Thank you to Knopf and PRH Audio for the gifted eARC and ALC.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the Alafair Burke books I’ve read so far, but The Note left me with mixed feelings. 3.56 stars, rounded to 4.

First, the good: this is some of AB’s finest work in terms of crafting layered, multi-dimensional characters. Our three main characters — May and her best friends, Kelsey and Lauren — have all been “canceled” in separate incidents and vilified by society. As the story unfolds, we’re given a behind-the-curtain view of their lives — their flaws, mistakes, and vulnerabilities, but also their loyalty, inclusiveness, and compassion. Like real people, these characters are messy, complex and multifaceted. Seeing them from all angles, getting to know their motivations, and understanding what makes them tick is absolutely fascinating.

Unfortunately, the mystery element didn’t match this level of depth. It’s fairly standard, without the intrigue or unexpected twists I’ve come to expect from AB’s novels. While I kept reading to see how the characters evolved, I wasn’t compelled by the mystery, and I guessed the ending before the reveal. It’s not bad per se, it’s just not the stand out read I hoped for.

Audio: I listened to part of the book on audio, courtesy of PRH Audio, and loved the narrator’s performance. She authentically captured the emotions of the characters and kept me engaged, even when the mystery didn’t.

Overall, not a knockout mystery, but still worth picking up for the well crafted charactersand their complex dynamics.

This was a decent mystery/thriller that I mostly enjoyed while reading and it kept my interest. None of the characters were very likable which wasn't particularly necessary but there were a lot of themes covered in this book in which deeper character development would likely have been helpful.

We find pandemic, social justice, cancel culture and privilege themes in this book which overall just feels a little too heavy handed at times but it also feels like we are just skimming the surface. I kind of wish she would have focused mainly on ONE of those and went a little deeper instead of trying to appease all of the culture warriors out there at the same time.

The book had a decent twist at the end but not super surprising and overall was a decent read. I'll probably forget most of it in a few weeks so just know that going in.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy

First of all I want to thank Netgalley for allowing me to read this book before publication date. Overall it was a good book.
It took longer to get into than I like. Story line kept me guessing which is a plus.

May, Lauren and Kelsey can't wait for their girl's trip away - it's been so long since they've all been together. But with time, each girl has their own secrets and these will all come spilling out when the police get involved, thanks to a prank involving a note that goes horribly wrong.

While I do prefer my thrillers a bit more fast paced, I did still enjoy this book. It took awhile to get going (the scene setting was probably longer than it needed to be) but once it did, my interest never waivered. I will admit, I was hoping for a bit more of a bang of an ending as this one seemed a little too convenient but aside from that, it was an easy and fun read.

hank you @prhaudio @aaknopf for a copy of the book.

Three friends get together for a getaway in the Hamptons and not what they bargain for. This story centers around a missing person and these ladies somehow being all tied to it.

The story was just all tied up too nicely for me with all the connections they had. At parts, the story moved slowed for me with the 3 of them bickering.

Catherine Ho did a good job portraying M

3 friends on vacation leave a note as a joke. Turns out it was real but who is lying about the man who was killed.

In this story, three old friends, each dealing with personal or professional setbacks, reunite for a quick getaway to The Hamptons. A drunken prank goes awry, leading them into the middle of an investigation that tests their friendship.

This is more plot driven with some good twists and touches on timely topics such as COVID, racism, and the Me Too movement. The first half of the story is a slow burn, introducing the three friends, who have faced issues that have spilled into the public arena, making them somewhat recognizable and notorious. Through them, Burke examines the complexities and anxieties of public scandals. And while the premise and social issues laid the groundwork for an intriguing story, this fell just a bit flat for me. The pacing felt somewhat uneven, with moments that sometimes meandered. However, around the halfway mark, the action picks up as more secrets come to light, and the friends grapple with whether they can truly trust one another. And the last quarter is fast paced and twisty.

The three women are not particularly likable, which isn’t a deal breaker for me, especially in a thriller where toxic relationships are often depicted. However, with this group, I struggled to sympathize with their plight. That said, I found several things to enjoy in this one, including Burke's writing style, the unique plot and how the second half of this had a fast-paced popcorn thriller feel. I can see this being very popular and my review may be an outlier. I have read and enjoyed several of Burke's books will happily read any new book she writes. If you enjoy thrillers that incorporate social issues, and are looking for a quick, beach read, this book might be for you!

Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and Netgalley for the gifted ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I loved the premise of this book. Unfortunately it fell flat for me. May was one of the most unlikable characters I have read lately. And frankly I kept getting Lauren and Kelsey confused. The twists weren’t all that twisty and the ending really was a letdown. I feel like parts that didn’t need to be so long ran on and the ending was rushed.

I decided to pick up this book after hearing so many glowing recommendations. While it wasn’t my usual type of read, I was intrigued by the premise of friends meeting, something going awry, and a mysterious note that alters their lives forever.

Though I found the story slower to engage with at first, the themes of friendship and unexpected twists kept me curious. However, by the end, everything felt resolved a little too conveniently for my taste, which made the conclusion less impactful.

That said, I can see why others enjoyed it. It offers a heartfelt exploration of relationships and choices, and for readers who appreciate reflective, character-driven stories, this might be a wonderful fit.

This is my first Alafair Burke book and I absolutely loved it!

The girl trip to the Hamptons where they have a very nice air B&B turns tragic when a drunk prank goes wrong. Someone is missing, as things go on and new things are revealed the women learn things about each other and really test the friendship. This is a who done it mystery book and I kind of had an idea who did it towards the end.

I really enjoyed the book it was a fast paced book and tension was happening fast between certain characters.
The 3 main characters are “canceled “ and a prank goes a little of out of control.

Some of the characters I didn’t really like, I felt like May was a little too prissy, Kelsey seemed to have a rich girl attitude and Lauren was just impulsive and catered to what was best for her.

The plot of the book was very well built and realistic. I was glued too to pages of the book and couldn’t put it down. I had to know what was happening.


Thanks to NetGalley, Knopf; Pantheon, vintage and anchor for the ARC of this book!

All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Very intriguing story however it required me to suspend disbelief beyond my comfort zone. Three friends with a lot of history reunite and things begin to unravel quickly. So many secrets and plenty of plot twists. I found the ending satisfying. Alafair Burke is a go-to author for me and there is something to appeal to everyone in this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance ebook.

I first read Alafair Burke because she is James Lee Burke’s daughter, and my husband LOVES JLB’s books. I was happy to receive a copy of The Note, thanks to Knopf and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.Described in the blurb as an “irresistible page-turner” that would make a great beach read, I was in!!

The story focuses on three women (May, Lauren, and Kelsey) who have been friends since early adolescence who take a weekend reunion trip to the Hamptons, intending it to be full of sun and fun. At this point in all their lives, each is sort of at rock bottom (either personally or professionally, or both). As expected, the weekend is full of alcohol in addition to the sun, but thanks to the alcohol (IMO) they get involved in what is intended to be a harmless prank, and everything goes wrong.

May has always been a classic overachiever – raised by a first-generation Chinese woman (the phrase “Tiger mom” leapt to mind, I admit), she is always the “good girl,” the stickler for following rules. As a result of the “prank,” a man has gone missing and the three find themselves immersed in a police investigation. Secrets start to be revealed, and May begins to think maybe the other two women are keeping things from her…so then the story really takes off. Despite their lifelong friendship, trust seems to potentially be disappearing.

It’s a page-turner, all right, although the first part might be a bit slow. But Ms. Burke is an expert at building the tension, and it is a really fun read, full of surprises (at least for me, but I am notoriously bad at solving the mystery early on). Recommended. Four stars (could be rounded up to 5, but I am trying to not be such an “easy grader,” as my students used to say.

Three women, May, Lauren, and Kelsey head to the Hamptons for a well needed weekend away. Each of them have hit rock-bottom either personally, professionally, or both. Too much alcohol leads to one seemingly harmless decision. However, the consequences are anything but forgettable.
A man goes missing, perhaps he’s even dead, and these three will not be leaving the Hamptons rejuvenated. All kinds of secrets are revealed, and it was rather difficult to like any of the main characters. So many bad decisions and for such smart women. Let us just say, I rolled my eyes a lot.
I had my detective cap on and was firmly convinced that I knew what was going on and who was guilty. Nope. The author had other ideas. I think that this would be a great book to read on the beach.

