This was a great thrilling read! I enjoyed the mystery and piecing together the "what you did that summer" vibe.

As with The Resort, Ochs has created a wonderfully immersive experience. Australia was vividly described and made such a great backdrop to the story. There's a desolation and desperation to both place and people. A group of students longing to escape and reinvent, but unintentionally (or maybe international) inviting danger.
Claire has been certain for the last ten years that she was the one who killed Phoebe. But when Phoebe's body is found and more information comes out during the investigation, Claire isn't so sure of her guilt anymore. But she is sure she can no longer trust any of her old friends. Because one of them has to be the guilty party.

Many thanks to Netgalley for this arc. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.

In this book we are following Claire as she heads back to Australia for a reunion of her study abroad trip that she took with five other people that ended with a students murder and another going missing. Claire, Josh, Declan, Keren, Ellery, and Adrien find out that their fellow study abroad student Phoebe was found in a mine and that she had been dead for years. Claire starts to investigate what happened and we get povs of the past and the events that lead to her death and a shocking twist in the epilogue. This newest book is just as good as her debut.

Wow! This packs a punch! As with her last novel Sara Ochs did not disappoint. From beginning to end you are on a ride full of twists and turns. I really enjoyed the friend group aspect and taking a trip to Australia in different timelines. There's a lot of characters, but even with that this did not get confusing. Which very few authors can articulate that! The writing style is very descriptive where you can truly feel it as if you were right there in this book! There are some extremely emotional moments in this novel. But it plays into the story very well. I did not see the ending coming. This is sure to be summers hottest thriller!

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC of 'This Stays Between Us' by Sara Ochs - expected release date of 07/15/2025

ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ochs books have a White Lotus kinda feel to them, but for a younger audience. This one was okay. Her description of the Aussie setting was great, I felt like I was there. Other than that, the storyline just felt eh. I didn't like any of the characters and the few she went into deep detail on were actually pretty intolerable. Throwing in a relationship out of the blue between Phoebe and Ellery was not necessary at all, like, why!? There were no hints to any intimacy between them anywhere in the book until the end. Also, the fact that there was an accidental death before the murder, I don't think that really needed to happen. Especially since it was just glossed over and life went on for the characters like normal after it. And for Josh to be the main bad guy/ killer, that was so underwhelming, we barely knew anything about him until the end, too. A lot was promised, hinted at, then at the end it felt rushed and thrown haphazardly together. But it all tied up, no loose ends by the finish.

This has strong "Dangerous Girls" vibes: a group of college kids head to Australia for an adventure exchange program and proceed to hook up, betray each other, bond, and (for some) die. Told in alternating POVs (Claire, now; Phoebe, then), the group returns to Australia a decade later when Phoebe's remains are discovered to try to figure out which one of them killed her. Fast-paced, addictive read.

I absolutely loved this book!! Amazing from start to finish. I was so into this book, and didn’t want the story to end. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

read if you like:
🌎 study abroad trips
🥶 cold case murders

summary:
This book seemed like a fun read for anyone who studied abroad (hello New Zealand!) and I was right! It follows a group that studied abroad together at Hamilton College in Australia, led by Phoebe and Claire, who became roommates and fast friends during their time down under. Despite having a blast with their friends and a seemingly perfect time, Phoebe disappears, and Claire is left to return to her life in the states. Ten years later, Phoebe’s body is found, and the group is called back to Australia for a reunion and the police investigation to understand what really happened to Phoebe the night she disappeared. As Claire reunites with her other friends there, it’s clear that more than just her has secrets to hide. As the investigation progresses, it’s clear that Claire’s secrets along with the others will shed light on what happened to Phoebe and who wanted her dead.

This book is written from dual POV’s — Claire’s in the present day, and Phoebe’s ten years ago during their time in Australia. The back and forth allows us to get to know both girls well, and see Claire’s evolution from student to adult and the trauma she lives with after Phoebe’s disappearance. Admittedly I wish we got to know the others in their group better, as I feel like it would have made the ending more dramatic! This aside though, the story has a fun premise (you don’t get many study abroad thrillers!) and moves quickly. It’s an easy read to follow and the ending isn’t very predictable — and ESPECIALLY the very end! it’s a classic thriller you won’t be able to put down.

If you like Australia or classic murder mysteries, check this book out when it releases on July 15! Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I was excited to get this ARC from NetGalley as I enjoyed her first book The Resort. I was confused a bit by the multiple people, but I eventually found my footing. It took me a while but once it started rolling I couldn't stop reading because I needed to see what happened next. I thought I had it all figured out what happened to Phoebe, but I was wrong. Really good book, highly recommended!

I enjoyed this mystery thriller! This story about a group of students who studied abroad kept me guessing until the end!
So many twist and turns! The pace of the book really picks uo in the second half!

Thanks to Netgalley for this eArc!

Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark, for the early read in exchange for my honest review.

