As a big fan of The Quiet Tenant, I had high hopes for Michallon's sophomore novel... and it exceeded my expectations! In fact, I might like it even MORE than TQT. Michallon has a way of crafting taut, suspenseful stories that are both accessible and literary. This is NOT a popcorn thriller (thank goodness), so if you're tired of thrillers disappointing you, this might be what you're looking for. Think The God of the Woods and NIghtwatching. Thrilling AND well written. I will read anything she writes.

This book was a quick and easy read. It went more into found family dynamics and the aspects of cults than a true thriller. However, the story was interesting and was a good beach read with short chapters and multiple time line narrations. Even though this was entertaining, I did like this authors debut novel better.

Comparable to The Quiet Tenant, Our Last Resort departs from the conventional popcorn thriller, instead positioning itself as a literary thriller. The narrative focuses on a mystery enriched with suspenseful and atmospheric elements. Like The Quiet Tenant, this work is distinguished by its strong writing, vivid settings, and well-developed, realistic characters.

The book features cult-related themes, including the background stories of Frida and Gabriel and their experiences growing up in the cult. While there is a notable emphasis on these aspects, some readers may wish for further exploration of the cult elements. Overall, "Our Last Resort" presents an engaging narrative that many readers are likely to appreciate. The author, Clémence, has demonstrated strong storytelling skills that may appeal to a broad audience in future works.

I sincerely appreciate NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for providing me with an advance copy to read in exchange for my honest review.

First love the cover
It has me Turing the page
Then not so much
It was okay we follow a sister and brother
On a getaway and the sister witness can it be a mirder or just a kiss understanding
Between a man and wife
I may pick up the physical copy to re read

OUR LAST RESORT
BY: CLEMENCE MICHALLON

About 4.25 Stars!

