This was just ok! I liked the idea of this plot but all in all, it just felt messy. Too many characters. Too many little twists that didn’t do anything in the end.

Less Destination-y, Less Thrill-y, Still Solid Sophomore Submittal. Ochs' debut last year, The Resort, was a book where the exotic tropical setting played nearly as much into the plot as any of the characters themselves, and where the cat and mouse game kept you guessing nearly through the last words (at least per my review I wrote back then - nearly a year and over 200 books between reading this one and that one... I remembered it as solid, but yeah, I don't retain most details that long. :D).

This one still takes you to the destination, and you absolutely still see the beauty in the various areas of Australia that she brings us to... it just isn't *as* critical to the overall plot as the destination itself felt in The Resort. The thrills and suspense are still absolutely here, but in a more dual timeline nature where we see stuff happening in each that we know won't end well in either, rather than the more cat and mouse active timeline investigation of the first book. Not to say that element is completely gone, as there is in fact an investigation here, and there are absolutely several twists even through the last words yet again. It just felt somehow... slightly "less" again. More solid standard than spectacular standout.

This could well be from the sheer fact that an author has a lifetime to craft their debut... and then just weeks, months if they are lucky, to craft their sophomore and subsequent efforts. So this isn't really a knock on Ochs at all, just the nature of the beast, really. I'm not disparaging this book in any way whatsoever - it really was quite good, and actively better than some. This bodes well indeed for future efforts, as if *this* is *all* the dropoff we get from that phenomenal first foray, Ochs will certainly be an author to watch for the rest of her writing career, however long that may be.

Truly an excellent work that shows off several different regions of Australia well enough for someone who has only ever seen those regions on a screen and has never once so much as seen the Pacific Ocean - or even been within 300 miles (roughly 500 km, for those who refuse to use freedom units) of it. I'm sure my friends and colleagues who have actually been to - or even in some cases live in - the areas depicted might have a different take there, but it absolutely worked well enough for this Southern US man.

Very much recommended.

This book was a really good whodunnit set in the Australian Outback. The story is told in alternating timelines-then and now and alternate characters Claire and Phoebe. This writing style and the faster pace of the story kept me engaged throughout the book. I didn't see the twists coming. While some twists were far out, and I needed to suspend disbelief, they were satisfying. I thought this was a quick, bingeable read, that could easily be read in one or two sittings.

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

Ten years ago, a group of eight college students from all over the world went to Australia for a study abroad program. Over the course of several tumultuous weeks, they bonded in friendship and adventure, falling in and out of love while touring the country and enjoying the quintessential Aussie experience. Alas, not all of them made it back out of the country alive.

Claire, our narrator in the present day, went home to Chicago afterwards but never really recovered. Before she left for Australia, she’d been passionate about finishing her nursing degree. In the aftermath of her experience there, she wound up drifting from temp job to temp job instead, stricken still by her feelings over what happened on the trip, especially to the girl who’d been her best friend during it. Glamorous Phoebe had been from Georgia, and had taken shy, mousy Claire under her wing. As the trip progressed, however, Phoebe had found herself growing increasingly alienated from the group. When she disappeared, no one could say for sure what had happened to her.

Now the Australian authorities have discovered a body that they’ve positively identified as Phoebe’s. They’ve invited the survivors of that college trip to come give their statements as to what happened once again. For any number of reasons, Claire doesn’t want to go:

QUOTE
I’m not ready to see these people again, I realize. They were strangers turned family in little more than hours, the product of those whirlwind relationships that occur only when you’re all thrown into the same foreign circumstances[.]

We’d kept in touch over the years, but primarily through our group text message chain. Early on in our trip, Phoebe discovered a “mob” was the proper term for a group of kangaroos. One of the others had adopted the nickname for our crew, and it stuck. It was fitting, in a way. We were just as close as the Mob–for that one month at least–and equally riddled with secrets and lies.
END QUOTE

But with Kyan, the rich playboy of the group, offering to bankroll her flight over, she doesn’t have a good reason to say no, not one that won’t paint her in a suspicious light anyway. It’s with trepidation that she makes her way back to Australia, for one of the most surreal reunions of her life.

