I don’t really know how to feel about this book. The first part really dragged and I found myself not wanting to pick the book up. I did get better once it started focussing on the disappearance of Savannah but I’m not sure it’s enough for me to recommend this book as there are better thrillers out there.

What a tense book! I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.

This book was terrifying! It’s not a horror novel, it’s a thriller but it was genuinely so scary. The events that the main characters goes through early in the book that set off the next events are horrible. But the looming threat that comes as a result just keeps you feeling so on edge. I felt so tense and uncomfortable all the way through this book as the main character tries to navigate the situation she’s in.

The sense of the village was evoked so well. You could so clearly imagine the waves crashing, the buildings by the sea, the surfers out early in the morning. The setting felt so integral to the story. It influenced the characters strongly and it felt like this story wouldn’t have played out the way it did if they had been anywhere else.


This was a fascinating thriller that felt a bit different to a lot of others I’ve read. It was engrossing, stunning setting and really tense!

✨4 stars✨

This was a great twisty book that had me guessing until the very end! Just when I thought that I worked it out the author added another twist.

I only discovered this author at the tail end of last year but I have thoroughly enjoyed each of her books. Can’t wait to see what she comes out with next.

Completely addictive! Would definitely recommend!

I received an ARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for granting my request to read this e-ARC and provide my honest opinions.

I was so excited when I got approved for this book, but when I finished the book, I was kind of disappointed because I really wanted to love this one!

For one, this is a thriller/mystery novel; the introduction of the suspense material didn't kick in for a while. It was just about Bea in the beginning, which is good if you think about backstories and all of that.

Another thing that didn't work for me was that it took a while for me to really connect with the characters; the pacing also felt kind of off to me. And the ending was so unsatisfying.

It was a good novel, just not one I enjoyed. Yeah, there were some shockers, but in my opinion, they really didn't tie well with the story.

Thank you once again for the e-ARC.

The Surf House by Lucy Clarke
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication date: 27/02/2025
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I absolutely loved the idea of the story for this new Lucy Clarke story plus the cover is just stunning.
Bea, wrapped up in the protection of Marnie, following a nightmare in Marrakesh, arrives at The Surf House with the promises sea, surf and sanctuary until she can get back on her feet. But when Seth rolls into the village, in search of his sister who was staying there a year ago, a dark mystery starts to unravel. Is Bea really safe here?
This is a great story. The characters are relatable and Bea is incredibly likeable. I loved how much she developed as a person through the story. Splattered with detailed descriptions of the setting, which helped set the scene without taking away from the main story, it made me want to visit! Until I found about the dark past, maybe I’ll give it a miss!
Thank you to NetGalley, Lucy Clarke and Harper Collins UK for this ARC in return for an honest review.

I always enjoy a Lucy Clarke adventure thriller with her exotic locations, blue skies and blue seas, characters looking for an escape, and a mystery set around betrayals and revenge.

This one isn't my favourite by her, but still a very enjoyable read which kept me guessing. Strong characters, but I would have liked to know more about them.

Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. The first third of the book was very slow. I found it difficult to believe a professional model would be so naive as to wander into deserted back streets of Marrakesh alone. As I didn't particularly like Bea, the model, I started to lose interest. Although the end explains some of the inconsistencies, some were not. eg. how do you get $2000 in cash within 24 hours where there's no bank or cash machine and you have no passport? Basically a good story but the execution didn't work for me.

In addition to being a cracking thriller, this book is also a love letter to surfing - you can tell from the surfing descriptions that this is something the author loves.

When Bea finally reaches rock bottom and walks away from her modelling career she has no thought about what she is going to do next and quickly finds herself trapped in a dead-end alley with two men who don’t just want her money. When her rescuer offers her a place to stay near a remote surfing beach, she jumps at the chance but then finds herself embroiled in looking for another young woman who has gone missing.

This was a great read. Every time I thought I knew where the plot was going it twisted away in another direction and I just couldn’t put it down.

