This one was propulsive, with solid twists and a creeping sense of dread. I flew through it.

Crime novels set in Australia seem to always be uninviting and this one was no exception. It’s not the murders (obviously), it’s the setting: dry, arid, remote, and literally on fire. There’s a particular kind of isolation unique to Australia that adds tension but also doesn’t make me want to visit.

I really liked Sara Ochs's last book so I jumped on the opportunity to read this one and it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed the atmospheric setting of the Australian outback. This book had some good twists and turns and kept me on the edge of my seat til the end. I highly recommend giving this one a read if you are looking for a thriller you can't put down this summer.

Thank you Netgalley and SourceBooks Landmark for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

This Stays Between Us is a can't-put-down, stay-up-all-night thriller that takes place in the outback of Australia and centers around a group of study abroad friends. It has been a decade since Claire studied abroad in Australia, an experience that turned out to be truly life changing. Now, living her simple routine life, Claire often wonders what her life could have been if not for the events 10 years ago. Then, when Claire receives a phone call requesting that she return to Australia because her old friend's remains have been found, she knows that the truth is about to be revealed. What Claire was not expecting was that she was not the only person keeping secrets. Upon arrival in Australia and meeting up with her former study abroad group, Claire realizes that each and every one of them has something to hide. Just how many of the secrets are related to Phoebe's death?

This Stays Between Us is easily one of my favorite thrillers of 2025! I seriously could not put the book down. The book is fast-paced and told through a dual timeline with two POVs - Claire in the present and Phoebe in the past. The author does a perfect job of truly describing the study abroad experience. I 100 percent felt like I was a college student back in my study abroad program. I also absolutely feel the need to travel across Australia now. Sara Ochs' descriptions should be used in a travel book! There are so many twists to the plot! The ending is definitely satisfying, and all the loose ends are tied up. I will absolutely be reading everything by this author and will be highly recommending This Stays Between Us to anyone looking for a gripping, can't-put-down thriller!

Ten students studied abroad in Australia for one month but not everybody made it back home. The group reunites ten years later and the truth finally comes out about who was responsible.

This fun, fast-paced thriller alternates between Claire’s POV in the present and Phoebe’s in the past. There are so many twists and turns that keep you guessing. The cliffhanger chapter endings kept me sucked in throughout the story. The motive reveal felt like a bit of a stretch to me but ultimately a satisfying ending and epilogue.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing a free ARC for review via NetGalley.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for gifting me a digital ARC of the new thriller by Sara Ochs, author of The Resort. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Ten years ago, six college students meet in an Australian summer study abroad program meant to introduce them to the beauty of the country and immerse them in the culture. In reality, it's a long, alcohol-fueled party, with hook ups and friendships turned wrong. When Phoebe disappears, the group decides to pack up and leave the past behind along with their secrets. Until they all receive a call that Phoebe's body has been found and they must return.

I love a good destination thriller, and this one highlighted Australia beautifully. Plus, every one of the students is holding secrets in both the past and present timelines and it's fun to see them peel back slowly. The story unfolds with two distinct voices and timelines - Phoebe in the past and Claire in the present. The plotting and pacing were great and I liked how little truths kept revealing themselves along with some twists and turns. A great vacation read without leaving home!

This Stays Between Us by Sara Ochs is a compelling mystery centered around the disappearance of Phoebe—a young woman whose absence sends shockwaves through a group bound by secrets, guilt, and shifting loyalties. While no one can say for sure who is responsible, it quickly becomes clear that everyone has something to hide.

Ochs masterfully weaves an atmospheric tale filled with tension and a subtle undercurrent of unease. The narrative delves deep into the characters’ pasts, revealing the choices, betrayals, and hidden motives that ultimately lead to the pivotal moment of Phoebe’s vanishing. The story’s structure allows for a gradual unfolding of events, building suspense while keeping readers questioning each character’s true role.

What stands out most is the unsettling dynamic between the characters, adding a layer of psychological intrigue that elevates the novel beyond a standard missing-person mystery. With richly drawn backstories and a slow-burning sense of dread, This Stays Between Us delivers a dark and satisfying read that lingers long after the final page.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

3.75⭐️

I’ve read another book by this author and absolutely hated the conclusion. Unfortunately in this book she chose the exact same conclusion.
The structure, the storytelling and the premise is extremely good. I really enjoyed all of the MCs theories while slowly learning what really happened through the POV of the victim.
Especially with the beautiful and well researched backdrop of the nature and culture of Australia.
But the conclusion ruined the experience, it just came way too random in my opinion.
The epilogue though? Mind blowing.

A decent thriller, perfect for your gloomy summer TBRs

What an emotionally charged summer thriller!

Ten years ago, Claire's best friend Phoebe disappeared while they are on a study abroad trip in Australia. At present, Clair receives a call stating that Phoebe's remains have been found, and she's pulled back to Australia. She will do anything to make sure no one knows that she killed her best friend.