As the group meets with local investigators, they begin rehashing what happened all that time ago. Old feelings and fears rise to the surface once more, as Claire and these people whom she hopes are still her friends dig further into what happened to Phoebe. Claire always held herself responsible, but soon discovers that the rest of the Mob have their own guilty secrets too. And after they stumble across another body, it quickly becomes clear that someone is willing to continue killing in order to keep the past buried.

Full of twists and second-guessing to go with its exotic locales and dangerous games, This Stays Between Us is a thrilling addition to the genre. Phoebe, who narrates the chapters set in the past, is a deeply flawed yet sympathetic character. She came on the trip in a last ditch effort to reinvent herself after surviving years of abuse, but can’t outrun her past:

QUOTE
I put my hands over my ears, but his words still come, slippery and cruel.

You can’t just start over.

I throw myself upwards, running back in what I think is the direction of the rooms. I want to collapse, to throw myself onto my mattress, stab my headphones in my ears and turn up my music as loud as it will go. Anything to drown him out.

As I run, my feet sliding over the silky sand, the voice comes back.

Why would any of them ever want to be around you? Even Claire is too good for you now.

And I know he’s right. I tried to convince them that I was this cool, take no shit woman. Someone who the guys wanted and the girls wanted to be like.

Little did they know.
END QUOTE

Sara Ochs perfectly captures that tumultuous time of reinvention that characterizes late adolescence, as her fallible characters do their best to navigate the challenges they encounter. Too often they fail, and to disastrous consequence. But redemption lies in store for almost everyone… at least until the final, shocking pages.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This fast paced thriller kept me highly invested to find out what happened in Australia. Paced with tension.

A tense, atmospheric thriller about buried secrets, fractured friendships, and the deadly consequences of silence.

Ten years ago, six college students embarked on a dream study abroad trip to Australia. But by the time it ended, one of them—Phoebe Barton—had vanished without a trace. Now, her remains have been discovered near an abandoned mine in the remote outback town of Jagged Rock.

The group, once known as "The Mob," is summoned back for questioning, and long-hidden truths begin to unravel. At the center is Claire, Phoebe’s former roommate, who has carried a dark secret about what really happened during those fateful weeks abroad. As past and present collide, tensions rise, and the fragile façade each friend has built starts to crack.

Told in a compelling dual timeline—from Phoebe’s perspective “then” and Claire’s “now”—*This Stays Between Us* is a slow-burning psychological thriller packed with atmosphere, emotional depth, and a final twist that forces readers to question everything they thought they knew. Perfect for fans of *The Guest List* and *The Girls Are All So Nice Here*, this novel explores how far we’ll go to protect ourselves—and the lies we’ll keep to survive.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sara Ochs, and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the definition of a perfect summer psychological thriller. This is the kind of book I'd bring with me on vacation or to the beach to read. This is the kind with tons of twists and turns, you can't trust anyone, and everyone there has something to hide, leaving you with nothing left to do but keep turning the pages to get more evidence to back up or change your theories on who did it. This was the kind of thriller that had me changing my theories almost every chapter once we found out more evidence, and that's what I want in a thriller.

The book is told in two POVs: Claire, Phoebe's roommate and best friend during the program, living in the present as she helps with the investigation in Australia, and Phoebe's in a flashback to their time in the study abroad program. I will say one of the only things I didn't like about the book was how abrupt the time jumps were from chapter to chapter. It was hard to follow along at first, but once the story progressed, it got easier.

