This book made me jealous for the type of trip they had! (moreso the itinerary than the experience). 8 students went on an abroad experience to Australia during college but only 6 of them came home. Now, 10 years later, Phoebe’s body is finally found and the case has reopened. What really happened back then?

This story is filled with unreliable characters with messy pasts. Everyone has secrets about that night and it was a fun ride trying to figure out the mystery. The characters were well developed and this book caught your interest right from the start. So many twists. Definitely an enjoyable read!

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A group of people who went on a study abroad trip together ten years ago reunite in Australia to solve the murder of one of their cohorts. This story is told in dual timelines, then and now, to slowly reveal the truth behind Phoebe's murder. Everyone is lying about something, and although Claire the narrator repeats over and over how everyone is the best of friends, they don't treat each other well at all.

This was a decent story, although it started out pretty slow and I considered DNFing for the first 30%. There's a good amount of plot holes and extremely conveniently timed discoveries. There were some good red herrings. I didn't really connect with any of the characters, and the ending was pretty nasty. The book felt unnecessarily long at times with endless narratives of excessive drinking and stupid decisions, also featuring one of my least favorite tropes of all time (won't spoil). It was an entertaining story, I just didn't like it that much. I'd try another of this author's books, though.

I enjoyed the author’s first book, so I was very excited to read this one! Set in Australia, the story centers around a group of friends who met on a study abroad program in Australia 10 years prior. At that time, one of the group, Phoebe, went missing. Claire has been been avoiding traveling to Australia for the 10 year reunion, but is forced to when Phoebe’s remains are found- especially since she’s the one who killed her.

Set in dual timelines of then and now, this is fast paced thriller with quite few twists. The setting is great, and I enjoyed the writing style. Lots of characters and reasons to like and dislike them all. This book had me hooked all the way until the end, which was a bit predictable to me personally, but that’s my only complaint! Will recommend this as a quick, fun summer thriller.

Overall, 3.75 out of 5 stars (maybe still 4 stars? I’m rounding to 4!)

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book!

The writing style was really enjoyable to read, and the cast of characters felt well-developed, distinct and believable. I knew from the first few pages, that I was going to love this book!

A very immersive destination thriller felt like I was traveling around Australia again, I loved how this story brought back all those memories. The story is fast paced and suspenseful as you’re trying to figure out what happened to Phoebe the night she hadn’t returned back to her hostel with her new found friends.
Each chapter leaves you on edge while also going from past to present day I couldn’t put this book down. The twist in the epilogue I did not see coming, this is a perfect summer read and I will be picking up Sara Ochs other books.

The story follows six college students on a study abroad trip to Australia.Ten years after a student mysteriously disappears, their lives are rocked when the body is found. They are forced to confront the secrets and truths that have been buried for a decade, with one of them potentially facing consequences for what happened years ago

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the ARC in exchange for my honest review
Publication date :July 15, 2025

I really enjoyed the previous thriller from Sara Ochs and I think I liked this one even more. I love the travel aspect of her novels and liked the dual POV between the main character now and her missing roommate from 10 years previous. There were a lot of twists and one I did not see coming at all. I will continue to look forward to books from Sara Ochs. I want to thank NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Sara Ochs first thriller, so this was a highly anticipated release for me.

This Stays Between Us is about a group of people who met while they were on a month long study abroad program in Australia. Unfortunately, one of their own went missing and they all had to return home.

But ten years later they reunite in Australia when a body is found. They must work together with the cops to figure out what happened in the Australian outback.

The story is told through two perspectives and I had to question who I could trust. It became clear early on that these students were hiding a lot of secrets.

I liked the story a lot, but the ending also felt a little random. I would have liked for there to be more clues leading up to who did it.

If you like thrillers that take place in other countries, I’d recommend this one. It kept me interested up until the very end.

I was accepted to read this book before official publication through NetGalley and below is my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! It was full of suspense. I kept changing my mind throughout and the plot twist at the end confirmed I was wrong the whole time 😂 a fantastic twist.

It’s a fast paced, intriguing read and it has you guessing constantly. The characters are well written and portray many different emotions. You just don’t know who to trust.

