A fast-paced and well-written destination thriller from one of my favourite authors, who does an amazing job of conjuring the atmosphere of Morocco and creating believable and compelling characters.

Bea is only supposed to be in Morocco for a few days on a photo shoot, but the isolation and pressure of her life is even more oppressive under the stifling heat. Before she knows it she has walked away from what some, especially her mother, would call a dream job, but she is sick of the scrutiny and having to suppress her own feelings throughout her whole life.

She leaves the hotel searching for somewhere no-one will find her, but in her daze of emotions on the unfamiliar streets, she realises she has wandered into trouble. Just in time a young woman steps in to help, but soon events are spiralling out of control.

She has no option but to flee to the coast, where she is able to find a place to stay and work to earn her keep. The setting is glorious, with travellers enjoying the relaxed atmosphere and excellent surfing. But there are secrets lurking beneath the surface, and when a man arrives in search of his missing sister, Bea has to try to unravel the mystery, both for his sake and her own.

Wow, this was a great read with a brilliant twist at the end I didn’t see coming.
Bea walks off a modeling job and gets attacked on the streets of Marrakech, but Marnie is there to save her. They head back to her surf side house and Bea thinks her troubles will go away.
An easy read with some great characters full of life, the writing was excellent and was fast paced. A 5 star read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

Rating - 4.5 stars rounded off to 5

In love with the sights, vibes, waves and colours of Morocco!

Take a bow, Lucy Clarke - the queen of destination thrillers!

Thanks HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley for the ARC!

Synopsis -

Bea’s just survived a nightmare in the dark, narrow alleyway of Marrakesh. Seeking solace and a peaceful place to regroup, she arrives at The Surf House, in the quaint, idyllic fishing/surfing village of Mallah. While she runs from her tedious past, Bea might just be getting entangled with a dark, convoluted web that’s built on lies, subterfuge and secrets, that might be hiding ugly things under its beautiful, calming facade.

Review -

Of course, it’s the setting that takes the centre stage in this well-plotted thriller. Bea’s journey begins in the chaotic yet elegant and energetic city of Marrakesh with its souks selling colourful wares, hawkers yelling and the heat enveloping us like a blanket. Later, it’s in the remote hamlet of Mallah, a surfing haven, where the beautiful meets ugly and eventually everything unravels.

Clarke’s personal experience with surfing adds to the magic. Her writing is immersive, atmospheric, evoking both the adrenaline jolting and the serene, mind settling characteristics of this adventurous sport.

The surfing lexicon is woven in just the right amounts to help us really feel the breaking of the waves, the misty, salty spray of the white water - as though we ourselves are the surfers experiencing the sheer head rush and excitement that surfing promises.

The storyline is crafted around The Surf House, bringing together the threads of its inception and a missing woman who stayed here a ago. The light, easy going, calming vibes of the narrative gradually begins to turn sinister, packing tension and building up intensity, as Bea’s findings and troubles cast an ominous shadow on everyone involved- her questions and discoveries deepening our suspicion and doubts.

The ending was a string of revelations that turn up totally out of the blue, as we gasp in shock, unable to believe how it all just unfolded. However, it was a relief to see Bea finding a way back to herself, truly connecting with who she is and and she wants to become.

Don’t miss this twisty, exotic destination thriller.

Another brilliant read from this very talented author.
Lucy Clarke writes in 3D, you can feel the intense Moroccan heat on your shoulders, sense the swell of the surf on your body and smell the exotic smells. You’re immediately invested from the first page you just don’t want to stop reading. The book centres on Bea and the cast of bohemian characters she meets at the Surf House but as the story unravels it gets twistier and twister until your head is in a spin. A true unputdownable read.

It is always very exciting to receive a copy of the latest Lucy Clarke novel. I know that I'm going to be transported to a fascinating location with a strong set of characters and a mystery. Even better in a grey February to have a story filled with sun.

So, I set time aside, gave the dogs some chews so that they didn't disturb me and started to read...

This novel is set in Morocco, and as is usual with Lucy Clarke's novels is strongly plotted, it moves at pace with twists and evocative descriptions. The characters are credible, I felt a sense of unease as the story progressed and it was hard to put down.

The sport of surfing is something that Lucy knows well, this is shown in the language used which made the story even more believable.

Bea, a model, is currently on a photo shoot in Marrakech, but is becoming more and more despondent about her life and career, so she decides to quit halfway through the shoot and wanders off into the night, unfortunately she takes a wrong turn and gets lost, she finds herself in a situation which Marnie rescues her from and takes her back to her home at The Surf House in Mallah, where Bea agrees to help out in the guest house. She is loving her new life until an incident happens which makes her question everything about the people she was beginning to see as friends, can she really trust any of them, and what really happened to Savannah who disappeared from here without a trace a year earlier?

