The Surf House - by Lucy Clarke (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

TWO MILLION COPY AND INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

An Apple Best Book of the Month

Welcome to The Surf House

Where everyone's escaping something . . .

Praised as "the queen of the destination thriller" (Claire Douglas), million-copy and internationally bestselling author Lucy Clarke writes intoxicating, unsettling novels of suspense, deception, and the pleasure and danger of travel. Her daring new novel, The Surf House, is a sun-soaked thriller set in an expat community of surfers in Morocco where deadly secrets threaten to breach the surface.

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. 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.

In this darkly seductive and compulsive tale, The Surf House's warm and comforting refuge increasingly takes on the paranoid aspect of a house of mirrors. As Lucy Clarke's authoritative voice guides us through its shifting sands, The Surf House reaffirms her as a novelist at the height of her powers and announces her excellence to new readers who have not yet embarked on one of her searing thrillers.

Review Quotes

Praise for The Surf House:

"Clarke brings sophistication to Mother Nature's temperament with prose like, "storming walls of water shouldering into the bay, feeling for reef and then cracking open in perfect, peeling lines." Don't let the hypnotic setting fool you, though, because her storytelling flies past all the pretty-making to a fast-paced thriller. You'll grow deeply concerned in Chapter One, and you will be gasping for breath by Chapter Two." --Rhodi Hawk, CrimeReads

"This daring novel sets the warm and comforting refuge of The Surf House, a sanctuary for traveling surfers, and flips it on its head when it starts to feel more like a house of mirrors."--Criminal Element

"No one does destination thrillers better than Lucy Clarke and The Surf House is no exception - page turning, beautifully written and full of tension."--Heidi Perks, author of The Last Resort

"Morocco, sun, surf. The perfect place to recover and heal. Until you realize the woman who stayed in The Surf House before you has disappeared. Escapist, thrilling, unforgettable."--Gillian McAllister, New York Times bestselling author of Wrong Place, Wrong Time

"Beautiful, visceral and so emotionally rich, this gripping destination thriller had me completely engrossed. Just gorgeous."--Beth O'Leary, author of The Wake-Up Call

"Lucy Clarke has done it again, sweeping the reader off on another breathtaking adventure. Through her remarkable ability to write the most compelling characters, we're drawn into the idyllic-seeming world of The Surf House. But the tension builds with every chapter, the current of danger sweeping us through the pages until we crash onto the shores of a thrilling and satisfying conclusion. You're going to want to ride this wave!"--Amy McCulloch, author of Breathless

"With The Surf House Lucy Clarke cleverly conjures a world that is equal parts enticing and menacing. Deliciously sun-soaked and full of the love of surfing, it's a thrilling story of self-discovery - and survival. I loved it."--Emylia Hall, author of The Death at the Vineyard

"The Surf House is classic Lucy Clarke: a transportive page-turner where the glistening surface conceals the darkness that lurks beneath. The writing is sexy and visceral and compulsive, the story swelling with every turn of the page. I read it in one sitting and loved every second."--Charlotte Philby, author of The End of Summer

"Atmospheric, gripping, and full of twists--it's a thriller I won't forget."--Rachel Abbott, author of The Last Time I Saw Him

"When it comes to destination thrillers, Lucy Clarke truly is the master of the genre. With its intoxicating Moroccan location, its intricately layered characters and a menacing plot that builds and builds like a surging wave, The Surf House pulled me in and left me totally breathless. Good luck trying to put this one down!"--Hannah Richell, author of The Search Party

"Evocative, emotional and absorbing. I read it in a day and it has really stayed with me."--Ruth Mancini, author of The Woman on the Ledge

"Wickedly twisty, menacing, sexy, and headily atmospheric, The Surf House has got it all. Lucy Clarke is one of the very best destination thriller writers out there - and I mean out there!"--Louise Candlish, author of The Other Passenger

"Utterly absorbing - I was transported to Morocco, nostalgic for a place I've never been and a surfing lifestyle I've never lived. An evocative setting, characters to root for, and incredibly well told story that left me desperate to find out what would happen next. I absolutely loved The Surf House, one of my books of the year."--Andrea Mara, author of Someone in the Attic

"I loved The Surf House - it is a deliciously dark, twisty tale set in a sultry and seductive world of suntans, surf and sunsets. Exquisitely plotted mystery with a hint of romance, it was a treat to read and I was gripped from start to very satisfying finish."--Louise Minchin, author of Fearless

Praise for Lucy Clarke:

"Full of suspense and unexpected thrills, it'll be hard to put this book down as you try to figure out the 'whodunit.'"--USA Today

"[A]n intensely emotional story of love, loss and deception . . . Clarke skilfully envelops readers in a delicate, romantic story tinged with intrigue and set in a breathtakingly exotic locale."--Kirkus Reviews

"Lagoon swims and boozy nights turn sinister in an atmospheric thriller. Great Beach Reads."--People

"The plot twists are good--too good to spoil . . . Clarke weaves secrets and betrayals and the inner journey of a quiet, appealing Everywoman."--Booklist

"Vivid imagery, increasing tension, and smooth prose immerse the reader in the rhythm of the ocean and the isolation of life at sea. Fans of psychological suspense will be taken in by Clarke's fast-paced and engrossing read."--Library Journal

"Clarke keeps the pages turning . . . Liane Moriarty fans may want to check this one out."--Publishers Weekly

"An addictive sun-soaked thriller with a killer twist. Unmissable."--Marie Claire

"A gripping thriller, packed with unexpected twists, turns and complex secrets . . .The ultimate beach read."--Cosmopolitan

"An intriguing and twisty thriller."--Sunday Mirror

"This beautifully written story of secrets and sisterly bonds is twisty and intriguing - a total page-turner."--Closer

About the Author

Lucy Clarke is the Sunday Times bestselling author of eight destination thrillers. Two of her thrillers, The Castaways and No Escape, have been adapted for screen and are now streaming on Paramount+. Her novels have been published in more than 25 territories worldwide.