A fast-paced thrill ride that keep me guessing right to the end. With a brilliant ensemble cast ego each get a moment in the limelight, I raced through this book to find out how it would end. I wasn’t disappointed!

The Last Resort was a brilliantly entertaining read, a mix of mystery and mayhem, both speculative and traditional in a kind of locked room mystery that just happens to have a wide vista.

One luxury resort that turns out to be rather deadly and not terribly luxurious, a cast of characters that engage throughout and a black mirror meets the famous five vibe that is addictively brilliant. There's even a cave although no ginger beer unfortunately.

Cleverly timed and implemented death lots of creepy stuff some insightful psychological trauma and a lot of great writing add up to a book that is a pure pleasure to read. Recommended.

I love a good locked room mystery and thankfully there are lots to choose from these days. This book is well-written and had an intriguing premise, combining the locked room (or in this case, island) mystery with futuristic technology in a kind of Fyre Festival meets the Matrix situation...but with murder. I can suspend my disbelief for a great thriller with the best of them, and I love a creative idea, so I was hyped for this, but ultimately it didn’t work for me. I think the book was a little too ambitious, trying to do a few too many things at once. The author could not really come up with a believable explanation for the invention and use of this technology the way it was used in the book. And the ending just flew totally off the rails for me - came out of nowhere and was not believable.

I give the author credit for trying a very cool and creative idea, and she’s clearly got writing skills, but ultimately the plot just did not work for me as a believable mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley, Susi Holliday and Amazon Publishing UK for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars
When I read this blurb I was immediately on board,
Without giving too much away, the 'secrets' that each of these individuals have, ready to be revealed to us throughout, reminded me of the Saw movies. These are people who have done some terrible things and devastated other people's lives. So you're not quite rooting for any of them to survive, which means you're ready to be taken on the rollercoaster ride that is what happens on the island.
The bizarre technology, how they arrive on the island and even the notion of drinking water being tampered with, made this such a unique type of thriller/mystery.
However, the ending, even after what was a pretty disappointing few twists, left me asking myself 'all of this happened for that?!'
Up until probably the last 30/45 minutes, this had me completely engrossed and immersed.
It still is a really interesting concept for a story and had the ending and resolution been handled better, this could easily have been a 4 or 5 star read for me but the frankly silly and rather ridiculous ending ruined the whole experience for me.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

★★½
I went into The Last Resort expecting a fun and silly thriller along the lines of Christie's And Then There Were None, and that's essentially what I got. Seven strangers are invited to a luxury island retreat and soon start to find out that things are not exactly what they seemed and everything becomes a bit more complicated.

The plot moves along fast and the revelations keep on coming so it was easy to speed through and kept me reading, which is a definite plus. I also liked the technological gadgets that were used and the references to real world topics and inventions like deepfakes, as well as the fact that the characters actually knew enough about these things to not be completely fooled by whatever they saw.

However the writing style didn't really work for me, it felt more like the description of a film plot than an actual novel (he went there, they did this, they put their glasses down and went to join the rest of the group, etc). Too much unnecessary description of exactly what everyone was doing and how they were doing it. It also felt sort of disjointed at times, the conclusions that were drawn weren't always logical, there were some unnecessary things happening and the plot twists didn't always feel connected. The stakes throughout the book didn't feel very high and the conclusion felt like more of the same and didn't leave me satisfied.

Overall I liked the concept and I liked the fast pace, but I didn't think the execution was great. I'm not against checking out the author's other books if the concepts appeal to me though.

Great writing and strong voice. Recommend if looking for a story that is as captivating as it is well-written, providing endless twists and turns for readers!

Star rating: 3 stars. "The Last Resort" by Susi Holliday follows a group of (mostly) young, generally tech-savvy people as they embark upon a mysterious "luxury vacation" that quickly goes awry. At the center of the story is Amelia, a humanitarian aid worker; her fellow retreat-goers include Tiggy and Giles, shallow influencer and gamer, respectively; James, a photographer; Lucy, a celebrity gossip columnist; Scott, a nutraceutical salesman; and Brenda, a venture capitalist. There's much more at stake than a luxury-filled weekend away. Secrets are revealed, people are hurt, and as the hours pass, it becomes apparent that perhaps, these vacationers might not make it out alive.

PROS: The concept was intriguing. There's definitely something about the whole seven-strangers-trapped-together scenario that really is enticing. There was something about the whole setup--and parts of the execution--that reminded me of a book from the '80's called "Savages" by Shirley Conran. Also, the characters were generally well-defined, I did not mix them up with one another as one will do sometimes with an ensemble cast. The technology parts were, for the most part, believable.

