It is so pleasing when you pick up an author’s work and you can’t believe it’s a debut. It’s even more exciting when you read their second book and find it to be just as good. This is definitely an author that will become an auto buy on all future releases. Dual timelines aren’t always my thing, but it works so well here. The storylines are equally interesting and keep you involved in the story, and the background is needed to show that strong bond between Gabriel and Frida. That bond is so important to understanding how the events unfold in the later timeline. I’ll admit I was thrown for a loop on part of the ending, I was NOT expecting the explanation of Annie’s death. I gave this four stars instead of five because of the explanation of Sabrina’s death- sometimes the simple and obvious answer to a crime is correct, but it felt a little rushed and phoned in.

Thanks so much to Clémence Michallon and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor Publishing for the free advance readers copy!

Our Last Resort is a quietly devastating novel about survival, trauma, and the fragile structures we build in order to keep going. Told in dual timelines, the story follows two adults shaped by a horrific childhood who find themselves entangled in a tenuous, makeshift family built more out of necessity than trust. What unfolds is a study in resilience and the moral gray areas we inhabit when simply making it through the day is a feat in itself.

Michallon's prose is clear and emotionally restrained, allowing the depth of feeling to simmer just beneath the surface. The novel wrestles with difficult questions: How much of our past can we use to explain, if not excuse, our actions? What does it mean to belong, especially when our first experiences of family were fractured or violent?

Though I struggled with the sheer sadness of the story and found the central twist predictable, the novel lingers in a meaningful way. Its exploration of found family, class disparities, and moral complexity is timely and affecting. The characters make choices that are hard to watch and even harder to justify. And yet Michallon never lets us look away.

This is not a comforting book, but it is a worthwhile one. Our Last Resort offers no easy answers, only the haunting question of how far we’ll go to protect the fragile bonds we’ve fought to build.

I would recommend this to fans of The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave, And Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell, and the upcoming Such Good People by Amy Blumenfeld.

Frida and Gabriel were raised in a cult. They consider each other siblings, although they are not blood relatives. There are two timelines. The first being a vivid picture of them being raised in a cult. The second takes place years later at a 5-star resort when they are reunited after Gabriel's wife dies. While there, a murder is committed. I found this murder mystery intriguing, and it kept me guessing every step of the way.

Our Last Resort follows, a current timeline of ‘siblings’ Frida and Gabriel as they are thrown into a murder investigation while on vacation at a secluded resort in Utah. Its other timeline follows the siblings’ journey, as they grew up and escaped form a cult fifteen years prior.
Each chapter is a view into a different timeline, as it travels back and forth to reveal how the siblings came to be involved in this investigation, which is not their first time dealing with a murder.

With that being said, I did not like it as much as her debut novel, The Quiet Tenant, now do I feel like it will stick with me very long. However, this novel definitely held my attention. This novel is less thriller and more mystery. The cult aspect was very entertaining, and its dual timeline viewpoints made it fast paced. It definitely kept me turning the pages quickly until I finished it!

Thank you to Net Galley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor publishing for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

I'm a sucker for a book about a cult. And I also always prefer a book with alternating timelines, though in this case, it felt like I was reading two different stories at times. I'm not sure how the two alternating timelines really relate to each other all that much, other than allowing the author to reunite the two main characters.

This book is a quick read and kept my interest. I did want to find out what would happen next so it kept me turning the pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!


(Closer to a 3.5 but I'd rather round up than down)

The premise of this book is great - who doesn't love a plot centered around escaping from a cult? The execution, however, was disappointing. I had a hard time connecting with the main character, her emotions felt closed off to me. The side characters felt like caricatures: the wealthy thrice married man, the young and unhappy bride, the brooding brother. The writing style was choppy, with lots of declarative sentences which created yet another barrier to really connecting in any genuine way. The highlights for me were the portions of the book that took place in the past and talked about the cult, I think more focus on that would have made for a more interesting story arc.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 ⭐️ Fast paced thriller that kept me guessing til the end.

