A silly prank unveils longtime secrets between three best friends. This novel took its time finding its footing, but by the second half it redeems itself. It was challenging to believe these three women would remain friends for all these years as they are incredibly toxic.

Thank you, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf

I was so excited to get an ARC of Alafair’s new book. I really enjoyed her last one, so I couldn’t wait to jump in. This story has a little bit of everything: lifelong friendships, secrets, cancel culture, and a dash of mystery.

The plot revolves around three lifelong friends, each caught up in scandals, who decide to escape to a vacation in the Hamptons. What starts as a harmless prank—one of them drunkenly leaving a note on a car—quickly spirals into complete chaos, unraveling secrets and testing their already fragile relationships. From there, we get glimpses of their past and learn more about how they are all intertwined.

I loved the idea of a prank gone horribly wrong, and I enjoyed how the twists revealed mysterious tidbits about each woman’s past. The plot itself worked for me—it was engaging, clever, and full of surprises. What didn’t land as well were the characters themselves. I found the women unlikable and wish there had been more character development to help me root for them. I also really enjoyed the end as well

That said, this was still an entertaining, twisty read with a sharp and intriguing premise.

Thanks to Knopf for the NetGalley review copy. This book comes out January 7th!

The Note by Alafair Burke is a tightly woven, emotionally gripping thriller that examines the complexities of trust, truth, and the thin line between right and wrong. It's fast-paced psychological suspense kept me on edge, drawing me into the tangled lives of its characters and exploring the consequences of a single, seemingly innocuous action.

At its heart, The Note is a story about deception and the fallout from a life-altering mistake. When a young woman, Natalie, is found dead under suspicious circumstances, a note is discovered that could either exonerate or implicate the key players involved. Burke uses this central plot device to explore the intricacies of personal responsibility, the impact of decisions, and how easily truth can be distorted by perspective. The novel dives deep into themes of guilt, memory, and the struggle for justice—offering readers a multifaceted view of morality.

The pace is relentless, as Burke expertly ratchets up the tension with every turn, keeping you hooked with a narrative that’s constantly evolving. The note, simple yet fraught with meaning, becomes a catalyst for unraveling both personal histories and larger, darker conspiracies. The suspense is so taut that it’s hard to put the book down, with the twists and turns coming at a rapid-fire pace toward an unexpected conclusion.

One of Burke’s strongest assets as a writer is her ability to craft deeply flawed, relatable characters. In The Note, no one is entirely good or bad. The characters are complex, multifaceted individuals struggling with their own demons, desires, and choices. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that even the most seemingly innocent character has their own secrets and hidden agendas, leading to a fascinating exploration of human nature.

The protagonist, in particular, is a standout—someone you'll find yourself rooting for despite their flaws. Burke does an excellent job of making her relatable, whether she’s grappling with her own moral compass or navigating the chaos surrounding the note’s discovery. The supporting cast adds further complexity, with each character revealing pieces of their past that tie back into the novel’s central mystery.

The Note is a smart, twist-filled thriller that cements Alafair Burke’s reputation as a master of suspense and psychological complexity. It’s a must-read for fans of the genre, particularly those who enjoy narratives where the boundary between right and wrong isn’t always so clear.

I loved the storyline of this book. The quick pace of the present day events mixed with glimpses into past happenings made for a good flow. I enjoyed getting to know each character and their relationships with one another. It was a relatable situation set up as a girls weekend getaway with friends who have lost touch aside from group texts. What was supposed to be a fun stress free getaway quickly turned dark. And looking into their past it seems darkness has followed these 3 girls for a long time.

What fell short for me was the constant upbringing of social issues that did not blend in well with the plot. Some chapters it really just felt like a completely separate thought was inserted into what was a good flowing story. It did not give anything to the story or the characters. It cut the flow and felt so choppy.
 
Thanks so much to Net Galley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, & Anchor for the ARC and chance to give my honest opinion!

