3.5, rounding up to 4 for Saskia's narration!

As thrillers go, this one felt a bit slow, but my interest was enough to keep me listening. The mystery of the cult was something I wanted more and grittier, especially coming off of her previous book which I think had the opposite effect where we spent way too much time with the kidnapping situation and not enough resolution. The ending had a twist (that I guessed) and maybe my issue is the present day storyline was not enough to really keep the pace moving forward and then it all wrapped up in the last 30 pages of the book. I liked it and of course Saskia is phenomenal on audio.

Thank you for the advanced copy! I enjoyed all of the twists and the different perspectives/timelines to keep me interested and engaged.

Frida and Gabriel are forced to face childhood memories when detained after a murder takes place at the luxury resort where they are staying. This novel is told in dual timelines . . . the past revisiting moments spent growing up in the closed environment of a cult and their present lives recovering from a dramatic escape and those formative days of restrictive isolation. In the absence of proper light and space, we may begin to grow crooked and wild. Shared experience, whether good or bad, can be a powerfully bonding force.

I recommend this book to fans of psychological suspense.

I thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of Our Last Resort for my unbiased evaluation.  3.5 stars

This is what I call a plane read. You read it on the plane, enjoy it, and then go on to your next book without any thought to it again. It’s quick, easy and forgettable.

Clémence Michallon’s Our Last Resort is a dual timeline suspense novel billed as a thriller. And I usually don’t share the blurb in my reviews because readers can look those up for themselves, but in this case I feel that it is helpful in illustrating my points:

“Frida and Gabriel arrive seeking a fresh start at the stunning Ara Hotel in the secluded desert of Escalante, Utah. Once so close they were able to finish each other’s sentences, they’ve grown apart in recent years after a sudden, unspeakable tragedy. Now, at the luxe resort, they are ready to reconnect between dips in the pool and hikes on spectacular desert trails. It all feels like paradise—until the dead body of a beautiful young woman who was vacationing at the Ara with her powerful, much older husband is discovered. When the local police arrive and put the resort into lockdown, Gabriel and Frida are forced to revisit memories from their upbringing in a cloistered cult in upstate New York, led by a charismatic and fanatical leader. It was their dramatic, fiery escape from his control fifteen years earlier that bonded them for life—or so Frida thought.

“Alternating between past and present timelines, Our Last Resort builds toward a shattering climax that uncovers the fate of the murdered Ara guest and reveals the shocking secrets Gabriel and Frida have been hiding for years. Taut, gripping, and intense, Clémence Michallon’s sophomore suspense novel is a nail-biter until the last page, cementing her status as a major new talent in the genre.”

Very little of this is actually realized. While the author makes clear the fact that Frida and Gabriel have a co-dependent relationship (understandable given their history, to be honest), they mostly seem awkward and stilted around one another. Their interactions are brittle, and if they are supposed to be reconnecting very little of it happens before the murder the blurb above mentions takes place. The police do not, in fact, “put the resort into lockdown”. They simply ask that everyone stay in place, in a vaguely menacing way that any halfway decent lawyer would have a field day with. The guests could have left at any time. The defining moment that bonded Frida and Gabriel is not, in fact, their “dramatic, fiery escape,” which, while fiery, was not actually all that dramatic. The climax is not “shattering”, and the fate of the murder victim was transparent from early on. The book is not “[t]aut, gripping, and intense”; it is not a “nail-biter”.

The mystery surrounding Frida and Gabriel’s past is not only not particularly mysterious; the author allows it to linger too long. It becomes tiresome and feels as though the author is drawing it out deliberately, and I’m sure they are, but it has the effect of boring me rather than contributing towards the intrigue.

The writing itself is good, but the plot is predictable and contrived. One small example I can offer up is the author’s usage of an injured coyote as a plot device. Frida contacts local resources repeatedly to ask that the coyote be rescued, but there is no response. Frankly, this is absurdly unrealistic: a potentially dangerous animal in such close proximity to a luxurious resort? Completely disregarding any concern for the animal’s welfare, there is absolutely zero chance that local authorities would risk some rich tourist getting bitten by said coyote. But if a reader were to accept this as even remotely plausible, Frida proceeds to feed an injured coyote…. crackers? This is a woman of some means, staying at a luxurious resort. She wouldn’t order a couple of rare hamburgers? But the coyote needs to be there, and hungry, so that is how it remains. And we won’t even get into how it is that the scenario that eventually plays out with the coyote happens in that specific wildly unrealistic way, because that would be too many spoilers.

