📖 BOOk REVIEW 📖

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#TheSurfHouse by @lucyclarke_author @harpercollinsuk

➡️synopsis

You know your always in a for a thrilling ride with a LC book and this one was a dream of a read... Locations ✔️ relatable, interesting bunch of characters ✔️ a plot with depth, mystery and thrills ✔️ and a bit of everything else in between✔️✔️✔️

I must say I liked the change in M O here from recent LC books; I enjoyed Bea being a single main character and thought she carried the narrative well. It was an additive, fulfilling and does what it says on the tin kinda read. Absolutely no complaints here!

With thanks to author #lucyclarke #harpercollinsuk and @netgalley for allowing us to read this one early!

Publishing: Feb 27th

-EMILY

@the_book_girls_1

The Surf House sits high on a cliff top in a place Mallah in Morocco. Bea steps away from her life as a model as who wants more from life. She meets up with Marnie after being caught up in an incident. Marnie invites her to come and stay at The Surf House. Bea soon learns of a mysterious occurrence about a year ago and she is intrigued to discover more. The story is told in multiple points of view and over dual time frames. The story is fast paced, anil biting in places and all the sub plots come together to an explosive ending.

3.5 stars rounded up

High on the wave-pounded cliffs, far from the bustling souks of Marrakech, sits the Surf House. A hidden gem on Morrocco's shores, the house is a sanctuary for the surfers, travellers, and dreamers to wash in. But the idyll id built on something rotten. And when Bea arrives, relieved to find refuge after a dangerous encounter in a Marrekech alleyway, she soon gets caught up in the swell of a deep, dark mystery.

This is a fast-paced, well-written book and twisted read. I loved the setting for this story. L liked Bea who had run away from her life as a model. The characters are well-developed. The apprehension grew with each new chapter. It did take me a little while to get into the book, but once I was in, I was hooked.

Published 27th February 2027

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #HarperFiction for my ARC of #TheSurfHouse in exchange for an honest review.

This thriller follows model Bea as she finds refuge in a small surfing community on the Moroccan coast, after a dangerous encounter on the streets of Marrakesh. However, all is not as it seems and Bea soon learns that a young woman went missing from this very community, 1 year ago.

As a big fan of Lucy Clarke’s books, I was excited to read this!

💚 Likes 💚
- This book was incredibly gripping, I couldn’t put it down and I flew through it in pretty much 2 sittings!
- It has all the twists and turns you expect from a good thriller, as well as the easy reading writing style I’ve come to know and love in Lucy Clarke’s books.
- I liked the cast of characters, I thought they worked well within the plot.
- The plot was really interesting. I was so invested in guessing what was going to happen.
- It wasn’t too predictable!

💔 Dislikes 💔
- Felt a tiny bit far fetched at times.

Overall I had a great time reading this book! If you’re a fan of Lucy Clarke’s books, or just thrillers in general, I’d highly recommend picking this up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Another twisty thriller from Lucy Clarke. This time set in Morocco and a hostel for surfers where a brother is Searching for his missing sister, last seen at the surf house the year before.
A gripping read.

I found parts of this book a bit slow, but the rest more than made up for it. I had suspicions about certain characters and some were completely right. From the first time it mentioned a missing girl I made the assumption that she would turn up dead, but I won't say if I was right about that part. The ending showed I was wrong about other characters. A good read

While working in Marrakesh Bea is involved in a dangerous encounter. It is then that she meets Marnie, who offers her sanctuary at The Surf House, a retreat for surfers and travellers. Bea soon finds that the house is shrouded in mystery, discovering another woman disappeared a year ago after staying there. Will Bea get to the bottom of the mystery?

I was attracted to the synopsis and the bright, inviting cover. I also enjoy Lucy Clarke’s books so I knew I needed to read this and I am so pleased that I did! This has gone straight to the top spot of my book of the year so far. The author has proven before she is brilliant at destination thrillers and this is no different, I would say the author is at top form and this is the best she has written. I really loved the Moroccan setting and felt as if I was there. The descriptions were beautiful and created a real escapism while reading.