CONS: It's a sign of the times that given the ubiquitous nature of cell phones, modern novels have to account for why their characters-in-distress do not have the ability to communicate. In "The Last Resort" the author uses a combination of reasons (left phone on plane/can't get a signal/got a signal but I think my messages have been hijacked). Probably one master excuse would have sufficed, or the character "Harvey" who is running the beginning of the operation, could have just said "You're supposed to be on holiday, so you have to leave your phones with me." Also, as the book is winding down, I found the motivations of the villain to be weak threads indeed. I think it would have made more sense if the friendship between "Anne" and "George" was stronger, not a short-lived summer relationship that seemed to have sparked, lived, and fallen apart all in one afternoon.

This was a quick read, I believe I read it in about 3 hours total. I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. Many thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this book.

This book is ridiculous,but fun.

Until it becomes JUST ridiculous.

That's pretty much all I can say.

This book about seven strangers chosen to enjoy a free weekend stay at a luxurious resort in exchange for their participation had a promising start. Instead of starting their weekend at the resort, the participants are left on the island to find their way to the house. Interspersed throughout the book is a flashback to an event that occurred on an island in the summer of 2000, apparently involving one or more of the characters. Based on the frequency of these flashbacks, the reader is led to believe that the event that occurred that summer has something to do with the weekend retreat.

About half way through the book the narrative began to bog down with descriptions of numerous climbs over omnipresent hills dotted throughout the small island where they are stranded, together with holographic projections of each characters most horrendous mistakes drawn from a tracker inserted in their ear. The tracker appeared to be accessing memories from their brain, which each character would have preferred to remain hidden. Then as each of them is seriously injured, they are whisked away by the host’s spokesperson, leaving the remaining participants to fend for themselves in finding the house. The ending devolved into a deranged monologue by the evil perpetrator, explaining the rationale behind the events that occurred.

Although the character development was good, showing how each participant reacted to the stress of their situation, the repetitive bleak landscape, together with the somewhat farcical ending, prevented this book from reaching its full potential.

What a great book for the first 85% — suspenseful, can’t put down. Seven strangers on an island for mysterious reasons, futuristic technology, everyone with secrets to hide and an unknown, malevolent host. Then comes the end of the book—totally disappointing. Five stars for the 85%, two stars for the rest. But still a recommended read

The first 90% of this book was amazing. I was totally enthralled by it. I could not stop reading it. Then WHAT? the ending felt weak and wasn't really satisfying. And we never found out why two other people thought they remembered/recognized the island. The epilogue wrapped things up, but I was still left thinking "really"? about the end. That first 90% of the book though. That was so good, it's probably worth buying it for that. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.

2.5 stars
The plot is similar to what we've seen in the past-seven strangers from different backgrounds are invited to a luxury trip. The trip is, of course, not luxurious and the seven begin to wonder why they’re on the island. .

I found most of the book to be interesting but the ending didn’t do anything for me. I don’t want to give any spoilers but the ending left me thinking “all of this for that?!” Very implausible and not fleshed out well.

I feel like this book had potential but it was never realized.

A group of strangers are recruited for a secret exclusive getaway. They are unsure what they signed up for, but the offer was too tempting to decline. The trip is off to a rocky start and doesn't seem to improve much after the guests reach their destination. It is definitely not the luxury retreat they were expecting. There are cutting edge gadgets to wear, unclear instructions to follow and no hosts in sight. Are they part of a reality game show? Are they supposed to work together or against each other? One by one, their deepest, darkest secrets are revealed for all to see and their image to be destroyed. Their fate is in the hands of the mysterious host but who might that be?

The last resort is a technologically advanced take on a classic mystery novel. It explores the intriguing concept of memory-tracking and human behaviour connected to it. It's a suspenseful novel that will keep the reader engaged and absorbed.

The Last Resort is not unlike an episode of Black Mirror - a show referenced throughout the novel. Susi Holliday has written an entertaining short fiction with a few decent twists. The characters are shallowly defined. The author's decision to centre each chapter on an individual's perspective, while intriguing and offering an opportunity to get to know each, in turn, keeps the narrative going but doesn't lend to more profound character development.
The jacket notes describe this novel as a survival adventure involving 6 strangers flown to an island where each is challenged by the revelation of their deepest secrets. The tale is well paced and keeps the reader engaged. The premise is promising - technology, intrigue and a diverse set of characters. There are flashbacks intended to only become coherent once we reach the end of the adventure. The basic story of the entwined lives of the participants sustains the reader, but the conclusion is ultimately unsatisfying. The buildup, the reveals, the twists, the tension, are all well sprung, but the conclusion seems like the author simply ran out of steam. The outcomes teach us no real lesson, nor draws together the life experiences of the participants. Given that the author is familiar with Black Mirror, one would hope that there might be some thought-provoking question posed and explored. The potential of neurological 'trodes that stimulate thoughtful recollection, for example, or the use of hallucinogenic drugs that allow for self-stimulated alternated realities are promising but unrealised.
The novel is a reasonable read, and I am not unsatisfied to have spent the time. However, I do feel that there is some potential unrealised in the delivery of this novel. The characters drawn from diverse backgrounds could allow for teasing out deeper connections to their ultimates fates or possible reflections on the main protagonist's understandings of her own life trajectories. The intriguing devices introduced raise questions around surveillance and our own self-perception, but this too seems to be merely glossed over. These could have been drawn into a tighter message through more deliberate plot construction.
Decent, but ultimately disappointing for unrealised potential.