I was so thrilled to be generously provided an ARC for an Author, that had been new to me when I read the fantastic debut, "THE QUIET TENANT," which remains one of my lifetime favorite thrillers the way it had been written was brilliant, unique and memorable, and is not as well known as it deserves, but is guaranteed to be a five star read in a quietly understated way. I ended up really liking this second title, called, "OUR LAST RESORT," which was excellent, with the same strong writing that this gifted author called, CLEMENCE MICHMALLON has proven to me that she was able to craft a second addictive novel that I ended up loving the second half so much better. The first half didn't compel and captivate me in the same way as "The Quiet Tenant," did throughout the entire debut, overall I think that is my favorite one out of her two novels. I couldn't wait to read this and as I reflect over how much I ended up enjoying it, I have to be honest that the first half after finishing this was necessary to give the second half such an incredible winning narrative. That said, the first half had me disappointed while I was reading it because the writing felt much stronger in the second half, since I know that might not make sense. Therefore, the content in the storytelling probably didn't interest me as much, because initially while reading I'm struck with either saying it could have been my timing or the content just had me worried that I was going to be disappointed this time because it wasn't as gripping while reading it. In fact, it seemed like for a book marketed as a thriller by such a talented author whose first debut I loved would craft this one called, "OUR LAST RESORT" to be at least equally captivating if not better since she wrote such a stunning first novel with originality that I recommend highly to those who haven't read it. It is one that I remembered how in an unexpected way was one that enough time has passed that I would reread it since it showed innovation that I didn't see in this second one by her until I finished it. The first half felt that I never expected this to be as if it was written by a different writer in how I struggled with it, but it is my honest opinion which I hope is valued since I am grateful to both the author and publisher that I was granted an early ARC. I read this hoping that I would find it more compelling which the second half was an enormous improvement to reflect that I can honestly say that the novel lived up to the hype and her debut as I don't think this reached the thrilling aspect until the second half, and I trust my instincts. I would be lying if I didn't provide my honest opinion as feedback saying I enjoyed this as much as "The Quiet Tenant," which hooked me from the very beginning and never let go making me feel that I was blown away while reading the entire novel, which for a debut of a new author had me say WOW! To be fair to the author, I applaud her for branching out with writing a different kind of novel this time which shows talent and courage, so I will be looking forward to her next book since she really shines with the magical abilities to have left me dazzled again. I'm so happy that I knew I was in good hands and stuck it out so that I loved this, but I wish that the first half wasn't so unappealing in that intoxicating intrigue or suspenseful enough to meet my high expectations which her debut set the bar high. By reading this review you already know that "The Quiet Tenant," it is still unforgettable, and this is one that the initial first half left me feeling underwhelmed while reading. Since I ended up understanding that it could be my lack of interest in the content, but since the pacing was much slower I have torn feelings about how to rate this which I am going with four solid stars. I feel bad not giving it the full five stars since it's second half was electrifying. So I think I'll bump it up to 4.25 stars which I think is unfortunate that I just didn't connect to the characters emotionally until the the above reasons, the rating is more than 4 stars but I hope that is taken into consideration that if I hadn't thought that the pace and writing just took longer to develop to the point of being disappointment at first. I just hope that I convey it's my honest opinion and this is one of the hardest novels to rate, but since it's marketed as a Mystery & thriller genre it should have been for the entire novel. I am not giving the common response that some reviewers give of their opinion that's a plot summary and rated it lower since the big picture is that overall I loved this, and my best advice is for readers to know that I recommend this and it may be one that if you've read her debut, this one might take patience for you will find this worth the payoff if you stick with it. I urge you to read other reviews since I never usually check them, but I did this time since I was curious to see what others thought, and they are mixed. This author is one that I can't wait to read what she writes next. To be fair I just had to check something and it is also marketed as Adult General fiction, so I am adding that I noticed that I think that if I didn't find books with Cult themes boring and not a good fit for me I was wrong to expect a faster pace and I mistakenly expected the entire book to be a Mystery/Thriller pace. My rating is still 4.25 but you might love this and the author is erudite, and very talented and wrote a beautiful book. The fault lies with me for expecting a Mystery & Thriller experience throughout the entire novel. I went into my reading of this blind, but really didn't read the synopsis, but requested it solely from my excitement as an author that when I read her debut, I was amazed. at how lucky I was to have discovered such a powerful & intoxicating new author to add to my favorites. I think the lower ratings are due to readers of her debut wanting another one like it. That was my initial hope, but I think branching out and writing from a different approach is deserving to be appreciated for the merit of each work being based on the novel itself. This one shows her creativity, and I think it's original and it's a matter of personal preference for each reader.

Frida and Gabriel grow up in a cult in Upstate New York and they are very close without having parents they are each other's closest allies within this weird environment. Since most people enjoy books about cults I clearly don't, which keeps this in mind why I didn't enjoy this part. It is presented with a past going back to their childhoods. This part is in at least 40% of the novel. During the present timeline Frida and Gabriel meet at a high end resort in the desert of Utah. The chapters are short and alternate which makes this a fast novel to read. The Title is perfect and I enjoyed the present timeline in Utah where there is a rich couple that Frida hears arguing and the wife is found dead. This timeline in Utah when it becomes the primary focus was my favorite part. Gabriel who the court of public opinion was what it believed that he murdered his wife and drove him to move across the country since he was scrutinized and never legally convicted for his wife Annie's death. Their is a murder when they meet in Utah where the Deputy first arrests this woman who is discovered dead husband William who is weather and is released. The dead woman's husband implicates Gabriel and the police zero in on Gabriel and Frida as persons of interest. There are many twists and turns to hold you captive, at least for me I found the Utah timeline to be the strongest writing and the mystery and thrills made me love the book enough to forgive in my opinion while reading the cult timeline. Overall, I loved it and was glad that I read this, and I might be biased since I didn't like the first part which includes their life in the cult which if you enjoy that aspect you could find this your next five star read. Do read "The Quiet Tenant," after this since it's underrated and I think is breathtaking and even though I loved this, I do recommend both, but thriller and other genre lovers will love that one which I found both ELECTRIFYING, I am starting to be too repetitive by saying if you pick only one of these that one is my favorite.

Publication Date: July 8, 2025

Thank you to Net Galley, Clemence Michallon, and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for generously providing me with my wonderful ARC, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own, as always.