This premise was immediately suspenseful and engaging, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning what happened to Phoebe all those years ago. Fans of time hopping thrillers about toxic friend groups will devour this one!

This was a great suspense read! 10 years ago, a group of college students went abroad. One was killed, and now they are all suspects.

I couldn't put this book down! I loved the dual POVs and the dual timelines. It really helped the story to unfold clearly.

I figured out some major plot points early on (I read a lot of suspense), but it didn't take away from the story. The epilogue threw me for a loop! I didn't see that twist coming.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC.

This Stays Between Us follows Claire as she’s forced to face the past when her best friend Phoebe’s remains are found ten years after she vanished during their study abroad trip to Australia. What started as a fun month of adventure, parties, and romance quickly spiraled into something much darker, ending with Phoebe’s disappearance. Now, Claire and the rest of the group are back in Australia, but everyone is hiding something. Only Claire knows the full truth about what really happened the day Phoebe died, and she’ll do whatever it takes to keep it buried. This was such a good book and it kept me engaged the whole way through. I especially liked the dual timeline between ten years ago and now, which really added to the suspense.

Loved it!! My first question is, how are they even getting college credit for this? Do they write a paper or give a talk at the end? I'm not sure how it's a a study abroad program. It's pretty much a vacation where the kids get bussed to different locations in Australia. I didn't see much learning, just one big party with nonstop booze, drugs and sleeping around with each other. I really enjoyed how the book alternated between Phoebe and Claire in the present and past. I enjoyed reading about what happened during the study abroad program. The group camps right next to a lake that holds some of Australia's most deadly species. They are told they will be safe as long as they don't go in the lake. What is preventing these creepy crawlies from leaving the water and slithering up to the campsite. How are words going to prevent alcohol fueled kids from venturing into the water? Ellery, Kyan, Adrien, Tomas Josh, Claire, Phoebe and Hari were constantly doing stupid things all because of Truth or Dare. I didn't love any of the characters. I really don't understand Claire's mom pressuring her to attend the abroad program. I would think Claire would want to spend that time with her. Ten years later, everyone shows back up in Australis after a body is found. Noticeably two people are missing from this reunion, but that's due to events that happened during the trip. No one seems to trust each other as they try to figure out what happened. There were so many twists and turns. I couldn't imagine who the killer could be and why? I was suspicious of everyone, they all seemed to be hiding something. That ending!!!!!!! Loved it!!! It definitely changed my mind about one person. I never guessed what really happened. They all should have gotten eaten by sharks in the great barrier reef or gone for a swim in the lake. They went from friends to being down right mean with each other.

Definitely recommend the book. It was a great mystery/thriller that kept me guessing until the end. So many secrets and lies. Australia sounds like a beautiful place to visit. Loved the story, characters and writing style. This was the first book I read by the author and I look forward to reading more. .

I received a complimentary copy of this book from SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4 Stars (Rounded Up from 3.5)

This Stays Between Us by Sara Ochoa is a fast paced, twisty read that kept me turning pages. While the beginning took a little time to hook me, once it picked up, I was all in. The characters felt messy in a realistic way, and the tension was well crafted throughout.

The final twist completely surprised me,it added a great payoff and made the journey worth it. Ochoa has a strong voice, and I’m excited to see what she writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks, and Sara Ochs for the ARC!

This was a fast paced, twisty little thriller that kept me turning pages straight through to the end. The twists come early and often and just when you think you’ve got a handle on what’s going on, another secret explodes into the open. It’s pure popcorn thriller fun.

I really enjoyed the unique setting of a semester abroad in Australia. I felt that it added a fresh layer to the mystery and raises the stakes in interesting ways. That said, the sheer number of twists and buried secrets did start to feel like a bit much at times. A little whiplash is part of the ride, but it occasionally came at the expense of character depth.

Though this is definitely marketed as an adult thriller, some parts veer into young adult territory. Probably largely due to the college age characters, their messy relationships, and the frequent party scenes. Still, the blend of mystery, drama, and betrayal makes for a highly entertaining read.

If you're looking for a bingeable thriller with an exotic backdrop, plenty of secrets, and a steady stream of surprises, this one’s worth picking up.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Sara Ochs for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

5 out of 5 Stars!

Ten years ago, six college students went on a study abroad trip to Australia. This program is supposed to introduce them to the beauty and culture of Australia. But in reality, it turns into a nightmare. When one of the students, Phoebe, suddenly goes missing in a small outback town, everyone thinks she just ran off. So the group decides to pack up and leave. All of their secrets can stay in that town. But, 10 years later they all get a phone call that could threaten to unleash those secrets. Phoebe’s body has been found. Everyone is summoned back to Australia, confronted with their past selves and by the police. Slowly but surely, secrets are starting to unearth in that small outback town. Everyone knew something about Phoebe’s murder. And someone may not make it out alive…

After reading “The Resort” by Sara Ochs, I was really excited to read “This Stays Between Us”! And thankfully, this book did not disappoint! “The Resort” was one of my first Book of the Month boxes, so I still remember it to this day. I love Ochs' writing style and how she could create so many twists in one book. As stated in other reviews, I am a sucker for multiple viewpoints which “The Resort” and “This Stays Between Us” had.

