ARC Review:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️The Note by Alafair Burke
Three long time friends, who have all faced the wrath of the internet, take a trip to reconnect in the Hamptons. What starts as a prank, turns into a full blown investigation. Wow, this was a fun and twisty mystery/thriller! My first Alafair Burke book, and it will definitely not be my last. I found that Burke’s writing kept me hooked from the start. The characters were wonderfully flawed and it has you guessing who did it until the end. I can see this becoming a movie/show, I loved the drama of it all. Not a thriller to miss.
Thank you #netgalley and Knopf for the opportunity to read this arc.
The Note by Alafair Burke releases January 7th, 2025

Much of my affection for Alafair Burke comes from her continuation of Mary Higgins Clark's stories, the comfort food of somewhat cozy mysteries. The Note, a standalone Burke, did not hit all the right...notes for me, unfortunately. I love an imperfect character, but most of The Note's 'heroines' were wholly unlikable, including May Hanover.

We open and close on May, whose self righteousness takes center stage throughout the entire novel. A former prosecutor and current law professor, May vacillates between investigating a murder in the Hamptons, to lying to police to protect her friends, to pointing fingers at several of those same friends.

The last chapters of the book are rushed and improbable, and some characters get a 'happy' ending that they hardly deserve. It's disappointing when one conversation reveals the whole plot to any reader who is paying attention.

2.5 stars rounded up for an easy writing style and, admittedly, some nostalgia.

This is my first Alafair Burke book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The pacing was immaculate and reminded me of a Jenga puzzle. Twist after twist dropped into the plot as I waited for the crash.

The main characters were awful. Three previously “Canceled Crew” friends who each had scandals attached to their names, obviously haven’t learned the lesson of staying out of the spotlight, place a note on a windshield and set into motion all the drama.

The big reveal wasn’t hard to guess but I did enjoy watching it play out.

Thank you Netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Three friends take a weekend trip to the Hamptons. Their friendship is formed on the base of their love for NYT's Spelling Bee game and their famous traumatic incidents. On their first night out on vacation the three ladies decide to get dinner and drinks. What could possibly go wrong? Add alcohol, jealousy, secrets, and a handwritten note to the night and you've concocted the perfect recipe for murder.

This is the second book I've read from Alafair Burke, having previously read The Wife. I was thrilled to receive this ARC because I did thoroughly enjoy The Wife. Sadly, The Note did not hit all the same notes as the previous thriller. Burke was able to make every single character unlikable, which is a difficult task for writers, and an important part for this specific plot because readers don't know who to trust. The plot itself is also unique for thriller readers who complain that they want a new twist. I personally did not figure out "who did it" until about 70% through. As a reader I struggled with the time changes from present to past, as I did not think they were clearly written. I also thought the last half of the book could have used more suspense. For this reason I would rate this book a 3.5/5.

the more I think about this one, the angrier I get at the time I wasted on this one 😩 alafair burke is usually an auto buy author for me, so I was very upset when their latest missed the mark for me!

surrounding three women, whose personalities seem like they’re still in high school let’s be honest, and a prank they pulled during their weekend getaway, the mystery seemed a bit immature from the start. and there’s nothing that bothers me than when people keep stupid secrets, especially from the authorities, and it blows up into something larger than it should have been 🫠

the flashbacks also seemed a bit disjointed, and it wasn’t very clear in what time period events were taking place… and as much as I enjoy a dual timeline mystery, this one didn’t seem to work as well for me…

each of the main three women were unlikable and straight up idiotic - from straight shooter may who literally doesn’t know when to keep her mouth shut, to secret keeping queen bee kelsey who is incapable of doing something morally correct, to lauren who is simultaneously trying to keep her friends together and looking out for her best interests only…

and while I appreciated the main plot twist at the end, it was a little too late to make me care about the characters 🫢 a big thank you still to netgalley and knopf for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

rating: 2 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast rosé

May was friends with Lauren and Kelsey since they were teenagers and thought they have drifted apart in recent years, they all come together for a weekend to reconnect in the Hamptons. While going out to dinner their parking spot is stolen by another couple, which sets off a chain of events none of them could have anticipated. When the police get involved, the secrets that the three friends have been keeping from each other for years start to reveal themselves, testing the trust they have in each other.

This was a fun, twisty novel that wove a lot of disparate elements together really well. It also did a great job keeping me guessing of who the real culprit was until the very end!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Kindle ARC. I've read a couple of Alafair Burke's novels and was looking forward to The Note. I was a little disappointed in The Note. It's the story of three long-time on again, off again friends, and the mystery surrounding the murder of one of the women's husband. The story is a potboiler for sure but it was a bit over the top for me, even going in knowing it was of the suspense/thriller genre.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. May has always made the right decisions in her life. She always chose the right path. When a man is dead on her friends getaway, the police are asking questions. I enjoyed this book.