The Surf House is the latest thriller by Clarke and once again her descriptive writing takes us to a place filled with beauty, intrigue and a lot of secrets and she tells her stories in such a way that the reader is transported there alongside the characters making you feel like you are actually there living that life. This latest story is told mainly from the perspective of Bea with regular insights into Savannah’s time there too, leading up to the day she was last seen. It’s a fast paced read, which drew me in right from the start, as have all previous books I’ve read by this author, being a huge fan of her work I was looking forward to getting stuck into this one and it was all I imagined and more and, in the true style of this author, just when you think you have worked out what is happening, she throws in a few twists which sends you off in a different direction and then hits you with a suckerpunch of an ending. Lucy Clarke continues to be one of my go to authors and I can’t wait for her next book.

I’d like to thank HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and Netgalley for inviting me to read this, I will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.

This book was so good! The setting? Absolutely perfect. I love how Clarke picks a destination and then crafts a whole story around it—it’s like traveling through the pages. The Surf House was such a vibe; I could practically hear the waves crashing and feel the salty breeze.
The ending? One of those where you think you know what’s coming... but nope, not quite. The twists were gasp-worthy, not just for the shock factor but because they were clever. That’s what made this book so great—just the right balance of eerie suspense and unpredictability. It was such a thrill to visualize the cliffs, the endless ocean, and the hidden secrets lurking beneath the surface. Definitely one of those books that pulls you in and doesn’t let go!

This book had me completely hooked from the very first page. It’s a perfect mix of suspense, emotional turmoil, and deep mystery. The plot centers around a missing person, a group of people dealing with heavy emotional issues like depression, and a van that drives off into the unknown. The setting of the surf house by the beach adds a haunting, almost eerie vibe to the whole thing. But what really stands out is the underlying tension—the search for answers, the need for freedom, and the desperate desire for something more. The characters are complex, and every time you think you know where it’s going, something unexpected happens.

There were definitely parts of the mystery I saw coming, but that didn’t take away from the experience. Discussing it with my buddyreaders revealed just how much we missed or misinterpreted, which kept the story fresh. And while the ending doesn’t tie up everything neatly, it works really well. That open-ended feeling makes it feel real, like there’s more to come, and that’s something I usually don’t enjoy—but in this case, it was perfect. All in all, this is by far my favorite book from this author, and it’s one I’ll keep thinking about for a long time.

The Beach but on acid!
A girl heads to Morocco and find herself in some very unique situations = there is danger all around and nothing is at it seems. Lucy ramps up the tension all the time with her atmosphere and evident love of surfing. What is the surf house and what has this girl got herself into?

Thrilling adventure! Trust no one!

Lucy Clarke was inspired to write 'The Surf House' after falling in love with surfing in her thirties. Combining her passion with a wild surf filled destination in Morocco she had the setting for her ninth destination thriller.

'The Surf House' has a large cast of characters, many of them not particularly pleasant, which becomes more and more obvious throughout the novel. The main protagonist is Bea from whose perspective the story is mainly revealed. Bea finds herself in a difficult situation in Marrakech and a stranger Marnie steps in to help her. Marnie then offers her a place to stay whilst she recovers from the shock she has experienced. She soon discovers that whilst staying at the same place last year a young girl, Savannah had disappeared without trace. Being of a similar age and staying in the same room Bea takes it upon herself to investigate her disappearance. What a web of intrigue and corruption she finds herself mixed up in.

The wonderful descriptions of Morocco transport the reader to this magical sounding place as the tense storyline becomes evermore dramatic. A perfect choice for thriller fans and maybe surfers, certainly a great holiday read.

With thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins and the author for the opportunity to read and review.
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https://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-surf-house-by-lucy-clarke.html

