Lucy Clarke delivers another gripping destination thriller with The Surf House, set in a remote coastal town in Morocco. The story follows Bea, who, after a terrifying incident in Marrakesh, is taken in by Marnie and brought to the Surf House—an off-the-grid paradise for free-spirited travelers. At first, Bea is mesmerised by the beauty, freedom, and carefree energy of the place, but when she learns that a girl, Savannah, went missing from there the year before, cracks start to appear. Beneath the idyllic surface, something much darker is lurking.

Clarke masterfully builds suspense, using the isolated settings and dual timelines to keep readers on edge. As Bea digs deeper, the web of secrets tightens—who can she really trust? And just how far does the deception go?

The descriptions of the setting and the surf scenes are beautifully vivid, making you feel the pull of the ocean and the heat of the Moroccan sun. The pacing is tight, with twists that keep the tension high. While some reveals are a little predictable, Clarke’s ability to create atmosphere and an immersive sense of place makes this an addictive read.

4.5/5 – A tense, escapist thriller that will keep you hooked.

Wow this book was unbelievable. I absolutely loved it from start to finish.

I’ve previously read other Lucy Clarke books and my favourite thing about them are that it feels like you’re actually there.

She hooks you in from the get go and albeit a slow burn in this instance, the descriptions made me feel like I was fully in Morocco.

I really enjoyed the characters in the story, was invested in the story and intrigued with where it was going.

And of course just when you think you know… plot twist!!! Which was just brilliant too.

I already know this will be one of my top books this year.

It publishes on the 27th February 2025 so get preordering you will not be disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book for an honest review.

Arc review: The Surf House by Lucy Clarke. I’m so thankful to have had an early access to this book, I absolutely loved it! The Surf House is where Bea takes refuge after an awful incident happens in Morocco. She’s stranded alone, she’s scared, and very grateful to be offered a spare room at The Surf House if she helps out around the place.The environment at The Surf House is relaxed and welcoming. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Lucy Clarke book without a bit of mystery! She gets involved unravelling why the last guest who stayed in her room a year ago seems to have disappeared.
I think this is my favourite book by Lucy to date, I found it hard to put down. The pacing was spot on, and I enjoyed reading about Bea’s journey from burnt out professional model to laid back surfer chick. The mystery unfolded and I definitely felt the suspense building.
Thankyou to author Lucy Clarke, NetGalley and publishers Grove Atlantic for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. I absolutely loved it!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Is this book on your TBR? It should be!!
#thesurfhouse #lucyclarke #netgalley #groveatlantic

Another great destination thriller by Lucy Clarke ❤️

Set in Morocco, our main character Bea finds herself at the Surf House in a small coastal village. It seems idyllic but there is a mystery around the place. What happened to Savannah, a young girl who stayed there last year who went missing?

This book was so gripping that I could not put it down! It was mysterious, it was scary and it was set in such a great location. I’ve loved all the books I have read so far by this author and can’t wait for what she writes next.

We’re introduced to Bea; an exhausted and dejected model having just walked from a set in Morocco. Trying to find safety in the sprawling streets, Bea makes a wrong turn and finds herself in a dangerous situation. Rescued by Marnie, she is whisked away to the sanctuary of “The Surf House” in Mallah until she finds her feet. The Surf House overlooks a stunning coastline, perfect for those looking to ride the waves. Bea cannot believe her luck, that is until Seth arrives, investigating the disappearance of his sister, Savannah, who went missing from this idyllic haven, and now Bea is submerged in the mystery.

Lucy Clarke is the queen of destination thrillers and has delivered another beautifully written story. I feel like I have literally been transported to Morocco, living life with other happy surfers and taking in the picturesque settings and intrinsic unease page after page. Not only can Lucy flawlessly set the scene, but she can also write a good old twist that will leave you gasping for breath.

The Surf House, told from dual POVs over two timelines features a cast of so many characters that are the heart and soul of this story, with their admirably built backstories you are questioning every red herring. The ending was perfectly executed and unravelled unexpected twists that left me shellshocked, wrapping everything up with a natural ease rather than it being forced.