Furthermore, it’s unfortunately hard to care about any of the characters. Frida and Gabriel are a mess. And that’s fine; most people are to some extent. But they aren’t interesting or sympathetic messes; they’re just bland and shallow.

Nothing about the book makes sense even at the halfway point. And of course you can make some educated guesses. But it seems pointless to bother. None of the eventual revelations are even a little surprising, and in fact you’ll figure them out long before the big reveals. The extended cast is clearly there simply for the purpose of interacting with Frida and Gabriel, and they may as well be cardboard cutouts. Even the murder victim is essentially just a prop.

The book is… fine. Frankly the part that I found most bewildering about it was that the author is capable of much more. Their first book was a standout. That this one was so boring is the most surprising thing about it.

3.5⭐️

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am leaving a voluntary review.

4 out of 5 stars
A tense, sun-drenched thriller with emotional depth

Our Last Resort is a slow-burning, sharply written thriller that blends psychological suspense with emotional family drama—and it had me hooked from the first page. If you enjoy atmospheric mysteries with complicated sibling dynamics and a haunting past, this is for you.

Frida and her brother Gabriel seek a reset at a remote luxury resort in the Utah desert, but their getaway quickly turns dark when a fellow guest is found dead. As the investigation unfolds, the past comes creeping back—especially the trauma of escaping a cult and the secrets they’ve never fully unpacked.

Michallon is skilled at creating a mood: the desert setting is both beautiful and isolating, adding to the sense of dread as Frida begins to question everything she thought she knew. The dual timeline adds weight, slowly revealing how childhood scars shape their present—and how fragile trust can be.

The pacing leans more simmering than fast-paced, especially early on, but the tension builds steadily and the payoff is well worth the ride. I appreciated how this wasn’t just a whodunit, but also a deep dive into guilt, loyalty, and the limits of family bonds.

Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Mary Kubica, Our Last Resort is part mystery, part emotional reckoning—and 100% a solid summer read.

Really liked this book! I liked the background story that affected so much of their adult lives, and I thought the mystery was great. I spent most of the book believing there would be one particular outcome, and was so surprised at the actual outcome! I really didn't put the pieces together and I feel like books like that really are my favorite kind, not being able to figure out the ending or the real story. I've already added this author to my "follow" list. Looking forward to future books !

Murders, a cult and a desert...what could go wrong? It all goes right in OUR LAST RESORT because this book provided me with such a surprise twist that I did not see coming! Clémence gives us everything from the posh resort to a celebrity sighting to influencers in this summer thriller where we go back to the upbringing of Frida and Gabriel in the cult to where they are today and how their relationship has evolved during this time. If you ever thought that watching a show like Law & Order SVU couldn't help you in real life, then you haven't met Frida!

was a quick read but overall it was about underwhelming. There aren’t too many plot twists. The biggest one is almost predictable. The characters were okay… Frida had too many moments where she spoke in thought imo. I felt that nether her nor Gabriel had any real character development: it all stemmed from their trauma bonding of having been raised in a cult. No real progress was made toward healing

Gabriel and Frida grow up in a cult and are as close to brother and sister as you can get without a biological connection. Their bond is unbreakable and it’s tested and over again in this drama-thriller. The scenes are described so well that I could picture the sights, the smells, the weather. Overall an enjoyable read with some twists and turns.

Tense chilling a true page turner..Clemence Michallons writing drew me in from the first pages the throwback to the cult the mystery quite a read.#NetGalley #knopf

After absolutely loving Clémence Michallon’s debut, I was eager to get my hands on this one. I loved the two settings of this novel: the compound and the resort. I wish we got to “be” at the resort a bit longer to soak it in, but I did appreciate being swiftly dropped into the action. I was thoroughly intrigued by the flashbacks to the cult compound and could’ve happily read a book based on this alone. This was a quick, propulsive read but had the elegant prose not typically found in a fast-paced thriller which is my favorite kind of read. The ending felt a little too swift and clean, but overall, another wonderful read!

Frida and Gabriel are uniquely bonded by their childhood experience and escape from a sheltered cult. This tells the story of how they met within the cult, how they survived, their escape, adjusting to the adulthood in the Real World, and presently, their reconnection at a vacation resort. They are bonded by their early trauma, but Frida starts to question how well she still knows Gabriel when a woman is murdered at the resort. They have always told each other everything, so why is he hiding things now?