The Note took on the difficult task of addressing big topics such as race, the pandemic, mental health, family secrets, and crime. While the story was entertaining and a relatively quick read, the subjects just didn’t really come together well for me. It was not cohesive and felt disjointed. I appreciated some exploration on the different paths three women of three different races walked because of their race/ethnicity, but it felt like it didn’t really go anywhere productive. It was almost like it was just introduced into the story for the main character, May, to try and discover some self-awareness which I’m not sure she ever really did. I am still trying to figure out the May screaming thing and how it just abruptly stopped at the end of the book. Also, the twist/whodunnit was very predictable. I had it solved early in the book. All this considered, I went through it fast and, though much of it left me confused and dissatisfied, it was a fun quick beach read with an A+ for diversity and representation. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This is a book I had high hopes for going in but was let down essentially 10% in. Which isn’t a good feeling. I enjoyed parts but wasn’t hooked like I wanted. The murder mystery plot line and secrets kept me intrigued enough to finish. I think the biggest downfall was the lackluster characters and the pacing. I felt bursts of high intense moments mixed with slow parts which lost my interest.

I’m not gonna say I recommend this book, however, check out the synopsis and decide if it would be a book for you!

I am a fan of Alafar Burke so I was very happy to receive an ARC of her soon to be released novel (January 7, 2025) The Note. While it is a satisfactory read, it is not the thrilling page turner I have grown to expect from this author. Three women who have been on-again, off-again friends since they attended and then worked together at a camp for gifted talent get together for a girl's weekend in the Hamptons. Each of the women are successful, yet each was exposed to unwanted, yet very public scrutiny and judgement for prior events: thus they refer to themselves as The Canceled Crew. May Hanover, previously a practicing attorney is currently a law professor at Fordham University and looking forward to tenure. Kelsey Ellis works for her wealthy Dad's very successful commercial real estate enterprise, and Lauren Berry is the director of the Houston Symphony. The friends are out for a night on the town and while attempting to secure parking they are cut off by a rude driver. This event, while appearing trivial, actually precipitates everything that follows. Rather than spoil the book by oversharing I won't divulge anymore of the storyline. The Note is not the tightly crafted Burke thriller that normally has me at the end of my seat waiting to see what happens; I found it to be somewhat predictable. I wasn't fond of any of the main characters; they seemed to lack any dimension. Based on her past work, I realize that I set a very high bar for Burke's writing, and while I didn't enjoy this book as much as most, The Note is a quick and satisfying read. Thanks to NetGalley, Alfred A Knopf Publishing and the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Note; this review reflects my honest opinion. 3 stars.

As I approached the halfway mark of this book, I debated if I wanted to finish. It was one of those thrillers that just seemed…fine. The main character May was just soooo annoying and unlikeable, but her character traits are what drives the action and pushes the storyline through.
(Her fiancé Josh? Stomping around like a petulant toddler every time she’s on the phone? He needed to GO.)

I held on and it definitely improved as secrets are revealed and the action increases through the climax. Not a fan of the ick ending, but overall it was entertaining and a fast read.

Thanks to the Alafair Burke and Knopf for the advance copy!

May Hanover was always a good girl, raised by a first-generation Chinese single mother with high expectations. Her friends referred to her as the Little Sheriff growing up. And she has been through so much with her lifelong friends, Lauren and Kelsey. But when she finds herself at the centre of a police investigation, the limits of their friendship are tested and it is clear they are each hiding secrets. ⁣
⁣
This one drew me in from the start and was filled with lies and secrets at every corner. The complex relationships of the trio of women was intriguing, with the girls trip to the Hamptons, the investigations and a host of suspicious characters. I flew through this in a day and I could never have predicted the way in which it was heading - always something I love in a novel. ⁣
Another fabulous novel by the author. ⁣

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this gifted review copy.

This is a thriller that will keep you guessing with lots of questions and uncertainty about who can be trusted and what is really going on. A great mystery and highly recommended read!

2.75/5
I thought the premise for this book sounded very intriguing, but I found the book to fall a bit flat for me. I didn’t really buy into the friendships of the main characters, they just didn’t seem to mesh well together and they were all pretty bland. I think we needed to see them together more, or get more of a backstory. I just didn’t buy that they were these great friends. This was my first time reading from this author and I don’t think it worked that well for me. The story moved a little slowly for me and I had a hard time wanting to continue reading. There was nothing about the characters or the plot that was keeping me engaged. Something that really turned me off was towards the beginning of the book the author says one of the characters “had the rizz” and that kind of lost me…

Thank you Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an enjoyable read. Kinda interesting to see how a small somewhat comical note could unravel so much for everyone involved. The lies, half truths, & twists were good! The characters could've had more depth & maturity. I had to keep reminding myself they were not college aged even though some of it read like they still were. Once the pieces started falling into place it all happened really quick.