We start with Bea who is working as a model in Morocco. She isn't very happy though, has a meltdown, and quits. She is then walking through the town when she is attacked and robbed. Saved by Marnie who then needs saving herself and one of the robbers gets stabbed to death.
Marnie takes Bea under her wing, which is good considering that Bea's bag was taken by the second robber, and with it, her passport. But on the way to her home, they are stopped by the police, which sparks off a bribery/extortion thing.
Marnie takes Bea to the guesthouse she runs, known as the Surf House, and offers Bea a room in exchange for a bit of work around the place. It is here that she meets the brother of Savannah, a woman who vanished after leaving the Surf House a year ago...
Normally I like this author's books but I just didn't get with the plot in this one. I found elements to be a bit far fetched and others not to make complete sense. I struggled with some of the characters' motivations and also Bea's naivety. I really didn't like Bea much at all, truth be told. I also was a little non-plussed by the eventual ending when it came.
On the flip side, the setting was magnificent and really made me feel like I was there, so vividly it was described. It also got on with itself very well indeed, which I guess is why I never thought to sack it in despite all my eye-rolling misgivings!
All in all, it's probably a me thing rather than the book's fault. I guess it just wasn't the book for me. That said, with the author's previous track record, I'm still going to be looking out for her next offering.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I will always want to read a Lucy Clarke novel. She is the Queen of the destination thriller. Her new novel The Surf House is set in Morocco, full of sun-kissed, sandy beaches and white frothy waves. The perfect backdrop for a thriller.

This is an addicting read, full of tension and intrigue that kept me turning the pages. I loved the twists and reveals, some I guessed but plenty I didn't see coming. This would make an excellent poolside read and has left me longing for the warmth of Summer.

Thank you to Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for the opportunity to read The Surf House and providing me with an ARC.

2.5 stars
Despite Lucy Clarke being a hit or miss author for me, whenever she has a new release, I want to read it. Unfortunately this book was one of the misses.
Lets start with what I did like:
I did enjoy the setting of Morocco and it did play a big part of the story so I appreciated that.
This has short chapters, which gets a big thumbs up for me.
I also thought the pacing was good, and despite this being over 400 pages long, it didn't feel overlong.
Now onto the problems I had with it.
The main issue I had was connecting with the FMC Bea. I felt like we never knew who she was, as there was no backstory. It felt like we were just dropped into her life with no explanation as to how she got where she was.
All of the characters lacked depth and and I never once cared about them or the plot.
The mystery in this book also never sparked my interest.
There is also an element of a romantic subplot and I hated that. I never felt the connection between the characters and I have to admit it had me rolling my eyes.
None of the reveals were a surprise to me and it was obvious from the start what was going to happen.
The whole book just felt really flat and dull with a load of unlikeable boring characters.
I'm sorry to say but this ended up being a big disappointment.

Bea, a successful young fashion model, is told she is living the dream, but her reality is different, and one day, she walks out of her 'glamorous ' life. Modelling in Morocco, she wanders the streets of Marrakesh and gets into danger. She escapes with Marnie's help and willingly accepts the offer to stay at The Surf House. It's an evocative read that immerses readers in Morocco's sights, smells and sounds. Similarly, the surfing experience is full of sensory magic, even if you haven't experienced it first-hand. The idyllic Surf house location starts to show its sinister side when Bea discovers a mystery to solve, and dark echoes of what happened in Marrakesh threaten Bea. Menace simmers in the background, becoming more apparent with each plot twist. Bea's relative innocence and susceptibility are necessary, but given her upbringing and the lack of self-esteem she possesses, this is believable. I like this destination thriller's vibrant setting, menacing ethos, and complex characters.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Lucy Clark's novels will literally take you around the world--in this latest book, the novel is based in a seaside town called Mallah in Morocco.

Bea is a model who is on an assignment in Morocco. However, she realizes that she was fed up being a model and decides to leave. While walking on the alleyway, she was confronted by two men who tried to steal from her. A woman saves her and while there is struggle, a man steals Bea's backpack and runs away while Bea kills a man accidentally. The woman, who introduces herself as Marnie urges Bea to run with her and takes her to a place named Surf House where Marnie runs with her boyfriend Ped. Bea starts working in the Surf House while at the same time she has to bribe a local to stop telling the police about what happened in the alleyway. Then Bea realizes that a year ago, an American girl named Savannah seemingly disappeared without a trace and her brother Seth has come to find the truth about her disappearance.

This was an engaging thriller and quiet fast paced through. The descriptions of the places make you feel like you are actually in Morocco surfing. The way how Bea is looking for money to bribe off Momo was interesting and the fact that she is helping Seth to find answers to what happened to his sister is also interesting. The story divides between past and present where the past is about Savannah while the present deals with Bea. Towards the end, there was a huge twist that was completely unexpected.

Overall, I actually enjoyed reading this book and this book is one of Lucy Clark's best. Worth 4.5 stars.

After a photo shoot, Bea finds herself in trouble in a bustling Marrakesh market. When Marnie comes to her rescue, it’s not just a momentary act of protection - she whisks Bea away to her Surf House, offering her a place to regroup and decide her next move.

But beneath the sun-drenched paradise lies something far more sinister. Bea soon learns that the woman who stayed in her room before her disappeared a year ago. Someone knows what happened, but no one is talking. With secrets lurking beneath the surface, who can she really trust?