WOW I absolutely adored this book!
Loved Bea’s character and how far she has come- great character development.
Lots of plot twists left me with my jaw dropping. I couldn’t put this down.
Absolutely loved it!
I kept thinking I knew what happened to Savannah but kept getting proved wrong and was left guessing right until the last minute.
Love the first person narrative for Bea, love the short chapters.
5/5!!
Can’t wait for the next.

Wow, I think I've found my book of the year and it's only January. I've loved every book I've read by Lucy Clarke and this was no exception. The Surf House may be her best yet.

As with all Lucy Clarke's destination thrillers there's a different location - this one is set initially in Marrakech, Morocco and then a surfing area where "The Surf House is based. they are always written so well you can see and feel like you are in the location

Bea is fed up with her modelling assignment and walks off set, not really knowing where she's going and ends up getting mugged in an alleyway. Luckily Marnie steps in to assist and together they manage to escape but not before killing her attacker who is then trying to strangle Marnie. Marnie offers her a place to stay while she gets herself back on her feet at the Surf house, where she helps out running the place to earn her keep and finds she loves the ideal setting. As usual everything is not quite as ideal as it seems when soon after arriving she finds there was a girl Savannah, similar to her own age, who disappeared a year ago. Bea does all she can to find out what happened and where she went and is caught up in corruption and intrigue.

A fabulous twisty book and just when you think you got it all worked out - you haven't!! Absolutely loved this book and my only disappointment was finding I was on the last page with no more left to read. A great destination thriller that takes you on the ride of a lifetime!!

A big thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and Netgalley for the advance copy. Its was a pleasure to read and review and review this exciting twisty page turner.

I was intrigued by the book's premise and the setting was so well described I felt as if I was there. Bea was a fantastic character and I liked her straight away.
However at times the book was too 'surfy' and Los me with the descriptions of Bea, ped and aiden surfing. Could you include some kind of glossary.
I didn't feel much happened in the last 40% of the book and the pace slowed and I felt my interest waning, with the blackmailing plot line feeling too drawn out. Loved salty, he was my favourite character. Such a great name!

Whilst I felt as though there were some elements of the story line that were a little lacking, the overall premise is intriguing. Unfortunately I didn’t find this book as “gripping” as I would hope for this genre; hence the lower star rating. Lucy Clarke’s books always seem very enticing and interesting but in this instance, became a bit of a chore to read towards the end. The plot twists were well thought through but may have had some gaps in the earlier stages of the book. Nevertheless, fans of Lucy Clarke will enjoy her latest work.

I was instantly hooked right from the start! The story is set in beautiful Morocco, with a surfer and traveler feel. You become immersed in the setting with the author's fantastic writing.

There is a mugging scene in chapter 2, and as a woman, I really felt the fear Bea experienced. The narrative is mostly from Bea's perspective, but we get some glimpses into the past from Savannah's POV—Savannah was a guest at The Surf House a year ago who disappeared. The characters are interesting and complex, each with their own secrets, which adds so much depth to the story.

There are some parts of conversation in French at the beginning that I couldn't quite grasp since there weren't any translations provided. Thankfully, reading on my Kindle allowed me to use the translate function, but I can imagine it would be a bit tricky if I were reading a physical copy.

Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for this copy.

Bea meets stranger Marnie in Marrakech. After a dangerous encounter, Bea goes to stay with Marnie at The Surf House. However, a girl of similar age disappeared from The Surf House a year ago. Somewhere inside The Surf House lies the answer.

The setting was described so well in this book, I could imagine everything so vividly! If you like to sofa visit a place through reading, this book would be perfect for you.

I found this book took a much slower pace than other books of hers that I have read. However, it was written well as my heart was racing with stress while reading it. I was indifferent to all the characters and I really struggled to connect them.

There were some excellent twists towards the end of the book. You think you know what will happen but trust me, you won’t! 😂 There was something that happened at the end of the book which I thought was ridiculous after being hit with a load of amazing twists!

Overall, this was a mixed bag for me!

