This Stays Between Us: A Novel

by Sara Ochs

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781728279596
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	07/15/2025
Pages:	416
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.20(d)

Editorial Reviews

"A compelling and addictive thriller that grabs you from the first chapter and never lets go! With an atmospheric and isolated setting that increases the already palpable tension between the characters, This Stays Between Us is a must—read." — Sian Gilbert, author of She Started It

"Once again, Ochs proves herself a master of that heady time of youthful independence, away from home without a safety net. I devoured This Stays Between Us, inhaling one shocking revelation after another until the jaw—dropping epilogue. This novel reinvents the unreliable narrator." — Carinn Jade, author The Astrology House

"A ripper of a thriller. Studying abroad forever changes eight young lives—in all the wrong ways. This Stays Between Us is a story about secrets and how they change who we are and who we become; a tale of friendship and betrayal and those exhilarating years when our friends are our universe. It’s atmospheric, emotional, and twisty, and destined to be one of the best thrillers of the year. Ace!" — Alex Finlay, bestselling author of Parents Weekend

"With plot twist after plot twist, a richly drawn setting, and steeped in nail—biting tension, Sara Ochs’ sophomore thriller, This Stays Between Us, was an absolute ride—I devoured it in one breathless sitting. " — Ashley Tate, international bestselling author of Twenty—Seven Minutes

"Sara Ochs' latest delivers a tense reunion of old friends set against the dangerous beauty of the Australian outback, where a discovered body also unburies dark secrets with the power to destroy lives." — Jessa Maxwell, bestselling author of The Golden Spoon

"I sped through this twisty tale of friendship, discovery and betrayal. Ochs’s writing is rich with vividly—conjured landscapes, effortlessly distinguishable characters, and a rising sense of claustrophobia as the story weaves its way to an ending that you won’t see coming. A summer thriller so evocative that you can almost feel the Australian summer heat." — Katie Bishop, author of The Girls of Summer

"Incredible pace, terrifically intriguing plot, wonderfully flawed characters and a searing hot setting to ramp up the tension. A masterclass in crime fiction, I loved it!" — Andrea Mara, bestselling author of Someone in the Attic

"If ever there was a book written for summer, this is it. I was thoroughly immersed! I thought it was deliciously addictive, crackling with cattiness, secrets, and betrayal. Perfect for fans of tangled relationships and sharp storytelling." — John Marrs, bestselling author of What Lies Between Us

"A total page—turner. Compelling, immersive, and highly entertaining. Destination fiction at its best! It brought back memories of backpacking down Australia's East Coast years ago and perfectly captures what it's like to be a young person far from home, thrown together with strangers: the madcap late nights, romantic entanglements and close escapes from danger." — Allie Reynolds, author of The Bay

"Gripping from start to finish – impossible to put down. It keeps you guessing, constantly questioning everyone’s intentions, and just when you think you’ve figured it out, it all shifts. A masterclass in the destination thriller!" — Alice Hunter, bestselling author of The Serial Killer’s Wife

"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 consequences. But redemption lies in store for almost everyone… at least until the final, shocking pages." — Criminal Element

From the Publisher