#OurLastResort #ClemenceMichallon #KnopfPantheonVintageAnchor #NetGalley

Set at a luxury resort in Utah, Our Last Resort follows Frida and Gabriel—survivors of a cult and bound by a complicated past—as they get caught up in the investigation of a woman’s murder on the hotel grounds. Frida narrates the story in a steady, introspective voice, and through her we see both the present-day mystery and disturbing flashbacks to their shared childhood.

This is more of a slow, psychological unraveling than a fast-paced thriller, but it really worked well for me. The tone is tense and thoughtful, and the emotional layers—especially the lingering effects of trauma—are handled well. Gabriel being a suspect adds tension, though the police procedural side felt a little sparse. A few solid twists kept me engaged, even if an element towards the end came together a bit too neatly.

Still, I enjoyed this one a lot. It’s a deeply unsettling mystery about trauma, loyalty, and the weight of what we try to leave behind.

Our Last Resort is a mystery thriller with multiple timelines——mainly the present and when the two main characters grew up in a cult. The writing is definitely strong even when it was slow paced. The twist at the end is very satisfying even though I did see it coming. Michallon wrote a well executed suspenseful story of trauma, survival and unconditional love. While I did enjoy this story I do prefer her other novel The Quiet Tenant more.

3.5 stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Estranged siblings Frida and Gabriel end the years in which they've drifted apart by meeting at a fancy spa resort in the middle of the desert in Utah. It's atmospheric, isolated, the heat oppressive.

Frida, out late having a smoke, overhears a couple having an argument. The newspaper magnate cursing out his (much younger) beautiful wife. It's ugly, he's MAD.

When the young wife turns up dead the next morning, Frida and Gabriel become involved in the investigation, and they are both tiptoeing around each other (and the cops). Everybody is hiding something.

We go back in time to the siblings' years surviving together... in a cult [This is all in the blurb]! What was that like, how did they get out, what did they do once they were in the outside world?

We get all that history as it converges with the action in the desert. This is a certified page turner, read in one day. I couldn't put it down.

My thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf for the Advance Reader Copy. (pub. date 7/8/2025)

I loved her last release but didn’t really care for this at all! I didn’t care about the characters & this is mostly a character driven book. Not really a mystery at all. It tries to play it is at times, but everything is obvious. Pretty let down by this one.

The Brenners are a couple everyone wants to be- powerful William and third wife Sabrina- but you never know what goes on behind closed doors. Or when you think no one is looking. Except this time our protoganist Frida is the silent observer but also in the reflection of her own past trauma.

In dual timelines, we are following present timeline of a mystery murder but also how Frida and her brother Gabriel met, in a cult like setting. For a story with slow progression, this moved pretty quickly.

I liked the Quiet Tenent and this one didnt hit quite the same. Did not not hit the creepy vibe that I felt from the author’s previous work. I did find this pretty predictable so I wish it hadn’t been so slow to get to where I knew it was going. Like really, you didn’t think the deputies wouldn’t research everyone at the spa retreat?

This was an easy thriller to breeze but was pretty dull overall. Since this was probably 98% plot focused, it needed the plot to not be a story that has been told before so maybe if it had developed the character personalities more. This one didn’t unfortunately come close to the author’s debut. I do enjoy the authors writing and hope the next one hits inspiration closer to the first novel.

I loved Michallon's previous book, The Quiet Tenant, and was really looking forward to Our Last Resort, but it fell a little flat for me. I love a good thriller, but this was not it.

This is a layered storied based on the traumatic upbringing of "siblings" Frida and Gabriel within a cult. With a multiple timelines: one present day, and two from the past.
They drifted apart both physically and emotionally after the death of Gabriel's wife. Now they are at a luxury resort to reconnect when a murder occurs and Gabriel becomes the prime suspect.

I didn't particularly care for the cult background, mainly because I felt like it left a lot unsaid.

I was surprised to find out who the true murdered was and about the twist at the end!

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this advanced copy in return for my honest review.

Pub Date: 08 July 2025

The Quiet Tenant blew my little mind when I read it last year, and this new release did the same!