Frida and Gabriel grew up in a cult and always considered themselves siblings. When they came of age they escaped after the truth was discovered about their leader Emile.

When Gabriel’s wife disappears and is found dead he is suspect but nothing is proven. Frida and Gabriel meet up at a desert resort to rekindle their connection and another murder points his way. Told from Frida’s POV it has multi timelines, from the past when the two were young, to present day at the desert resort.

While the story is interesting, the main characters fell flat. I wish their time in the cult would have been fleshed out a bit with more of the workings of their commune and more in depth portrayal of Emile the leader.


Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Publishers for the eARC in exchange for my honest review

The Quiet Tenant was a such a hit for me that I couldn't wait to dive into the latest from Michallon. Our Last Resort alternates between the past and the present. In the past, Frida and Gabriel are living in a cult in upstate New York. In the present, they are at a high end resort in Utah where the wife of a wealthy and powerful man has just been found dead. The police quickly begin to suspect Gabriel of the young woman's murder.

I really enjoyed the backstory of Frida and Gabriel's time in the cult and felt it painted a picture for their current situation. There were some completely jaw dropping twists that I never saw coming. Michallon has done it again with another 5 star read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I will admit I had high hopes for this after reading Clemence's debut novel. And while I did enjoy this story it just didn't have the same hold over me. There is enough mystery and suspense to keep me reading and I really enjoyed the back and forth between past (the cult) and present.

4 stars. I really enjoy this author’s unique writing style. She says a lot but with “sparse” language, if that makes sense? This story is about a brother and sister (Gabriel and Frida) who are reuniting after being apart for a time. At one time they were very close, but the death of the sister-in-law, Annie, and the subsequent look at Gabriel as the main suspect, have put a strain on their relationship. While at the resort, another death occurs, and it looks like Gabriel may also be linked to this woman. Can Friday find out the truth about her brother – and if she does, will she like what she sees? Adding to the layers of mystery, are the shared roots of the siblings who were raised in a remote compound among a group of cult members. What did that upbringing contribute to who they are today and ho did it shape their past and their futures? This is an interesting and slow-burn mystery that I found enjoyable to read. Great atmosphere and a definite poolside read for it’s July release date.

I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. It’s a murder mystery centered around Frida and Gabriel, two people who escaped a cult as young adults. They’re now at a resort when a young woman turns up dead—and from there, the story starts to unravel. There are a few mysteries layered throughout: how they got out of the cult, the truth behind the murder, and what really happened to Gabriel’s wife, who died a few years back under suspicious circumstances.

The writing style is really simple— It makes for a quick read, though at times it felt a little repetitive. The ending didn’t shock me, but it wrapped things up cleanly, and I appreciated that.

What stood out most to me were the flashbacks to their time in the cult. I actually wish the book had leaned more into that storyline. The cult’s leader, Emile, and the belief system they followed could’ve been explored more deeply. That part felt the most vivid and chilling—especially how it all came to an end.

Thanks to NetGalley and Elliot & Thompson for the ARC.

I really enjoyed the author's debut, I thought it was so unique. I decided I wanted to go into this one blind, and I'm really glad I did!
I thought this story was also very unique. I enjoyed that that it was told in alternating past and present timelines. The plot was full of suspense, but more of a slow burn with lots of tension build up throughout. I enjoyed the characters. The main characters have a really complex relationship and the author did a really good job with their character development.


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

I was really looking forward to this one as I absolutely LOVED her last one. However I did not feel the same sort of connection with this one that I did with the previous one. I really struggled to connect with Frida or Gabriel or really cared what happened to the deceased woman. The "twist" was not super gasp-worthy and I was really pleased when this one was over. I am interested to see if I like the author's next book, or if it just happened to be a one off like for me.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cults. Murder. Family secrets. Stunning desert backdrops. YES, PLEASE.

Our Last Resort hooked me from page one and did not let go. Frida and Gabriel’s story is haunting, emotional, and full of those “wait, WHAT?” moments I live for in a thriller. You’ve got siblings with a past they can’t outrun, a luxe resort with creepy undertones, and a murder that turns paradise into paranoia.

