When these three decide to take a vacation to East Hampton, they get frustrated with a couple who makes a last minute decision to take the parking space they were waiting for. As a joke, Lauren, May, and Kelsey place an anonymous, yet ominous, note on the windshield of the couple's car. The next day, the man ends up dead and the cops are now searching for the note-writer. As the week progresses, the three friends start to doubt one another. As truths surface, they wonder if they can trust their inner circle.

I found the twists and turns of this murder mystery to be fascinating. I didn't want to put it down! The diverse character arcs were thorough and well-timed. Alafair Burke has an obvious knack for revealing information at just the right time. The ending was not what I expected at all. I love to be tricked in a murder mystery. Can't wait to read more of Burke's work in the future!

Thank you Alafair Burke, NetGalley, and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this entertaining eARC in exchange for my honest review

As a longtime fan of Alafair Burke, I was thrilled to dive into her latest suspense novel, The Note. The premise was intriguing, and I loved the coastal setting. I liked the three woman characters, but at times they tended to blend together. While the pacing was a bit slow at times, the suspense kept me engaged, and I finished it quickly. It’s a compelling story of trust, betrayal, and the complexities of lifelong friendships—perfect for readers who enjoy suspense with a touch of drama.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The note by Alafair Burke is a fast-paced read to kick off the new year. The novel follows three friends who reunite for a girls weekend. The ladies each have personal demons they are battling from their pasts and this weekend is a time to escape from that. When a couple cuts them off, the ladies decide to play a prank and leave a note on their car accusing the male of cheating. This is seemingly just a prank until the man goes missing and they are all persons of interest.

The premise was fun, but I couldn’t really get into this one the way I wanted to. I am not sure if it was a problem of the characters being unlikable or the pacing just being off. Burke is still a consistent thriller author and I am sure many of readers will find much to love here. I look forward to her next one.

Thanks to the publisher for providing the arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a thrill this ride was! I enjoyed May, though I didn’t care for any of the other characters. I liked that past events were alluded to at first before eventually being explained. I figured out “who dunnit” but still enjoyed how it played out. My favorite Alafair Burke so far! Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy to review.

4.5 - This book definitely kept me guessing about what was coming! I did figure out whodunit before the characters did, but I did still second guess myself and it wasn't until close to the end! It was fun to read the dynamics between these three friends who have moved in and out of each other's lives over the years, and how this impacted the book's current story. A solid first read for the year!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Girls weekend in the Hamptons, what could go wrong? May Hanover, Lauren Berry, and Kelsey Ellis met at an arts camp fifteen years ago. These three friends each have some personal baggage. May had a meltdown on the platform of a New York subway. Lauren has been carrying on an affair with a married, older billionaire for decades. Kelsey's husband, a star chef, was murdered and some think she was responsible. This weekend is the getaway they can forget all their issues. Driving to a restaurant a car, with a couple inside, cuts them off when they attempt to park and takes the spot. The girls decide to play a prank and leave a note, ""He's cheating. He always does". Later they find out the driver, David Smith, has gone missing.

The police begin to investigate, the girls' past make them "people of interest." The author delves fully into each of the three girls' back stories, secrets are revealed. I found that this tended to slow the story down a bit. I did not find the characters very likeable. The author does give us some twists and turns until a surprising conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Knopf, for an ARC. The review is my own.

Three long-time friends meet in the Hamptons for a vacation and a reunion of sorts. It’s supposed to be a time to relax and reconnect. But when a prank goes wrong the three women find themselves in the middle of a police investigation.

The Note might have had a good premise but I found the story to be sluggish and repetitive, and the characters unappealing. The women acted childish and foolish, and their “prank” was simply mean and hurtful. There are references to societal issues, such as hate crimes and racism, as well as the Covid pandemic and it sometimes seemed that these things were added to make the book more “relevant”. I’m not sure that was a good or necessary thing.

And, finally, there are a lot of backstories. I feel that the amount of information provided about the various characters contributed to the overall and unnecessarily slow pace of the book.

I typically enjoy Alafair Burke’s books, but The Note was the exception. Even though I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would, I would still say that it’s a well-written book. Just not the book for me. NetGalley provided an advance reader copy.

Twisty! Burke keeps you guessing until the end.

