Member Reviews

My favourite of Lucy Clarke's books so far. I've enjoyed her previous outings up until the endings, where the pay off felt ike a let down - a disappointment, or too far fetched to fit in with the rest of the story. With The Surf House, I was captivated from start to finish, and enjoyed how everything was wrapped up. A good summer beach read? Definitely. However, if you're going away for a week, make sure you have a few other books as this one is easy to sail through (surf through?)

Was this review helpful?

Another great book by this author. I can always rely on a twisty gripping read and I was not disappointed!! Great for a holiday read!

Was this review helpful?

An enjoyable read, but slow moving until everything happens in the last 5 chapters!! Atmospheric though, as with all Lucy Clarke's books, I now want to visit the setting!

Was this review helpful?

Another enjoyable read by Lucy
Lucy always delivers with characters you love or dislike
She always keeps you on the edge of your seat with the twist and turns and I never work them out

Was this review helpful?

Bea is away in Marrakech, trying to escape the realities of her modelling career and relationship with her mum. When she experiences a terrifying incident in the middle of a souk, a stranger (Marnie) helps her, and from here Bea is sucked into a web of secrets and lies and ultimately the historical mystery of a woman who vanished in the same location a year earlier.

Lucy Clarke is superb at evoking a sense of a destination and enveloping you into it; you almost feel like you’re there watching it all happen. I loved the descriptions of the coastal surroundings, the sea, the accommodation and it made me want to revisit Morocco.

The plot was twisty, entertaining and gripping and I enjoyed this one more than The Hike so looking forward to what she writes next. I actually finished The Surf House a couple of months ago and still find myself thinking about it!
Although I read this on Kindle, spotting it in the shops I am OBSESSED with the cover, it’s absolutely beautiful and I think the best so far published this year!

Was this review helpful?

I love Lucy Clarke and this book proves so once again. I love a destination thriller and the premise of the book, synopsis and title quickly caught my attention.

The setting and visualisation is brilliantly done. The book sets up the location and uses it really well. The characters are interesting and set up well. I like the air of mystery and thrill in the atmosphere that brings out the scare for the leads. An interesting thriller that I would definitely recommend.

Thank you HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

Was this review helpful?

I've loved Lucy's previous books and had high expectations for The Surf House. Destination thrillers are up there on my fave genres list and the exotic location of Morocco is the setting for Lucy's latest. The descriptions of the beaches and surrounding areas became clear in my mind and I could imagine the characters and location vividly.
The characters are an intriguing bunch, some more likeable than others, my favourites were Bea and Salty the dog! The plot is where The Surf House really shines for me. It's a brilliant combination of mystery and psychological thriller and kept me hooked from the first to the last page. I try not to let my imagination run too far when reading thrillers as I don't want to guess what is going to happen. Not a problem with The Surf House as I had no clue. The twists are fantastic and unexpected which is always what I'm after and I loved the ending for Bea.
I'd definitely recommend this for an exciting holiday read.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you Netgalley, Harper Collins UK ( Harper Collins Fiction ) for the eArc of The Surf house.

Having read some of Lucy Clarke's Books in the past, I was really looking forward to reading this Arc. Set in Morocco, our MC, Bea ends up seeking refuse after a dangerous encounter in Marrakesh seeks refuge in this idyllic house on the cliff. People come and people go but Bea starts to uncover and piece together a mystery of a women who went missing. Is Bea in danger?

I really enjoy Lucy's writing style, both plot line and character building flows every well within her books. Where the book was set, in the beautiful country of Morocco was described beautifully. I. could literally feel the warm sun shining on my face and the salty air. Our MC, Bea, felt real and flawed, which is what I like about characters, they need to feel whole. Our other characters in this book are also well built.

The plot itself is slow paced at the beginning with one scene that is fast paced to draw you in. It also follows a nice built with some great twists which lead to the finale.

Sarah Slimani narrated this book which I also had the pleasure to listen to and loved her voice.

4 stars

Was this review helpful?

Great book and it was a fun read.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

It actually felt a little strange reading The Surf House in the cold and darker months of spring because Lucy Clarke is my go to sunlounger holiday read! Her books are just crying out for them to be read in the warm sunshine to compliment her “holiday vibe” genre and beautifully descriptive writing.
Bea is lost-both physically and in her own mind when she is rescued by Marnie in the city of Marrakesh and taken to The Surf House. There she falls in love with the lifestyle and landscape as well as the residents. But there are secrets hiding in the shadows and when Seth turns up searching for his missing sister, it sets off a chain reaction that Bea has no choice but to meet head on…
A slow burning journey of self discovery and belonging set within a stunning environment-you could practically feel the heat of the sun burning your skin. Highly recommended.

Was this review helpful?

Lucy Clarke is one of those authors whose back list I’m slowly making my way through as well as reaching for every new release she publishes. She writes an excellent destination thriller which is perfect for a dose of escapism.

Right from the off with this one there is an undercurrent of tension. Bea finds herself at The Surf House after being rescued from an altercation with two men in a busy city street. As she settles in to the little hotel, it appears that everyone is on edge and there are lots of furtive glances and half truths being spoken. A new guest arrives looking for his sister who also stayed at The Surf House before completely disappearing. Needing the money, Bea agrees to help him trace his sister’s steps.

Right from the off with this one there is an undercurrent of tension. No one seems trustworthy and Bea is definitely at risk of not knowing who to trust throughout. The prologue really played on my mind all the way through the book wondering how we were going to get there and honestly I had no idea how big the twist that was coming would be!