A trio of friends embark on a long-awaited girls' trip, but their vacation quickly spirals into a dangerous game. A cryptic note, a stolen parking spot, and a tragic death set the stage for a thrilling mystery. Burke's characters, while flawed, are undeniably authentic and compelling. Though the plot twist was somewhat predictable, it still managed to surprise and delight. I'm eager to read more from this talented author.

Note: I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was excited to read this new Alafair Burke book.
Friends come together in the Hamptons for a few days of relaxation and fun. Some how they become part of a murder investigation and can't figure out why. As the investigation rolls on there are shocking revelations and some things from the past make more sense. I found some of the characters very hard to like and was glad they got what was coming to them. I did not see the shocking ending.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Wow. This book was not at all what I expected. I have previously read some of Alafair’s books and they’re great domestic thrillers, so I was very excited for this one. However, this was all over the place! It’s not at all what I expected from her. The chapters honestly felt like they were written then jumbled up and put out in random order. There were parts of the story that seemed very unnecessary to the central plot, that were continuously harped on. I was wanting and expecting so much more.

This was quite the page turner, I enjoyed it from start to finish and was never bored. It wasn't overly twisty, but it was well written and the story moved quickly.

Former child musical prodigies Kelsey, May, and Lauren reunite for a weekend in the Hamptons. The three friends each hide secrets from everyone and from each other. On their first night together, after a plethora of cocktails, a simple, thoughtless prank turns into something greater that then moves to a police investigation.
---
Each of these women was annoying in their own way, but I also had a hard time keeping up with who was who. There weren't enough distinguishable characteristics to make one stand out - aside from race and social issues.....of which there seemed to be a strong emphasis.

I think I needed something more exciting or more scandalous to happen. I thought it was boring and these women needed to....grow up.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I enjoyed this thriller. The characters were complex and well fleshed out. The plot and build were good. Interesting and not obvious. It was a quick read - I wanted to know what was going to happen!

Three childhood friends, each with their own notoriety to live down, go on a girl's trip to the Hamptons. It's been a while since they've all been together. After copious amounts of drinking, one leaves a note on the windshield of a car and the effects of that turn their lives upside down.
Great thriller with a unique premise. Great character development, you really get to know know these ladies and understand why they've made the choices that they have. The writing is excellent. I haven't read Burke before will be adding them to my list! This was definitely a page turner and I highly recommend!

An intriguing premise-a prank gone terribly wrong on a girls' trip to the Hamptons-with decent female characters, all experiencing shame from a public scandal. A vacation destination mystery thriller with up-to-the-minute cultural references, from AirBnBs to the NYT Spelling Bee to true crime fanatics. Burke takes wild liberties with the connections the characters have to each other. People are instantly "findable" online even from the vaguest descriptions or from their shared history. I'm not sure how easy it would be to find an unknown Asian woman who happened to stop by a restaurant, or to recognize a teenage acquaintance's boyfriend's mother. The world is a much bigger place than Burke makes it seem, even with viral videos and the wealthy social circles of New England. I appreciated the close look at female friendships-how you can be besties and support each other, but there can also be feelings of jealousy and suspicion for women who aren't secure enough to be transparent and honest. Themes of "cancel culture", fertility treatments, infidelity, post-pandemic life. A good choice for a vacation read--you'll keep turning the pages, but try to suspend disbelief.

I had a little trouble "characterizing" the characters at first. I tend to develop mental pictures of them and in this case I had to make some changes. This was a minor thing and didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book. I have read other books by Ms. Burke and they have been excellent. This one had plenty of twists, one big one at the end that you won't see coming. It is an examination of the bonds of friendship and what can happen when a harmless prank goes terribly amiss.
I felt that character development (always a major point with me) was fairly thorough although some of them were not particularly likeable. I knew what made them tick and that added a lot to the book.
If you've never read Alistair Burke, you could do worse than starting with The Note.

I have read and totally enjoyed several books by Alafair Burke! This one starts with a bang and is nonstop action. Fantastic characters that kept me flipping pages long into the night. Like a thrilling ride that left me shrugging my shoulders at who to trust. Very well done!
Thank you NetGalley, Alafair Burke and Knopf for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Alafair Burke never disappoints and this book is no exception! Well written, complex, layered characters and a fast paced timeline make this a winner!

The Note, by Alafair Burke, is another absolutely addictive suspense/thriller by one of my favorite authors. I loved the Hamptons setting, and this story about three old friends with too many secrets and scandals to keep hidden. When a drunken prank becomes a missing persons case, everything spirals out of their control. I couldn't stop turning the pages. Highly recommend!!!