3 friends reconnect on a weekend away at the Hamptons. The "cancelled crew" all has pasts that have made their way into the news, and not for good reasons. One for being the side-piece with a married man, the other for being a racist Karen and yelling at a black man who didn't do anything wrong, and the third for potentially hiring someone to murder her husband. While they're in the Hamptons, a man goes missing. A man who happens to have a connection to these three women. Did they have something to do with it?

I had suspicions as to who did it, but I was guessing up until the murderer was revealed. I really enjoyed The Better Sister, so I knew I wanted to read this one!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

The Note by Alafair Burke is a captivating novella that expertly blends suspense and emotion. The story follows the aftermath of a single, life-altering note, unraveling secrets and exposing the fragility of trust. Burke’s writing is sharp and compelling, with characters that feel authentic and a plot that keeps you guessing until the end. Despite its brevity, the story delves deep into themes of betrayal, justice, and the weight of seemingly small actions. Each twist is perfectly timed, making it impossible to put down. Fans of psychological thrillers will find The Note to be a quick yet unforgettable read.

📚 PRE-PUBLICATION BOOK REVIEW 📚

The Note By Alafair Burke
Publication Date: January 7, 2025
Publisher: Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | A.A. Knopf

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

📚MY REVIEW:

The Note is a delicious popcorn thriller that was entertaining from start to finish, with characters you'll love to hate and a storyline that will pull you in. This was my first read from this author, and you can be sure that I'll be digging into her backlist now!

This story centered around the decades-long friendships between three women: May, Lauren, and Kelsey. The unlikely friendships between these three began when they were all at Wildwood, a fancy summer camp where Lauren was Music Director and May & Kelsey were campers-turned-counselors. Against all odds, their friendships continued over the years amidst their individual notoriety (because each of them went viral on social media for their own individually questionable reasons) and the book starts with them preparing to embark on a girls' trip reunion-of-sorts to the Hamptons. When a man goes missing from the Hamptons, and it turns out the women were tangentially connected to him in their days at Wildwood, the police start asking questions. And the girls' trip begins to unravel....

Let me just put this out there: none of these characters were very likeable. They all came across as self-centered and self-serving, and I honestly couldn't figure out why any of them were even still friends. However, that didn't stop me from enjoying this over-the-top story. It felt a little like watching a train wreck - you know you shouldn't be looking and yet you can't look away. There was gossip and rumors and secrets and back-stabbing and even some Mean Girl energy here -- these women were taking a one-way trip on the hot mess express and I bought myself a ticket to ride along. I just couldn't stop reading.

This was one of those books where you'll want to pop yourself some popcorn, pour a big ol' cup of your favorite beverage, and settle into your cozy reading chair for this salaciously fun read! It's a quick read and the twists in the last third of the book had me hooked. Thank you to NetGalley and AA Knopf for the advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

#TheNote #AlafairBurke #AAKnopf #KnopfPantheonVintageAnchor #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #ARC #thrilleraddict #thrillerlover #popcornthriller #booklover #bookreviews #bookrecs #bookrecommendations

What a great read. Constantly wondering what was going to happen next.

3 friends, Kelsey, Lauren and May decide to get together and end up going to the Hamptons for a relaxing time. All three have all had big traumas in the past that put them in the public spotlight and they have bonded over that. While the ladies are in the hamptons, a man disappears and they somehow get wrapped up into the mess since they crossed paths with him briefly one night when they went out. What happened to this man? What secrets are the girls hiding from each other?

Pros
Great edge of your sit gripping who dunnit story
Just when you think you are right, you aren’t!

Cons
Could have intertwined more actually happening between May and Nate outside of just that they dated in the past
Actions of the characters could be frustrating sometimes

I have read other Burke books that I really enjoyed. Honestly I was disappointed in this one.

This is the story of three friends who met at summer camp many years ago. Each has their own story and secrets. An immature prank goes wrong that sets up the story.

I was confused at times trying to keep the girls separate in my mind.

For me it was a slow start and didn't really pick up until much later. There were some surprises, but overall mostly predictable.

Thanks to netgalley and Knopf for the arc.

