This book kept me turning pages wanting to know more and what was happening.
It started off a little slow but once I got into it I couldn’t stop reading and wanting to know what was going to happen next

This was told in two time lines. Present day and the past, we got an understanding of what it was like to grow up in a cult.

Some of the twist I did see coming but overall I really enjoyed this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for this ARC Copy of this book!

✨I absolutely loved this author’s debut novel THE QUIET TENANT and was so excited to see others love it as well. As soon as I saw she had written her next book, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. You never know if the magic will continue with the second offering, but in this case, it most definitely did. While OUR LAST RESORT is quite a departure from her debut, it’s equally suspenseful and an extraordinary read

✨The development of the two main characters, both flawed and complicated, was honestly written with depth and skill. .

✨There are three mysteries to solve in these pages – and they are seamlessly connected and perfectly paced with a slow peeling back of layers to reveal hidden truths.

✨The author’s misdirection kept me guessing to the end with reveals and twists I wasn’t expecting leading to a satisfying ending. The tension level was expert. Highly recommend this one.

🌿Read if you like:
✨Cult stories
✨Sibling dynamics
✨Utah/desert settings
✨Dual timelines
✨Shared trauma narratives
✨Atmospheric writing

My thanks to @aaknopf and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before its publication date.

This was a mystery that had a cult background for two former members, who as children suffered trauma. As the two are now adults, and consider themselves brother and sister, their past haunts them. When they reconnect at a desert resort, a third murder in their lives occurs.
I enjoyed this author's writing. Although this was a slow brewing mystery between the characters' pasts and present, it was a fast read. I wouldn't classify this as a thriller because it didn't have that kind of vibe with dark twists, and a shocking ending. For me, this is not a bad thing. While I would have loved a little more comeuppance for one of the characters, and a tiny bit more fleshed out ending, I would definitely read this author again.

~Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher

Thank you to net galley for this arc. This book was such a thriller and by the same author as The Quiet Tenant, which I loved. Frida and Gabriel were once so close and after recent years and recent tragedies they have grown apart. They live in Utah and find a new start at a hotel in the desert, until the death of a young pretty woman is found there.

Thank you so much for the advanced chance to read this anticipated read from the author of The Quiet Tennant.
For me, this book was not as good as the authors previous work. This was more of a murder mystery than a thriller.
I was intrigued with the cult aspect, and saw the value of the flashbacks, but I wasn’t as invested in the main story.

Cult Vibes- Check
Page Turner- Check
Twists that blow your mind- Check

This was my first book by Michallon and I am immediately adding "The Quiet Tenant " to my TBR. I felt like I was in a bit of a reading slump and this helped to dig me out! A solid four star read for me. The more the story unraveled the more I had to read. Told in back and forth past and present timelines this story follows Frida and Gabriel as grown ups at a resort who have witnessed a murder and end up becoming suspects. Rewind to the past and we follow along as Gabriel and Frida grow up in a cult. These two perspectives intertwine seamlessly and will leave you turning pages.


Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Our Last Resort is a gripping and emotional novel about love, survival, and second chances. The writing beautifully captures the vulnerability of its characters while offering a thrilling plot. It’s an unforgettable journey full of tension and heartfelt moments.

2.75 stars. After being estranged for several years, siblings Frida and Gabriel, book a vacation at the luxurious Ara Hotel in the Utah desert. However, their reunion takes a dark turn when the body of a young, wealthy hotel guest is found and the police suspect foul play. As Frida and Gabriel become entangled in the investigation, their painful pasts resurface. Will they be able to keep their secrets hidden or will the truth finally come to light?

After reading and enjoying the Quiet Tenant, I was so excited to read this one! If you’re a fan of this author’s previous work, don’t go into this expecting something similar- this one is completely different. Told in past and present timelines, the story follows two siblings as they grow up in a cult in upstate New York, their eventual escape, and their involvement in a present-day murder investigation.

