The Note is the story of three old friends. They've each had experience being overwhelmed by the criticism of the internet, some of whom deserved it more than others. The three women go on a trip and hijinks ensue.

While this is a quick and decent light read, I didn't particularly like the characters. I will say that the ending wasn't glaringly obvious.

Three girls attended music camp together many moons ago. Two were attendees and one was an older counselor. They have all stayed in touch their entire lives through phone calls, text and of course have had periods of no communication, as any friendship does. But when all of them eventually have a public and brutal "cancelling" scandal on social media for one reason or another, they find themselves back together at the Hamptons for a long weekend beach vacation to destress and reconnect. After they've unpacked, one of the friends - Kelsey, suggests dinner out in the city. While it seems simple enough, they have en encounter there that will change their lives for not only the rest of the weekend but shape their friendship forever.

Alafair Burke is an author I've seen around, seen on socials and posts, but never really dug into. I'm not quite sure why - until this book. I don't think I realized she wrote crime / thriller which is my go-to read. But after this book, I've put her on my TBR list for any new and old reads I can find time for in my life. The book itself was really, really good. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I couldn't give it five stars as I'm careful which books I give five stars and don't give the rating away loosely, but again - I can't pinpoint to anything in this book I didn't enjoy or didn't make me want to keep reading. I devoured it in almost 2 "weekdays" which is a good feat for me.

#TheNote #NetGalley
Alafair Burke's The Note is a riveting thriller that explores the fragile balance of friendship, secrets, and the unexpected consequences of seemingly harmless actions. The novel centers on May Hanover, a well-behaved, high-achieving young woman raised under the watchful eye of her first-generation Chinese single mother. Known as the "Little Sheriff" for her rule-abiding nature, May has always tried to be the "good girl." However, even the most disciplined people have secrets, and May's long-time bond with her friends Lauren and Kelsey is far from spotless.
Reuniting after years apart for a getaway in the Hamptons, the trio hopes for relaxation and fun. But their trip takes a dark turn after a drunken prank involving strangers spirals out of control, leaving May at the center of a police investigation. As the pressure mounts, May starts to question her friends’ loyalty, wondering whether they are hiding something from her—and if she has ever really known them at all.
Burke skillfully builds tension throughout the novel, gradually revealing layers of the characters' pasts and the burdens they each carry. The dynamic between May, Lauren, and Kelsey is both compelling and complex, capturing the insecurities, loyalty, and betrayals that often define long-term friendships. May’s struggle between being a rule-follower and grappling with a situation that is spiraling beyond her control makes her an especially relatable and multidimensional character.
Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for giving me an advance copy.

Such a fast and engaging read! This story was full of twists that seemed completely plausible in a post covid digital platform. I was given just enough information to form my own conclusions - only to be proven wrong time after time!

As a fan of Alafair Burke’s thrillers, it’s hard to admit that this book was a miss for me. In short, the story begins as three childhood female friends reconnect after several years by taking a weekend trip to the Hamptons. Each woman has had an event in her past, which has had an impact on who’ve they become and how they live their lives. A lot of drinking ensues during the weekend and what begins as a prank after an incident parking their car, turns into a nightmare which causes the women to question and trust their friendship and one another. I found it difficult to connect with any of the characters and their toxic relationship.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

A girls' trip to the Hamptons reveal secrets from the past as they get caught up in a missing person case.
Each has been involved in scandals that have effected their lives. How well to they really know each other?
When the missing person turns up dead, loyalties are tested. Twists and turns with a surprising climax.
#TheNote #Knopf #NetGalley

This book had SO much going on and it wasn’t necessary. May didn’t need to be a DAKaren & Lauren didn’t need to be banging an old man. Burke could’ve been made the characters a lot more interesting and real but chose to make them chaotic and messy.

This one a fun one! While I wish the author had revealed a little more about why each FMC was cancelled earlier in the book to help avoid confusion, I very much enjoyed and had a hard time putting it down. I will definitely check out the authors back catalogue!

This story is messy, in the very best way. When three friends get together in the Hamptons, after some chaos in their relationships, they vow to get their friendship back on track. But after a drunken night out, things take a very bad turn. One tiny note left on a car’s windshield has the power to destroy them all.

With twist after twist after twist, this latest Alafair Burke novel is brilliant. I’m a fan for life.

Are two seemingly unconnected murder cases actually connected? Friends May, Lauren, and Kelsey are away on a trip to the Hamptons when a guy they don’t know goes missing. What could possibly connect them to the case?

This was a fast read. The friendship dynamics were really interesting to see. The toxicity yet strong bonds were fascinating to read about.

