The Note by Alafair Burke is a captivating, suspense-filled thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. With a compelling mix of intricate relationships, dark secrets, and unexpected twists, Burke once again demonstrates why she is one of the masters of contemporary suspense.

The story centres on May Hanover, a well-behaved and rule-following woman raised with high expectations by her first-generation Chinese mother. May has always been the dependable one—the “Little Sheriff”—with a strong sense of duty to her lifelong friends, Lauren and Kelsey. However, even the most well-behaved individuals have their secrets, and May is no exception. The trio's bond, forged when they were just twelve, has survived the tragedy, scandals, and personal heartache, but nothing could prepare them for the events that unfold during a reunion in the Hamptons.

What begins as a light-hearted vacation full of sun and relaxation takes a dark turn when May and her friends meet a pair of strangers, and a drunken prank goes wrong. As May becomes embroiled in a police investigation, she is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her friends and the limits of loyalty. Are Lauren and Kelsey hiding something from her, and if so, what lengths will they go to keep their secrets?

Burke’s writing is fast-paced and sharp, with each twist and turn making it nearly impossible to put the book down. The dynamics between the three friends are expertly developed, with a strong focus on trust, guilt, and the complexity of friendship. The tension builds steadily, and just when you think you have it all figured out, Burke throws in a curveball that will leave you gasping for breath.

The Note is a page-turner that keeps the reader guessing at every step. With its tight plot, complex characters, and compelling exploration of loyalty and betrayal, it’s a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers. If you enjoy books that make you think while keeping you on the edge of your seat, this is one to add to your reading list.

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Kelsey, May and Lauren all prefer to stay away from the public eye because of their past, so when a prank goes wrong and they find themselves in the spotlight when a man, who they knew in their past, goes missing, they know they need to do something. Do they stay quiet or do they share what they know? Each one of them had a motive and the opportunity to hurt him...
This was a good read, exploring the ripple effect of what appear, in the first place, to be harmless actions. Although I saw the end coming, it didn't matter as I was invested enough in the story.

The Note is a very good psychological thriller by Alafair Burke that deals with explores the dangerous area between friendship, secrets and deception. Well plotted and interesting characters make this book an entertaining read.

May Hanover was always a good girl who followed the rules but when she reunited with her two best friends for an holiday in the Hamptons a prank results with the trio involved in a missing persons investigation. It was meant to be an harmless prank but it spiralled out of control and they became mixed up in a web of lies, betrayal and murder.

May and her friends are forced to face their dark secrets and they become to doubt who they can trust, including each other. All three girls have secrets and as we learn about them the tension builds. The story is well paced and delves into the complications of friendship and keeping secrets.

A psychological thriller with complex characters and unpredictable twists.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Faber and Faber for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

A thriller about three old friends reuniting for a weekend in the posh Hamptons. The friendships seemed unbelievable and I could not engage with the story.

I expect most people have seen this happen, someone parking in the space you were going into (I recently saw this happen at Tesco) but in this book a note was left on the offending drivers car. Supposedly a joke, but soon the friends are involved in a murder investigation, with suspicion landing on all. I enjoyed this book and trying to decide who did it

A gripping present-day thriller. 3 women who have been best friends since their teenage years, take a holiday together in the popular Hamptons. On their first night they go out and have a few too many cocktails, and things get out of control when they write an incriminating note as a prank.
The results of this note could not be foreseen and as events spiral out of control, their friendships are put to the test. Are they still faithful friends? Are they telling each other the truth? Will they be able to continue their careers? They each have a dark secret in their past.
An exciting thriller that keeps you guessing until the end.

This author pulls you in, tosses you around and spits you out and youre left wondering what just happened, a thrilling ride. The note, seemingly harmless but with undercurrents that has everyone trusting no one.

Three old friends meet up in exotic, rich Hamptons for a week-end. They drink a lot, leave a silly note on the car of a couple who whipped into their parking place, drink some more and are generally rather silly characters. They have historical issues which come into play when the driver of the offending car goes missing. It sort of started well but then got more and more into silliness interspersed with the girls' history starting at a school camp when they were 12 and when a tragic accident occurred. The story then started to drag and I found it hard to finish. A week or so later and I really can't even remember the details. sorry, not for me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

I have had to give up on this one. Like other reviewers I was enjoying for the first 25% but then it just seemed a lot of alcohol swilling silly behaviour that can get very tedious to read about.
I really fancied reading about the Hamptons, one of those American destinations we have mostly heard about associated with wealth and fame.
However this book felt way too long for me, I could not face ploughing through 3 more hours than the hours I had already committed so I have stopped.
.

