Page turning novel. Red herring after red herring. Twists and turns galore.

Who would you trust after just spending 1 month together in an Adventure Outback expedition? Everyone could be a suspect right down to the hotel owner, but who did kill some of the students?

Excellent writing.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book.

A group of friends return to Australia where they were students together on a cultural and activity exchange. On the exchange trip, Phoebe disappeared, and her remains are found just before the reunion, and the friends are all suspects in a murder enquiry. They are all dashing around together trying to find evidence to prove their innocence, and many secrets are uncovered, throwing new light on what they previously believed. The action is fast paced, and gripping. I enjoyed this.

A good story, with interesting characters, and well-written. I felt it drifted into stereotype at times, but I couldn't put the book down, and will definitely recommend it.

I predict that this book will become a big summer hit. I really enjoyed Sara Och's first book and sometimes the trouble with producing a masterpiece is the ability to follow it up with something that is equally as brilliant. This is where the Outback Shines. It is captivating and full of more twists and turns than I could ever expect. Even when I thought I had finally understood "who had dun it", Och's throws in another plot twist. It really was a fantastic page turner and I was in two minds- firstly, binge reading it because it had an additive, fast page turning quality but I was also frustrated because I could see that I was nearing the end and I wasn't quite ready to say farewell to the characters.
If you like a fast paced, well written thriller, this is the book for you. The book has wonderful depth of character, a well written and engaging storyline and the environment of the bleak Australian outback added a wonderful creepy atmosphere. Highly recommended!

Sara Ochs' 'The Outback' moves between two time frames:

- 'Now', when a group of friends come back together after the discovery of the body of one of their party.
- 'Then', 10yrs before when the the group are brought together on a month long study abroad programme in Australia that goes wrong.

Claire, one of the party, has for the last 10yrs felt an overwhelming responsibility for her friends death, resulting in her failing to pursue a career or a stable relationship. However, when she joins the others in Australia after the body is found, events make it clear that she's not the only one with something to hide.

Told from Claire and Pheobe's perspectives, readers gradually unravel what happened, with plenty of twists and turns.

This novel is extremely plot driven, rather than character led. As a result the novel is quite propulsive, but isn't an emotional read or one that gets under your skin. Sara Ochs is not from Australia, and whilst I don't necessarily believe you have to be from a country to write about it, this coupled with the focus on the plot meant that to an extent it could have been set in any country. Yes, there were repeated illusions to the Australian accent, and yes she sometimes mentioned the landscape, but unlike a number of Australian noir or crime books I've read, it didn't evoke Australia in the same way. However, having said that it was an enjoyable read, and I enjoyed the twists and turns.

I enjoyed the resort but this not as much even though it's good. For me I felt like the characters were irritating and this slowed me down with reading this as the plot was being drawn out. I dnf maybe with less distraction I would have.

I really just couldn’t get into this book. I think I really didn’t like the characters so wasn’t interested in knowing more about them.

Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to discover a previously unread author and one I will now be searching out more of in the future.
A trip to the outback proves tragic when one doesn’t return home ! Don’t want to spoil for anyone but this was a well written read with captivating characters and descriptions that kept me gripped with the fast paced read from start to finish.
Great read for the poolside this summer.

𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧 𝗣𝗘𝗘𝗞
A decade ago, a group of college friends embarked on a month abroad in Australia. But when one of them disappeared, their trip turned into a nightmare. Now, ten years later, the discovery of a body in the outback forces the remaining friends to confront the secrets they’ve buried and the events they’ve tried to forget.

𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗡
Gripped immediately! The pacing was fast, and I loved Claire from the start. She’s vulnerable, grounded, and from humble beginnings, which made her easy to root for. The other POV comes from Phoebe in the past - she took a bit longer to connect with, but her backstory unravels in a heart wrenching way.

Even though the flashbacks are set ten years earlier, it didn’t feel YA. The shifts in time were well-placed and never pulled me out of the story. The way they bond so quickly felt completely believable - not gonna lie, it reminded me of my “Birthright Israel” trip at 16. When you’re young and far from home, connections form fast.

We get to know most of the group fairly well - there’s depth even in the smaller characters, which made me care a lot more than I expected. That said, I wouldn’t have minded more time with the main group, maybe even an extra POV or two to dig in deeper.

Although I didn’t guess whodunnit, I wasn’t super shocked - however, the epilogue was super juicy!

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗?
This was a fast-paced, character-driven whodunnit that kept me hooked from start to finish. Definitely worth picking up this summer!

Thanks to @Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for access to this advance readers copy

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. I was drawn in from the beginning it had a great story and well drawn characters and I wasn't expecting the ending.

I’ve never read any Sara Ochs novels before, but having throughly enjoyed The Outback I will be making a point of looking at all of her previous novels. If they are as good as this one I can’t wait. Will highly recommend to customers.

Well, this was not the best one from this author. I did like the resort from the same author.
The story unfolds in Australia, which is described beautifully. For me, there were a little too many characters, which was, certainly in the beginning, a bit hard. Also, in combination with the here and then.
You will get to know the whole group and their problems and relations. There is a lot of betrayal and accusations.
This one was not for me, too slow-paced for me and too slow-paced for my likings.

This is my first read by author Sara Ochs and I was really impressed with The Outback.

We follow a bunch of friends whilst they go on a month long holiday, tragedy strikes and one of them does not get the chance to go home. Then 10 years later the missing girl's body is found and the group decide to return to Australia.

The Outback is full of mystery and it really held my attention and I read it in a few days.