With it being set in the Australian outback, I think that added to the creepiness/suspense. It’s not somewhere I’d want to be stuck in dangerous circumstances!

The only let down was the ending, I found it very so so. Other than that, a brilliant read.

Overall, I give this book 4 stars.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Students spending a month abroad in Australia to get a quick crash course in the history and geographical splendor of the continent. Sounds like a dream, right? More like a nightmare for those involved. 10 years passes and the body of one of the students who had gone "missing" is recovered. The remaining members of "the Mob" reunite to try and figure out what happened to Phoebe. Is a friend among them a killer?

Contrary to other reviewers I did not think this started out quick. I found it hard to get into the story with the constant bouncing back and forth between Phoebe's POV in the past and Claire's POV in the present, especially since Claire's personality changed rather dramatically once the group reunites. Neither girl was written with a distinct voice so distinguishing their differences was tough in the beginning. At about the 50% mark the story did start to pick up for me as more action started to happen. The cast of friends is decidedly unlikable, so for the reader the killer could be anyone and the author makes sure to throw doubt on all the major players. I did find the motive of the "killer" kind of far reaching but ultimately the betrayal is what seals the deal at the end of this story.

I'm sure this is being marketed as a summer thriller, a beach read, and I can get behind that. Once I made it to the last 1/3 it was hard to put down.

Wow. This was such a fun book to read. It was exciting and it was very hard to put down because you keep wanting to know the sequel! The story lines from before (Phoebe) and now (Claire) were easy to follow and the story itself was very interesting. I am very curious to read other books by this author

🤯 M A Y H E M M O N D A Y review 🤯 featuring “This Stays Between Us” by Sara Ochs!

10 years ago, six students from all over the world come together for a study abroad program in Australia. What was supposed to be a once in a lifetime cultural experience and break from their studies, turns into a nightmare that will follow them forever.

So when the police come calling 10 years later about finding the body of one of the students that was presumed missing from the outback, they are all summoned to return to Australia for more questioning. Everyone has something to hide and has gone great lengths to hide the truth for 10 years. The secrets of the past get shaken up in a whirlwind of lust, jealously, betrayal, guilt and lies!

I love a a gripping atmospheric thriller, especially one set in Australia! The pieces start to slowly unravel through the dual timelines and the array of messy characters who have changed significantly over time … for better and for worse!

Thank you kindly to @saraochsauthor @bookmarked @netgalley for my #gifted advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This book releases on July 15, 2025!

Some summers never end... and some secrets refuse to stay buried. What starts as a dream trip for six college friends quickly twists into a nightmare when Phoebe disappears into the outback. They said she ran. They left. But the outback never forgets.

Ten years later, Phoebe’s body is found, dragging everyone back to a past full of lies, jealousy, and enough toxic friendship drama to keep you guessing. Who saw her last? Who whispered the first lie? Can six people really carry a secret this heavy without cracking?

Stay Between Us hums with tension from the first page, flipping between then and now until the truth slips out—and it’s messy, twisted, and oh-so-addictive. These flawed characters are bound by something darker than friendship, and every twist had me questioning everything I thought I knew.

If you want betrayal, obsession, and guilt wrapped up in a suspenseful slow burn, this one’s your next read. Just be ready to ask yourself—what really happened that summer? Spoiler: Nobody walks away innocent.

Thank you SOURCEBOOKS Landmark | Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for allowing me to read this e-arc.Every character has something to hide, and as secrets come to light, the true nature of their relationships is exposed. The final twists, especially in the epilogue, will leave you reeling, making for a truly satisfying ending.Perfect for fans of locked-room mysteries and psychological thrillers.

I love a destination thriller and this hit the spot, finished in one sitting! Once you start you won’t want to put it down! I loved the flicks between past and present- I kept thinking I had the murderer worked out and was wrong every time, kept me guessing! Loved the Australian setting, loved the reunion aspect, a brilliant whodunnit!

This book was twisty, slow-burn thriller about a study-abroad trip gone wrong and the secrets that resurface 10 years later when a body is found. Moody, atmospheric, and full of drama — perfect if you like stories about messy friendships and buried truths.

