Relax and Read Book Club: The Resort by Sara Ochs

Spabreaks.com’s Relax and Read Book Club gives you the chance to discover new books, learn about the authors, share your opinions and really escape into an inspiring world of literature.

This month we're reading The Resort by Sara Ochs, a tale of paradise gone wrong as a group scuba dive in some of the most beautiful waters on earth turns into a compelling nightmare where a killer is on the loose.

"The Dive by Sara Ochs is as stunning as the tropical island on which it is set. A pacy and accomplished murder mystery, its deep, sinister and intriguing plot draws you into a flawed paradise where everyone has a tale to tell... and one they keep to themselves." - Janice Hallett, the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Appeal

What inspired you to write this book?

I was inspired to write The Resort by a backpacking trip I took to Thailand back in 2015. During the trip, my friends I traveled down to an island off the Thai coast to earn our scuba certifications. As soon as I stepped foot on the island, I was head over heels for it. It was easily the most beautiful place I’d ever visited and the people there were so welcoming. So I was shocked to learn that only a year before I’d arrived, two British tourists had been brutally murdered just down the beach from where I was staying.

Fast forward to 2020. During Covid lockdown, I was missing travel terribly and was also looking to try my hand at writing a novel. I decided I wanted to set my book somewhere I wanted to mentally travel. Instantly that beautiful Thai island popped into my head, and a few moments later, so did those murders. The rest of The Resort followed from there!

Can you provide a brief overview of the book's storyline or central themes?

The Resort is a thriller set on Koh Sang, a remote Thai backpacking and scuba diving island. It follows two female narrators — Cass, a dive instructor and one of Koh Sang’s many expats, and Brooke, a travel influencer who’s recently arrived on the island. When the body of a resort guest is found during a dive, it appears that Koh Sang has a darkness buried beneath its pristine sands and glittering waters. As Cass and Brooke try to figure out what really happened to the guest, they begin to unearth secrets that some on the island will go to any length to keep hidden.

Could you share insights into your daily writing process and routines?

My routine is a bit all over the place at the moment, as my son is nearing five months old and I’m gearing up to return to my day job as a law professor once my maternity leave is over next month! But typically, I set a daily writing goal every day (usually around 1,000 words if I’m drafting, or a chapter/scene to revise if I’m editing). I try to get this done in the morning before I go to work, but that isn’t always possible. So, if necessary, I carve out time in the evening before bed (usually with a glass of alcohol-free wine) to hit my writing goal.

Who are some of your favourite authors or books, and how have they influenced your writing?

This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise given the setting I chose for The Resort, but my favorite book of all time is The Beach by Alex Garland. There are also so many amazing authors writing destination thrillers at the moment, and all of them have been a huge influence on me. Some of my absolute favorites are Lucy Foley (The Hunting Party, The Guest List), Lucy Clarke (One of the Girls), Amy McCulloch (Breathless), Cat Steadman (Something in the Water), and Allie Reynolds (Shiver).

How does your wellness routine integrate with your writing practice, and do you make any specific adjustments during writing periods?

I am a huge proponent of treating yourself, and having something to look forward to after deadlines really helps with my productivity. I tend to be quite hard on myself when I’m deep in a draft or edit—there’s not too much relaxation to be found during those times! So once my manuscript is submitted, I really lean into downtime. I’ll book a spa treatment or time it so that my deadline falls right before a planned trip.

During the more intense writing times, I also make sure to squeeze in exercise. Obviously, this is a huge benefit for my mental and physical health, but it also significantly helps my creativity! I’ve found that I get some of my best ideas when out running and walking, especially in the early morning, before I sit down to write.

Is there a particular spa treatment you enjoy, and what draws you to it?

It’s difficult to choose since I love so many, but if pressed, I would have to go with a hot stone massage. Even the thought of one relaxes me! Also, when I was pregnant, I lived for a prenatal massage. During those nine months, my body and my mind felt entirely out of my control. Having a regular prenatal massage not only centred me and allowed me to appreciate all the amazing things my body was doing, but it also helped relieve the endless aches and pains of pregnancy!

Lastly, what is your top tip for maintaining overall wellbeing, especially during busy times like writing and promoting a book?

Regardless of how busy things get—with writing, with motherhood, or with my day job—I always try to carve out some time every day just for me. This can be as short as twenty minutes, but it has to be something that lets me de-stress and think about things that have nothing to do with work or writing. Sometimes this is exercise or reading, and sometimes it’s mindless reality TV. Having that time does amazing things for my mental health and productivity. And, of course, any time I can squeeze a spa treatment into that “me” time is a huge win in my book!