this was a weird and sad mystery involving main characters who survived a cult . An interesting story with an unreliable narrator who you don't realize is unreliable until a ways in. Kept me hooked

I loved The Quiet Tenant, so when I saw the author had a new book, I hit that request button so fast!🙌🏼 After staying up til 1am to finish, I'm pleased to announce that Clémence Michallon is no one hit wonder. Our Last Resort is a gripping, intelligent, beautifully written story about a brother and sister—Gabriel and Frida— who have had their fair share of hard luck. They're not *really* siblings, but after being born and raised in a brutal cult without anyone to care for them, the pair become family. Now older, they reconnect for the first time since Gabriel's wife's tragic death. But what promises to be a week in paradise turns into more than they bargained for, when a woman is found dead on the resort property.

Our Last Resort is told in past/present timelines, alternating between their childhood years in the cult and the present day at the resort. I really enjoyed both timelines and found the author's transitions from past to present to be smooth. The author's depiction of cult life and indoctrination was well done and felt very authentic. The writing itself is quite literary at times and I was frequently impressed by Michallon's prose. For a thriller, it's quite poetic at times, and that really worked for me. As I mentioned above, I stayed up many hours past my bedtime last night to finish. And if that's not an indicator of a good book, I don't know what is! Highly recommend! 4.5/5 stars.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my access to an early copy.

I loved the dual timelines throughout this book! I will say that I found the past storyline more interesting with the cult and Émile, but I wish that we had learned more about exactly what the cult was for. It could have been touched on as part of when he gets arrested and Frida and Gabriel hear of his crimes. Great read that kept me wanting more and I would recommend to others!

If you read The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon then you can imagine just how good this new book is! (If you haven't read it, you should). Our Last Resort follows Gabriel and Frida, found siblings that grew up in a cult. They escape when they were 18 and are trying to make a way for themselves amidst all their past traumas. When they meet up at a luxury resort, trouble seems to follow.
I couldn't put this book down! It was a fast-paced, highly engaging read. The story is told through dual timelines, their childhood growing up in the cult, and the present.
Thank you to Clémence Michallon, Knopf Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for this honest review. Our Last Resort will be available July 8th!

This book follows Frida and Gabriel who travel to the secluded Ara Hotel in Escalante, Utah to repair their strained relationship after a tragic event drove them apart, hoping the resort’s beauty and solitude will help them reconnect. But their plans unravel when a young woman is found dead, her husband raising suspicion. The investigation forces them to confront their past in a strict cult they fled years ago, challenging everything Frida believed about their unbreakable bond.

I was immediately drawn to this book because of its focus on cults, a subject I find really interesting, and while those aspects were compelling, much of the rest of the story unfortunately fell a bit flat for me. This leans more toward a murder mystery, but the murderer is fairly obvious, which takes away any real suspense. As a thriller, it lacked the thrill.

The pacing was slow, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it never built up to anything truly explosive. Instead, it felt anticlimactic and a bit dull. That said, the writing itself was strong, which kept me turning the pages even when the plot wasn’t gripping enough for me. The ending in particular left me wanting so much more. I felt that it wrapped up too abruptly and felt like a missed opportunity to dive deeper.

Overall, I loved the premise but the execution didn’t quite live up to its potential.

I loved this authors first book, the quiet tenant, and I’ve got to say that this book also did not disappoint!!! It really grips you and is just written so well. I found it really engaging and just didn’t want to put it down.

This was just ok for me. I’m not sure I am the right audience. I enjoy a faster pace. This one was a tad slow at times. I’d recommend it overall though.

I have to admit that I am most likely not the desired audience for this particular book, as I am not generally a fan of cult books or vacation trailers, and this is both of those, so take what I say with a grain of salt. I only picked this up because I really liked clemency’s last book, it was probably my favorite read of that year, so I was willing to take a chance on those tropes because I wanted to have faith, the authors, writing abilities, but unfortunately, I was disappointed in the end.

I find myself gravitating towards the literary thriller more than the typical beach read thriller, I’d prefer that very well written kinds with cleverly crafted characters and a mystery that makes sense and with an ending that is not too insanely unrealistic. I ended up being pretty disappointed with this one, especially as a follow-up to what felt like an excellent debut, the quiet tenant was filled with dread and tension that kept you turning the pages, even as you feared what you would find. Our last resort is much more of a typical beach read, in fact, I really felt that so many elements of this book paled in comparison to the quiet tenant. It almost made me wonder how it could possibly be the same author. Our last resort south elementary and someone juvenile and nothing about it felt realistic, it’s one of those fillets that is so outlandish that it’s not even mysterious, because nothing about it it’s some thing you might guess I figure out as you read, because so much is just out of left field. It’s not really a “thriller“ when you just throw a bunch of weird stuff into the blender and blend it up, I like my mysteries and thrillers to have a cohesive and natural storyline, that in the end comes together in a way that makes sense.

I was very disappointed in this, considering I was looking forward to it very much, but I liked the quiet tenant enough to be willing to overlook this one and try again, let’s just hope she chooses a trope that is better suited for her writing style

Clémence Michallon follows up her gripping debut, The Quiet Tenant, with Our Last Resort, a suspenseful psychological thriller set in a stunning yet isolating luxury resort in Escalante, Utah. The story revolves around estranged siblings Frida and Gabriel, who come together to try to fix their broken relationship after a shared tragedy. Their efforts hit a snag when a young woman on vacation with her much older, powerful husband is found murdered at the resort. Suddenly, they’re caught up not just in the investigation, but also in the messy fallout from their childhood spent in a cult led by a controlling figure.