This was a slow build. Even 50% in, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. But then things start really moving! Really enjoyed how determined May was to find the true killer, no matter how close she may be to this person! The ending was really good!

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to review this eARC! As always it’s a pleasure!

It took a few chapters to fully get into the plot of this book, once I did. I was fully invested in it! It had me hooked and questioning everyone! I loved May’s detective skills and was fully on every lead she brought to the table! I was UPSET with the ending though. It felt very rushed and not tied together well. I would have loved to have some type of accountability for the “bad guy” in the end! But still a very good book and if it ended differently I would have LOVED a second book diving into more of everyone’s story.

Three old friend decide to take a long weekend in the Hamptons. The friends know each other from summer camp. They were also counselors after college for a summer and there was a drowning while they were there. While they are in the Hamptons there is a death. Are they connected to the dead man? Secrets start to come out.

Is one of the friends a murderer? This book had me guessing if any of them was capable of murder until the end. Could someone else have murdered the man or is it one of them? A book that keeps you guessing is a great read. This book is also a quick read. Your will not want to put it down because you will want to know what will be revealed next.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #AlafairBurke and #Knopf for a copy of this book.
#TheNote

I’m not a voracious thriller/suspense reader, but I do enjoy them somewhat regularly. That is why I’m surprised that I’ve never read anything by Alafair Burke. I will surely be looking into her backlist. This one had three women as the main characters. They all come from very different backgrounds, but were drawn together mainly through a musical summer camp. As adults they spend a weekend together in the Hamptons that will change all their lives. The catalyst is a note that should never have been written let alone put on somebody’s car. Murders, past and present, play an important role as the story moves along. There are a few suspects including each of the women. It had me guessing until the end. Well done and very enjoyable read.

It took me probably 1/4 of the book to become interested in the story line. Then one simple act set a lot of things in motion in the book. The story line was pretty good. I will say I was able to guess a few things before the story revealed them. But still a pretty good book.

📚 THE NOTE by Alafair Burke [e-ARC] 📚

Genre: Thriller
Length: 304 pages
Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025!
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Net Galley, Knopf, Pantheon, and Vintage Books for the e-ARC of The Note. The opinions stated are solely my own.

Synopsis:
May, Kelsey, and Lauren had grown up close going to Wildwood summer music camp. Years later, all three women's paths had taken them in drastically different places: law professor, socialite, and symphonic music director. Each of the friends had also been carrying separate traumas that separated them.

Desperately wanting to get the trio back together, Kelsey books them a long weekend holiday in The Hamptons to rekindle their friendship. After a night of drinking and fun, a simple note written on a cocktail napkin and placed as a prank takes a very terrible turn. Now, a man has been murdered, and the police only have eyes for the women who wrote 'the note'...

Opinion:
I enjoyed this thriller! There were many layers to the story, as each woman had different backgrounds and secrets that made them all somewhat suspicious of the crime. This book was about women and friendships, but also about how society looked at each of them differently, causing unease with each other. The character of May was my favorite and I loved how she was able to use her law experience to solve this crime, even as the author often had me wonder her own guilt. Great book and it was a quick and engaging read!

The Note by Alafair Burke is a gripping psychological thriller that delves deep into the complex friendship between three women—May, Lauren, and Kelsey. May, known for her rule-following nature, finds herself at the center of a police investigation after a drunken prank goes horribly wrong. As the investigation unfolds, May begins to suspect that Lauren and Kelsey might be hiding more than she initially thought. The novel explores themes of loyalty, trust, and the complexities of long-term friendships, all while building up to a suspenseful and surprising reveal of the true killer. Burke masterfully explores their intricate relationships, each character bringing their own secrets and past scandals to the table. The dynamic between these three women is both compelling and realistic, making their interactions a highlight of the novel.

The buildup to the reveal of the true killer is exceptionally well-done. Burke keeps readers on the edge of their seats with red herrings and unexpected twists, ensuring that the suspense never wanes. The final revelation is both surprising and satisfying, tying together the various threads of the story in a way that feels earned.

Overall, The Note is a page-turner that will keep you guessing until the very end. Highly recommended for fans of suspenseful thrillers and stories about the complexities of female friendships. #netgalley #thenote