The characters were all strongly depicted, I especially liked Bea as a main character (and I can’t forget Salty either!). I was fully engrossed, feeling a connection to the story and desperately wanting to see what would happen. The author manages to keep up the tension, emotion and suspense, while expertly planting reveals as the story twists and turns. There was also a bit of romance, that I don’t always love in a thriller but I enjoyed it here. This is an ideal holiday read and has given me a holiday whilst sitting at home. I will certainly be recommending this and look forward to the next by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another brilliant read from Lucy Clarke. A beautiful setting, a cast of relatable characters, this book kept me guessing right till the end - and a real twist it was.

Thank you NetGalley for my advance copy of this book. I am a big fan of Lucy Clarke (I have read all her books) so I was delighted to be given an advance copy of this book.

I was unsure about the book at first as I felt it was missing the mystery of previous books by the author but around 20% in I was then hooked. Really enjoyed the suspense of the story and I raced through this book as I was desperate to find out how it ended. Even though this is not my favourite by this author it was a solid 3.5 star read for me and I would recommend it.

This one started off with a bang then slowed down then picked up at the end with twist after twist a good read that I would recommend

I really enjoyed this book and I was completely pulled in to the Bea's life.
Bea was a sucessful model but one day she had enough and walked away from it all, getting together her belongings she left the set but from that moment everything went wrong.
Having been attacked my some men in an alleyway and rescued by a passer by, Marnie, Bea found a new friend in her rescuer and went with her back to her guest house where she started to enjoy life again, helping out with the guests at The Surh House. That is until she got involved in trying to locate a missing girl....
Great twists in this book and an unexpected surprise turn of events.
Well worth reading.

Thank you to Lucy Clarke, Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

4.5⭐️

Really enjoyed this one from Lucy Clarke.
I loved the mystery running through it whilst also just having a chilled beach vibe. The wrap up at the end was great and although it makes sense, I didn’t expect it to go that way.

I think Castaways is still my favourite from the author, but this is a solid offering!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Surf House is an accomplished destination thriller that served its purpose as a good read, even if it didn’t set my world alight.

Set in the fictional coastal town of Mallah in Morocco, The Surf House is home to Ped and Marnie, expats and surfers who have set up shop, building a chic retreat for surfers.

When model Bea abandons a fashion shoot in Marrakesh, tiring of life as a model and craving a more fulfilling experience, she meets Marnie. The two women connect in dramatic circumstances and Bea takes up Marnie’s offer of a room at The Surf House. Things aren’t straightforward however, as just a year prior, a young American woman Savannah disappeared while staying there.

As with all of Lucy Clarke’s books, the writing is good, the story is well-plotted and the coastal scene-setting/sense of place is strong. The characters are perhaps not quite fleshed out enough, described more on their appearance than anything else, which leaves the story feeling a bit hollow at times. The similarities between Bea and Savannah meant that the timelines felt as though they were merging - perhaps me rather than the book in this instance?

Nonetheless, The Surf House kept me turning pages and it’s perfect poolside reading. It’s well written and not so completely over the top as to be unrealistic. 3.5/5⭐️

*Many thanks to the publisher Harper Collins and @netgalley for the arc. The Surf House will be published on 27 February 2025.

The Surf House is a truly excellent read, completely compelling and totally unputdownable.

Bea is escaping her life in the model industry and flees to Marrakech. However a nasty experience in an alleyway sets he on a path she would never have imagined walking. However, her saviour and new friend Marnie is there to rescue the day and soon takes Bea under her wing at The Surf House. It's not all plain sailing (or surfing) and Bea must deal with the consequences of her actions in the alleyway. Then another guest asks her to look into the disappearance of his sister, who had stayed at The Surf House a year before.

As Bea searches for the truth, she uncovers a whole lot more than she bargained for, and really questions who she can trust.

I absolutely devoured The Surf House; it draws you in to its claustrophobic web of lies and secrets, and the ending is a spectacular twist 10/10.