Every character was unlikeable, but I think this is one of those scenarios where it actually works in the book's favor. I constantly had the feeling that everyone was hiding something about the events leading up to Phoebe's disappearance, and it was sort of fun trying to piece together everyone's alibis and their version of events to get the full story of what was going on. The book definitely would've been over in like, 100-150 pages if they all sat down as soon as they arrived in Australia and came clean about everything that was going on. The fact that the story built up at a good pace, and everything was slowly but surely revealed, made it a fun read. It was frustrating at first to try to piece together all of these loose ends and random puzzle pieces and snippets, but once I found out what was going on, it was pretty satisfying knowing that my original theory was nothing like the theory I had at the end.

I think, now looking back, that there are a lot of subtle clues in the story that can lead you down the right path of the entire crime that takes place. None of the clues/evidence will make sense at first, but a lightbulb will switch on in your head towards the end of the story.

I will say that one of the only other things I didn't like about the story was how many side characters and almost-loose ends there were. There were a bunch of side characters that showed up throughout the story, and aside from maybe like, TWO of them (out of 5 or 6 that I can remember), the rest didn't have relevant plotlines to the story. I'll leave it at that only because this is an ARC, and who knows if they got rid of some side characters too in the final draft. There were also so many moving parts and puzzle pieces that somehow had to all fit together; it almost made me think that there were going to be loopholes and loose ends that wouldn't get resolved by the end of the story.

Overall, if you're looking for a quick, summer destination psychological thriller to read, this might be the book for you! I loved how the book kept me guessing until the very last pages. I honestly might have to pick up the finished copy to compare it to the ARC to see how much of it has changed. I have a weird feeling that enough has changed to the point where I feel like it could be two totally different books.

Big thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the early copy of this book!

Split between now and then timelines, This Stays Between Us tells the tale of six college friends ten years ago and the fateful summer tragedy struck them in Australia. It's messy, full of obsession, guilt, and some of the best twists I've read in a book. It's fast paced and the characters are well-developed, unlikeable yet loveable all in the same breath. I'd recommend to anyone who loves a good past and present thriller.

I really enjoyed this book! It starts out fast paced and stayed that way throughout. I was constantly second guessing myself on what I thought I knew. Nothing is as it seems! I loved the twist at the end too! Just amazing!

This was a fun and gripping destination thriller. It had the same sinister tone as Ochs’s The Resor, and was dark, unsettling, and full of tension. It took me a while to get into, but by the second half I was well and truly hooked. It did find the large cast of characters initially overwhelming and hard to keep straight, but Ochs drew them out with great detail as the story progressed.

The outback of Australia offered an unforgiving, isolated, and harsh setting which was perfect for this group revisiting the scene of a crime from ten years ago. This was elevated by Och’s writing which was engaging, atmospheric, and emotive. There was a small element of the story I found pretty disappointing (and am pretending didn’t happen). Overall though, the twists were surprising enjoyable and satisfying.

I would recommend this read to anyone looking for a dark, atmospheric, and tense psychological thriller. Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This stays between us is a summer thriller perfect for the summer reading season. Taking place in alternating timelines and dual PoVs, we have Claire in the present. Claire is going back to a reunion of her study abroad group who traveled to Australia together when their friend. Phoebe went missing. When the novel opens, Claire has been carrying the secret that she has killed phoebe. However, when she gets called that phoebe body has been found, readers learn that Claire’s original confession was not quite that simple. Secrets are revealed between the members of the class and the jumps back in time to phoebes perspective unravel a twisted tale that leads to her disappeared and ultimate death.

This is a suspenseful, fast-paced read-but I don’t think it will add anything new to the genre or stand out necessarily. This is still an enjoyable time killer for pool chair!

Thanks to the publisher for providing the arc via NetGalley I. Exchange for an honest review.

"This Stays Between Us" is a twisty destination thriller. Ten years ago, six college students met while studying abroad together in Australia when one of the students, Phoebe, suddenly disappeared. Presuming she ran away, the group decided to pack up and head back to their respective homes. But ten years later, they each receive a call that Phoebe's body has been found. The police have questions, and the group is summoned back to Australia. It soon becomes clear that everyone is hiding something.