Michallon’s writing is tight and engaging, mixing deep psychological themes with an increasing sense of discomfort. The alternating timelines keep you guessing as Frida and Gabriel confront their troubling past. The desert heat adds to the brewing tension, turning the luxury resort from a getaway into a creepy trap.

What makes Our Last Resort stand out is its focus on trauma and survival, especially through Frida, who's determined yet deeply affected by her past. As the plot races toward its shocking conclusion, Michallon throws in twist after twist, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. This slow-burn suspense story showcases her talent in the thriller world, making it a must-read for fans of authors like Gillian Flynn and Lucy Foley. It's a psychological thriller that sticks with you long after you close the book.

Gripping and suspenseful. There's both past and present timelines and that really enhanced the story to me. There is cult indoctrination, so being aware of that.

I couldnt get into this it was weird the brother and sister dynamic and the cult stuff wasn't very interesting, disappointed since her last book was so good

Our last resort was such an amazing read. Living in NY myself I'm always into books with NY ties. Thank you for letting me read this in advance.

Clemence Michallon has officially cemented her place as one of the most compelling voices in the thriller genre with Our Last Resort. After The Quiet Tenant—one of my favorite thrillers of all time—I wondered how she’d follow up such a powerful debut. The answer? With a stunning, propulsive novel that avoids the dreaded sophomore slump entirely. This book is phenomenal.

Our Last Resort is a masterclass in tension, atmosphere, and layered storytelling. Michallon expertly weaves together past and present, unraveling the complex bond between estranged siblings Frida and Gabriel. What starts as an attempt to reconnect at a luxe desert resort quickly spirals into something far darker when a young woman is found murdered, and the resort is thrust into lockdown. Suddenly, the idyllic escape turns claustrophobic, dredging up painful memories from their shared past—one rooted in a cloistered cult and an escape that shaped their lives forever.

The dual timelines are seamless, with each chapter peeling back another layer of secrets and trauma. The slow burn of the cult backstory adds incredible depth, while the present-day mystery keeps the stakes sky-high. It’s sharp, intense, and atmospheric, with characters so vividly drawn they practically step off the page. Michallon doesn’t just craft a thriller; she builds an experience—one that’s haunting, gripping, and impossible to look away from.

This is storytelling at its finest: taut, character-driven, and brimming with tension that doesn’t let up until the final reveal. If The Quiet Tenant made you a fan, Our Last Resort will seal the deal. Clemence Michallon isn’t just a standout author—she’s a force.

I loved Clemence Michallon's previous novel "The Quiet Tenant," so I was very excited to get my hands on her newest novel. There are many great pieces of this work. We have cults, a secluded resort in the desert, and the murder of one of the guests. These sound like great ingredients to a recipe, but unfortunately the book fell flat. The first 30% did hook me as we have both the past (the 2 main characters growing up in a cult) and the present (both of them at the resort). The writing felt a little lackluster as it was a lot of telling rather than showing. I would consider this a slow-burn mystery, as it did not feel as thrilling as it should have. There were also parts in the story that seemed important, but then were not brought up again or actually mattered to the story. Also pretty predictable as there weren't many "suspects" to choose from. I just had so much hope for this novel but it did not give me the thriller I was expecting.

This was a great and quick read that kept my attention throughout. I am not always a fan of books that alternate between one or more time periods but it did not feel disjointed here. It was a necessary tool to move the plot forward and provide insight to the two main characters. I was surprised with the way the book ended but not in a way that frustrated me (as often happens) because a plot twist was introduced just to shock the reader. After thinking back to earlier chapters, the information was there but I didn't put it all together. This is what I'm always hoping for in a mystery.

From one book about a cult and the desert and past trauma to another… sometimes my books just end up pairing up like that, it’s weird.

I had really liked this author’s debut, so was glad I could get this ARC from NetGalley.

Gabriel and Frida spent their childhoods in a cult and they’ve reunited at a desert resort, where a fellow guest is murdered. I really enjoyed this. Super fast, easy read, interesting story… my kind of beach read.

Our Last Resort is the story of Frida and Gabriel. The two of them grew up in a cult. They were incredibly sheltered from the outside world and dealt with harsh punishments inside of their "family". When they turn 18, they realize that they need to get out. Frida and Gabriel take drastic measures and then hop a train far away from the commune. They have to build their lives completely from scratch. Through it all, they remain close. A vacation brings them together but the time is marred by the murder of one of the resort guests. Frida and Gabriel become persons of interest and have to figure out what really happened.

I really enjoyed the dual timelines in Our Last Resort. I found the flashbacks to the time being in the cult to be the most interesting part of the story. I had a harder time connecting with the main characters in the present day for some reason. And despite being one of the main characters, I really didn't feel like Gabriel added a ton to the story. He almost seemed to just be a shadow of Frida. Melting into the background and rather forgettable. The story didn't necessarily have HUGE twists and turns (although the ending did get me!) but it was a captivating read. I would give a solid 3.5 stars but feel comfortable rounding to 4 :)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Excellent. I literally read this in one day and into the night. I’ll have to try Clemence Michallon’s earlier book.

Fast paced and easy read!
Frida and Gabriel are brother and sister. They found each other while being raised in a cult. They formed an unbreakable bond. As they grew up and escaped the cult, they bonded together in the real world. They learned about life while living in NYC. The story goes between their time in the cult and the current day murder investigation they are a part of. Some of the twists you see coming. Overall, a good read!

This was a really fast easy read. The dual timelines were done really well and drove the story forward in a meaningful way. I loved the cult elements and thought that it provided a significant backstory and understanding for the two main characters. I enjoyed the relationship between Frida and Gabriel. I did think that the resolution of the primary "mystery' was a little rushed. The twist elements were surprising and well done. This was a good read though I did want a little more development in regards to the murder that was driving the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.