4 stars - Destination thriller.

Bea walks out of a modelling gig in Morocco and gets turnaround in a market when two men accost her and steal her rucksack with her passport in. When one of the men makes further advances she is saved when Marnie comes to her rescue but ends up killing the man so seeks refuge with Marnie at her surf house. Whilst there she discovers a guest who stayed in her room disappeared a year earlier.

I really enjoyed the surf house. If you haven't read any of the authors works, she is known for a stunning setting and a slow burn mystery and this one keeps to that pace. In sun drenched Morocco / Marrakesh we follow Bea as she tries to move on from the harrowing incident at the market as she discovers her new love of surfing, new friends and a possible new love interest. Intertwined with blackmail, a mystery disappearance and Marnie's cold partner it was full of twists and turns that I found hard to put down.

During the book we switch POVs to the missing girl Savannah, and I was hooked throughout her chapters trying to figure out where she was. I did guess at one twist but the other I was left shocked at.

A great summer thriller or for those like me wanting to escape to a sun drenched vacation in the midst of winter. Would highly recommend the authors other works, especially the Castaways which remains my favourite.

You know that Lucy Clarke is going to deliver on a cracking thriller and The Surf House, her new book is a 10/10 high-octane adrenaline hit. The action kicks off from the very beginning and basically never stops. Known for her destination thrillers, The Surf House is set in Morocco, mainly in a small coastal village, Mallah. Yes, it has excellent waves.

Lead character, Bea is a disillusioned model. On a shoot in Morocco, she has had enough and leaves – this proves to be her first mistake as things go drastically wrong for her after that point.

Attacked and robbed, she has nothing but the kindness of Marnie, a woman who saw Bea being attacked and stepped in to help. With her partner, Ped, Marnie owns the Surf House, a surfers paradise and lets Bea stay with them while she gets back on her feet.

Fellow surfer, Aiden owns a beach house next door to Marnie and Ped and while they claim to be great friends, Bea can see there is a strain. There is also a spark, so she find herself spending a lot of time with Aiden.

As the days pass, Bea is not only worried about what happened in Morocco coming back to haunt her, but Seth, an American on the hunt for his sister arrives. Savannah disappeared a year ago and was last seen in the Surf House.

It’s clear that people knew Savannah and that lots of them are hiding something. Seth enlists the help of Bea to try and find out what happened and Bea is soon caught up in the collision of two worlds and the messy web of other people’s secrets.

I devoured The Surf House – the pace and action just didn’t let up, there was always another slight twist thrown into the mix to make you gasp. The true indicator of a great thriller – it was very satisfying how all the plot strands came together at the end.

Despite reading it at this chillier time of year, this felt like such a summer beach read (yes, possibly due to its many surfing and beach refs), so it’s one to add to your list.

Bea is a model but after walking out on a photoshoot but she has no idea who is following her and the trouble she will end up in. She finds sanctuary at The Surf House but is she as safe as she thinks she is and what happened to the last girl that stayed in her room.

Brilliant ! Loved every minute of this book. This book has so many twists and kept me guessing. Lucy really captures the settings in her stories and her writing completely sucked me into this world. I could not put this book down and read it in a day !

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins and Lucy Clarke for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Gripping, exotic, enthralling, superb! The location is perfect, the characters are fascinating and the surprises keep coming. I loved it!

Lucy Clarke is fast becoming an auto read author for me.

I really enjoyed The Surf House. It's perfectly clear that Clarke has a love of Morocco and surfing. As her passion for both comes across in abundance through the narrative. She encapsulates the Moroccan way of life, and immerses us the reader into the setting. She uses all our senses to bring the setting to life.

Bea, is the main female character in this story. And it is through her point of view that we get the majority of the tale. She has given up her life of modelling, and, in doing so has landed herself in a spot of bother. That's a slight under exaggeration of what happens. But, I don't want to spoil the story now do I?