Rating: 4/5

Thank you NetGalley! This book was amazing! And my first by this author. I was pulled in right from the beginning. I loved the back and forth between the two main characters and the past and present. It really helped set the story.

An interesting thriller with enough plot twists to keep you engaged. Phoebe and Claire went to Australia for a study abroad program for a month, ten years ago. There was a whole group from different backgrounds as well. Phoebe went missing mysteriously, Now, ten years later, her remains have been found, and the whole group reunited again in Australia. Police questioned everyone, but they all are unreliable and hiding secrets. Told from Phoebe and Claire's points of views we gradually get to know about the dynamics of the group. Suspense builds up slowly and after the middle picks up pace. The ending is surprisingly shocking with a twist at the very end.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

"For fans of Lucy Foley and Society of Lies comes a crackling study abroad thriller that proves that a trip of a lifetime can have deadly consequences...

Ten years ago
A study abroad program like no other: a month-long trip of education and adventure, exploring everything Australia has to offer. And at first, it's everything best friends Phoebe and Claire, and the rest of the student group expects: sunshine, whirlwind romance, and all-night parties. But it isn't long before cracks begin to form within the group. Ones that lead to Phoebe's disappearance...

Now
It's the call Claire has been waiting for years for. Phoebe's remains have been found. It's time to return, for her and the others to go back to Australia. But as Claire retraces their steps and tries to piece together exactly what happened to her best friend all those years ago, it quickly becomes clear everyone in the group has secrets. Including Claire.

Because only she knows what really happened that fateful day ten years ago. The day she killed her best friend. And she'll do anything she can to keep the others from learning the truth."

Oh yes, murderous students abroad in Australia!

“The Outback never forgets.”
Ten years after a fateful summer abroad in Australia, Phoebe’s body is finally discovered and Claire is pulled back into the tangled web of memories, suspicion, and former friends she left behind. Told in split timelines and dual POVs, this story navigates the “before” and “after” of a tight-knit group of 20-somethings whose carefree time abroad ended in tragedy.

While the premise is solid and the Australian setting adds a fresh, immersive atmosphere, the story leans more toward drama and piecing together the past than offering major twists or shocks. We’re told a key piece of the puzzle early on, and although the book tries to unravel our certainty from there, it doesn’t fully succeed in subverting expectations. As a seasoned thriller reader, I found it a bit predictable.

The characters are largely surface-level; self-absorbed, flawed, and not particularly likable. For a story about college-aged drama and betrayal, that choice works. The group’s dynamic is realistic for stressed out college kids; shallow drama, jealousy, and obsession.

The writing is clean and accessible, and while there are some sinister moments, the pacing is more simmer than sizzle. I appreciated the study abroad setup and authentic Aussie touches, though the drama itself stays mostly on the surface.

Overall: A fun, drama-soaked thriller that’s perfect for summer reading. While I craved a bit more depth and surprise, the setting and structure kept me engaged. Think: slow-burn suspense meets reality TV reunion.

Recommended for readers who want drama, secrets, and murder—without the breakneck pace.

⸻

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This Stays Between Us 🤫

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Genre: Suspense
Pub Date: July 25, 2025

Ten years ago, a group of students from all over travel to Australia for a month long study abroad. A close group of friends form a tight bond, until Phoebes past catches up to her and starts fracturing the group apart. When Phoebe disappears at the end of the trip, the group disbands. That is until their ten year reunion. The entire group is summoned back to Australia by the police because Phoebes body has been found. And they all have something to hide.

This was a fun one! I was easily sucked in from the first chapter with an immediate shocker. The Australian setting was so enjoyable, and I loved to hate so many of these characters! Everyone was well written and I really had strong opinions about them. I liked the way the author shifted suspicions around and brought some fun plot points to the story.

I oscillated between a 3⭐️ and 4⭐️ rating throughout the book. I would be really sucked in and not want to put it down, but at other times I would get annoyed with stupid little details. Ultimately I did enjoy reading this and constantly wanted to pick the book back up. If you come across this one I think I would make for a quick easy read worth trying out.