As a fan of Lucy Clarke’s previous novels, I was excited to dive into The Surf House. While the story was interesting and had moments of intrigue, it didn’t grip me as much as her earlier works. There was something missing that kept it from being as immersive or suspenseful as I’d hoped. Still, it was an enjoyable read, just not a standout for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the early release copy in exchange for an honest review.

What attracted me to this novel was the setting: Morocco. I’m no fan of surfing but Lucy Clarke has pulled together a readable mystery, with some good descriptions of the fictitious surfing village setting. A high impact start to the story but then a long lull before picking up again and gaining intensity. The story focuses on a small cast of characters, from the friendly local policeman to the settlers and surfers and the American in search of his sister. A nice little twist concludes the novel. An easygoing read, rather limited by the overriding surfing theme, new love and loss.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

All Lucy Clarke books are great, but this is my favorite. It is filled with suspense, filled with twists and turns. I loved it!

I absolutely flew through The Hike back in 2023, so it was a no-brainer to request an ARC of The Surf House as soon as I saw it on NetGalley! Lucy Clarke consistently delivers with her multidimensional characters, and this book was no different!

I loved how each of the central characters in The Surf House had not-so-hidden) turbulent pasts that slowly bubbled to the surface until the end of the book, when everything finally broke through the surface. For example, there were multiple times that I'd read a passage from one character's POV and have a niggling feeling that I read something similar before from someone else's POV -- Clarke sprinkled the perfect amount of breadcrumbs throughout the book to fully weave the main characters and their stories together. Adding in an exotic (and sometimes frightening) setting for good measure, The Surf House is the perfect thriller to kick of summer reading for 2025!

It took a while for me to get into this book. It starts out with a bang but then slowed down into more of an atmospheric slow burn with a few surprises along the way. I feel like it really started to pick up towards the end with twist after twist after twist.

We first find Bea, an exhausted and unhappy model in Morocco walk off her latest job. She makes a few wrong turns and ends up in a dangerous situation. Lucky for her there is a nearby ally who helps her and gives her a place to stay. What happens next involves dual timelines, a missing woman, lots of shady people, and a few dead bodies.

The ending really turned it around for me. There was some great twists in here and made this an enjoyable book. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

The Surf House begins with Bea, the main character, walking off of her modeling job in Morocco. Unfortunately for her, she get lost in the city and ends up getting attacked by two men. She is saved when a woman named Marnie intervenes and helps her get away, but not before Bea has to stab one of the men, killing him. Marnie helps her get past a police checkpoint and offers her a room at The Surf House. Bea agrees to work at The Surf House and ends up settling in to her new life. However, once she learns about Savannah, Bea begins to suspect all is not as it seems. Savannah was a guest at the Surf House a year ago- and then she disappeared without a trace. When Bea starts asking questions about Savannah's disappearance she uncovers a twisted web of lies and betrayal. Lucy Clarke does a great job of leading the reader in several different directions before finally making the big reveal. She also makes her settings come alive, which helps get the reader invested in the story. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A familiar type of story, but still well-written and mysterious enough to hold my interest. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

If I ever want to feel like I am on vacation, I can always count on a Lucy Clarke book. Her settings and descriptions alone are worth the read. We actually had our first cruise booked for today. I received this ARC and was saving it with the intention for it to be my "cruise read". Well two days ago, I was diagnosed with Covid and now cannot sail. In my extreme disappointment, I went ahead and started this book. Thank you, Lucy Clarke for what may be your best book yet! Once again, the atmosphere totally takes you away, this time to Morocco. We have Bea, a model who doesn't want to be a model anymore. She leaves in the middle of a Moroccan shoot, runs into trouble and is rescued by Marnie. Marnie owns The Surf House located in an isolated area on the Moroccan coast. There is an eclectic group of travelers also staying in the area and Bea discovers that a guest went missing over a year ago. What follows is a twisty story where you do not know who is a good guy or bad guy and who do you trust? I loved the surfing descriptions and could almost feel the waves. I am so grateful for this book to take me away for a few days! And we will be rebooking our cruise. I am sad that Lucy won't be able to go with me this time. Maybe next year! Hint, hint to Lucy Clarke!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Lucy Clarke and Grove Atlantic | Atlantic Monthly Press for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Instagram and other retail and social media sites upon publication day of May 20, 2025.