The way the story flips between their childhood in a cult and the present-day murder investigation adds so much tension. I kept flipping pages trying to figure out: is Gabriel really innocent? Or is Frida just too loyal to see the truth?

Clémence Michallon writes with this eerie calm that makes everything feel just a little off, like you know something terrible is coming, but you don’t know when or how. And when it hits? Chills.

If you're into twisty suspense, complicated family bonds, and a slow burn that ends in a firestorm, Our Last Resort should be at the top of your list.

I read The Quiet Tenant last year and truly loved it. I was excited to read Michallon’s next novel because I think she nails the suspense aspect of thrillers, and she nailed it yet again with Our Last Resort.

Our Last Resort is a psychological thriller, but also a very suspenseful thriller that keeps you on your toes. The story follows Frida and Gabriel who escaped a cult as teenagers but since their lives haven’t been easy. They lost touch ever since the mysterious death of Gabriel's wife. The two end up reconnecting when they're asked to take part in a documentary... but is it about the cult or the mysterious death of Annie?

They decide to reunite at a luxe resort in Utah to talk things over and try and reconnect- but not long after their arrival, a young woman is found dead. The main suspect is - Frida and Gabriel.

The suspense builds quickly, but the pacing is perfect within this novel. I kept turning the pages because each chapter felt like it ended on a cliffhanger. The writing is spectacular, throughout the story you never know who to trust. Is Frida reliable? Did Gabriel kill his wife? The tension that builds throughout is palpable.

My one critique is that I wish we could have got more into where Emile (the cult leader) ended up. I felt like he was such a huge character and was such a huge identity factor into who Gabriel and Frida were and became that I wish we got more of that aspect.

This was a quick read. Kept me engaged. The characters were pretty entertaining. I wish it went into more of their backstory more with being in the cult etc
About halfway through I had it figured out so it was a little predictable for me but otherwise still enjoyable

Would definitely still recommend

Thank you NetGalley for the copy

This book alternates between two different time periods and two different locations: eighteen years ago in NY and present day in Utah.

Gabriel and Frida grew up living in a cult in upstate NY. They had no experience of the real world outside their cult's compound. They were both kids who were being raised by "mothers"; not knowing who their biological mother was. They weren't biologically brother and sister, but that's how they viewed one another.

Obviously, growing up in a cult can shape many things about your life. I have always been fascinated with the cult lifestyle. The brainwashing that must go on is mind-boggling. I do wish that the author had spent more time describing their time living in a cult. That time period, in itself, could have been its own book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon. Intriguing premise. Background on the cult and the upbringing of Frieda and Gabriel were the most interesting parts. The dual timelines detracted from the mystery element of the story. Overall a good read.

Thank you Clemence Michallon, Knopf Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this moving novel.

The book was a quick read and written so that it might appeal more to younger teens. I enjoyed the story, although the ender was very predictable.

There were not very many twists and turns. The plot was very clearly spelled out. I prefer more twists and turns.

I recommend for a younger group of readers.

Our Last Resort is an atmospheric, slow-burn suspense with a unique setting and an undercurrent of quiet tension—but it didn’t quite hit the emotional depth I was hoping for.

Set in a crumbling, once-glamorous resort with a haunting past, the novel follows a group of guests whose lives begin to entangle in unsettling ways. Michallon has a gift for setting a scene—you can feel the humidity clinging to the walls, the silence stretching between conversations, the sense that something is just slightly… off. The writing is elegant and understated, with a literary edge that adds weight to the suspense.

However, while I appreciated the mood and premise, the pacing felt uneven. The story took a while to find its footing, and some characters felt more like ideas than fully fleshed-out people. I found myself wanting more intensity, more payoff—especially given the hints of darkness layered throughout.

That said, there’s something compelling about the way Michallon lets the story unfold in whispers rather than shouts. If you enjoy quiet psychological tension, morally gray characters, and stories that simmer instead of explode, this one might be your kind of read.

Eerie, thoughtful, and a little elusive—beautiful in places, but not quite unforgettable.