Recommended for: mystery lovers

Summary: May takes a much needed vacation to the Hamptons with her friends Lauren and Kelsey. While trying to get a parking spot, on their first night there, a couple pulls in ahead of them and steals it. In retaliation, they write a nasty note to leave on the car stating that the man is a cheater. As a group, they decide not to leave it, and laugh it off. However, after a few drinks, Kelsey changes her mind and leaves the note. The following day, the group wakes up to find posters stating that the driver of the other car is now missing. Do the cops know of the note and who wrote it? Does one of the girls’ past intersect with the missing man? Can their friendships survive so much drama?

Review: This book was a slow journey to me liking it, but I was hooked by the end! The author kept hinting at character pasts that were not yet explained to the readers, which made me feel like I was missing an important piece of the puzzle. Plus, there was an abundant amount of back stories and characters to keep track of! I did enjoy the fact that the author utilized real life consequences of the Covid Pandemic

A fun, fast-paced thriller that kept me turning the pages. The story centers around a get-away girls' trip that takes an unexpected turn following a seemingly harmless prank. Three female friends who experienced very public embarrassments in their respective pasts (and have been "cancelled" essentially) head to the Hamptons for a reunion, though one of them (May) is reluctant to go on this trip for various reasons. May, Kelsey, and Lauren's relationship started many years prior at a summer camp and those early years factor into the present day mystery that emerges on what should have been a relaxing weekend away. On one of their dinner outings, they leave a note on the windshield of a car that cuts them off when they are searching for parking near the restaurant. The events that follow spiral out of control very quickly and take the three on an expected journey involving murder, an arrest, and a trial. Was the note that triggered these events simply a terrible coincidence or was it more sinister than it originally seemed?

I liked the past and present elements of the story, especially as they showed how the relationships evolved as the women moved from their teen years into college and beyond. I felt like the tension that can exist in long-term female relationships that start out in youth but evolve going into adulthood (particularly in the late 20s/early 30s) was well represented in this trio's dynamic. The struggle of deciding whether to continue the relationship out of inertia or to cut ties when the friendship may have run its course rang true. At times, I found the characters' behavior and decisions incredibly frustrating. But. I felt that they were necessary to propel the story forward. I felt like the author did an excellent job in tying up various plot elements and I found the story's pacing superb. Many thanks to the publisher for providing a NetGalley copy of this thriller!

This book was really good. The characters were fleshed out pretty good with the exception of May. You only get a half-assed explanation of why she is the way she is. None of the ladies were perfect and they definitely all had their flaws. The men on the other hand were dbags with the exception of Carter. The ending was left up in the air but the case was definitely closed. Really good from Burke.

Thank for my copy from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

What was supposed to be a fun trip to the Hamptons for old friends takes turn when they pull a prank on someone, but what really happened?
I enjoyed this book and was on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what really happened, you will be too!

Loved the premise but not the execution. The touted "harmless prank" at the center of the story was actually pretty mean-spirited. That aside, the story dragged a bit waffling back and forth in time and the three main characters were pretty unlikeable, so much so I found I wasn't rooting for any of them.

Despite that I soldered on because I was pretty sure I solved the case very early on and wanted to confirm my detective skills. Much of the storyline was pretty predictable but fans of the author and these sorts of formulaic mystery/suspense books will likely enjoy it far more than I did. Rate it 2.5 stars but rounded up because half stars aren't an option.

Disclosure: Received an uncorrected ARC of this book from NetGalley and Alfred A. Knopf/Penguin Random House LLC (Thank you!) in exchange for an honest review.

I was not a fan of this thriller, there were so many social issues brought up that I really didn’t want to read about. When I am reading a thriller I tend to enjoy a fun story I can escape into , this story was not fun,the characters were not likable and the story felt a little predictable. The writing was good and this book may have just not been for me but with that said I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

Alafair Burke is always one of my top authors! This is one of those novels that would play out so much differently if the characters would just COMMUNICATE. Unfortunately, everyone has their reasons and secrets.

THE NOTE by Alafair Burke is a tightly paced, gripping novel that traces back the threads of a faraway trio of friends coming back together for a vacation in the Hamptons. When a seemingly innocent prank links them to a man’s disappearance, their friendship is tested to its limits. How well do they really know each other?

I enjoyed the building tension and revelations woven into the narrative here through multiple points of view and tightly integrated flashbacks. A sharply written, satisfying read! Thanks to Knopf Publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy.