Where are my thriller fans who enjoy books about cults?? Michallon’s newest release centers on Frida and Gabe; estranged siblings who have agreed to vacation together in a lush resort in Escalante, Utah. When another guest is found dead, the resort is locked down, and Frida and Gabe are named as persons of interest due to their brief interactions with the victim. This brings up memories the siblings would rather keep buried and private. Told with flashbacks to Gabe and Frida’s past lives growing up in a strict cult, readers learn more about the bond between them, the fiery crime they committed to escape the cult, and the risks they are willing to take to keep one another safe.

This is a high stakes and tense thriller; Gabe and Frida are experts at keeping secrets so there is a great balance of an unreliable narrator, morally ambiguous characters, and secrets! Tightly plotted, Michallon perfectly jostles readers back and forth between the past and present with increasingly shortened segments that had me flipping through the pages as record speed. There is an excellent sense of foreboding and claustrophobic writing that kept my hackles raised until the end. I think thriller readers who enjoy mystery books with dark secrets, trauma bonds, and cults will love this next thriller by Michallon.

Thank you to Knopf for my early ARC! This summer thriller released on 7/8/25.

Frida and Gabriel share a childhood past spent in a cult where they bonded as "brother and sister." Once they make the decision to escape the cult, they only have each other to rely upon while having to quickly learn everything about the "outside" world. Through the years, they go their separate ways, only to reunite from time to time or in times of crisis for either one of them. When Gabriel is accused of his wife's murder, Frida is there to help fight off the police and public opinion, having full faith in Gabriel that he didn't do it. Years later, a documentary film crew wants to chronicle their experience during and after Annie's murder. Gabriel and Frida meet in an exclusive desert spa hotel to discuss the proposed film only to have Gabriel accused or murdering one of the hotel guests. Once again, Frida must come to the rescue of her "brother." What they don't know is that each of them has been keeping secrets from the other about their present situation and Annie's murder all those years ago.
Tenacity and family are the two driving forces in these character's lives. Having to scrape by all their lives and only having each other builds an unwavering trust between them. But is that trust as solid as they each believe?
An interesting take on characters coming out of life in a cult and learning the skills needed to survive in the modern world. Frida is the stronger of the two characters. Gabriel just seems to float through the story even when he's been accused of a second murder.

This book has a little bit of everything…cults, murder, mystery, multiple timelines. Frida and Gabriel grew up together in a cult and consider themselves brother and sister. They decide to leave the cult in order to have a normal life so they devise a plan to leave. Once away from the cult, they slowly adapt to life in the real world and Gabriel even ends up getting married. Frida and Gabriel eventually lose touch after he moves across the country so they decide to reunite at a fancy hotel in the desert. A murder takes place at the resort and the race is on to figure out who the murderer is.

This is my first book by Clemence Michallon and I enjoyed her writing style, even though the twist wasn’t as jaw dropping as I would have liked.


Thank you, Knopf, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Siblings Frida and Gabriel grew up in a a cult. At the beginning of this story, we find them as adults and reuniting at the bougie Ara hotel in Utah. Soon, someone at the hotel will be dead and Frida may have been the last to see them alive…

I’m am so sorry sad to say, I honestly just thought this was a bad book. I rarely if ever say that, but this just wasn’t good. I really liked this author’s previous book (THE QUIET TENENT) which was for of a literary suspense read. But this was was very much a basic thriller, like the author has to churn something out for a deadline. It felt so formulaic to many other thrillers I’ve read and never once was it surprising or thrilling.

The reader jumps back and forth in time to the days these two lived in a cult as children and then present day at the hotel and there was so much telling and not showing.

This book was very readable and for that reason I’ll give it two stars but *sad face*

Before I get into it, I'll start this review on a positive note. I think this book would be a fun read on vacation or on a plane as it is a wonderfully quick read and does keep you fairly engaged with the story. That being said, this book has two timelines that it explores - the past and present - and normally, I love when books include this type of format as it often gives great insight into the characters' backstories and contains fun clues and connections the current mystery at hand; however, in Our Last Resort, I felt the separate timelines to be just that, SEPARATE. They do not really have all that much to do with each other and thus, both timelines ended up feeling underdeveloped and not cohesive. The outcome was very predictable and lacked any sort of wow factor and the suspense was definitely lacking. Unfortunately, compared to The Quiet Tenant, this book doesn't really come close for me.

3 ⭐️

So, I just finished reading this book and wow—it was a rollercoaster. But it’s a book that will not stay with me. I didn’t find anything unique or different about this thriller and it was a bit predictable

It’s about 2 people named Frida and Gabriel, who head to a super fancy hotel in the Utah desert to try and patch things up after not talking for a few years. They're dealing with this huge unspoken tragedy, and you can feel the tension between them. Just as they're starting to reconnect, drama hits—a young woman is found dead, and the resort goes into lockdown.
But it’s not just a murder mystery. The story flips between the present and their past in this crazy cult they escaped from years ago. The layers of secrets between them and the way everything unravels—both about the murder and their own lives—kept me totally hooked.

The cult aspect of the story didn’t really do it for me. It felt underdeveloped—like I wanted more details about Frida and Gabriel’s lives while they were part of the cult. I think there was room to dig deeper into that side of the story, and it kind of left me wanting more.
Also, compared to Clémence Michallon’s first book, The Quiet Tenant (which I absolutely loved), the writing in Our Last Resort didn’t feel as sharp or complex. The suspense was there, sure, but it lacked the same depth and elevated storytelling that really hooked me the first time around. It was good, but not quite on the same level for me.