The story flows nicely and I really enjoy this author’s writing style. However, the plot was way too predictable and nothing really surprised me. While I appreciated the chapters set in the past, exploring their childhood in a cult, I struggled to see the connection to the present-day chapters and didn’t really care for those chapters. At times, it felt disjointed and it was hard to connect with the characters.

If you’re looking for a murder mystery filled with cult vibes, short chapters, and dysfunctional family relationships, you may enjoy this one more than me!

Our Last Resort is a slow-burning suspense novel that takes its time unraveling the story. While the writing is engaging and atmospheric, the pacing may feel sluggish. The ending leans toward the predictable—so if you’re looking for a jaw-dropping twist, this might not be the book for you.

I would give this a 2-2.5 because:

First, the ending was obvious and I didn´t think the story had that suspenful element I was craving.
Then, it was slow paced which for me didn´t work because I don´t think it led to anything amazing.

It had potential but it didn´t work for me.

Thank you so much for thje ARC!!

Our Last Resort is an interesting dual timeline thriller, set at a resort in the southwest. I enjoyed the exploration of the two main character’s early lives in a cult, and how the mystery of a dead resort guest unfolded. The pacing was a little off though, with everything unfolding in a quick but unsatisfying manner. I’m glad the epilogue was included as a wrap up, but the dangling of a potentially expository documentary at the end didn’t add much and confused me even more. I’m not sure if I would recommend this as a stellar thriller, but it read quickly and was more engaging than I expected.

Overall, a good vacation thriller. Quick! I do want to try the author’s debut novel because I enjoyed her style.

Engaging Premise but Falls Short – 3 Stars

Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this thriller!

Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon starts with a compelling setup and an atmospheric setting that draws you in. The tension between the characters and the slow unraveling of secrets keep the story moving, making it an easy page-turner. Michallon’s writing is smooth, and she knows how to build suspense.

However, the novel doesn’t quite deliver on its full potential. Some plot points feel underdeveloped, and the pacing is uneven—certain sections drag while others rush through key moments. The characters, while interesting, lack the depth needed to make their motivations fully believable. The ending, while satisfying to some extent, feels a bit predictable.

Overall, Our Last Resort is a decent thriller with an intriguing premise, but it doesn’t break new ground. Worth a read if you enjoy slow-burn mysteries, but don’t expect a mind-blowing twist.

Although there have been way too many thrillers about people discovering family secrets and solving mysteries when they are off on a resort vacation, I did find this engaging and it had a nice unexpected ending. So I'm thankful to the publisher and to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review it. My feeling is that it would be a good beach read, and that's not a bad thing, is it?

From the author of The Quiet Tenant comes a sophomore thriller set in Utah. We are at an exclusive and isolated desert resort, newly opened, called Ara. This resort is accessible only by a dusty dirt road. Frida and Gabriel are brother and sister. They were raised in a cult somewhere in New Jersey but escaped. They live on opposite coasts in the present day, Frida in NYC and Gabriel in Seattle. They have convened at this resort for pool time, spa time and just time to relax away from their daily lives. Things have been distant and tense between them for years and Frida hopes this vacation will help them reconnect.

On the evening of the 4th night, Frida can’t sleep so she takes a walk. She overhears a heated argument between an older husband and his much younger wife. She is determined to help the wife the next day in what she believes may be a toxic situation. The next morning, the wife is discovered, deceased and very obviously murdered on a walkway there on the resort grounds. This time, it’s always the husband doesn’t apply, because the husband is arrested, then released just a few hours later. And Frida is determined to figure out what has happened.

This book is told from the POV of Frida and goes back and forth between her childhood in the cult, points in her adulthood after escaping the cult and the present. This book was well written and definitely brings awareness about cults. However, for such a short book, it was a slow and long burn.

I don’t want to compare it to The Quiet Tenant, it is entirely different. But where The Quiet Tenant maintained that extreme tension, this book is not as fast paced, nor as terrifyingly tense. I would, however, recommend it! This author does not follow a formula and that is refreshing.

