Another great novel by Lucy! This book starts off with a bang, no easing us into the storyline and then more and more happens (two concurrent issues happening) and then as the twists started coming towards the end of the book I just couldn't stop reading. When I did have to actually put the book down to do some work I kept thinking about what had just been revealed. Definitely did not predict any of the things that happened in this book, which is the sign of a great story. 4.5 stars

Lucy Clarke's "The Surf House" is a masterful blend of suspense and intrigue that immediately draws you into its world. Set against the beautiful backdrop of Morocco's coastline, Clarke's prose transports you from the bustling, claustrophobic alleys of Marrakech to the oceanside cliffs where The Surf House sits. Her ability to create such vivid settings has always been one of her strongest qualities as a writer, and this novel shows this talent at its finest. I loved the North African setting and the surf language and culture.

The story follows Bea, who finds herself seeking refuge at The Surf House after a terrifying encounter in Marrakech. What initially appears as an idyllic place quickly reveals itself as something far more complex when Bea discovers that another young woman disappeared from the same location just a year earlier. Clarke expertly builds tension that simulates the push and pull of the ocean itself. The character development is exceptional, with a diverse cast that feels authentic and multidimensional. Every character has secrets that may hold the key to the truth.

What raises the bar in this thriller is Clarke's skill at misdirection. Just when I thought I’d figured it out, she introduced another layer that made me question myself. As Bea delves further into the disappearance, the casual atmosphere of The Surf House transforms into something far more sinister. The pacing is so good. Just when you think things will calm down, BAM – another twist that changes the story's direction.

With the beach setting, this is a perfect summer read that will have you feeling the Moroccan sun on your skin even as chills run down your spine. I think this is my favorite of her works I’ve read.

I received a complementary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the author and the publisher.
This book started out a bit slow for me but I enjoyed reading about the foreign lands and surfing. Bea's story starts when she throws away everything she knows and decides to make a new start. Her new start ends up with her being attacked, robbed and almost raped. She's rescued by a woman names Marnie and they become friends. Marnie takes Bea in and introduces her to a life of surfing and the joy of living a beach life. But of course there are some weird things going on and some strange people in her new friend group. As Bea gets involved in helping to solve a missing person case she starts to find out things that probably would have been better for her to not to know. The second half of this book closer to the end is crazy twisty.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

Lucy Clarke writes the perfect thrillers to enjoy in the heat of the summer. Her writing is immersive, giving you a sense of being where her characters are, whether you are scaling the side of a mountain or riding on a boat in the bluest of oceans. In this case, she brings us to the shores of a Moroccan beach with Bea, who finds herself reliant on a small collective of surfers.

Bea, who has recently been robbed of her passport, feels indebted to Marnie, who saved her from her being sexually assaulted (the depiction of his incident does not get very far in case you are reluctant to engage because of that). And yet, as things begin to crop up about a missing girl named Savannah, Bea begins to question just who she can trust.

Lucy Clarke is incredibly clever, weaving a story of intrigue with plenty of twists, but none that feel as if they are going to give you whiplash because they are so wildly out of place. I love reading her thrillers, and I look forward to each new book she writes. "The Surf House" is no exception, and it makes for a perfect summer read.

I have loved all the Lucy Clarke books I’ve read so far, this one is my favorite. One of the best thrillers I’ve read in a long time. The author writes so beautifully, I felt like I was in Morocco. It was clear in my mind. She created such rich and interesting characters and the romance storyline was also compelling. I was sad to see this one end and highly recommend other thriller lovers check it out!

Loved that the setting for this book was abroad, so much description that you could imagine yourself there. A great thriller with believable characters and a story that keeps you guessing. Thanks for my ARC.

Lucy Clarke does it again!
The Surf House follows Bea as she quits her modeling job while in Morocco and while not in quite the best headspace, she winds up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Seemingly, her only option after what happens in that alleyway is to go with her savior, Marnie, back to her Surf House and hope for the best.
Mostly told from Bea's perspective, the tension runs deep! The setting was so idyllic and beautiful and it was such a balance to the anxiety of the situation Bea found herself in. After Bea finds out that a previous resident of The Surf House has gone missing about a year ago, all of the emotions escalate as she tries to navigate her own stressful situation. 
I loved the addition of short chapters from the other characters' POVs. I didn't want to trust anyone, even Bea felt unreliable at times, and I was suspicious of nearly everyone! The twists and turns were surprising and yet completely believable - I love that I couldn't nail it down while reading.
This was the perfect book to read beach side, even if our waves weren't surf-worthy! 
Thanks, Grove Atlantic, for the eARC in exchange for thoughts!!