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my early access in exchange for a review. I’ve been reading and loving Lucy’s books since her debut so I was thrilled to be reading ☺️
As ever with her writing you know you’re going to be transported somewhere different to your current surroundings and this time was Morocco . I went there many years ago but I definitely got a more authentic feel from the books landscape than the hotel I stayed.
Her writing is evocative and atmospheric leaving you feeling like not only have you had a Great read but also a little trip of escapism .
This was a fantastic story with complex characters all with their own secrets to keep .
I inhaled this in a day which isn’t unusual for a gripping thriller. Suspense and tension keep you hooked and things turn out to be not what you expected and can you really trust those around you??
Unpredictable with twists and revelations this story has a bit of everything .
Really enjoyed this and highly recommend.

Having read Lucy Clarkes previous books I was very much looking forward to this one but was disappointed In it.

Firstly it started out well setting the scene in Morocco and when the attack happened I thought as a reader this was going to be one hell of a story but when Bea gets to the surf house the story for me fell flat. Not a great deal seemed to happen for some time and I became bored by the many descriptions of mallah,the sea,surfing,mountains,dirt tracks. Whilst you need to explain to the reader what a place looks and feels like I felt that was all I was getting.

The latter half/ ending was brilliant was lots of twists and turns which I thought were good and there were several key moments that I was surprised and shocked about.

Plus the author name was randomly on several pages which was annoying. If the middle part of the book had been as good as the beginning and end then I would of given 5 stars.

Thanks netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Absolutely love Lucy's novels and this one did not disappoint. Thought the premise of being set in a surfing community was very intriguing and in Morocco as well. Having never been to Morocco I felt I was there with Bea. Lucy really manages to pull you into her books so that you are totally immersed.
Felt Bea was a bit too trusting though having only just met Marnie. And would loved to have explored Marnies' background more as well as some of the other characters.. Maybe some novellas there?!
Can't wait for the next novel from Lucy another masterpiece here! Many thanks to the publishers for inviting me to read this and also to NetGalley.

Lucy is my go for psychological thrillers and for books set in wonderful and beautiful destinations. We go on these journeys with her. I get so excited when she brings a new book out and was very lucky to be approved this on Netgalley. Lucy’s books feeds my travel thirst. This time we go to Morocco.

Having been to Marrakech in 2018 and Agadir last year I need and want to see more. I have shared some photos of my travels there as this book took me back to one of my favourite countries.

This book was exciting, intense and will have your heart racing.

What should have been relaxed vibes in the sunshine at the beach with friends was a whole lot more.

The Surf House really drew me in. The setting, the pool, surfing, lazy days reading in the sunshine and that gorgeous food mentioned. The surf village was captured beautifully. I need to go to this place!

Wow this book was twisty, intense and left me not being able to sleep where I couldn’t switch off from the book. Thinking what was coming next, I needed more but work and sleep called me!

I liked Bea and really wanted the best for her. But god was she trusting and so brave. There is no way I would have done some of the things she did.

I had so many questions along the way and couldn’t work out what way it was going to go. Lucy wrote this brilliantly. I felt at times like I was in the room with Bea. My neck prickling at the sensation of someone watching! Felt so real!
My notes I wrote while reading guessing what happened were all wrong…haha!

This was another great book by Lucy and a must read. Out 27th February.

Thank you @harpercollinsuk @harperfiction and @netgalley for approving me to read this. Very grateful.

Welcome to The Surf House Where everyone’s escaping something…
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.

Bea arrives in Marrakesh, seeking refuge after a dangerous encounter, cue the Surf House, a surf area in Mallah. But she soon learns that a woman of her age also stayed in the area and disappeared a year earlier. Vanished. And the Surf House may hold the key to the mystery.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Moroccan setting in this one, having never been and the sun and surf. There were a bunch of intriguing characters and mysteries unfolding in this one and while I guessed a part of it, there were still plenty of surprises and I was completely engaged right to the end. Another tense and fabulous novel by the author.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the gifted review copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Surf House - Lucy Clarke

Another belter of a ride from Lucy - and yet again, set in some superb surroundings.

You really feel that you are living this twisty thriller with them, Lucy has an incredible talent for bringing these locations to life - out in the surf, in Morocco - completely immersive!

Twists, turns, death, intrigue - a perfect combination!

Certainly one to add to your TBR pile….here’s to the next one!