Thanks to the author, Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

There's too many characters and it was hard to tell them apart because I didn't like any of them. I don't mind characters you dislike but as long as I care about what happens to them, but these I didn't. I enjoyed The Resort by this author but this one i didn't find as good.

It was supposed to be paradise.

For a group of university friends, their month-long study abroad programme promised sunshine, adventure, romance, and the kind of unforgettable nights that only youth can experience.

But what began as a dream escape soon spirals into a nightmare.

When one of the group goes missing, the once idyllic trip turns into a tangled web of betrayal, heartbreak, and unanswered questions.

Fast forward ten years, and the discovery of the missing girl's remains forces the friends to confront the past they had all tried so desperately to bury. Returning to Australia, they are haunted by secrets—some more devastating than others. But only one of them holds the key to what truly happened that fateful night.

With tension running high and their lives at risk, they will do anything to keep the truth from coming to light. Who will crack under pressure, and who will protect the lies?

This book is a pulse-pounding psychological thriller that does an exceptional job of keeping readers hooked. The premise is immediately enticing—a group of friends, a missing person, and a mystery that spans a decade. What I loved most about the story was how it expertly blended suspense with character-driven drama.

The author dives deep into the psychology of the characters, making it clear that, beneath their perfect exteriors, each one harbours a dark secret. The tension builds with each chapter, as we are slowly fed fragments of the truth, leading to a final, heart-stopping revelation.

This is a gripping read for anyone who loves a good psychological thriller with an emotional punch. It is an exploration of how one event can unravel everything and how the truth, when uncovered, can be far more devastating than we ever imagined.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

In Sara Ochs's thrilling tale, a group of friends travels to Australia for a study abroad experience, anticipating a month of fun and adventure. However, their trip takes a dark turn when one of them disappears, leaving the group shattered by betrayal and heartbreak. A decade later, they reunite in Australia upon discovering the remains of their missing friend, each harboring secrets and one of them knowing the truth about that tragic night.

The protagonist, Claire, is an unreliable narrator whose journey intertwines with that of Phoebe, the missing girl. Through parallel timelines, Ochs expertly uncovers the group's complex relationships and toxic dynamics. Phoebe's character is deeply troubled, while Claire's hidden depths are gradually revealed, leading to a shocking epilogue.

The Australian Outback serves as an eerie backdrop, amplifying the sense of isolation and danger. Ochs's vivid descriptions immerse readers in the setting, making it feel as threatening as the characters themselves. The writing style builds suspense effectively, with a well-structured narrative that keeps readers guessing.

Central to the story are themes of trust, betrayal, and the lengths people will go to protect their secrets, resonating with contemporary societal issues such as trauma and the power of secrets. The book stands out for its ability to engage readers with unexpected twists and morally complex characters.

To me, the book's strength lies in conveying its messages powerfully, evoking various emotions ranging from suspense to introspection. However, some readers may find the pacing slightly uneven at times.

Overall, it's an engrossing read that leaves a lasting impression, making it a must-read for psychological thriller enthusiasts.

Comparing this novel to Sara Ochs' other works, like "The Resort," it retains her signature atmospheric settings and intricate character dynamics, establishing her as a skilled thriller writer.

The book's unique mix of suspense, mystery, and Australian backdrop distinguishes it within its genre.

A bunch of high school kids go on a month long adventure to Australia. They are strangers but quickly become friends or enemies. Phoebe is trying to put her bad past behind her and wants people to admire her. Claire, is very plain and only went because her mother insisted. These two are roommates and quickly become friends….or do they? We also have Kyan who has Phoebe and Adrien fighting over him. Claire finds her first boyfriend in Declan. There is Thomas, Josh, and Ellery, who are both focused on as much. Two of these people end up dead. But why? And now ten years later they all go back when Phoebe’s body is found. What happened to her? And who is out to get them all? Good book!

At first your head spins a bit because of the large number of characters and the continuous time jumps, then gradually the characters are more and more characterized and the plot becomes clearer and more exciting. A good mystery book set in the fascinating Australian outback.

A disparate group of young people meet on student trip abroad to Australia for 2 months, organised by an Australian University that plans to show them around the country/continent during that time.

When one of their number disappears, the others are less than concerned about Phoebe, because she has for so long been a destructive element within the group. But Phoebe has her own reasons for being the way that she is...

When human remains are discovered at a remote Outback town a decade later, the friends are requested to return for interviews with the Australian Police. None of them want to - and they all have good reasons for that - but in the end, they all show up. And then, an ill-advised decision to return to the scene of the crime leads to a spectacular denouement.

This is a fantastic read that takes a familiar trope and gives it unique characters and so many new twists that the reader is kept continuously on the edge of their seat.

Sara Ochs knows how critical setting is to her storytelling. I can always count on her stories to be multi-dimensional and atmospheric. I love that she chooses not to see her setting as inert; she activates it for her readers by the point of view of her characters. It doesn’t take too long before the reader is aware of the idealism and naiveté of the college mindset or the lexical and syntactic competence of college freshman students. Seeing the ‘Land Down Under’ from their unique perspective comes across loud and clear.

The dual timeline adds to the story and shows readers the difficulty of living with a burden or dealing with a nagging fear of being ‘found out.’ For adults reading the story, we’re more open to alternative choices and more willing to face the consequences, but the narrow view of the generation in question adds to the tension. Ochs knows just where to strategically place her breadcrumbs; I couldn’t wait for the ending!

This is a fantastic mystery, full of nail-biting suspense and questionable choices. I guarantee you’ll be shaking your head and popping up to the fridge for a snack in an effort to give your racing heart a chance to return to normal!

I was gifted his copy by Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.