This was a compelling destination thriller, complete with atmospheric setting, layered mystery and tangled relationships.

Set against the vivid backdrop of Morocco’s rugged coastline, the novel follows Bea, a disillusioned model who, after a harrowing incident in Marrakesh, finds refuge at the Surf House – a remote hostel for travelers seeking escape. However, the idyllic facade conceals dark secrets, including the unresolved disappearance of a young woman a year prior.

The author expertly crafts a sense of place with immersive details of the Moroccan setting, from the bustling souks to the wave-pounding cliffs. The story weaves together themes of identity, freedom, and shadows of the past, creating a suspenseful and emotionally engaging story.

Although some plot twists may be anticipated, the strong character development and the gradual unraveling of the central mystery, make this the perfect read for fans of psychological thrillers set in exotic locations.

What a wonderful introduction to the writing of Lucy Clarke for this reader! A dreamy setting at a small surf community high on the cliffs overlooking the sea in Morocco? Yes please! I can feel the sea spray in my hair and it’s fantastic.

The author gives us a cast of complex, interesting characters and keeps us guessing until the end. What happened to Savannah, who was staying at the Surf House a year ago? Bea is trying to figure this out while her life seems to be spinning out of control due to an incident in Marrakech.

This is a fast paced, engaging and atmospheric thriller and it’s fantastic. Highly recommend! I will be looking for more work by Lucy Clarke as I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Unfortunately this book was not formatted for me to be able to read on my ereader. That being said, based on what I sampled, I heavily enjoyed. I am also a fan of the cover.

I’ll check this book out and see if I can find it at the library or purchase it in stores!! I am such a sucker for a cover with an ocean on it too.

Thank you for approving me for this eARC! I appreciate the opportunity to leave honest feedback voluntarily.

I had no idea where this would go, so many characters were suspicious. Bea felt so real and flawed and I couldn't help but feel compassion for her and proud of her for finding herself.

The destination felt magical and had me longing for such a carefree lifestyle where your biggest worry is the size of your wave.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the digital arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

A destination thriller filled with danger, mystery, blackmail, and secrets. Bea, an unhappy model, is attacked in an alleyway and taken to the Surf House. She quickly forms a friendship with the owner Marnie. Then a new visitor arrives. Seth is looking for his sister Savannah who has been missing for the last year. Her last known location before she went off the grid was the Surf House. Seth asks Bea to help him gather information on Savannah, but no one wants to talk about Savannah’s time there.

I thought I had it all figured out. But that last twist got me.

Bea walks away from her life as a model and into a surfing community in Morocco that is hiding a mystery about a missing girl. I loved the surfing vibe and the characters. Good twists had me suspecting everyone! Great summer escapist read.

I enjoyed the first two chapters, particularly as Bea provided insight into her career as a model and how her mind was affected by the demands placed upon her. However, after the first couple chapters, Bea's background doesn't matter much to the story itself. A compelling context for the story--an accidental murder, a theft, and a potential found family, with a missing person case in the background. Every character at The Surf House is connected in ways that aren't shown until the last quarter of the book, and this is somewhat of a slow build, but I would recommend this to fans of missing person stories set abroad.

This book had me hooked from the first salty breath of that Cornish coastline. I don’t know what kind of spell Lucy Clarke casts, but I blinked and suddenly I was 300 pages deep, emotionally invested, and not ready to leave.

There’s something magnetic about stories where people return to places they thought they’d left behind—especially when those places hold secrets buried like driftwood in the sand. Jess, Maya, and Kat are each so layered, so real, and the way their lives weave together through this house by the sea? Pure, immersive magic.

And the setting—don’t even get me started. The Surf House felt like a character in its own right. Wind-swept, weathered, wild. I could almost taste the salt in the air and feel the sting of memories creeping in with the tide.

It’s emotional, atmospheric, just twisty enough, and beautifully written without ever feeling overdone. If you love stories about friendship, secrets, and the kind of healing that sneaks up on you when you least expect it—this one’s for you.

Highly recommend packing this in your beach bag (or cozying up with it at home while pretending you’re on a cliffside getaway). Either way, you’ll be swept away. 💙

What a joy it is to read a book that you don’t want to put down. That’s exactly what I found with The Surf House, a slow-burn light thriller, set in the beautiful (and fictional) surfing village of Mallah, nestled high on the coast of Morocco. It follows Bea, a 20-something who has just left a modelling career behind in an effort to try and figure her life out. Her first day out on her own doesn’t go so well when she’s attacked in Marrakesh — but thankfully Marnie appears just in time to help, a woman around her own age.