I’m torn about this one. While I thought this was going somewhere unique it didn’t and while the introductions to the characters were good and you could understand the prank….this book sort of collapsed in pace and I didn’t really care too much by the end.

THE NOTE BY ALAFAIR BURKE.
Release date set for the 24th of April 2025.
From the get go this book had my attention.
This book has a way of sucking you in and holding tight.
I didn't guess the ending and it took me by surprise.
I highly recommend this book when it's released.

A revenge prank during vacation in the Hamptons goes horribly wrong for three friends who are already on thin ice. Each of them has a dark event in their past, which they have been working to overcome (although this bit will require a slight suspension of disbelief, Burke makes it well worth your while to play along).

When the object of the prank, a wealthy young man, goes missing shortly thereafter, the last thing any of the trio wants is police attention. But unfortunately for them, that's exactly what they are about to get...

Enormously entertaining and cleverly plotted as always, Burke is at the height of her powers with this one. Highly recommended.

This is a gripping thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish - i found the plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns,
The writing is both engaging and suspenseful, with well-developed characters that add depth to the narrative.
The pacing of the novel is perfect, with just the right amount of tension to keep readers hooked without feeling overwhelmed.
The setting is vividly described, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall reading experience.
Highly recommended!

Great book. Was up all night reading it. I loved the characters & the storyline. I totally recommend reading this book straight away, the twists and turns are fab. Definitely 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Three old friends reunite for a beach weekend in the Hamptons, but get more than they bargained for when a impulsive decision leads to police involvement. And they all have secrets to hide...

I enjoyed The Note, especially the diverse characters (which made me realise how overwhelmingly white the thriller genre often is) and the way past events are woven into the present. While I found the solution to the mysteries fairly predictable, I very much enjoyed the journey to get to it. This would make perfect pool lounger reading this summer.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the advance copy to read.

I started out quite enjoying this but around 30% in I found the plot really start to slow down. I didn't find myself eager to read on.

The story follows three friends who are on a vacation in the Hamptons, what follows on from a silly little prank involving a note is a tumultuous ride involving the police, murder and revenge.

I didn't particularly care for any of the characters, I felt that none of them were particularly well developed. The pacing didn't really seem to work for me and I found some parts rather boring. There are however some twists and you will find yourself being suspicious of some of the characters.

That said, I imagine there are some people who I think will adore this as an easy to read suspense novel. Sadly, it just wasn't for me.

It was a good read, and a great concept, I’m not sure it reached its potential sadly. The Note was a very interesting story- May, Lauren and Kelsey have known each other for years, they finally have a reunion and after a note is left on a strangers car door things start to turn to the worst when the stranger goes missing. When things are traced back to the girls they start to wonder if everything was really as it seemed.
This was a story that really made you think about how something small and mundane as leaving a note on a car can snowball into an unexpected mess but I was left needing more slightly.
Thanks to netgalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for the arc!

The Note by Alafair Burke

May, Kelsey and Lauren have been best friends for many years but have not seen each other face to face since way before the covid lock down but now that the lock down is well and truly over, they are planning a girly weekend in the Hamptons.

On their first night at the Hamptons, they go out drinking, its so busy but they finally find a parking space, waiting for what seems like forever for the car to leave the space but just as they are about to park out of nowhere another driver takes their spot. They are furious but don’t want to cause a scene. Later Kelsey puts a note as a joke on the windscreen of the car of the offending driver. But what was seemed like innocent prank to the outsider turns into a nightmare as Kelsey is hiding a secret.

I have read Alafair Burke’s books before and they are all very well written. I enjoyed this book very much and likes all the characters.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Faber and Faber Ltd, for a copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review.

I did enjoy this book when it finally got going, I just felt it took a while to get there. It didn't grip me right away like I thought it would from the synopsis but it did end well

A fun weekend in the Hamptons for three friends goes horribly wrong after an innocent joke. They leave a note on a car windscreen and next thing the guy goes missing. Turns out the three are not quite what they appear to be and they all have secrets. Are any of them connected to the missing man and responsible for his disappearance. This is well plotted with unexpected twists that keep the pace. There are a few contrivances and it was a little formulaic in parts when exploring themes of race, prejudice and drug culture. However, the characters have depth and it kept my interest from start to finish. A great bit of escapist fiction.