“It was supposed to be paradise.

For one group of friends, it’s a study abroad program like no other: a month-long adventure filled with sunshine, whirlwind romances, and all-night parties. But it isn’t long before their trip of a lifetime unravels into betrayal, heartbreak, and one missing girl.

Until one of them didn’t come home.

Ten years later, the girl’s remains are found, and it’s time for the group to return to Australia. All of them have secrets, but only one knows what really happened the night the girl went missing.

And they’ll do anything to keep the truth buried…”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of The Outback by Sara Ochs. The Outback was published by Penguin Books on 3rd July 2025 and is available in paperback, audio and digital formats. I chose to read a free eARC of The Outback but that has in no way influenced my review.

I loved Ochs’s debut The Resort when it was first published (it was called The Dive when I read and reviewed it, hence the different title in this link). Meaning I was already keen to read this author’s second book. So when that second book turned out to be set in Australia, I was beyond thrilled! I have a bit of a thing for Australian crime/thriller fiction, so there was no way on this earth that I was going to let The Outback pass me by!

A trip of a lifetime for an eclectic group of students from around the world. One month of living and studying together in a country very different from their own. And partying, of course. Don’t forget the partying! Claire is unsure about leaving her family behind for such a long time but decides to take the opportunity and try to enjoy it as much as possible. On arrival, it becomes clear to Claire that her travelling companions are all very different. Personalities clash, and they all begin to rub each other up the wrong way. When one of the group goes missing, it brings a tragic end to what promised to be an incredible experience. Ten years later, the remains of the missing girl are found. The group are asked to return to Australia to help the police with their ongoing investigation, which coincides with a plan to arrange a reunion. But the devastating events of ten years ago are impossible to forget, and relationships are still very much in tatters. They all have their secrets. But someone in the group knows exactly what happened to Phoebe that night. And they’ll do whatever it takes to make sure their secret remains buried…

Ooooh, I liked The Outback (published as This Stays Between Us in other territories). How can one sun-drenched month away from home turn into such an unmitigated disaster? Quite easily, it seems! People either seem to instantly warm to or instantly despise Phoebe. The lead protagonist, Claire, swings between the two extremes on an almost hourly basis, depending on how much of a cow Phoebe is being. But it’s not just Phoebe. Being away from home for a month gives a number of the student cast permission to act a little off, ramp up the arrogance, which of course ends up with some people getting hurt. The book is told in the past, with the lead-up to Phoebe’s disappearance and everything else that comes before, and the present, with the group returning to Australia after Phoebe’s remains are found. The past sections are multiple POV as well, where the reader gets to see the situation from both Claire and Phoebe’s viewpoints. I liked how this built tension throughout the book. The reader knows things are going to take a terrible turn; it’s just a case of watching how it all unfolds.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. I really enjoyed The Outback. I didn’t like any of the characters, but that’s never a problem for me and takes nothing away from the reading experience. I think the characters are written to be intentionally unlikable. They’re much more interesting that way! I thought the twists were cleverly delivered, with the final epilogue leaving me with a big grin on my face. With a relatively large cast of characters, you can never be 100% sure of who actually committed the deadly deed. That’s very much the case here. And despite having a fairly large cast of pivotal characters, it is easy to keep on top of who’s who. The story moves at a good pace, ensuring the reader is drawn into the narrative from early on, suddenly finding themselves halfway through the book! This, for me, was definitely one of those “just one more chapter” books. All in all, I enjoyed The Outback with its cast of flawed ‘friends’ and their fragile, somewhat toxic relationships. I loved visiting Australia again, which the author vividly brings to life on the page. And I was gripped as I watched their devastating story unfold before my eyes. Hearts will be broken, lives will be lost, and life will never be the same again. Tense, immersive and nigh-on impossible to put down. I’m already looking forward to more from Ochs in the future. Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Outback. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

The Outback by Sara Ochs was published in the UK by Penguin Books on 3rd July 2025 and is available in paperback, audio and digital formats (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |

Sara Ochs is a law professor and the author of The Resort and The Outback (This Stays Between Us in the US). When she’s not writing or teaching, she can usually be found planning her next trip. Born and raised in Upstate New York, Sara now lives in North Carolina with her husband and son.