AMelia, James, Brenda, Scott, Tiggy and Giles are also sent special invitations to a groundbreaking secret retreat. After being taken on a small plane with and drugged they arrive at a remote island and are immediately fitted with "Trackers" on their ears that seem to be able to "read their desires". Suspense builds as Brenda encounters a snake, Giles falls, Scott twists his ankle and one after another bad things seem to be happening to them all. Also the trackers are able to project memories from 5/6 people ,,, memories they would rather have forgotten. Amelia is the only one with a wrist tracker that doesn't seem to work like the other 5 peoples. After a traumatizing day or two some of them arrive at a mansion to await their fate and find out what this experience was all about.

The chapters were interesting as they had different points of views but the whole idea of the technology and the conclusion were too far fetched for me.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'm a huge fan of Agatha Christie's 'And Then There Were None' and novels of that type. You can imagine how much I enjoyed 'The Last Resort'! I'm so relieved to find a writer that's aligned with my preferred pacing and style. 'The Last Resort' is not too rushed, not too slow, and just the right amount of description and action combined. I binged the whole thing in less than 2 days: definitely recommend it.

With that being said, there are a couple things that could be improved. First: there was a big suspension of disbelief moment at the beginning, when the guests are outfitted with a piece of important technology. The methods for fitting this technology are...alarming, and yet almost all guests willingly subjected themselves to this treatment. Nothing could convince me, or any other reader, to do the same. Unfortunately, this technology is crucial to the rest of the book, and you really have to set the issue aside to fully enjoy the story.

Second: I agree with some other reviewers in that the final twist at the end wasn't compelling enough, There were aspects of it that were delightfully unexpected, but the gist of it could be spotted from a mile away. To be clear, that's not always a bad thing! But I felt like it didn't have enough impact when it was revealed. The motivation was not sufficiently convincing, nor was it adequately foreshadowed or expanded upon throughout the book. As a result, when the final reveal came, it felt rather flat and lacking. Also, not all the loose ends were perfectly tied up, even at the conclusion of the novel. Tbh, I wanted to grab some of the island staff with my own hands and shake more answers out of them!

Overall, however, the rest of the book was fantastic. The characters are otherwise believable and well-portrayed. The pacing will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time, guaranteed! You'll feel like you're right there on the island with everyone else. It's an immersive experience, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Wow! This book blew me away. I have huge bags under my eyes as I had to read this until the end, once I had started it. The premise of the story looked promising to me. Seven strangers set off on an unknown adventure, having signed disclaimers and non disclosure agreements. The series of events that follow are shocking. Who are these people? Why were they chosen to be invited to take part in this unimaginable adventure? It is hard to actually write just how compelling this story is, without giving the plot away. So I will just have to say that each character is deliciously depicted in all of their glory and more. As the reader, I felt like I was there with them. So as events unravel, my heartbeat responded and I even commented out loud. In the book, some of the characters discuss their adventures as being perhaps similar to a reality show or drama, but are they right? I will leave you to find out. Highly recommended and compelling story. Huge kudos to the author!

Amelia and six other lucky (?) people are invited to an all expense paid trip on a private island. They have been chosen, they are told, to test a new tech product. It turns out the tech device they are each forced to wear will reveal all their dark and nasty secrets to the other guests. They are told if they can just follow the rules, they will have a lavish party, but the group begins to fight and divisions and loyalties become apparent. Amelia starts to believe the only “gift” she will get from this trip is getting away with her life intact, if she can just stay strong. Now this is a Survivor I would watch!

Seven strangers in an island, trapped, and soon they are only six... It was a great modern twist on the Agatha Christie story, with new and maybe too incredible technology, but it kept me reading until the end. If you know the original story you can guess some of the twists, but I was not expecting the last one, and I'm still shocked. Great book.

This was a great premise as I've read about the subject that gave Susi the idea for the book.. I'm not going to say more as you have to find out what it is for youself.

If you';re afraid of how tech and new tech ideas can work against us however, this is going to freak you out. There were vibes of And Then There Were None and 1984 and the film The Island. Characters I didn't care for however and it soon became obvious that I was looking forward to seeing them being killed off. Not sure what that says about me but one in particular was awful.

I felt the idea and premise was stronger than the way it panned out. The tech idea however was nicely built up and explored. People's reactions were spot on and the way the people were controlled on that island was nothing short of Big Brother's gone Digital. Hell if this ever becomes a reality, I'm going to live on an island myself. Just not this one.

You never really know where they are but there's a reference to a literary island which was a nice touch. The ending for me didn't fit the rest of the novel but it was a good journey getting there.