There are three rules for diving at Koh Sang Resort, Thailand’s famous party island.
1. Breathe normally if something goes wrong.
2. Always dive with a trusted friend.
3. If your oxygen is running out.. Do. Not. Panic.
Dive instructor, Cass, is leading her students out to their first dive but things quickly turn for the worse. An experience that is supposed to life changing, turns deadly. One is dead, another injured and more chilling worries arise as Cass quickly realizes that the quaint, beautiful life that she has built, is about to come crashing down. There is a killer hunting her, lurking on the remote island, waiting to serve justice to Cass.

I am one who always loves a locked room mystery/ thriller, but this one just lacked some… pizazz. The story itself was incredibly slow, which was a big letdown. While the majority of the characters were written graciously, one particular just stood out and bothered me the whole time. While I love when books involve mental health, I really dislike when they use it just as filler in a book. That seemed to deter me from the book farther. Overall, I understood why it took me awhile to read this book.

I’ve had this one on my Kindle for a long time, and I figured it was finally time to read it. Unfortunately, I ended up feeling somewhat underwhelmed by my reading experience.

I think the pace was a big factor for me. It’s your standard island thriller and nothing really drew me into the story. It took a very long time to get anywhere good, and by the time that happened, I wasn’t invested at all and was just ready to be done.

I also felt that some pieces of the plot were a little overdone and lazy. There were mental health issues involved for an abusive character and I’m not so sure if that mental disorder was properly researched. The “holding a grudge” part of the storyline felt a little sloppy as well. No matter how I framed it in my head, I couldn’t accept that a character would do what they did because of their history (trying to keep away from spoilers so I’m sorry it’s a bit cryptic).

I do think that the final reveal was brilliant, and there were some great plot twists woven into the story. The writing was also done well. I just needed more from this one.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for my gifted copy!

Omg the twist on this book’s plot was sooooooo unexpected and good!!
I tend to find mystery books a bit too on the nose and can usually tell almost right off the bat who was the killer but I never knew throughout the book until it wad too late and it was being revealed…
I really enjoyed this book and loved the twists and turns it kept pointing me to.
The characters were also eerily annoying in a good way.
I almost wish there was a sequel to this book.
Overall, 4/5!

Note: thanks NetGalley & publishers for the free ARC in exchange of an unbiased review.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Everyone on Koh Sang, a party island in Thailand, is hiding something. Five expats have moved there to hide. But when mysterious deaths start happening, everyone will stop at nothing to keep their secrets from coming to light.
A little predictable, the twist came to late for it to be believable.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thriller Set in Thai Resort

The Resort by Sara Ochs is a gripping psychological thriller set against the exotic backdrop of a remote island in Thailand. The story revolves around two main characters, Cass and Brooke, who find themselves entangled in a dangerous web of secrets and murder. Cass arrives at the island's famed party scene, Koh Sang, seeking an escape from her past. Brooke, an influencer, is also on the island, bringing her own set of secrets. The tranquillity of the island is shattered when a hiker falls to her death, followed by another tourist found dead in the water, escalating the tension and mystery.

The Resort by Sara Ochs is a captivating thriller that masterfully combines suspense, complex characters, and an evocative setting. With its themes of escape and the hidden darkness within paradise, it offers readers a thrilling journey through the shadowy side of resort life. While it contains some mature content, its well-crafted narrative and gripping plot make it a standout read in the genre.

A really gripping thriller. I felt like the pacing was so well done. Each time I thought I was figuring it out, there was another twist I didn’t see coming. Very well executed.

Fun summer read with a setting that will really get you in the mood to enjoy this book! Remote island in Thailand with mysterious women boasting a welcome to paradise ominous warning - will you survive your stay! We love that!

loved this book! 5 star review, perfect for an early summer read has everything I love about a summer thriller, exotic location, sketchy characters and fast paced. It kept me guessing until the end. While I did get this through netgalley I actually forgot and had purchased it on my own.

I didn't hate or love this book.
The build up felt slow to me, but the twist was good.
It left me feeling very meh about it!

