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.

This was not my favorite Sara Ochs novel but I look forward to reading more from her. I enjoyed the change in scenery of an Australia setting.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

This one pulled me in fast. It’s got that slow-creeping tension I love in psychological thrillers, especially with the dual timelines—the past during a study abroad trip and the present reunion in Thailand. The characters all have a layer of something unspoken, and I found myself flipping pages trying to figure out who was lying (spoiler: basically all of them). The setting added so much atmosphere without being too showy.

It didn’t reinvent the genre, but I had a great time. I’d definitely recommend it to fans of twisty, character-driven suspense.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

This Stays Between Us by Sara Ochs

3.5 out of 5 stars

You’ll find I gravitate towards novels where the location, specifically tropical locations, is a big portion of the story. Thus, picking up Sara Ochs’ first novel, The Resort, was a no brainer for me as it was located on a remote island in Thailand and I loved it. When I heard Sara Ochs was writing another novel that would transport me to Australia, I couldn’t wait to read it!

This Stays Between Us follows college students at a study abroad program like no other. For an entire month the students will travel through Australia experiencing everything it has to offer. It’s a dream come true, especially for Claire and her roommate/best friend, Phoebe. The student group quickly become friends partying night after night until Phoebe disappears. Ten years later, Pheobe’s body is found, and the Australian Police require them all to return to find out exactly what happened.

This book immerses you in the Australian Outback with its stunning, but deadly, setting. The story progresses through multiple POVs, Claire’s in the present and Phoebe’s in the past, allowing you to see into their mindset. It is a slow-burning thriller that sizzles in the Australian heat with multiple morally gray characters that are bound by more than just an unforgettable study abroad experience. Each twist had me questioning who truly hurt Phoebe and just how far someone would go to keep their secrets buried. What was once a dream quickly turned into a nightmare.
Don’t hesitate to pick up your copy on July 15th to find out what truly happened!

Thank you Sourebooks and Netgalley for my ARCs!

Originally posted on BookshelfbyTori on Instagram!

3.5 stars

I really enjoyed Ochs’s debut, and was excited to read an early copy of her sophomore novel. Like The Resort, This Stays Between Us relies on setting to give the plot its eery feeling of suspense. I was instantly transported to the Australian Outback, with its beautiful, but deadly, wilderness.

I loved how the plot alternated between Phoebe’s and Claire’s POVs, with one representing the past and the other the present. I wish the POVs of the rest of their study abroad group were also included - it would have added to the atmosphere of suspense as they were picked off, one by one. They also each were hiding so many secrets I would have enjoyed a fuller exploration from their perspectives.

This story is a slow burn, taking time to set the stage for each twist. Although I thought the plot dragged at times, I was compelled to see what happened to Phoebe and why Claire thought she was responsible. There were so many clues that kept me guessing. The final showdown was a bit lackluster, and while I’m a huge fan of final twists, this one rubbed me the wrong way.

Overall, an intriguing murder mystery where everyone’s a suspect. It’s worth reading for immersing yourself in the setting alone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really tried to get into this one but I wasn't able to. The first book by this author was the same I just couldn't get into it. I believe this author is not for me.

A character-driven thriller that kept me entertained from start to finish. I loved the Australia setting and the different points of view. The final twist was completely unpredictable. The entire book kept me guessing. I think this would make a good Netflix series! Thanks for the opportunity to read in advance!

The character of Phoebe made me sad. Once again it comes down to the woman is always the bad person. Phoebe was dealing with such trauma and just trying to have fun, but everything and everyone was against her. I don't understand how Claire could more or less kill Phoebe over her relationship with Declan but forgive him and move on. This being said this was a good book because it made me think of such things. I liked the setting and the characters, especially some of the side characters such as Luke and Nick Gould. I did at times find there to be too many things going on at once and I found the timeline unrealistic.