The first chapter of this book really, really hooked me. If you are on the fence reading this book, I would recommend the first chapter to see if you get obsessed like I did! I don’t want to give too much away, but I think it would capture any mystery reader. Like I said above, there were so many twists and turns in the book. Not only are you trying to uncover what happened to Phoebe, who we know was found dead, but there are other mysteries that are uncovered along the way. You are really left guessing until the last page about what really happened.

There are multiple viewpoints in this book: one of Claire, our main character, and one of Phoebe ten years ago during the study abroad summer. I thought Sara Ochs did a great job of creating a craving between both perspectives. Sometimes I feel like books are one-sided, where you want to read one perspective more than the other, which creates boredom throughout the book. But, both Claire and Phoebe’s perspectives were very intriguing throughout.

The last 50% of this novel went incredibly quickly, which really made this a fast read for me. The first 50% was great too, but it took me a little longer to read with the plot setting up and the introduction of the characters. There were so many characters in this book, not enough to confuse you but enough to create so much doubt and twists. Claire, our main character, was really smart and had great development throughout the story. I liked hearing her perspective as much as I liked Phoebe’s.

“This Stays Between Us” will be coming out July 15th, 2025! If you are looking for a great summer mystery, set in beautiful Australia, I would highly recommend it!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark, Sara Ochs, and Netgally for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

The perfect fast paced thriller that will keep you second guessing who is telling the truth and who you can trust. Set in the ever changing landscape of Australia this story follows six college students on their idealistic study abroad trip that turns sinister. Switching timelines between the trip and ten years later, we get to find out what actually happened the night Phoebe went missing. This book kept me up all night with its well-developed characters and fast plot. Definitely add to your TBR list!

Thank you to Net Galley and Sourcebooks Landmark for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have previously read a book from this author and really enjoyed it, so I was excited for this one. I ended up really liking this one as well! A great book to read during summer. I loved the setting in this book, I felt it was very different from anything I have read.

A group of six students traveled to Sidney, Australia for a month-long study abroad program to experience Australian culture, but not everyone returned home safely. Ten years later, the remains of one of the participants is found. Now ten years later, the other former students return to Sidney for a reunion and also face being questioned by law enforcement.

This engaging destination thriller has two timelines - events in the present are narrated by Claire who is from the U.S. The timeline from ten years ago is narrated by Phoebe, the young woman who goes missing. There are lots of hikes, hook-ups, and drunken nights in this part of the story. In the present, the characters worry about what the police know and wonder who harmed Phoebe. No matter what timeline we're in, the characters all have secrets and nobody is particularly likable. That doesn't mean the story didn't keep my interest, though! 

There are a few different plot twists to keep you guessing.  I don't want to get into spoiler territory, but for me, there is one twist too many at the end that doesn't seem to line up with previous things in the story. Even though I didn't love the ending, I did love the setting.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

Ten years ago a group of students take off for a month long study abroad trip. They all look forward to exploring Australia and forming new friendships. Phoebe and Claire become the best of friends. It doesn't take long for the group to unravel. There are many secrets being kept within the group. One member is dead and Phoebe's disappears. Ten years later Claire gets the call that she has dreaded; Phoebe's remains have been found. Now, the group must return to Australia as part of the investigation. It is time for the truth to be revealed that Claire has tried so hard to keep secret This is a twisty destination thriller that is told in dual timelines and multiple POV's between Claire and Phoebe.

I read this author's debut, The Resort and loved it so was excited for this follow-up. The first few chapters were a bit slower in setting everything up, but then it's twisty and fast-paced and hard to put down. The story is set in Australia, which had my attention immediately and you can practically feel the steamy heat. We are following six study-abroad students whose time is cut short when Phoebe goes missing. Ten years later, the group reunites after Phoebe's remains are found. We find out early on who the killer is and the POV's are from both that character and Phoebe. I found that interesting, although I did not really connect with any character in particular. All in all, though, the story totally had my attention after the first 15-20% and I look forward to a third novel from Sara Ochs! Oh, and extra points for the gorgeous cover!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Sara Ochs and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Instagram and other retail and social media sites upon publication day of July 15, 2025.

If you enjoy a fast-paced thriller, this book is for you. The fast pace begins right on the first page and does not stop until the very end. What I loved most is throughout the book, I was constantly changing my mind on who did it. Then you get to the ending and WOW!!! I will be buying a physical copy of this one when its released so I can annotate as I read through it again. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.