Interesting story and I liked the flashbacks to Savannah’s timeline to learn more about her, the ending was clever but had too many twists. Otherwise was a quick enjoyable read.

3.5 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – The Surf House by Lucy Clarke

Set high on the sun-drenched cliffs of coastal Morocco, The Surf House is a slow-burn thriller that blends atmosphere, suspense, and emotional tension in a story about escape, identity, and secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Bea arrives at The Surf House seeking refuge after a dangerous encounter in Marrakesh. But she soon becomes entangled in a mystery: one year earlier, another young woman vanished from the very same beach. As Bea digs deeper, the supposedly idyllic haven of travellers, surfers, and sun-chasers begins to feel more like a trap than a sanctuary.

This is my fifth Lucy Clarke novel, and it's one of the strongest I’ve read from her. Like The Castaways, which I also really enjoyed, The Surf House leans into grittier themes and features a well-developed protagonist. The Moroccan setting is a standout — beautifully described, immersive, and vivid, though I do wish the local culture had played a more prominent role. At times, it felt like the story could’ve been set in any surf village.

The pacing starts strong before settling into a more atmospheric rhythm, with the final third delivering a satisfying payoff. While I figured out much of the plot around the 60% mark, Clarke still managed to surprise me with a few twists. The open-ended conclusion worked well — something I don’t always love, but it felt right here.

Bea’s naivety occasionally frustrated me, as it’s used to move the plot forward, and some character names and details (like “Ped” the Aussie?) left me scratching my head. Savannah, in particular, felt flat and predictably self-absorbed. Still, the overall cast was effectively suspicious — I doubted nearly everyone at some point, and that’s half the fun.

The Surf House isn’t the twistiest thriller on the shelf, but it’s compelling, well-paced, and drenched in sun-soaked tension. A solid beach read with darker undercurrents, and one I’d happily recommend to fans of atmospheric suspense.

Thank you to Lucy Clarke, Grove Atlantic, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.

3.5

I'm a bit torn about this thriller, hence the hedging so far as a rating is concerned.

The Surf House begins with Bea, a model, on a photoshoot in Morocco, finally deciding (mid-shoot) that she's had enough of being told what to do. But the next morning she wakes up not knowing exactly what she does want and as she wanders around Marrakesh she finds herself lost in the medina, being followed by two young men.

Thankfully she is rescued by Marnie, a woman who takes Bea in and gives her a job at The Surf House, the hostel she runs with her partner, Ped. At first Bea feels like this is where she should be but she soon learns that Savannah Hart, another young woman, had gone missing the year before. And as Bea learns more about the inhabitants of The Surf House, the more she wonders what has happened to Savannah and whether she is also in danger.

This is my first Lucy Clarke so I've nothing to compare it with. The Surf House clips along at a good rate, there's a bit too much love in the sand dunes for my liking (let's face it, that stuff gets everywhere) but if you can ignore the nascent romance it's a decent thriller that twists and turns without driving your brain cells potty trying to work out what is going on.

I guess because the thriller genre is not a true whodunnit then they're easier to work out but I was still a bit disappointed to get to the end without one last twist, since I'd worked out the plot around the halfway mark.

However, it is still worth a read. It would make a great summer beach read (again, mind the sand). It certainly kept my interest the majority of the time so I would recommend it as a light summer book.

Thankyou to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the advance review copy.

A bit of a slow burn. Definitely a Summer read. It took me a bit to get into the book. The beginning of the book was not an intro of what was to come

The atmospheric setting of Morocco is so well-written, you almost feel like you’re there. It was so vivid. The story itself was well-plotted, I enjoyed the mystery. There were times it felt repetitive and I did feel like it needed something (probably something to make me audibly gasp.) I also had a love/hate with Bea, she just seemed too naive.

While it didn’t blow my mind, it was still a solid beach thriller for Summer.