Anyway, in walks in Marnie to save the day, sort of. She takes Bea under her wing and brings her to The Surf House. Here we meet a set of characters that believe me I did not trust as far as you could throw them. I had my beady eye on all of them.

There is a dark, mysterious undertone flowing through the story. We learn through a new point of view of Savannah, told in the past narrative. That something happened to her. But, what? Bea is the one to discover this.

The surfing in this story reminded me of Point Break. That is a film I absolutely love. The Patrick Swayze version of course. Clarke brings across the love and emotional connection that surfers have with the waves and the feeling of power and freedom when they are out searching for that perfect wave.

The Surf House is a great mystery edged with a dark undertone. With a cast of characters that I found very dodgy, but intriguing.

I chose to read a free eARC of The Surf House but that has in no way influenced my review.

A new book from Lucy Clarke is always a very exciting thing. I have loved everything Clarke has written in the last few years, starting with The Castaways back in 2021. One of the Girls featured on my Top Ten books of the year in 2022, and I have devoured every new book with unabashed glee since. Lucy Clarke is the author who first got me into the destination thriller. I am now completely obsessed with psychological thrillers set in hot, sunnier climes. In The Surf House we're whisked away to the crowded, bustling markets of Marrakesh where twenty-three year old model, Bea, has had just about enough of being told what to do, what to wear and how to look. Deciding enough is definitely enough, she flees the photo shoot and ends up hungry and thirsty in the Medina. Exhausted by the day, she doesn't concentrate enough on where she is going, suddenly realising that she has strayed from Marrakesh's hustle and bustle. When two men appear, trapping her in an alleyway, Bea knows that she is in danger. What do the men want? And what will they do to ensure they get it...?

The Surf House is another cracking read from the queen of destination thrillers. I've only really covered the first couple of chapters in the paragraph above. There's so much more to this book which I haven't yet mentioned. The titular surf house for example. Bea thankfully survives the attack in Marrakesh and befriends motherly Marnie, who takes her under her wing and gives her room and board free of charge at the Surf House. In exchange, Bea is expected to help out around the place; making breakfast, cleaning the rooms. It feel like the perfect arrangement and the break Bea needs. But then Seth arrives. Seth's sister, Savannah, stayed at the Surf House when it first opened and shortly after leaving, went missing. She hasn't been seen since and Seth is keen to find his sibling and ensure she's safe. When questioned about Savannah, Marnie and her partner, Ped, are tight-lipped. Bea feels indebted to Marnie for giving her a roof over her head and feeding her. But something just doesn't feel right. Bea is torn between helping Seth, and staying loyal to Marnie. Because Marnie knows Bea's biggest, most destructive secret. And without Marnie's protection, Bea's life could be over in second...

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Surf House is a twisty, compelling read with a host of well-written, yet highly unlikable, characters. They're all very suspicious. I think I doubted every single one of the cast, including Bea, at some point or another! I did gradually warm to Bea but she is only character in the book I wanted to get through unscathed! There are secrets and lies a-plenty, and I was wholeheartedly there for it. No one tells the truth, everyone is hiding something. Now, regular readers of the blog will know that I'm not really a fan of romance in my crime/thriller novels. I can stomach small amounts occasionally. Very occasionally. Bea falls quite hard for Aiden, who runs the hostel next door to the Surf House. Aiden won't commit though, which results in a bit of a 'will they/won't they' throughout the storyline, with the odd hook up here and there. It WAS needed to help the storyline move along, it was key to the plot, but I did feel it pushed the book a touch further into the Women's Fiction genre than Clarke's earlier thrillers. Of course, this is my own personal interpretation of the book and you may feel completely differently. I very much enjoyed The Surf House. It's full of surprises, the characters are well-written, the plot moves at a compelling, engaging pace and I felt truly satisfied by the conclusion. It's a great book by a great author and I cannot wait to see what Clarke has for us next! Twisty, engaging, full of intrigue and lots of lovely suspense. Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Surf House. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

[Review will be published on 4th March 2025]