I am glad I read it but it’s not a book I would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this free e-arc in exchange for an honest review

page turning, fun, impressive book with strong ideas. discusses flipping back and forth between the present and the past about these two self-proclaimed siblings who grew up in a cult. 4 stars. tysm for thea rc.

The Quiet Tenant was one of my favorite reads last year so I had high hopes for this novel. Michallon did NOT disappoint. This books swaps timelines but it is done in such a way that isn’t confusing or overcomplicated. Interesting premise that kept me guessing.

Frida and Gabriel grew up under the tight grip of a cult an upbringing far from ordinary. After breaking free, they drifted apart, eventually settling on opposite sides of the country. Years later, a lavish five-star vacation brings them back together. But when a woman is murdered at the resort, buried secrets begin to surface. The book alternates between present and past timelines, the story paints a vivid picture of Frida and Gabriel’s childhood within the cult and how it profoundly shaped their lives.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book. I was a huge fan of this author's debut novel and I loved this one as well.

Our Last Resort is a page-turner that sucked me in from the very first chapter. The author skillfully weaves together compelling characters, a gripping storyline, and moments of unexpected depth. The pacing is perfect, building tension while offering moments of reflection that make the reader truly invest in the journey. What stands out the most is the author’s ability to blend suspense with heart, leaving you eagerly turning the pages but also taking time to reflect on the larger themes. It's a book that stays with you long after you finish it. If you're looking for a book that combines emotional resonance with high stakes, Our Last Resort is definitely worth reading. 4/5 Stars

Clemence Michalon’s Our Last Resort didn’t quite hit the mark for me like the author’s first book.

The story has some holes and the pacing feels a bit off. The characters are interesting, but they don’t feel very deep, so it’s hard to really get behind them. The ending is pretty satisfying, but it’s not exactly a surprise.

Our Last Resort takes place at a high end vacation spot. Frida and Gabriel, two guests at the resort, are brother and sister, but not by blood. They grew up together in a cult and survived by depending on one another. As adults, Gabriel's wife died unexpectedly and there were suspicions of foul play. Gabriel was exonerated, but his name has been tarnished ever since.

So when a young woman is murdered at the resort, the focus immediately pivots to Gabriel. Even Frida isn't 100% sure she can say Gabriel didn't do it.

With flashbacks to their childhood woven throughout, we follow as Frida tries to unravel who killed the other guest. And other secrets are revealed along the way.

Overall, I didn't like this book that much. It started off okay, but it felt like it dragged on forever and needed to lose about 100 pages. Maybe it will and then it will be better. The twists felt meh. It took longer than I would have liked to get through this psychological thriller.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one was about a “brother and sister” who really just grew up in a cult together are are no relation but have had a distanced relationship so they go on a vacation. While they are at the resort a woman is killed. The story goes back and forth between the present and past. Solid murder mystery.

Intertwining dual timelines from past and present, we get to see how our main characters Frida and Gabriel grew up in a cult and ultimately how that past experience impacts their present. This book was atmospheric and felt isolating while giving us complex characters that felt real. A fantastic and thrilling read that kept my attention from start to finish.

If you enjoyed The Quiet Tenant, you will probably enjoy this book as well. The author succeeds at pacing, fast chapters & writing bingeable stories. However, the characters and the two timelines sometimes fell flat. I think I would have preferred a novel just set during MC’s time in cult. It would not stop me from recommending to a friend who loves thrillers or reading future books from this author. Overall a decent read. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I snapped this book up because Clemence Michallon's first novel, The Quiet Tenant was one of my favorite 5 stars reads last year. Our Last Resort just didn't rank as high. This is a murder mystery set in a luxury resort with Frida and Gabriel as the main characters, told in dual timeline between the past and present. A murder happens at the resort , but I felt it predictable and I figured out the ending before I was done. The past timeline deals with their life when they were in a cult and how it shaped their future. I will say that even if this was not a favorite, the writing is well done and beautiful.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author Clemence Michallon, and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for my ARC.

I flew through the first half of Our Last Resort, and then it slowed drastically – almost to a complete halt. At first, I found myself feeling a bit lost and unable to connect with the characters. I kept chalking it up to not loving the cult dynamic of the book, but the twists also were a bit predictable. Overall, a solid read and still one I recommend to my audience because it kept me turning the page, despite the bumpy path it took for me to get to the end.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

I enjoyed this; I didn't love it. I had a hard time relating to the two main characters - they just weren't likable to me (not that that's necessary for me to enjoy a book). The pace was pretty slow, and the author's tendency to mix timelines in the course of a paragraph was a little confusing and off-putting.

Nonetheless, I did connect with the story. The setting added to the present day drama, and I think the cover was striking.

Would I read more from the author? Yes, probably.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

I wanted so badly to like this novel, but unfortunately found it lacking. The story is told in two timelines: one the present at a resort and the other in the past at a cult. The cult past is supposed to share how the two main characters are trauma bonded, but there is nothing about the cult that inherently makes it important: they could have trauma bonded over a bad science class for all the difference it made. It really felt that the past and the present weren't connected. The dual timelines were completely unnecessary and ended up being more annoying since it felt like two complete stories. The main "mystery" wasn't all that great either: the rich guy killed his wife, tried to use money to get away with it, and found out that money can't solve everything.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author Clemence Michallon, and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for my ARC.

This is a page turner for sure. It’s a good story about Frida and Gabriel, who grew up together in a cult, and consider themselves sister and brother. As adults years later they vacation to Utah, where the present story takes place. There is another timeline from when they were children and as they grew up. They are such interesting characters. I loved her previous book, The Quiet Tenant, and I look forward to reading more from this talented writer!