An atmospheric and compulsive destination mystery-thriller. I was immediately transported to the breathtaking Moroccan landscape. It was sexy and visceral. The Surf House had the perfect blend of intricately layered characters and a menacing plot that had me utterly absorbed.

The Surf House was about was a disillusioned model, Bea, who left her photo shoot after she had had enough. This was proof of one of her first mistakes when things in her life begin to spiral downwards. She quickly sought refuge high on the cliffs of Morocco, far from the city lights stood The Surf House-a sanctuary for travelers who wanted to chase sunshine and waves. A woman her age once walked the same beaches and vanished a year earlier and somewhere inside The Surf House lied the truth.

Although a slow burn mystery-thriller, I found the pacing appropriate for the Moroccan scene. Clarke illustrated the beautiful sun-drenched Moroccan backdrop ideally. And likewise, what should have been a warm and comforting refuge, The Surf House gradually took on eerie distortions as the story moved forward. The way Clarke described the tropical scenery and the unreliable characters within the scenes were fascinating.

Altogether I loved Lucy Clarke’s darkly seductive and compulsive tale. I recommend The Surf House to those that desire compelling atmospheric destination mystery-thrillers.

Thank you to Net Galley and Grove Atlantic for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Another great read of 2025!

The definition of a slow burn, this book does start out on the slow side, but the early descriptions of Mallah, the ocean, the sand. The Surf House are so detailed and amazing, I actually felt like I was there in Morocco, experiencing the beauty of it along with Bea. The book pick up about 33% in and does not stop after that! I finished the last 66% in one day, I could not put it down. Just when I thought I had thing figured out, nope, guess again. The ending was very satisfying and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. And what a beautiful cover! I will definitely be recommending this book!

Destination thrillers are one of my favorite genres, especially for summer reading. Lucy Clarke's THE SURF HOUSE, publishing in the US in June 2025, is the story of Bea, a young model on her own in Morocco who abruptly quits her job, then finds herself without any money, a passport or a place to stay. Then she meets Marnie, a local who owns a surf hostel and Bea spends weeks working for her in exchange for room and board until she can figure things out. But there is a darkness underneath the beauty of Mallah on the sea and Bea quickly finds herself embroiled in a murder mystery, blackmail, and more. Read this one in one day over MDW.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Grove Atlantic for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this well enough.

"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 travelers 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 in the current. "

It took a lesiurely pace for most of the book. Intrigued throughout. Lots of twists in the third act.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic Monthly Press for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Loved it!! I was hooked from the start. I knew something was going to happen to Bea while she was aimlessly walking through the medina. She checked out of her hotel without any plans on where to go or stay. She was lucky Marnie happened to be there. Seth shows up at The Surf House looking for his sister Savannah. She hasn't been seen or heard from in a year. Her last known location happened to be The Surf House. What happened to Savannah. I knew someone in Mallah had to be responsible for whatever happened to Savannah. Everyone seemed suspicious and many weren't too happy with Seth showing up and asking questions. So many secrets. It seemed like everyone Bea met in Mallah was hiding something and I couldn't wait until all the secrets were revealed. There were so many twists and turns. I really wanted Bea to just leave and take Salty with her. I was thinking that whatever happened to Savannah, Bea would be the next victim. I enjoyed the flashbacks about Savannah. Marnie and Ped had so many issues. Most of the main characters were not who I thought they were and it was quite the surprise. Loved the ending when the truth finally came out. I was definitely shocked about who was involved and who wasn't. I really want to know what Bea decides to do next.