Ten years ago, six college students traveled to Australia for a summer study abroad. However, their trip took a dark turn when Phoebe, a troubled girl whose jealousy strained their friendships, vanished in a remote town. Initially presumed to have run away, the group attempted to move on, burying their secrets.

Now, a decade later, her remains have been found, and the former friends must return to the scene of the crime to confront the dark truths they thought they had escaped. The story unfolds through a dual timeline, exploring both Claire and Phoebe's past and present perspectives, which adds depth to the resurfacing mystery.

The author does an excellent job of keeping the reader guessing throughout this classic whodunit, making every character seem guilty at some point. Just when I thought I had solved the mystery, I realized I was completely wrong. The pacing is perfect, and the story connects seamlessly from beginning to end. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a captivating mystery, and I will definitely read more from Ochs!

My students like this type of book, a group of students, told both in the initial adventure abroad at college and current time reunion in Australia where one of their bodies has been found , after being missing fora decade. We learn right away who killed her and the rest of the book is twisty and I think my students will enjoy the ride. It reads young so adults might find it boring at times and predictable

Where to start? This book had so many twists and turns that as soon as you think you know what happens it’s something new. It keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. I couldn’t put this book down as it was written very well, but also I just needed to know what happened. This book is one of the best I’ve read this year, and I absolutely love every twist and turn in the book. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me this ARC to read and review!

Wow—what an amazing thriller! I absolutely loved this book. The dual timeline was brilliantly executed, seamlessly switching between present-day (Claire’s POV) and the past leading up to the murder (Phoebe’s POV). This structure added so much depth, allowing us to truly get to know Phoebe—even though she was already dead in the present-day sections. It made the thriller feel multidimensional and kept me constantly guessing.

I’ll admit, when the killer was initially revealed, I felt a bit disappointed. But then—boom—the final twist at the end completely changed that for me. It was such a shocking and satisfying moment that tied everything together in the best way.

If you love suspenseful, cleverly plotted thrillers, I absolutely recommend This Stays Between Us!

10 years ago a group of college students from all over the world go on a study abroad trip to Australia. One of them ends up dead and now 10 years later, her body has been found. The remaining 9 meet back up in Australia and are questioned by the police to figure out who killed her. Almost everyone is a suspect and the story goes through how the main character, Claire, figures out what happened. There are multiple

The story line was great but I just couldn’t connect with a single character and the twists were pretty predictable. The book was just lacking that spark for me.

Thank you, Sourcebooks Landmark, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Talk about a book that will keep you up late reading because you could not put it down! This book was one of my favorites of the ones I’ve read by Sara Ochs! Follow along as these friends try to solve a murder! This book had me playing along and speculating on who did it!

Another character dynamic deep dive from this great author. I loved this.

A group of young college students on an Australian abroad program are having the time of their life when the trip ends with one of them going missing. Now, it is 10 years later and the group reconnects… because police have found their friend’s body.

Now, each of them back in Australia, they must confront what happened to Phoebe all those years ago. With twists and turns, I had a great time unraveling the truth. I enjoyed the differences between the characters in their college years - who they were as people, to who they become in the present.

This one kept me on the edge of my seat and I loved it.

I was hooked by the premise - a group of students doing study abtoad in Australia. One disappears and 10 years later the group reunites back in Australia from all over (coincidentally the richest one now lives in Australia and has space for everyone in his giant waterfront mansion). Everyone has secrets. Phoebe thought she was responsible but what really happened?

Unfortunately this was boring. Most of the characters were unlikeable. The reveal at the end is a big tell all which annoys me if not done well, which this wasn’t. This was a slog and just felt meh.

The writing itself wasn’t bad, just lots of hinting at secrets without revealing them. This just wasn’t for me. Lots of great reviews from people who enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This Stays Between Us by Sara Ochs starts with an intriguing premise—an old friend group reunited after a decade, secrets bubbling to the surface, and a murder mystery unfolding in dual timelines. The setup is gripping, and the writing is engaging, with well-paced reveals and some truly tense moments. The alternating perspectives between Claire and Phoebe add depth, and I enjoyed how the story slowly unraveled their past.

However, the novel ultimately fell flat for me. The biggest issue? It was painfully predictable. Every twist, every character reaction, every reveal felt phoned in, making it more tedious than thrilling. And then there's the frustrating portrayal of Phoebe—her character arc leans into fat-phobic messaging, suggesting that she only became worthy or likable after losing weight. That choice felt unnecessary and detracted from the story’s depth. Claire, our protagonist, also didn't help matters. She was frustratingly naive, making choices that felt forced just to drive the plot forward rather than being natural extensions of her character. In a genre where sharp, layered protagonists are key, she just didn’t stand out.

Overall, This Stays Between Us is a good thriller, but it doesn't bring anything fresh to the table. If you love reunion-based mysteries and don’t mind a predictable plot, it might still be worth a read—but don’t expect to be blown away. Find this on shelves July 15!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the complimentary eARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Great book couldn't put it down. Thank you for letting me read this in advance. Five stars for sure.