The Surf House by Lucy ClarkeSynopsis: “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.

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…”

My Review

This was a good mystery thriller that I listened to via the BookBeat app.

Set in Morocco in North Africa it follows Bea, as she tries to start a new life for herself amongst a small surfing community.

Following a harrowing experience in the backstreets of Marrakesh, Bea is helped out by Marnie, a complete stranger who owns The Surf House and takes her there to recover and work out her future. The longer Bea stays the more uneasy she becomes, especially when she hears about Savannah, a missing traveller. She wants to find out what happened to her, especially when Savannah’s brother Seth arrives asking questions about his missing sister.

I loved the setting and the seemingly perfect community. I loved the descriptions of the surfing, it almost made me want to give it a try! 

It was a good thriller told by Bea in the present with flashbacks from Savannah a year earlier. I enjoyed the way the story dovetailed to bring out the twists and reveals, some of which I hadn’t guessed at all. However, it did feel a bit repetitive at times, which is annoying with an audiobook.

The narration by Sarah Slimani, a new-to-me narrator, was perfect, especially her accents for all the different characters. I will definitely look out for more audiobooks with her narration.

Recommended if you enjoy thrillers featuring small communities and missing persons.