I’m looking forward to reading No Escape soon and if you haven’t read The Hike or One of the Girls then I can highly recommend both.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book, I liked the story, the characters and the setting.
The author just has a great way of making me feel I am travelling, not just reading. I actually booked some flights to Marrakech mid way through the book.
I kind of guessed how things would progress but it didn't ruin it at all.
Can't wait for her next book.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this book it was fun read. I found the thriller elements really good and I am excited to re read this on publication date.

Was this review helpful?

"𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒍𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇."

After being saved from a dangerous encounter in a Marrakesh alleyway by Marnie, Bea is relieved to find refuge in the Surf House owned by Marnie and her boyfriend Ped. But soon she finds herself in the middle of a deep, dark mystery because a year ago Savannah, another young woman went missing and the last place she was seen was The Surf House.

First off, the setting of the beautiful Morrocon coast is vividly described by the author. I felt I was literally transported to the idyllic haven enjoying life with other happy surfers.

The story is narrated mostly from Bea's perspective but we also get a few chapters from Savannah's PoV that give us a glimpse into the past. The narrative easily flows between the past and the present as the mystery gradually unfolds.

The characters are complex, each with their own secrets and agendas making it hard to know who to trust. I did come to like Bea and see her become her own person but there is no way I would have done some of the things she did. While I did figure out the main twist, there were others I did not see coming at all.

This was my first Lucy Clarke book and and I am looking forward to reading more of her destination thrillers. I recommend reading if you fancy a twisty, atmospheric thriller which makes for a perfect beach read. Also love the cover that fits the story perfectly.

Thank you @harpercollinsuk @harperfiction @lucyclarke_author and @netgalley for the digital ARC to read and review.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Surf House by Lucy Clarke in return for my honest review.
I’m a big fan of Lucy Clarkes books and this one did not disappoint, The Surf House is set on the Moroccan coast its so well written you can almost hear the waves and feel the heat a perfect summer read. There are some very interesting characters and plenty of twists to keep you entertained, I highly recommend reading you will not be disappointed.

Was this review helpful?

The Surf House sits on the cliffs of a small Morocco town, a beautiful paradise for those wanting to escape.

After a terrifying experience in the souks of Marrakesh, Bea seeks refuge at the guest house but she soon gets caught up in the mysterious disappearance Savannah, a former guest.

This was a fantastic destination thriller and perfect for those needing a bit of winter sun. I loved the exotic location and how the hedonistic atmosphere turned sinister, giving me The Beach vibes. This is my new favourite book by Clarke so would highly recommend, and how gorgeous is the cover!?

Was this review helpful?

I always look forward to Lucy Clarke's destination thrillers. The way she manages to transport us to different countries while incorporating a thriller element is always so clever.

The Surf House is in Marrakech, Morocco and was the last place a missing woman was seen a year ago. This is what Bea discovers when she ends up recovering there after a run in with an attacker and the missing woman's brother comes to town trying to find out more information. The more Bea finds out, the more she knows things aren't as they seem.

In typical Lucy Clarke fashion, this book will have you reeling at all the twists. It was another fantastic journey that is up there with one of her best written works.

Was this review helpful?

Lucy Clarke is one of those authors I’ll always pick up without question and The Surf House was another gripping, atmospheric read. Her ability to transport you to stunning locations is second to none - this time, she completely immerses you in the heat, danger and allure of Morocco’s surf scene.

The tension builds brilliantly, pulling you deeper into the mystery with every chapter. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, another twist was thrown in to keep me guessing. The setting, the suspense and the undercurrent of unease made this a real page turner.

I also have to give a special mention to Salty the dog - an unexpected highlight! If you’re after an escapist thriller with sun, secrets, and suspense in equal measure, this is one to add to your list.

Was this review helpful?

I know I can always rely on Lucy Clarke for a thriller that will grab my attention, and The Surf House is no exception!

I could almost feel the dry heat of Morocco, as I was drawn in to the story straight away.

The characters are a combination of people trying to put down roots in a remote location, and others just passing through, but they all seem to be hiding secrets of varying degrees. The main character, Bea, is no exception, and that's before she gets involved in tracking down another young woman who went missing from the area the year before.

Lots of possible explanations, dodgy dealings and suspicious characters make for a very entertaining read!

Thanks to the author, HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for the eARC of this book.

Was this review helpful?

3.5 stars but closer to 4 than 3.

This is my first book by the author and I loved the premise.
Set against the breathtaking beauty of Morocco, this is a suspenseful, sun-soaked although a bit predictable thriller that pulls you in from the very first page. Bea the protagonist, walks away from a job in Marrakesh, Morocco, and finds herself in immediate danger being attacked, robbed and almost killed. She lucky to have the services of a guardian angel Marnie who comes to her rescue. Marnie happens to be a co-owner of a cozy surf house where travelers come and go, chasing waves and adventure. Things turn darker an American backpacker, arrives searching for his sister, Savannah, who disappeared after staying at the surf house a year ago. Bea gets drawn deeper into the tangled relationships and buried secrets of those around her, she realizes she may have stumbled onto something far more dangerous than she ever imagined.

Lucy Clarke’s writing is very imaginative and descriptive, she paints some perfect pictures of the area and I could almost feel every moment in vivid detail. The characters felt real, with layers of intrigue that kept me hooked my only complaint was about the predictability although it did not hamper my enjoying the story.
For readers who love atmospheric thrillers with topsy-turvy twists, this one’s is a perfect read.
Enjoyable.

Was this review helpful?