Definitely recommend the book. It was a great mystery/thriller that kept me guessing until the end. Loved the characters, writing style and story. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Grove Atlantic through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Surf House - Lucy Clarke
Pub Date - 6/10/25
Rating - 3.5 rounded to 4
Thoughts - Thank you to Netgalley, Lucy Clarke, and Grove Atlantic for this gifted advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. Another great destination thriller by Lucy Clarke, this time set in Morocco. This book is one of those you can pick up and finish in 1-2 days and I would have done the same if not for my adult responsibilities. The story is centered around Bea, a model, who is in the middle of her shoot, when she realizes she doesn't want to model anymore. After a dangerous encounter outside her hotel, Bea is rescued by Marnie and brought to the Surf House, a small bed and breakfast in a small city catered to surfers. Bea learns of another young woman who was at this very location a year ago who vanished and couldn't be found. Bea slowly unravels the secrets deeply hidden in a place she thought was her sanctuary.

I really liked this book! I thought the killer was predictable, but the spin at the end was well done. The pacing, setting, and plot kept me interested, and while i wasn't shocked, I would definitely recommend this book to others!

Thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic Monthly Press for the ARC! I'm a fan of Lucy Clarke, and this book did not disappoint! I found the setting especially well-rendered, the dusty, dry landscape, the rolling waves of the sea. Lots of twists and turns along the way I did not expect!

The Surf House is a destination thriller that packs a punch! I loved the Moroccan setting. The writer is always so great at writing complex characters. The story moved quickly, and there was so much tension that I just wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen. This story had twists that shocked me. An absolute must read!

Thank you to Grove Atlantic for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Surf House
By Lucy Clarke

The Surf House is home to Ped and Marnie, expats and surfers who have set up
shop, building an Idyllic seaside hostel 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 under dramatic
circumstances, during a dangerous encounter and Bea takes up Marnie’s offer of a
room at The Surf House, where she can get back on her feet. As usual everything is
not quite as ideal as it seems, soon after arriving Bea discovers that a young
American woman Savannah disappeared while staying there a year ago. Bea does
all she can to find out what happened and where she went and gets caught up in
corruption and intrigue.
Set in Morocco, This story really brings you into the markets of Marrakech and on
the coast with the surfers. The atmospheric writing makes you feel as if you’ve just
returned from an adventure abroad.
A destination thriller filled with danger, mystery, blackmail, secrets, corruption and
missing travelers. there is a lot going on. The plot pacing is slow with multiple short
chapters, but there are lots of twists and turns so It gives you time to sort through
the evidence with a growing sense of unease. Just when you think you’ve got it all
worked out - you haven't!!
The story is mainly told from Bea’s perspective. With multiple flashbacks from
Savannah’s perspective. There was a large cast of so many different characters,
from all walks of life, some more likable than others. The characters are well-
crafted, each bringing their own intrigue and complexity, making it hard to know
who to trust.
If you like slow paced mystery/thrillers, multiple mysteries wrapped up in one
story all in the back drop of a gorgeous destination and travel setting then this is
absolutely for you.

This is the PERFECT thriller beach read of the summer!

Through a set of unusual circumstances, Bea finds herself cornered in a dark alleyway of Marrakech and relieved of her belongings, including her passport. Just as the situation is escalating, her avenging angel Marnie comes to the rescue brandishing a knife. In the scuffle, Bea stabs and kills one of the assailants so she and Marnie flee together. Marnie takes Bea to Surf House, the surf retreat that she owns with her boyfriend, Ped. Bea loves this place in Mallah, perched high on a cliff overlooking the waves that beckon the surfers every day. She spends her days doing what she loves most; baking flavorful cakes and serving the guests to help pay for her room and board.

But not all is as magical as it appears. Surprisingly, Bea finds herself forced to find bribe money to pay the local police officer. A new guest arrives who is looking for his sister, Savannah, who went missing a year ago. Surf House was the last place she was seen. Why does no one seem to know what happened to her? Marnie’s boyfriend, Ped, is moody most of the time and he makes it very clear that he doesn’t want Bea staying there. Underneath the tranquil life of Surf House there are secrets and deceptions just waiting to be discovered.

Lucy Clarke is an auto buy for me and she never disappoints. I love how her novels are so intricately plotted with lots of redirection and side stories to keep me captivated. But my favorite part of her novels is that she takes us to exotic places in the world and she captures the very essence of that locale so exquisitely. I always end her books with the feeling that I’ve taken a trip to a faraway place!