Cass came to Thailand's island resort to escape a traumatic event in her past and honor her late sister's memory. Now a local dive instructor she relishes the new life she's making. Unknownst to her, her new companions also are escaping secrets and some have a devious agenda. Social influencer Brooke has plans to avenge a teenage wrong and is ready to pull off the gloves. When a dive student is found dead following a party tensions mount. When other mysterious deaths and ominous notes follow Cass does not know who to trust or where to turn. This vacation thriller was well plotted and kept this reader guessing. This twisty tale was thought provoking and addressed such key issues as childhood abuse, addiction and mental illness. The characters were distinctly developed and the island itself plays a big role in the story. Just when you think the ends are tied up neatly along comes the explosive epilogue. This story underlines that no one really guesses another person's underlying pain and stress and the memories and events that haunt them daily.you enjoy a tense psychological narrative check out this entty into the genre. I had not read this author before but am glasd to have discovered her.

I went into The Resort by Sara Ochs blind. All I knew is that I loved the cover and it was probably about a vacation gone wrong. If you know me, you'll know that thrillers while on vacation are my favorite type of book. The Resort is set in Thailand and we get several different points of views--which isn't my favorite but I don't dislike it. I had to actually Google to see if this place and festival were really a thing. I love books where I have to research to see if any of it is factual. So something bad happens and it's all whodunit, who can we trust, what are they hiding--typical thriller stuff. I found it fascinating and i was seriously on the edge of my seat (the couch!) at the end!

"The Resort" by Sara Ochs is a suspenseful and engaging thriller set in a remote, eerie getaway, where secrets and danger lurk behind every corner. Its tense atmosphere and well-crafted plot make it a riveting and chilling read.

Sara Ochs' The Resort is not a book I loved as much as I was hoping I would. The setting the lush resort in the tropics was beautiful, of course, but the characters felt quite immature and unlikable and for some reason or other I need redeeming qualities in my main actors. Told in separate POVs from two of the female expats on the island, The Resort is a slow burning, multi-layered, twisty novel of suspense and secrets. Read yourself to a beach resort …

This book is actually still living in my subconscious months after the fact. Great read, perfect for a beachy vacation.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this advance copy in exchange for honest feedback. Recommend for fans of Ruth Ware or Ellery Lloyd

I thought I knew what to expect, but Sara Ochs kept me on my toes over and over again. Every time I thought I saw a twist coming, she'd deke and go another direction. This was my first book by Sara Ochs, but you can bet it won't be my last! A super fun summer thriller read, I highly recommend you bring along to whatever beach you're relaxing on this summer.

#TheResort #NetGalley
A fan novel.
Welcome to paradise. We hope you survive your stay...
There are three rules to survive a dive at the famous Koh Sang Resort 1 - Breathe normally if something goes wrong. Scuba diving instructor Cass leads her students out for their first dive off the beautiful coast of Koh Sang, Thailand's world-famous party island. It's supposed to be a life-changing experience, but things quickly spiral out of control... 2 - Always dive with someone you trust. By the time she's back on the shore, Lucy, one of her students, is dead, another critically injured, and she knows the new and idyllic life she has built herself is about to be smashed to pieces on the rocks. 3 - Don't panic if your oxygen is running out. Because someone has discovered Cass's dark secret, and on an island as remote as this, there aren't many places to hide. There is a killer waiting, and whoever it is will stop at nothing until Cass's life is ruined and justice is finally served.
Loved the ending especially.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for giving me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The author skillfully weaves a complex web of secrets and lies, keeping readers guessing about the identity of the killer. The dual perspectives of Cass and Brooke offer a multifaceted view of the island and its inhabitants, adding depth to the narrative. The tropical setting is vividly described, creating a sense of isolation and tension.

Everyone on Koh Santa has secrets and while untrustworthy characters are great, here, there are too many and you are too far removed from them (given this is told from two main POVs) that it doesn’t have the impact it otherwise could. Most of the time we are listening to Cass question what is truth and watching Brooke act like an amateur PI as they both try to figure out what really happened to Lucy, who was discovered dead. Neither were particularly exciting characters.

I never got the suspense or thrilling feels while reading this and I also wasn’t drawn into the mystery of the island, ex-pats, and death.