I really enjoyed Sara Ochs' debut novel, and I have been eagerly awaiting this one. "This Stays Between Us" was a fun summer thriller full of twists and turns. The story is told from the perspectives of Phoebe's former study abroad roommate, Claire, in the present and Phoebe in the past. I liked this format because it built so much tension and suspense, and I loved having Phoebe's POV knowing from the outset that she would go missing. The characters were so messy and flawed but very well-written. I truly had no idea who to trust, and I think at one point or another I suspected each of them. I thought I had figured it all out, but I was wrong. The story has kind of a slow burn feel, but the well-executed twists kept it fast-paced. Needless to say, I finished this book quickly because I was dying to find out what happened. I loved the Australian setting, and Ochs is becoming a fave author for destination thrillers.

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

This was a quick, entertaining read! I enjoyed the suspense and while I was able to guess where the story was going I still had an enjoyable time reading.

3.5 stars. This book follows two perspectives, Claire and Phoebe. Claire is going back 10 years later to Australia, where she did a study abroad program, after the body of her friend, Phoebe, was found in an abandoned mine. When Claire arrives, secrets between all the other members of the study abroad group start to come out and Claire is on a missions to figure out who killed Phoebe. This also follows Phoebe from the past and her perspective leading up to the night she was murdered.
This book had drama, intrigue, an interesting setting, and a big twist.
Thank you to Netgalley and Source book Landmark for the ARC of this book. This book is out now.

I don’t know why I had low expectations going into this book but I ended up loving it. The twists, the setting, the flashbacks - just so well done.

The epilogue though 😒 I won’t say anymore but it definitely made a few parts not make sense looking back on them.

I was sucked in from the first chapter and flew through the book. I can’t wait to go back and read Sara Ochs last book, The Resort. Very twisty and fun! Definitely a perfect beach/vacation read.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

I wanted to give Sara Ochs a second chance after <i>The Resort</i>, and, OK, I see what the hype is about now.

The idea of a destination thriller (or whatever we're calling Ochs's genre of thrillers that prominently feature travel themes) is a fun one, and <i>This Stays Between Us</i> really demonstrates its potential. The characters' interaction with Australia is a major element of the book, and it's fun to see the country through their eyes (specifically, the eyes of party-focused college kids more focused on the local bars than the local sights). Ochs really captures that vibe well, and I'll be interested to see if she continues that focus in her next books.

What I was most impressed by was how well the book kept me hooked from chapter to chapter. I shamelessly dropped the other books I was reading after picking this book up, and that says a lot! Unfortunately, though, I didn't feel that the book quite stuck the landing. If you go into the book expecting it to be about the journey, not the destination, though (fitting for a travel, book, amirite), you'll be very pleased!

(Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this book! All opinions are, of course, my own.)

Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark | Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.

A slow burn, twisty mystery/thriller that also has a destination setting? Count me in. I really enjoyed the slow reveal of all the layers of this novel. And in true Ochs fashion, an epilogue with a final surprise.

One of them knows what happened all those years ago, but they will do anything to keep the truth buried.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5/5)

Ten years ago, a group of students go on 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 the 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, Claire, Phoebe’s old roommate, gets a call that 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.

First off, I enjoyed the past vs present POVs along with the POVs of Phoebe and Claire. The book did keep you guessing “who dun it” as one chapter you’re convinced of one person’s guilt, and the next they’re cleared. It felt as though the ending came out of left field and just “happened.” The little twist of the last chapter though is what got me rating this 3.5 ⭐️ vs 3. It was a very quick read and overall entertaining!

Didn't like this book because it had confusing shifts between povs and phoebe became acceptable after loosing weight.

Six study abroad friends return to Australia 10 years later when their friend Phoebe’s body is discovered in a mine near where they were staying all those years ago. This story is tense, and it is hard to know who to believe in this destination thriller! I loved the past and present timelines. It really helped me get the whole picture about what happened and how the characters got where they are. This is a great summer read!

3.5 stars