Overall, I thought the content in this book was good. It was a little hard to get into. The dynamic and secrets between all the parties involved were many and ran deep. I had figured out the plot ahead of the reveal, but not by much. This was good, but did not focus on the note as much as you would think, being the title of the book!

This book was really hard to read. Three friends meet at a vacation home and while eating dinner, one does something dumb to a car. Not long afterward, they find out the car's owner has been killed. A very convoluted story results and the ending just fell flat. I was not invested in the story at all and the characters were very unlikable. I wouldn't classify this as a thriller either. Maybe a bit of suspense and mystery though.

Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf for an early copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. Alafair Burke did not disappoint me again! I loved this book and the twists, WOW!! I would definitely recommend this book.

A page-turner with lots of tension, as friends reunite and find themselves deep in stress. Unlikable characters of the best kind.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Alafair Burke. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 3.5 stars rounded up!

Three friends are reuniting in the Hamptons, but a chance encounter with a pair of strangers leads to a drunken prank that goes terribly wrong. May, Lauren, and Kelsey are each hiding secrets from each other, testing their friendship and loyalty.

I'm a fan of Burke's mysteries and thrillers, and I enjoyed the plot of this one, especially the exploration of women's friendships. None of the characters are very likable and, in fact, I found myself getting them confused a bit. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you engrossed in this one.

Entertaining. Juvenile. Toxic. Would Repeat (or recommend at least)
I haven’t read any of Burkes books, but this one was pretty good.
Three friends have all been “canceled” in their social circles. When they decide to go on vacation together, a silly prank goes too far. Will their toxic friendship make it out alive?
Good read. Thank you netgalley for the ARC!

Lots of tension in this book as three friends reunite. A prank goes definitely awry and soon all the characters are in knee deep in stress and possible harm. Going to the Hamptons was supposed to be fun and relaxing not a nightmare. The author does great job in creating characters that you don't really like!

The Note is such a great book! The concept was so unique and the plot really kept me guessing until the end. Alafair Burke is an engaging writer for sure!

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I’m a pretty big fan of Alafair Burke, with I think my favorite book being The Ex. When I saw The Note on Netgalley, I could not wait to get an approval (and hoped it would happen!)

We quickly find out, for various reasons, these 3 friends have been “cancelled” to put it today’s terminology and while that did not create the bond between them, it helped them revive a friendship from some time ago.

Books about friends from the past reconnecting is def something that interests me in a book so that was one hook for me. And I liked their friendship, but at times, they made me tired too.

It took me some time to get into this book, partly because I was only able to read a couple of pages at a time for a few days. I find that books engage me better if I can spend a longer chunk of time with them.



What I liked:

I LOVE the cover.

The secrets amongst the women. Who among us hasn’t kept a secret or 2 from the BFF? Women’s friendships are some of the most complex relationships and I think Alafair did a tremendous job showcasing that.

he plot of the book. It was a good plot and the deeper I got into the book, the less sure I was about how it was going to end.



Bottom line: While I may not love this as much as I do The Ex, it’s a good book and it will keep you guessing.



*This book was sen to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

Alafair Burke has written another tense thriller about three childhood friends, each with secrets of their own. As they convene for a long weekend in the Hamptons, a silly prank gets out of control and one of them is killed. Are one of the other two guilty of murder?

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for this ARC!

This one took me awhile to get through. I thought the first half was slow but then quickly picked up pace.

This book was great and I didn’t see the twist coming!! The characters were likable and the plot was believable. I would recommend this book to a friend!

This was a quick read which kept me interested in what was going to happen and who the guilty party would end up being. I will look for more of her books as I did enjoy this one.

Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley let me have an ARC of the book.

DNF at 50%

At first I was intrigued by this drama between 3 old friends, but then it became more about social issues and the lockdown. I read to escape reality. This one missed the mark for me.

Enjoyed reading this book. This is author who is queen of mystery writing. I look forward to reading more of her books

This is such a good book! It had me hooked and constantly theorizing as I read it. The ending kind of seemed abrupt but the story was still very much enjoyable!

A practical joke goes very wrong for 3 friends on a Girls' Weekend in the Hamptons. Long-time friends Lauren, May and Kelsey all have secrets that they are desperate to keep hidden, and each begins to wonder just how well she really knows the others.

The premise was intriguing, but the plot got very convoluted. None of the main characters was very likable, and I struggled to make it through to the end.

The tension!!!

This is my first book by this author and I absolutely loved the build up and tension created in the book.

Three friends, all with scandalous pasts, take a girls weekend but it quickly takes a turn from the carefree, relaxing getaway they had planned! All are keeping secrets and slowly they all begin to unravel. This book kept me reading until 2am and finished it in one day!

May, Lauren and Kelsey met and became friends when attending an arts camp as they were about to enter their teens. Their friendship grew through their school years though it gradually faded for May when they entered adulthood. She received a surprise invitation from Kelsey for the best trip ever of a weekend reunion in the Hamptons for the 3 of them. May was excited, yet cautious as she hadn’t communicated with Kelsey for 10 years.
The girls were having a great time in the Hampton’s until they saw, David, a man from their past. A silly prank of placing a note on the windshield of his car changed everything. He was found murdered and their weekend turned into a weekend of lies and exposed secrets.
This novel tells a story about friends that have secrets and issues. It is a test of friendship.

Thank you Netgalley

This was a quick read for me, the more books I read from the author I find myself quickly adding her latest to my tbr!
The mystery begins when three childhood friends Kelsey, May, and Lauren or as they like to be called Cancelled Crew
decide to take a trip to the Hamptons. Each one of them has been part of a scandal that got them "cancelled" in popular culture. (Only one of them involved a murder!) This getaway is supposed to be a light and fun time filled with drinks and catching up. The first day while waiting for a parking space a driver for steals their parking spot, angry leads to a drunken prank that goes horribly awry, how can a simple note on a windshield , lead to a missing man, police at their door and their past being looked into? I enjoyed this book, I couldn’t put it down and when the pieces all came together I was surprised!