61 pages • 2-hour read
The Note
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Book Club Questions
General Impressions
Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.
1. While the events of the novel may be exaggerated, how accurate are Alafair Burke’s portrayals of the friends’ reunion and fraught dynamics?
2. Compare and contrast this novel with other texts by Alafair Burke, such as Dead Connection (2007) or The Other Sister (2019). What themes and philosophies remain constant in both texts?
3. How does the premise of The Note compare other popular psychological thrillers such as Gone Girl and The Silent Patient?
Personal Reflection and Connection
Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.
1. May considers how her personality has changed as a result of the pandemic. What are your own memories of this unprecedented event? Did your experiences echo or differ from May’s?
2. Are Kelsey’s and Lauren’s reasons for not wanting to call the police realistic? Why or why not?
3. Have you ever been in a situation similar to May’s when she realizes that she misidentified the person who harassed her on the subway platform? How did you apologize or try to rectify the situation?
4. Nate maintains his obsession with Kelsey because he sees her as his only remaining family member. Is this a realistic motivation for his actions throughout the novel? Why or why not?
Societal and Cultural Context
Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.
1. Many of Burke’s plot points rely on digital communication. What does Burke suggest about the ease of digital surveillance and the expectation that people are constantly available to one another?
2. Although Lauren is a very successful musician, her career has suffered because of others’ racism. How does Lauren attempt to avoid such encounters?
3. How does Lauren’s minority experience differ from May’s?
Literary Analysis
Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.
1. In the first section, Burke shares that each friend experienced a scandal: “Lauren, because of the affair. Kelsey, because of her husband’s murder. And May, because of a confrontation on a subway platform. Three women, judged and vilified by strangers” (23). How does this description amplify the novel’s suspense? What expectations does this passage create?
2. How does the relationship between May and Josh crumble as the novel unfolds? Identify at least two catalysts of this process.
3. What symbolic connotations does the setting of the Hamptons add to the overall narrative?
4. How does the novel explore the long-term effects of inconsequential moments? Be sure to consider the various “notes” that take center stage in the narrative.
5. How is Kelsey shaped by her notion of family? Does her fertility journey conflict with or reinforce this notion? Support your answer with examples from the text.
Creative Engagement
Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.
1. If this book were adapted into a movie, who would you cast to play Lauren, Kelsey, and May? What qualities and talents would your chosen actors bring to the roles?
2. Burke relies upon a third-person omniscient perspective to relate the crucial details of the novel. How would the tone and structure of the novel change if she were to craft first-person narratives of the various characters?
3. Write a “note” from Nate’s first-person perspective, in which he fully explains his motives for each of his crimes.
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