Thank you Netgalley, Grove Atlantic, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on June 10, 2025

Many thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic | Atlantic Monthly Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Lucy Clarke. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Bea is looking for an escape from her life as a model but ends up in a scary situation in Marrakech. She gets rescued by Marnie, who takes her to a small town where surfing rules and lets her stay at The Surf House. Bea learns that another young woman disappeared from the area and gets involved in trying to locate her. But everyone has secrets and life is not as idyllic as it seems.

This was such an atmospheric thriller with an intriguing cast of characters. There was such a laidback coastal vibe and I admired all the relationships that developed. It's so descriptive - I got hungry for all the wonderful sounding food! But don't get too relaxed at the beach, because this book is also a fast-paced, tense, and gripping mystery. I questioned so many of the characters and was shocked to find I was not even close to figuring things out. A perfect summer thriller!

The Surf House – Lucy Clarke
I’m a great fan of this author and I have been on tenterhooks waiting for her new book to hit the shelves.
Lucy Clarke is queen of the destination thriller so it was no surprise that the setting for The Surf House - Morocco and the tiny fishing village of Mallah - play as much of a role as the characters.
The inciting incident is as high-octane as you can get: protagonist Bea, a model who has grown tired of her choice of career, is attacked in an alleyway in Marrakech after walking out of a photoshoot, with fatal consequences.
Her saviour, a woman called Marnie, whisks her away to the safety of The Surf House, a hostel for travellers and surfers. Initially, Bea thinks she has found a little slice of heaven. But this is a thriller, not a feelgood story, and it soon becomes apparent that trouble lurks just beneath the seemingly tranquil surface.
A year ago, another young traveller, Savannah, disappeared without trace, and when her brother asks Bea to help him find out what happened, Bea is pulled into a tangled web of lies and deceit, unsure who she can trust.
I thought I had the bad guys sussed, but boy was I wrong. Clarke masterfully led me down one path while expertly paving the way for the final, shocking reveal.
It is another brilliant, escapist read from an author at the top of her game. Was it my favourite Lucy Clarke novel? No - I’m not sure anything can top The Castaways - but it was still an excellent thriller that will have you immersed in Bea’s story, right alongside her under the bright blue Moroccan skies, the crash of surf on the shore in your ears.

Bea feels lonely and unloved and after struggling in a photo shoot in Morocco she decides to quit modelling. She leaves the hotel and gets lost in the market and its surrounding streets until she realizes someone is following her and she in danger. The unexpected happens, a woman shows up and helps her but Bea commits a crime and will deeply pay for it. The story reeks of greed, lust, lies and misconceptions as for each truth that is revealed there are two or more lies behind it, lies that killed and broke people. Bea will have to mature rapidly to find her way in life and maybe have a chance with love.
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you to the publisher for a netgalley.

I am actually really struggling to rate this one.

Why I want to give it a 3:
- Length-- thrillers really do not need to be more than 350 pages. This one dragged a smidge.
- Too many red herrings-- I think most people can guess the OG problem person. So it felt like we went in circles with a couple characters.
- The development for Seth.

Why I want to give it 4:
- The plot on this one was really good. I enjoyed the mystery of Savannah's location.
- The flashbacks were just enough. Not too many. Not too little.
- Bea was the character with the most development and she was very likable.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book. It really was a good mystery/suspense novel!

This is an ARC from NetGalley. The author does a fantastic job of taking the reader to these exotic locations. You definitely feel the surf, traveler, hostel culture. The murder mystery aspect of the story was much more standard and predictable. There were a lot of characters introduced, but very little development of their story or the plot as a whole. Instead, it was all an attempt at a misdirect from the obvious answer. Enjoyable ready for the atmosphere, standard read for the storyline. #netgalley #thesurfhouse #mystery #vanlife #surfandsand