Unique writing style with short sentences that frequently end by trailing off. It embodies a true psychological suspense through Frida’s inner thoughts. Real thoughts are jumbled. They move faster than our mouths could possibly communicate. They are raw and honest before they filter through our tongues. I felt like I was walking in her shoes the entire book as she battled with trauma, grief, guilt, and so much more. I enjoyed reading from beginning to end.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this ARC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date Jul 08 2025

I loved The Quiet Tenant so was excited to dig in to Our Last Resort. I thought the concept was great -- a cult, family secrets, a murder at a resort -- but it wasn't as strong in the execution. There was one good gasp-worthy reveal that I didn't see coming. Overall, I'm glad I read this but it will not be memorable for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

OUR LAST RESORT by Clemence Michelin
ARC review • pub date 07.08.25

I was a big fan of The Quiet Tenant so I requested this one as soon as I saw it was available!
This book is a dual timeline that follows siblings, Gabriel and Frida - from when they’re in a cult, and after they’ve escaped. Not long after they get out of the cult for a fresh start, Gabriel becomes the prime suspect in a murder case. The investigation brings back terrible memories for Frida and makes her wonder how well she truly knows her brother - because this isn’t the first time he’s been a prime suspect.

Perfect for fans of cult thrillers! The super short chapters kept my attention and made me fly through the book. If you loved her first book you will for sure enjoy this one too.

4 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for my ARC

In this psychological thriller, Frida faces a haunting dilemma when her brother Gabriel is accused of murder—again. Seeking a fresh start after surviving a traumatic upbringing in a cult, the siblings retreat to a luxurious yet isolated hotel in Utah. Their hope for healing is shattered when a young woman at the resort is found dead, and Gabriel becomes a prime suspect.

As the resort goes into lockdown, the secluded setting triggers memories of their cult experience and the dramatic escape they made 15 years ago. With tensions rising and secrets resurfacing, Frida begins to question everything she believed about Gabriel’s past and his innocence.

The novel slowly builds in pace, initially focusing on the siblings’ trauma and cult life, before diving deeper into the present-day mystery. It blends psychological suspense with an atmospheric, isolated setting and an exploration of how past trauma shapes perception and trust. 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

Thank you @ClemenceMichallon, @KnopfPantheonVintageAnchor, @Knopf and @NetGalley for a free e-ARC. The opinions are mine alone and not biased in any way.

I loved this book! The Quiet Tenant was just okay for me but I could not put this one down. I thought the cult flashbacks were so well done and the murder mystery on top of it just kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book... hmm... I wanted to love it but for whatever reason it just didn't quite hit the mark for me.

What I did love was Frida and Gabriel's storyline of their past, how they rose to overcome it, and following the mystery to find out who would be revealed as the killer. I honestly could have used more of the background on Frida and Gabriel- it was a captivating part of the book for me.

I also enjoyed the alternating perspectives that pushed the book along. Ultimately, this is a good novel, but didn't strike into the "great" category for me personally. I had heard only good things about the author before reading this, so I definitely feel disappointed to have not fallen in love with this one.

I would absolutely consider reading additional novels of this author in the future.

Frida and her brother, Gabriel, used to vacation together every year. However, it's been a few years since they have, but she's managed to talk him into another trip. They are in hot Utah, to hike, lounge by the pool and relax. These 2 have a complicated past and, now that a few years without talking much have passed, Frida isn't sure where her brother's head is at.

First, they grew up in a cult. There are flashback chapters that give their backstory, just about every other chapter, and it details out their tough childhood, their shared trust in each other, and their escape from the cult. Also, years ago, Gabriel's wife went missing and then was found dead. He was presumed to have done it, raked over the coals in the press and a person of interest with the police.

Now, just days into their vacation, after Frida sees a husband and wife fight, the wife is found dead.
I did like the mystery and found the beginning really easy and fast to read. But somewhere in the middle, the flashbacks started to feel repetitive and the story slowed way down. I pushed through and was rewarded with an interesting conclusion that pulled it all together.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

The Quiet Tenant was a 5-star read for me so I'm so bummed that Our Last Resort didn't work for me. All the ingredients are there - escaping a cult, family secrets, a shocking murder - but they never added up. Most of the book was slow-going with little forward momentum and Frida was just not compelling as a narrator. Sadly, a letdown for me.