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Psychological Thriller
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: July 8, 2025
📖 320 pages

First, I'd like to say a huge thanks to Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and NetGalley, for the digital review copy 🫶

✨️ OCD + Anxiety Rep
✨️ Cloistered Cult
✨️ Alternating Timelines
✨️ Twisty Thriller

Gabriel & Frida, who bonded through their upbringing and subsequent escape from a cult, reunite at a very nice hotel where a woman is found murdered during their stay. Due to their past, and some unfortunate events, they become subjects of interest and must prove their innocence.

I devoured Our Last Resort. I enjoyed Frida, as a character, and liked the way the author added Gabriel's POV as well. I always enjoy a psychological thriller with a cult aspect, so that was just ✨️icing.✨️ If you're looking for a quick thriller and enjoy reading about ex-cult members, I absolutely recommend!

⚠️: domestic abuse, cult, SA, murder

⭐️⭐️✨ Thank you NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review! No one is more disappointed than me at this rating. The Quiet Tenant was a great read for me last year, and I had high hopes that Our Last Resort would live up to it. Unfortunately, I found Clémence’s sophomore novel to be a lackluster attempt at a thriller.

The story follows Frida and Gabriel, siblings who grew up in a cult together. They are vacationing at an ultra trendy spa resort in Utah (think White Lotus in a desert). Things seem a bit strained between the two and this is only exacerbated by the murder of an another guest on the property. As details of the murder come to light, more is revealed about Gabriel and Frida’s past, including their childhood in an abusive cult as well as the mysterious death of Gabriel’s late wife. When it comes down to it—how well do these two really know each other?

Looking back at the plot, this should be a compelling story, but it just wasn’t. I was so bored. The writing was bland and I didn’t feel connected to the characters. I couldn’t understand their motivations. Frida kept making annoying decision after annoying decision. If it wasn’t such a short book I probably would have DNF’d, to be honest.

I also had a problem with the pacing in this story. I needed there to be more build up and tension throughout. The beginning and middle were so slow and then the big reveal/resolution took place over 15 pages in the last 5% of the book. I didn’t feel anything I’m looking for when I read a thriller (eg biting my nails, racing heart, frantically turning pages). This was such a departure from The Quiet Tenant. It’s honestly hard to be believe these are written by the same author. Ultimately, this book was not for me.

Thank you Netgalley and Knopf for gifting me with an eARC, all thoughts expressed are my own.

When you’re in the mood for a thriller, Our Last Resort fully delivers. Split timeline, cult upbringing, and complicated sibling dynamics provide the perfect setup for up for this murder mystery.

When the story begins, siblings Frida and Gabriel are on vacation at a luxury resort in the desert. Part way through their stay, another guest is murdered. As Frida and Gabriel were raised in an isolated cult, their worldviews and experiences are vastly different than typical protagonists in a thriller novel. As we learn more about their pasts, we gain more insight into what is occurring in the present.

Throughout the story, different twists and unexpected elements come into play that alter the perception of who is actually guilty. I found this thriller to be a quick read, with an entertaining plot, and relatable characters. I would definitely recommend picking it up when it releases on July 8, 2025.

This did not disappoint. The characters were great and story pace was right on time! I felt the mystery keep me guessing. There was so many layers that I didn;t know who to trust and who was actually responsible for the current murder. Definitely will be rereading this story. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This is a book club book if I've ever read one! The twists and the secrets are layered and delicate and perfect. The depth of complications that stretch between past and present and exist between Frida and Gabriel. Also, anything that has a cult has my full attention.

I enjoyed this book. Our Last Resort is about a brother and sister who survive growing up in a cult and meet up at a wellness resort before participating in a documentary. A couple days into their stay at the resort a woman is murdered. This story was well written and suspenseful. The plot goes back and forth in time and has a good ending.