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.

Lucy Clarke is quickly becoming one of my go to authors when I am looking for a reliable read and this one proved to be the case. The Surf House is a gripping thriller set against the coastline of Morocco and in the world of surfing and dark secrets that threaten to become exposed.

Bea is a young traveller seeking refuge at The Surf House after a frightening encounter in a Marrakech alleyway. The remote retreat stands high on Morocco’s cliffs and a perfect sanctuary for surfers. A year ago, another young woman disappeared from the very same place, and the mystery was never resolved. Bea becomes consumed by the mystery and delves into the unsolved disappearance and starts asking questions.

A fast paced mystery full of strong characters that had me guessing throughout. I enjoyed the setting of the Moroccan coastline which I have fond memories of my time there along with the tension and intrigue caused by the characters dark secrets. This is an atmospheric novel full of suspense.

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

Lucy Clarke writes great destination thrillers and 'The Surf House' is no exception. It is set in a small coastal village in Morocco.

Bea is in Marrakesh on a modelling shoot but decides to quit. After an incident in the streets of Marrakesh during which she meets Marnie, she follows her to the Surf House in a small village on the Moroccan coast where she finds rescue and learns to surf. Then the American Seth turns up to make enquiries about his sister Savannah who has vanished without a trace a year ago. From that point on things begin to unravel and secrets are being revealed.

This is a pageturning mystery with unforseen twists. A perfect book to read on the beach. The setting will definitely make you want to head off on a surfing holiday.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the ARC.

A woman who has just made the most life changing decision of her life finds herself in a dangerous situation that thrusts her in a completely new direction. New friends, good food, the beautiful blue ocean, a thrilling new skill, and yet there is something off about all of it. A missing woman. Whispered fights. The threat of blackmail from an event that haunts her every day and night. A man that takes her breath away but is tortured and self-destructive in everything he does. It's all leading somewhere, and she is terrified to find out where that is. It starts off with a feeling of hopefulness, despite the assault, with a new friend, a healthy outlook on food and health, and finding a new bliss. But that quickly changes with the blackmail and the mystery of the missing girl and the lies. I was honestly desperate to get to the end! My heart wishes it had ended differently, but it ended the way it must, and that was ok. Be prepared for sun, fun, a mysterious disappearance, an ominous undercurrent and a satisfying conclusion!

Bea is rescued from a dangerous situation whilst travelling by Marnie who provides her with a home and a job at the surf house.
Life there seems perfect but is threatened by blackmail and when Seth turns up looking for his sister Bea becomes involved in finding her. Will this threaten her new life or actually help her?

I really loved this book, the twists and turns throughout kept me turning the pages. You know what you are getting from a Lucy Clarke book, they are always well researched so you feel like you are in the place she is writing about.

This was the perfect book to banish the February gloom in the grey U.K. I felt like I was in a warm place reading it!

The Surf House was an exhilarating ride that I enjoyed.
Bea is a model and is in Morocco on a photo shoot, it’s hot and she’s just not feeling it like she used to. They aren’t happy with her look and all Bea wants to do is to cool down so that’s what she does much to the annoyances of the team and her manager, she then decides on the spot that modelling isn’t for her and quits. She checks into a hotel and decides to go and wander the streets of Morocco. Walking through a market she realises she’s being followed by two men, she carries on till it becomes a dead end where no one is. They take her bag and start to touch her but luckily a woman comes and fends them off waving a knife but they attack her and Bea does something she never thought she’d do and saves the woman. The woman, Marnie, invites her to stay at her cliff side hotel/b&b there things aren’t as they seem and she meets the brother of a girl who went missing a year ago and offers her money to find leads on his sister. Here things turn complicated as Bea doesn’t know who to trust.
This was a really absorbing read. I felt like I was there learning to surf as the writing was so descriptive. The characters were all well rounded and I liked the vast majority of them. The storyline was really good and had a good pace with plenty of twists and turns along the way.
I would like to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins, HarperFiction for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast paced story following Bea who is in Morocco on a modelling job when everything unravels!

I usually like her novels but this one just didn’t fully deliver for me. Slow burner. Too much surf info for my liking. It did have a good twist which made it worth reading and I would definitely read the next book. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

The Surf House is a gripping and twisty thriller that I gladly sacrificed sleep for, to a satisfying end.

Set in Morocco, Clarke creates a sense of atmosphere in the dust, the bustle, and communities of surfing explorers who inhabit the Surf House. The sense of warmth, salt and friendship hide sinister undertones that feel just beyond comprehension.

Bea was an intriguing and sympathetic main character, perfect for investigating the disappearance of Savannah. I found myself second guessing everyone’s motivations right to the end. Even though I thought I had things figured out, the twists kept coming. The tension builds masterfully, and I couldn’t put it down, heart racing until the big reveals. 4.5⭐️

Thank you HarperCollins UK for an early copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

After walking away from her miserable modelling career and being the victim of a mugging and assault, Bea finds herself seeking refuge with her new friend Marnie and a group of surfer ex pats on the beaches of Morocco.

When Seth appears looking for his sister Savannah, who disappeared a year ago, Bea is drawn into the mystery. At the same time, she is struggling to pay off a blackmailer and navigate the tensions between Marnie and Ped.

Did Savannah walk away freely? Will Bea be able to continue living in this beach paradise?

Another interesting thriller from Lucy Clarke.

📖 BOOk REVIEW 📖

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#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