An easy, quick read, Our Last Resort follows Frida and Gabriel, who call themselves siblings, but are not related. They met when they were kids, both raised in a cult that had them cut off from society. 25 years later and they’re on a 9-day vacation before a documentary comes out, a documentary that covers Gabriel’s wife’s unsolved murder. While there, another guest is murdered and they both become intertwined in the story.

This had everything I wanted from a thriller. Unreliable storytelling. Dual timelines. Twists and turns.

I loved it.

Frida and Gabriel meet at a resort in Escalente, Utah after years apart from one another. Frida convinced her brother to spend one week with her. There are things they need to talk about. Their past trickles to the surface in alternating chapters from a horrible childhood, young adult days to the present. Sabrina the beautiful wife of wealthy, older, William Brenner is found murdered at the resort. Will Gabriel be accused of the crime, as he was when his wife Annie died?
I want to thank the author, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for my advanced e-copy of the book via NetGalley. This is my unsolicited opinion about the book. It was a most interesting read, especially the cult portions. (I haven't read Clemence Michallon's previous book, so I wasn't experienced to compare the two.) This book is different. It was the 'cult' hook that grabbed my attention whole choosing it to read. I felt some empathy for the 'siblings' right away because they had escaped terrible circumstances. The alternating between past and present went smoothly which I appreciate.
I personally think that this is a brilliant plot. I kept thinking about Annie, wondering if he did do away with her. The plot moves like, snap, snap, twist! Wow! The final chapters are tense! I recommend for mystery/suspense fans.

Happy book birthday to my birthday twin!

Unfortunately I didn’t like this as much as I expected. I didn’t hate it, but maybe I went in with too high of hopes? I adored The Quiet Tenant, but found this fell a bit flat in comparison.

For a book that starts you right in the action, it read really slow. I felt like not a lot was going on for most of the book. And the set up for what was happening was not super clear, which made it very confusing. While I did like the flashback chapters quite a bit, they didn’t connect well to the present timeline and felt like two different books. Which is a shame because I would have devoured a book solely about the cult chapters.

I still really like Michallon’s writing so I did enjoy reading this well enough, but the story didn’t work for me.

Thanks to Knopf and Netgalley for this ARC. Our Last Resort is out today!

This book was super hard for me to get into. I tried to understand the narrator was unreliable and had a past that causes her to think about things differently, but it was just super hard to follow along and even harder to connect with the character.

I normally love a thriller with a cult aspect to it, and I did enjoy learning about her upbringing and how she met her “brother”. Just knowing there are cults like this blow my mind.

There’s a lot of time jumping from current to back when she was younger. It gave the story more depth, but i just don’t think this one was for me.

I say if you love cult thrillers, unreliable narrators, and a few plot twists, I say give this one a try, you may like it

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook arc of this book in exchange for my review.

💵💵💵💵💵 / 5

OUR LAST RESORT by Clémence Michallon

happy pub day! and thank you to @aaknopf and @netgalley for early access to the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

quick thoughts:
⭐️ 5/5
🤝🏻 siblings reunite at a resort and are forced to confront their pasts and secrets when a guest is found murdered
😬 suspense thriller
✍🏼 short chapters, dual timeline
🕯️ MCs grew up in a cloistered cult
👍🏼 would recommend to thriller lovers!

*slow claps* she’s done it again, folks! i don’t know what Clémence injects into her books, but i’m addicted 👀

🎶 “in the end, i had to pay”

have you ever read a book and immediately thought, “this is now one of my new favorite authors”? this happened to me while reading Clémence’s debut THE QUIET TENANT. and i’m beyond thrilled to report that she remains one of my favorites after reading OUR LAST RESORT!

i unintentionally started this one after my two-month-old niece fell asleep in my arms for three hours—i of course had my Kindle on standby. once i started reading, i couldn’t stop, and i ended up devouring this one. Clémence’s writing style is unique in that she makes you feel like you’re in the room where the story is unfolding. she also incorporates elements into the story that draw you in and make it impossible to put the book down—not to mention, her execution is brilliant. the setting? perfection. the pacing? on point. the twists? mind-blowing.

i hope we don’t have to wait another two years for the next one, but i absolutely will because i know it’ll be worth the wait 😎

If you loved Michallon’s previous novel, The Quiet Tenant, as much as I did, then you’re going to want to pick this one up immediately! Similarly to her previous, it’s a thoroughly written character study and an exposé of the topic at hand-which happens to include themes of cult indoctrination and how one’s past can shape one’s future.

“𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠, 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑙𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑦 𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑠. 𝑂𝑛𝑙𝑦 100 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑠𝑜.”

It’s one of those books where you can feel the research and time that the author spent meticulously weaving together this complex story. We get an intimate look at the lives of Frida and Gabriel, siblings by choice, who bound together during their adolescent upbringing in a cult. They develop a deep longing to want more out of life and manage to escape together. They have an innate belief of protecting each other at all costs and justifying the actions that assist in their survival. This mindset follows them through their adult lives, which in the present storyline finds them at the scene of a murder at the resort in which they’re staying at. Old wounds are reopened, past trauma brought to the surface, and they’re ultimately left questioning just what each other is capable of.

The psychological aspect of this one is immaculate. It’s haunting, beautifully written, and will leave a lasting effect on the reader. Michallon’s poetic prose is refreshing and adds such a unique layer to her thrillers. Which is why she’s easily an auto buy author for me. I cannot recommend this book enough!

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ★★★★★
𝟒.𝟓 rounded up
𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭: I loved it!!

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for my #gifted ARC

Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon is a shockingly intense, edge of your seat psychology thriller. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the author’s debut novel The Quiet Tenant, and was super excited to read her sophomore effort. Our Last Resort is gripping, suspenseful, and had me quickly turning pages all the way until the very end. A big thank you to Knopf, the author and NetGalley for the eARC of the book.

Two siblings Frida and Gabriel escaped a cult fifteen years ago. They eventually become estranged from one another after the death of Gabriel’s wife, who was actually Frida’s best friend. But looking for a fresh start and a chance to reconnect, Frida and Gabriel arrive at a luxury resort in a secluded desert in Utah. Everything seems to be going well — until the dead body of another guest is discovered. When the police arrive to investigate the death they swiftly cast their suspicion on Gabriel. This sends his sister Frida into a tailspin of revisiting old memories from their time spent in a cult in upstate New York, how they escaped and the fallout afterwards. She believes in her brother’s innocence, but with the evidence building up against him, Frida can’t keep turning a blind eye.

Our Last Resort is an exciting, slow-burn novel that alternates between the present and past examining themes of trauma, identity, loyalty and family secrets. An intriguing, highly entertaining psychological mystery that is perfect for summer reading.

I really liked Clémence Michallon’s last book, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵 𝘛𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘵, so I was quite excited to pick up 𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝙇𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙩. It had such a strong premise that I went in with high hopes. A secluded resort in the desert, two survivors of a traumatic cult past, a suspicious death, and years of buried history resurfacing, so it should’ve been exactly my kind of read. And parts of it were.

The sections set in the past, when Frida and Gabriel were children trapped in the cult, were easily the strongest. They were harrowing and emotionally charged. But the present-day storyline didn’t work quite as well. It was slow to build and the mystery never fully landed.

What kept me reading was Michallon’s writing. She’s observant and layered, and her insights into trauma and survival are sensitive and unflinching.

It’s not a bad book by any means. I just didn't love it like I thought I would. 3.5 stars rounding to 4.

Thanks to @aaknopf and @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the author's debut and had really high hopes for her sophomore thriller about two survivors of a cult but this one left me confused a lot of the time and just didn't hit the mark for me. The audiobook was amazingly narrated by Saskia Maarleveld but the story jumped in time and place and that made it hard to keep certain things straight. Maybe a better book to read in print? I did like the relationship between the two 'siblings', Gabriel and Frida and I definitely didn't predict who the real killer was. Recommended for fans of authors like Ashley Winstead. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

CW: sexual assualt/rape, chronic migraines