What a wild ride! Ups, downs, murders, betrayals all happening in beautiful Morocco. Lucy Clarke has really made you question who to trust and what has the mysterious Savannah been up to.

I was quite excited to read this uncorrected proof and a bit curious, too, whether it would influence my perspective. I really enjoyed the story and the setting. In my opinion, the prologue gave away a bit too much, but the final twist was very unexpected. I liked how Lucy Clarke fooled me over and over again while I was trying to figure out which character was the bad one. There were some points in the story where the pace was too slow and others that were too fast and would've needed more details. I'm looking forward to reading the "final" published edition.

I enjoyed this novel. It hooks you in right at the start, and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The author provides plenty of red herrings, but the ending is not what you expect at all. 4 stars

Lucy Clarke’s destination thrillers always make me feel like I’ve just returned from an adventure abroad! The atmospheric writing is impeccable, the characters are instantly intriguing, and the plot is well paced with great tension. The dual timeline will have you looking for clues, connecting the dots, and reassessing your suspicions. A lovely balance of plot development and character arc, this book has a little for everyone including a bit of romance, and some horror-worthy scenes.
I just have to mention one irk, because it almost stopped me from reading on, and I’m so glad I did keep reading. The main character’s actions when confronted by robbers didn’t make sense with anything we knew or learned about the character… not sure if I missed something, but her actions did not match her temperament and it really bothered me . There I said it. I still really enjoyed the book and highly recommend.

read if you like:
📍 exotic locations
🌊 beach communities
💁🏻‍♀️ wayward characters

summary:
This book follows Bea, a model in Marrakesh, who walks off a job to find herself trapped in an alley in a terrible situation. She is rescued by Marnie, a local woman, and taken to The Surf House, a home for wayward travelers started by Marnie and her husband, Ped. Once there, Marnie helps her get back on her feet while introducing Bea to their community. Before long, she learns that someone just like her, Savannah, visited The Surf House the year before, and disappeared. With her brother in town to search for her, Bea finds herself involved and gets twisted up in a world where looks can be deceiving.

Clarke does an amazing job of setting the scene in this book, making you feel like you are there with them. Marrakesh is beautifully remote and idyllic, with a dark underbelly that Bea finds herself exposed to quickly. This story starts unfortunately a little slow, and took me several tries to get into. The characters felt abstract and hard to follow, but once you get about 25% of the way through, it starts picking up, and the plot starts to move forward. The dual stories of Momo and Savannah feel tough to tie together, but they twist forward at the end in a way that just paints the backdrop of Morocco and The Surf House even more clearly. Once I got halfway through, I could NOT put it down, and I promise the end will surprise you in a tragic way!

Thanks to Grove Atlantic, Atlantic Monthly Press and NetGalley for the ARC. If you’re a Lucy Clarke fan, check this out when it releases on May 20!

I think my students will enjoy this, both the mystery of Savannah's disappearance in what seems like an idyllic surfing community and the personal growth story of Bea. Many of my students have bad self images, her is Bea a model, disconnected from her body, hiding her mirrors so she doesn't look at herself, molding herself to what everyone else wants. Underneath the mystery and the attempt to get bribe money is a story of a woman coming to terms with herself and the use of surfing as a metaphor for life worked well. Well written and relatable characters, they felt vivid and real

A missing girl, a young woman, a model with a loveless past and low self esteem, finds herself involved in a mystery and a community that teaches her about love, being in her body and trusting herself. I got involved right away in the book, it is a little different style wise from her prior books but I enjoyed it a lot. 4.5