I've been looking forward to read more of Sara Ochs ever since I enjoyed her debut The Dive, and I added This Stays Between Us as soon as I first heard about. I always love a story with a travel element, so the Australian setting was definitely a bonus... The premise only made me want to read it even more with that summer study abroad element, the travel within Australia and the promise of murder. I fully expected to have a great time with this story and I'm not sure if I simply set my expectations too high, but the fact remains that I ended up feeling rather underwhelmed.

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with the premise itself. As someone who has studied abroad herself, I loved the idea of the group of students traveling to Australia for a short summer abroad program. Especially since it involved mainly a lot of travel and exploring the country as well as that instant bond that usually forms in situations like this. The idea of one of the group ending up dead, and the whole lot all having something to hide sounded like the perfect recipe for an entertaining and suspenseful thriller... But somehow I found the execution to be lacking.

I loved the Australian setting of course, and I could appreciate the descriptions of the different destinations along the way. Did I wish they were just a bit more extensive to fully set the scene? Most definitely. But I still felt that the whole student travel vibe was achieved. This type of travel doesn't go without the complimentary alcohol and plenty of drama of course, but I was a bit disappointed by just how much focus is on the alcohol use and drama instead of the actual travel.

Part of where it went wrong for me has everything to do with the characters. Every single one of the characters in This Stays Between Us is both unlikeable, considerably one-dimensional and riddled with cliches. This made it very hard to care about what happened to any of them... And the overdose of drama and bitching didn't really help either. To make things worse, they basically behave like horny and jealous teenagers most of the time, resulting in a lot of love triangles, hurt feelings and more drama. The fact that they all had something to hide was hammered into us readers over and over again, and this really got old fast.

The story has a dual POV structure, switching between Claire in the present and Phoebe in the past. Claire's POV was highly frustating; not only because she makes the most stupid decisions and basically suspects everyone, but also because it is repeated over and over and OVER how she is the reason Phoebe is dead. This constant repetition and hinting at secrets, certain events and guilt in general was highly annoying, and even more so with all those secrets and twists being so incredibly obvious and predictable. Phoebe's POV, set in the past, wasn't much better as she is extremely unlikeable, but at least there is the travel to make up for things some.

I think the writing itself also wasn't as good as I hoped it would be. Like I said before, the constant repetition and hinting at certain events did not only come over as lazy, but also ment I started to feel more and more frustrated instead of curious about what happened to Phoebe (and Tomas for that matter). The many cliches also ment that the behavior of everyone involved as well as their secrets were extremely predictable, and the ending wasn't much better with everything being spelled out like that. I don't even want to mention the epilogue, because it most definitely didn't have the intented shocking effect.

I do have to say that it is a fast read at least, but it is also tedious at the same time? If you don't mind an overdose of what feels like teenage drama, betrayal and secrets, like a travel element and don't mind a predictable plot, This Stays With Us might just work better for you though.

This is my second time reading a Sara Ochs book and she’s quickly become an auto read author for me. This Stays Between Us kept me engaged and guessing from the start. Every time I thought I had it figured out something happened to change my mind. There are a lot of characters so it took me a bit to keep them straight but that ultimately added a great whodunnit factor. It was the perfect thriller for summer.

Sara Ochs writes a hell of a popcorn thriller. Friends reuniting years after one of them was killed, and they all have secrets. It was twisty and kept me guessing the whole time!

After ten years listed as a missing person, Phoebe's body has been found. Each of her six college friends are summoned back to Australia to answer questions about the summer study program they all attended together. Can the group keep their secrets or will someone let something out?

I knew this was going to be a juicy one the moment I started. I love the kind of books that have you gasping as we are given a little tidbit of a revelation each time. Secrets always make thrillers exciting and this one had plenty of excitement. Fast paced with constant twists, I loved the journey. Strap yourself in and enjoy the ride. Oh and being Australian, I loved the Aussie setting too!

I really enjoyed the suspense of this one. It kept me engaged and pretty consistently changing my thoughts on who was to blame. It was easy to read, but also well developed.

Sara Ochs’s “This Stays Between Us” was the first book I read of hers. A group of college students (Claire, Phoebe, Adrien, Ellery, Declan, Tomas, Josh, and Kyan) met ten years ago in a month-long Australian summer study abroad program. By the end of it, the group is down to six students because of an accident Tomas had and Phoebe’s disappearance.

The story alternates between narrators. Claire in present day and Phoebe during the summer in question. In present day, “The Mob” is looking to have a reunion in Australia at Kyan’s house. Claire wasn’t going to attend, but changes her mind when she’s summoned back to Australia. Phoebe’s remains have been located and the local authorities have questions.

I found the book to be mostly a fast-paced and enjoyable read. I could’ve done without the Epilogue, though. It took away the closure the author had just given the reader in the past few chapters leading up to it.

Overall, I recommend this book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

A group of friends has secrets from their past that are coming to light years later. I changed my mind so many times as to what was happening. A very fun read with good twists that keep you on the edge of your seat!

Very fast thrilling mystery.

Returning to Australia 10 years after their summer abroad, 6 friends find themselves reliving— and uncovering— the secrets of their trip. The body of their classmate has been recovered and the police have just as many questions as they do, as they try to finally move on.. but some secrets don’t stay secrets forever.

Very twisty with 2 POVs and 2 timelines, This Stays Between Us has all the makings of a great mystery. I enjoyed the way the story unfolded in pieces and loved the very last twist. Will keep this author on my radar.

A fast-paced thriller about a group of friends on a study abroad trip to Australia. The book alternates between two perspectives: Phoebe, who went missing in the Australian Outback 10 years ago, and present-day Claire, who feels the pain and guilt of what happened on that fateful trip. Several good twists that kept me guessing — I couldn’t put it down!

Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

You know, I believe I'm done with the 'reunion' trope in mystery/thrillers.
I used to love it, but lately I can't seem to really enjoy a book with that trope.
I was initially invested in the story and the characters' development. but then I wasn't. Too much mystery, too many questions and doubts, and too slow burn.
I've enjoyed this author's previous novel, so I was eager to read this new one. But it didn't work for me. The pacing, the characters, the atmosphere - which lacked of it, in my opinion. The setting was great, but I didn't feel anything towards it.
I'm sure this book will work much better for other readers, especially the ones who genuinely enjoy slow burn mysteries.

I wanted to love this one, I really did. There was just something about the writing style that I did not enjoy. This happened to me with the author's debut novel as well. I also thought the characters didn't have the kind of bond that I was hoping to read about. It just seemed on the surface for some reason. 3 stars

3.5⭐️
I flew through this book, I just had to find out what happened Told in two different timelines and by Claire and Phoebe's POV. A really enjoyable thriller and I will continue to read this authors work. Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for ARC.

Ten years ago Claire joined a study abroad program in Australia, now se and the people from the program are getting together for the ten year reunion,not just for a reunion, but also because Claire roommate Phoebes remains had been found.

What truly happened all those years ago, and who played a role in her death?

Told as Claire now, and Phoebe then, leading up to her death, we watch truths unravel. Everyone has suspicion, everyone has guilt, and I kept interested wanting to know the truth of that fateful day. Who could Claire trust, if anyone.

We love to see a decades old mystery being solved!

I enjoyed the characters in this story, as well as the time jumps and multiple POV. I thought the story was well paced with each of the timelines flowing nicely back and forth. It was intense from the start, with never a dull moment.

Was it the most original? No. But the concept of a past mystery makes for a great setting and a fun read regardless!

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of This Stays Between Us by Sara Ochs, and WOW — what a twisty, layered, brain-bending read! If you're into psychological thrillers that keep you questioning everything and everyone, buckle up. Because this one is a ride.

The story centers on a group of friends — Claire, Phoebe, Josh, Declan, Adrien, Kyan, and Tomas — who studied abroad together in Australia ten years ago. They were close… until secrets, tensions, and tragedy unraveled everything. By the end of that fateful trip, one of them was dead, and Phoebe was missing. Now, a decade later, her remains have been found — and the group, once known as the “Mob,” is called back to Australia as the investigation is reopened.

Sara Ochs delivers a masterclass in suspense, expertly layering timelines, perspectives, and motives like a mystery onion (you’ll see what I mean). We’re talking dual narrative, unreliable narrators, long-buried secrets, tangled friendships, messy love stories, and enough red herrings to start a fish market. Just when I thought I had something figured out, Ochs would drop a detail that had me second-guessing everything. Yes, I was suspicious of everyone. Yes, I changed my theory twelve times. And yes — I LOVED every minute of it.

The themes woven into the story are rich and resonant: the weight of guilt, the fragility of memory, the complexity of grief, and the blurred line between loyalty and betrayal. Every character feels real — flawed, layered, and deeply human. I found myself loving and loathing them at different points, sometimes simultaneously (which, honestly, is the best kind of character writing).

Also, can we talk about the setting? Australia shines in this novel — both as a paradise and a pressure cooker. The backdrop adds atmosphere, isolation, and even beauty to the unraveling mystery.

This was my first read by Sara Ochs, and it will definitely not be my last. While the novel is a little dense in detail (thriller lovers, you’ll eat this up), every piece of information matters. No plot thread is left dangling. Every question is answered. And the final payoff? Chef’s kiss.

Releasing on July 15, 2025, this book needs to be on your summer TBR. If you love stories that challenge your theories, tug at your loyalties, and keep you up reading past your bedtime — this one’s for you.

And that, my friends, is today’s tea on “This Stays Between Us” ☕️

This was an ARC from NetGalley. This is a dual timelines YA mystery that centers around a group of students participating in an Australian study abroad program. The plot follows a fairly standard execution. I did appreciate the location and being transported half way around the world. The twist was a bit of a stretch and caused the ending to fall apart a bit. Nothing inventive, but an enjoyable quick read. #netgalley #thisstaysbetweenus #dualtimelines #ya #mystery

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review.

This was a edgy thriller novel, and I enjoyed it a lot. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

Ten years ago a group of students go on a trip .. one doesn't return.

Phoebe's body has been discovered and they are all summoned back by the police to aide in the investigation.

Secrets start coming out as everyone wonders .. what happened to Phoebe?

Dueling POVs of Claire (present) and Phoebe (past) make the set up of this book very interesting and enjoyable.

It takes awhile to get into the characters. They are both (I am guessing purposely) very unlikable. The beginning sets the reader up on a lovely little cliff hanger that lures you into a binge reading the whole thing. Which you could easily do.

This was a complicated web to unweave due to the amount of things unknown. I felt a bit (unfairly) misled in a few of the statements that the characters made. Which isn't fun reading an unreliable narrator if it's only done to confuse the reader. Although, I do enjoy this style of thriller that slowly reveals secrets every few chapters.

I wasn't a big fan of the ending ... Which I'm in the minority there.

Overall, a good nighttime thriller. I would recommend to my reader friends.

Amazon Link - This Stays Between Us By: Sara Ochs

Stats: 416 pages - Expected publication July 15, 2025

**Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this one. The mystery of what happened all those years ago and everyone still seems mysterious in the present day. Lots of secrets and lies!! And revenge!!

Such a remarkably good thriller. The plot is perfect, with youngsters on a big trip together and the aftermath from the turbulent trip ten years later. The characters are not as you think on the surface and Ochs does a splendid job of incorporating everything and still keeping the thrilling vibes throughout the book. Looking forward to reading more from this talented thriller author.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!