This is my unbiased, honest review. Thank you to NetGalley & Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House for an ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for trusting me with an ARC of The Note by Alafair Burke. This is my first time reading this author. While I was drawn to this book by the description the book had a slow start for me.

This is the story of three longtime friends who go The Hamptons for a weekend. They have an encounter with a couple over a parking space that includes one of the friends putting a note on the couple’s car indicating that the man is cheating. We later learn the man is mysteriously missing and the three friends are questioned by the police and we suspect that there is more to the story, and there is…Family secrets eventually come to light bring the story to a predictable close. Overall, not a bad book just had hoped for more.

Three friends reconnect for a weekend in the Hamptons. Everything is going well until a harmless prank lands them in the middle of a police investigation and the secrets they have kept start coming out.

This was a fun, quick read with twists and turns that made it hard to put down. I had never read any of Alafair Burke’s novels before, but I will definitely be adding more of her work to my TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley & Knopf for providing me with an advanced copy!

I REALLY wanted to like this one, but it just did not work for me. The characters are toxic, childish and just blah people. The story moves slowly, despite it being a short book. 3 childhood friends meet up in the Hampton's for a refresh - all 3 having recently been cancelled. When they leave a prank note on a car, they find themselves at the center of a police investigation. Along the way, they start to question if they can really trust each other. I loved the idea of this book, but the 3 women were just so terrible and parts of the book moved so slowly that it just did not work for me. It was a quick read and if terrible characters do not bother you, it may be worth giving it a try. It was just unfortunately not what I expected.

Pub Day: January 7, 2025

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

The Note by Alafair Burke offers a suspenseful look at friendship, secrets, and the consequences of a seemingly harmless prank gone terribly wrong. The story follows May Hanover, a rule-abiding woman who, despite her well-behaved exterior, finds herself at the center of a police investigation after a reckless stunt with her two lifelong friends, Lauren and Kelsey. As May questions her friends' loyalty and their hidden motives, Burke expertly builds tension, keeping readers on edge as secrets unravel. While I’m a big fan of this author, The Note didn’t quite hit the mark for me—it’s an engaging read with moments of intrigue, but I found the pacing a bit uneven and some of the twists predictable. Still, it’s a solid psychological thriller that will likely appeal to fans of suspenseful fiction.

I think my biggest issue with this book was that it makes me really wish I was also on a summer beach trip to the Hamptons. (Although with less murder.)
*
Quick synopsis: May and her two best friends are spending a long weekend in the Hamptons, and after a couple steals a parking spot they were waiting for, one decides to leave a note on the windshield that says he's cheating. Next thing they know, the guy is missing, and the three are suspects, and May starts to suspect her friends are keeping secrets from her. 
*
This required a bit of suspension of disbelief, but was overall a really fun thriller, and I did not see the ending coming at all! It keeps you guessing, and does a great job of making you suspicious. 
*
Beyond the mystery element, this touches on race and class, and also on cancel culture (the three friends refer to themselves as the Cancel Crew, since they each went viral for various reasons). The characters are not particularly likeable (and oh god May's fiance is the worst from page one), but they had redeeming qualities and the challenges of their friendship felt real. 
*
I enjoyed this and would recommend!

Fun, fast paced thriller. I enjoyed the friendship aspect and the complications that arise with female friendships while growing up. I also enjoyed the setting (NYC/Long Island).

30% in and I DNFed it. I could not make myself pick this up.

The story is of three friends getting together for a girls weekend. They have been friends since childhood and worked at a camp. While they were there another camper died. Each of the three friends have also found themselves on the wrong end of the cancel culture, including one who may or may not have killed her husband.

Nothing much had happened by the time I stopped reading it. And that was the problem. I didn't care about any of the characters and nothing was happening.

Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, and Vintage publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC. The book will be published on January 7, 2025.

Thank you NetGalley, for this uncorrected ebook ARC of 'The Note' by Alafair Burke, in exchange for an honest review - expected release date 01/07/2025

I usually enjoy this author's books but I had a hard time with this one. I didn't connect with any of the characters and the storyline was just bleh. I felt like it took too long to get anywhere.