I didn’t love the ending I’ll be honest, I thought it was a bit anticlimactic. Still, it had some good twists and turns throughout. Solid 2.5 ish stars from me. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

May Hanover finds herself going on a weekend getaway with her BFF's to the Hamptons. They have been friends for years and have all gone through their own brush with public scrutiny which has left them all a little different. May is now a Law Professor and is engaged to Josh. Kelsey is a widower after her husband, Luke, was gunned down one night. They were in the process of getting a divorce so a bunch of true crime sleuths have decided that she did it. Lauren is 9 years older than Kelsey and May and is like a dorm mom to them. She has had her own secret affair with Thomas and has seemed okay with it until his wife started to make slanderous accusations against her. They each have commitment issues for sure. May was kind of all over the place in this book and seems to need more therapy. I will admit that I did not care for her much. Kelsey and Lauren didn't fare much better. They were all in their mid-30's, or in the case of Lauren mis-40's and acted like teenagers. The book was entertaining and I did like how Alafair Burke continued to draw out the story. I wanted a bit more showing their growth at the end. It was readily apparent that they all needed to grow up.

Always look forward to Alafair's books, and this was a good one! Loved the story about the three friends who encounter a person ending up dead, while on vacation. So many twists and turns and surprises.

One vacation with good intentions is all it takes sometimes for life to tip off its axis. I enjoyed the writing style making it easy to follow and relate to the characters. You will jump around if one, some or all of the main characters are potentially dangerous, but defiantly all untrustworthy at one point or another. The ending was good, but the epilogue I expected a little bit more.

A DNF for me. I have lived this author’s writing but this seemed to be a cultural cliche. From the pandemic, to the “cancel culture”, and subway violence. It did not seem creative at all, but just a mishap of cultural events. All the first chapter!!
To me, this was not the usual writing style and I found it painful.

Alafair Burke is a talented writer. I knew that going in to The Note. I was even more entertained by the story than I had hoped. The characters were written so well and the action made me trying to guess what would happen next. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This Alafair Burke thriller is a thrilling read that keeps readers on the edge of their seats with its quick pacing, increasing tension, and exploration of the friendships between three women who harbor secrets that could destroy everything they've built over the years. The concept of three "canceled" women gathering to heal their wounds is refreshing. However, the main characters, May Hanover, Kelsey, and Lauren, are unlikable, and their web of lies are unsettling. Despite these issues, the murder mystery plot is compelling, with the well-built mystery, execution of pacing, and realistic conclusion making readers stay glued to the pages. The story revolves around May Hanover, a rule follower and aspiring daughter of a Chinese single mother, who loses her law career when a subway video of her breakdown goes viral. Their girl trip to the Hamptons turns tragic when a drunk prank goes awry, resulting in a missing person case. Overall, this riveting mystery is highly recommended for fans of women's fiction, legal thrillers, and mysteries.

Thank you to Netgalley and Alafair Burke for this advanced copy for an honest review.

I enjoyed this novel. It was a pretty fast read. The characters were all interesting and the storyline was great. To think all of the things that transpired came from a prank of a note. I have to say that I did not guess at all who was responsible for the crime. (s) Secrets always eventually come out.

I love Alafair Burke, and this just may be her best book yet! This mystery surrounds a group of three friends known as the Cancelled Crew - Kelsey, May, and Lauren. All three have been friends since childhood, and each one of them has been at the center of a scandal that got them "cancelled" in popular culture. (Only one of them involved a murder!) So one day all three of them decide to take a trip to the Hamptons. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, a lot - specifically, another murder, which requires May to come out of retirement (she's a former prosecutor) to figure out how to help a friend accused of murder for the second time. This is the part where I mention that I was a teensy bit annoyed at how the story took a completely unrealistic turn, by having a fellow witness to the crime representing the accused - side note, I am a former prosecutor (as is the author!) and these things sometimes irk me. But Burke did such a great job with the setup of the final twist that I was able to forgive this brief foray into fantasy.

This book was a page-turner in every sense of the word, as I couldn't wait to find out whodunit, and I wasn't disappointed. I love the way Burke writes and the three women at the center of this book were well-drawn and fascinating. I'd love to see a sequel, or even a series.

Five shiny stars from me, and I'll be on the edge of my seat waiting for whatever Alafair Burke writes next!

The Note is about three old friends who spend a few days away in the Hamptons. While away, they become part of a police investigation. While I didn't love this book, I found it interesting to follow. I could see this as a good beach or vacation read. The book is well written, I just didn't feel connected to the characters. I would rate this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review.

I guessed the killer pretty early on in this mystery about three music camp friends who get together for a weekend in the Hamptons. A simple joke turns into much more resulting in a potential crime. The characters all had a flaw that when showcased made them unlikeable. So I wasn't really rooting for their innocence. A good distraction.

Copy provided by the publisher and Netgalley