I really enjoyed this - though I’ll admit, it took me a little while to get into. The extensive talk of surfing didn’t initially grab me, but once I was hooked, I was well and truly hooked! What started as a slow burn quickly escalated into a breakneck thriller, packed with twists that felt organic rather than gimmicky. More than once, I thought Holy hell, I did NOT see that coming!

I liked Bea as a character, and the portrayal of solo travel felt authentic. My perception of many characters shifted throughout, keeping me on high alert as my suspicions constantly evolved.

Clarke’s writing is fantastic, bringing the fictional town of Mallah to life with vivid descriptions. You can almost feel the sun, smell the sea air, and hear the waves crashing - it would make for a visually stunning movie.

Ultimately, this is a gripping destination thriller. While it took me a little time to fully settle into the story, once I did, there was no stopping me - I devoured the latter half in a single day!

A huge thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book for review consideration. 

All opinions are my own.

The Surf House 🌊 🏄 ☀️

I was able to read The Surf House ahead of its publication date, thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins. I have read a few Lucy Clarke books and enjoyed them all. The Surf House did not disappoint! A destination thriller at its best with a mystery to uncover. Gripping, twisty and utterly immersive - I loved it!

I was immediately hooked by the storyline. Short chapters, most of them with cliff hangers at the end, make you want to keep reading. The story absolutely kept me on my toes, there was plenty going on and it was a good pace to keep me engaged all the way through. The writing is accessible and easy to follow; I love a destination thriller and this was beautifully described. A good blend of storyline, character development and scene setting.

Without giving away any spoilers I can say there are plenty of twists and turns in this story and I could simply not put it down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫

I highly recommend The Surf House!

You can never go wrong with a Lucy Clarke thriller.
This one was brilliant as it rattled along at speed with secrets galore wrapped up in a setting of sun and sea.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I loved this! A gripping, unpredictable destination thriller. I couldn’t put it down. It’s so addictive. I was drawn right into the story from the very first pages.

About the book:
High on the cliffs of Morocco, far from the city lights and the souks, stands The Surf House: A sanctuary for travellers chasing sunshine and waves.
But the idyll hides a dark mystery.
And when Bea washes in, seeking refuge after a dangerous encounter in Marrakesh, she soon gets caught up in the current.
A woman her age - who stayed in the same area, walked the same beaches, met the same guests - disappeared one year earlier, vanishing without trace.
Somewhere inside The Surf House lies the truth - but there’ll be a price for uncovering it.

A beautiful setting and descriptively written. You feel like you are there, the sights and sounds radiate right off the pages, leaving you feeling all the emotions. It’s tense with a sense of mistrust and unease throughout. Nothing is as it seems. With interesting and complex characters with their own secrets all adds to the depth of the rollercoaster of a story. It’s written in short chapters and mainly from the POV of Bea, with past glimpses from Savannah’s POV. Bea is a likeable character, intriguing and sympathetic. Some of the characters are more likeable than others.
I love the authors writing style. It’s evocative and atmospheric. The twists just kept coming and I was guessing right up until the end. Just brilliant. I can’t wait to see what @lucyclarke_author writes next.
Overall, a suspenseful mystery which is entertaining and enjoyable to read. Definitely recommend if you enjoy this genre. It’s well worth a read.
With thanks to #NetGallery #HarperCollinsUk @harperfiction for an arc of #TheSurfHouse in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 27 February 2025.

Sun, surf... and secrets that draw you in.

Welcome to The Surf House, where the lure of Morocco's sun-soaked beaches hides dangerous secrets.

Bea, having quit her modelling career, is looking for a fresh start, but after a terrifying attack in the winding backstreets of Marrakesh, she’s saved by a woman named Marnie. In turn, Bea helps Marnie when their attackers turn on her. But now, with her passport stolen and the corrupt local police demanding bribes to keep quiet about the incident in Marrakesh, Bea is trapped.

Marnie offers Bea sanctuary at The Surf House, but after initially finding a calm hideaway, Bea discovers it holds its own dark history. A young woman named Savannah, a previous guest at The Surf House, vanished from the area a year earlier, leaving behind unanswered questions. When Savannah’s brother arrives looking for answers, Bea gets caught up in the search, uncovering secrets that make her question everyone around her.

I was suspicious of every character and never stopped guessing—but I still didn’t see that ending coming! The twists kept me hooked from start to finish.

Having previously devoured The Hike and The Castaways, I had high hopes for The Surf House, and it didn’t disappoint. If you like thrillers full of surprises and rich settings, this is one to add to your list.