The Bay: the waves won't wash away what they did

Sinister, unsettling and deeply atmospheric, The Bay is a creepy, character-driven mystery/thriller that sucks you into the dark world of extreme surfing. More specifically, the world of The Tribe, an elite group of thrill-seeking, do-or-die enthusiasts, who will go to any lengths to keep their hidden beach secret.The story’s main protagonist is Kenna, who flies halfway round the world to try and stop her best friend Mikki from rushing into a hasty marriage. On arriving in Sydney, she discovers that Mikki and Jack are heading off on a surfing trip, and she agrees to join them. Their destination is the remote Sorrow Bay, where Kenna is met with suspicion and hostility by the four other members of The Tribe. It soon becomes clear that the only way Kenna can stay — and hopefully persuade Mikki to leave — is to become one of them.What follows, as Mikki insinuates herself into the group and tries to uncover its workings and personalities, reveals a sect-type culture, where fear is a weakness that has to be mastered, and daily rituals are in place to ensure that it is. They are a fiercely territorial bunch, intimidating and hugely competitive.And they are guardians of some horrifying secrets.There are two things that hold you in the grip of this story: the thickly claustrophobic atmosphere of Sorrow Bay, and the Lord of the Flies’ vibes when the characters start to turn on each other as restlessness sets in and tempers begin to fray. At least one of The Tribe is a murderer, but Reynolds deftly keeps you guessing until well past the thrilling climax.And to be honest, I’m not sure if this worked for me. The last chapter read like an epilogue, and the withholding of all the who, how and why until this point seemed like more of an afterthought than part of the plot. That said, it was still a terrific read, and I shall for sure be reading more by Allie Reynolds.Thanks for reading my review. I hope you found it helpful.