For so much to happen in four weeks including Phoebe having sex with Kyan, then ultimately ending up pregnant with Josh's baby didn't work for me. I also can't wrap my head around the fact that someone died during these 4 weeks and everyone just carried on. There was no mention of a funeral or no one cared enough to attend. I did enjoy this book though, probably not as much as Sara Ochs first book. The twist in that one was so fantastic as opposed to this one in the last chapter was a little lackluster. After assuming Claire was responsible for murdering Phoebe the whole book the last chapter was kind of meh.

I do look forward to reading more books by Sara Ochs in the future though. I feel like she is going to be added to by list of auto-read authors.

Huge thank you to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the early copy of This Stays Between Us in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.

So to start, this book was quite the roller-coaster ride. However, it was the type of ride that left me queasy and eager to hop off as quickly as possible. There was very little enjoyment in this read. I don't think I've ever read a book where every single character was as unlikeable as the bunch in this one. No one had any substance at all and I felt absolutely nothing for any of them so when the bodies started dropping and the mystery began to play itself out, I couldn't muster up the energy to give a clap about their outcomes. The story was pretty basic, full of jealousy and teenage style drama and whenever there was a point in the book that really started to pull me in, the author managed to put out those embers pretty quickly with the timeline change from past to present. The beginning of the book started off in a way that was quite different I will say that, giving you a possible suspect before any real crime was committed but as that aspect of the story played out it didn't really add the type of punch overall you'd come to expect with a risk like that one. The effort was there to weave together a twisty storyline but the execution and predictable third act left me wanting too much more for this to be a read I'd truly recommend to others.

I recently read This Stays Between Us towards the tail-end of a massive book binge. As a result, I had admittedly forgotten what the book was about and was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed This Stays Between Us -- which reaffirms my preference for going into reading without any preconceived notions or expectations.

And while multiple POVs and timelines can often end up confusing, Sara Ochs did a phenomenal job of weaving together past and present narratives into one cohesive plot. I was never confused and easily followed the cast of characters. I also loved the contrast of the exotic settings with the underlying sense of foreboding throughout. A perfect summer read!!

Sara Ochs “This Stays Between Us” is a solid page-turner following MC Claire in the present day coming to terms with the fact that she may have killed her best (?) friend Phoebe 10 years. She’s joined by her prior during an Australian adventure program.

Even typing that last part reminds me that this novel, while a page turner, is corny and silly more times than not — I rolled my eyes fairly often especially around sections that mentioned Tomas and chapters that follow Phoebe, which take place in the past. Oh Tomas… what is up with the Australian adventure program and why did it continue even a minute after what happened to him? Suspending some belief in between giggles and more eye rolls.

Focusing on our second MC, Phoebe, for a second. Her sections also suffer with one of my least favorite components of thrillers (though it happens in other genres): telling instead of showing. So much is “I’m going to do this thing” instead of doing it. Instead, the author slowly reveals elements between the present and past chapters. By the time the “big” reveal happens, you’ll either know the truth or will be glad the book is over.

Speaking of, I can’t say I enjoyed the ending (again, silly) as the story is wrapped up in a tight little bow. But that doesn’t even compare to my distain for the epilogue. Without heading into spoiler territory, it feels unlike the character we’ve been following and almost retreads what they’ve learned over the course of the book. If I’m being extra picky, it also doesn’t make sense given it contradicts statements and feelings from earlier in the book. However, after reading Ochs’s first book, “The Resort,” it seems like it’s the author’s “thing,” to throw in something about a character to ruin their growth. Doubt it’s possible but I hope it isn’t included in the final printing (reminder, I’m reading an advance copy in Feb 2025 ahead of the July 2025 release.)

While this novel is about remembering the past and coming to terms of our actions, I doubt I’ll remember this book in weeks time. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC.

Sara Ochs once again does a great job transporting you to your destination, this time the Australian outback. The tension and suspense is high throughout. There wasn't anything super memorable in here for me but I had fun reading it.

I'm just getting really tired of the "you caught me, now let me monologue and conveniently spell out all of the villainy things I did" trope. Maybe I just read too many mysteries.

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the ARC.