Marnie and Bea share a traumatic experience which will have ripples across their relationship — but Bea is keen to try and put it behind her. After all, she has Marnie to help her now — Marnie who drives Bea to The Surf House, the surfing hostel she owns in Mallah. She tells Bea she can stay as long as she’d like, and the pair quickly form a close bond. Bea is family, as Marnie keeps telling her.

But not all is quite what it seems at the Surf House. Bea can’t shake an unsettled feeling in the pit of her stomach. There’s something off about Ped, Marnie’s partner who she just can’t trust. And there’s the looming presence of Momo, the police officer who is extorting her and Marnie. When Seth shows up, an American traveller who is looking for his sister Savannah, a previous visitor to The Surf House who has since disappeared without a trace, Bea can’t help but get involved.

This isn’t a fast-paced thriller by any means; until the last fifty or so pages, The Surf House meanders along, but it kept me engaged with its gorgeous descriptions of the surf, Bea’s burgeoning relationship with her neighbour Aiden, and the occasional secondary POV that gives us a glimpse into Savannah’s life one year before. I quickly grew to care for many of the characters, most of all Bea — and of course Salty, the resident stray dog. We also get some rare glimpses into Bea’s past, which are emotional, raw and very well written without ever feeling contrived.

Those last 50-or-so pages of The Surf House though: wow. What a finale! What began as a slow burn ended in a tense crescendo that I had to keep reading into the wee hours to finish up. The twists were wonderfully done and some of them came as a genuine surprise. If you’re a thriller fan who prefers a slow burn than a fast-paced gore-fest, I highly recommend this.

#BOOKREVIEW 13 : The Surf House by Lucy Clarke ✨
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SYNOPSIS :

Bea, once a famous model suddenly finds herself in danger in an alleyway in Morocco. Comes in Marnie who helps her and brings her to The Surf House, a place of hope and fun for surfers but The Surf House is not what it seems. It has its own dark secrets and uncovering it comes with a hefty price.
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Genre : Thriller
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MY REVIEW :

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It took me few pages to get hooked but once I did, there is no stopping me. I love everything about this book so much so that I will be buying a physical copy 😍

The plot is a perfect mix of mystery, romance, mental health issues, complex characters and a beautiful location with an eerie setting.

Her writing is so vivid that I felt like I was in Morocco the whole time enjoying the beach, the surfing, morning breakfasts at The Surf House and generally just in every page 😍

I was captivated and completely absorbed in the location that Morocco is definitely going up in my wishlist to travel 💕

The Surf House has short chapters, fast paced, full of twists and turns and told through dual timeline that makes it easier to understand the story. I did guess a part of the mystery earlier on but then 💥 there were more shocking twists and turns.

There were many characters and this was one of the thrillers that I genuinely felt sorry for all of them as I understood what was going on with them. Their emotional turmoils were realistic and trust me when I say Depression is a serious issue.

I love Bea as the MC and enjoyed reading on her character development as she was so real. From being a model to her decision that brought her to the alley to her struggles and to the hint of romance that added more depth to the story.

It's suspenseful and the layers of twists were so good. The open ending here made so much sense but once I was done with the last page, I was craving for more pages. Despite reading it almost 2 weeks ago, I still couldn't stop thinking about the book 🙌
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All in all if you love a gripping destination thriller that is shocking, twisty, sun soaked and engaging with many characters set in a beautiful location but full of secrets then this book might be for you 💕
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MY RATING :
Books that you MUST buy ✅
Books that you NEED to buy
Books that you HAVE to read
Books that you can BORROW
Books that you can SAVE your money
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Posted in my Bookstagram @ireadmurder 🙌

Thank you Netgalley, Grove Atlantic | Atlantic Monthly Press 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

**more of a 2.5

I've really enjoyed Lucy Clarke's previous books and this one has the same good writing and compelling characters, I just can't pinpoint what exactly wasn't working for me. The story itself is very slow-burn, which I personally enjoy, but I guess where it missed the mark for me is I felt all the relationships that were happening were annoying and unnecessary. A lot of the drama surrounded detail about that and it just became a chore for me to read. Will obviously read Lucy Clarke again, this one was just a miss for me.

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 Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.