With beautiful, evocative writing, a fascinating relationship between two siblings, and an eerie atmosphere, Michallon's second thriller is another winner.

This was an odd one. Like the rest of the other books just weird at first. I’m not usually in to cult books and this is one of them. Just can’t fathom them maybe it wasn’t for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon is a riveting, atmospheric thriller where paradise quickly turns deadly. When a young woman is found murdered at a remote luxury hotel, suspicion falls on Gabriel, forcing Frida to confront their dark past in a secluded cult and the possibility she never truly knew the man she loves. Taut, haunting, and impossible to put down, this is Michallon at her finest.

Our Last Resort, but Clemence Michallon, is a creepy murder mystery with cult vibes, that blends the past and present. Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! This book was an enjoyable read but did not have the unputdownable factor. I did want to finish the book though, and the storyline was something that I haven't read before, so the fresh idea was a nice change. Overall a decent book, just not super memorable long term.

ThTroubled couple, luxe desert resort, and then boom: murder. The past-cult storyline added a whole other layer of tension and kept me second-guessing everything. Frida’s inner conflict felt so real, and the way the story moved between timelines made the mystery unfold in such a satisfying (and stressful!) way. It’s a slow burn in places, but totally worth the ride. Perfect if you like your thrillers with emotional depth and a side of desert noir.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the chance to read this early!

Fifteen years ago, Frida and her brother escaped a cult. Now her brother is the prime suspect in a murder investigation—and it isn’t the first time...


Our Last Resort is a fast-paced, nail-biter, filled with twists and thrills. Set aside a day for this book, because you won't be able to put it down.

The line "How well do we ever really know those we love?" perfectly captures the essence of this book. It's a so-called brother-and-sister story filled with a cult, deceit, love, and a touch of friendship. The ending is truly shocking. Thank you to Netgalley, Knopf, and the author for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Partly on me for taking a two month vacation and falling behind on my NetGalley reviews, but also I had to go reread the last couple chapters of this book to remember how it even ended. 😩 So, you know, not great.

This was a weird one that told two stories that could have been more interesting individually, with dual timelines about the same characters growing up in a cult and then meeting up at a resort where a murder happens. The settings were just so thematically disconnected that it was jarring to go from scenes of teenagers in a creepy separatist cult in the woods to two people vacationing at a fancy resort, the latter of which is such a specific sort of sub-genre of thrillers that comes with expectations of its own imo. You kind of hook people in with visions of rich people behaving badly at an expensive getaway in the desert with one of those, so it was strange to then have half the book be so tonally different. It felt like a random choice of present location selected for the sake of cool cover vibes.

I don't know, this was fine and I liked it well enough while I was reading it, but ultimately: eh.

I really enjoyed The Quiet Tenant so I was thrilled to get approved to read Our Last Resort. While this was a bit of a slow burn, I did really enjoy the story and it kept my interest from start to finish. Can't wait to read more from this author.

Haunting!

Frida and Gabriel are spending time at a luxury hotel in a remote area of Utah. The are finally reunited and hoping to reconnect after a tragic incident upended their lives. But when a young woman is found dead on the resort property, suspicion quickly falls on Gabriel. Frida has always stood by her brother’s innocence but now she is forced to seek the truth by facing the ghosts from their past.

This was a slow burn psychological, mind bending mystery told in past and present timelines. If you are looking for your next cult thriller then add this one to your TBR.

Thank you Netgalley, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book is available now

I was the only person who didn't like The Quiet Tenant, I swear, but I thought I'd try something else. I just don't think I'm a fan of this writer sadly.

Our Last Resort was super suspenseful and emotionally charged. It blends psychological tension with a deep dive into family dynamics and past trauma. The story follows siblings Frida and Gabriel, who reunite at a remote hotel in an attempt to repair their strained relationship following a traumatic past in a cult and the unresolved death of Gabriel’s wife. However, then a guest is found dead and suspicions fall on Gabriel. Forcing Frida to confront disturbing memories and question if Gabriel can be believed. The novel explores themes of trust, loyalty, and the long-lasting impact of childhood trauma, all wrapped within a gripping murder mystery.

I enjoyed the pacing, the short chapters, the complex sibling relationship, and the engaging writing style. I found it to be a good balanced mix of plot and character development, especially within the dual timelines. The details of the cult storyline were the most interesting to me.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

Wow! This was another page turning read from Clémence Michallon. I really loved The Quiet Tenant and while this one was very different it was a thrill ride.

I think that this author is a very promising name in the thriller genre and I will always looking forward to a new book after reading this one as well as the debut.

After reading The Quiet Tennent, I was sooo excited when I was given the opportunity to read Michallon’s newest book as an ARC. I loved the dual timeline of this story and found myself equally excited for both narratives. This story featured self-declared siblings, Gabriel and Frida, who ran away from the cult they were raised in at 18 years old. You find out that they’ve had a bit of a bumpy ride since then and are reuniting at a desert resort in Utah. Things don’t go as planned when they are thrust into the middle of a murder investigation.

🌵 I soooo badly wanted to love this story as much as I loved The Quiet Tenant. I hate to say that it just didn’t deliver in the same way. I felt like this story was a little underdeveloped and less unique than her previous work.

This was a compelling book! I was sucked in to the cult story from the past and how it impacted the characters in the present. Would definitely recommend!

📚Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon

⚠️CWs for cults, manipulation/gaslighting, sexual assault, rape, child abuse, graphic violence, murder, death, injuries/death caused by fire, domestic violence, infidelity, and more

Story: 3/5
Audiobook: 3/5 (narrated by Saskia Maarleveld)
Length: 8h59min

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I previously enjoyed The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon, so I was excited to pick up this second release from her. Unfortunately, my feelings ended up being pretty mixed about it. This had soooo much potential but didn’t love the execution. The writing itself was decent and I found myself compelled to keep turning the page, but the story itself was just a little lacking for me. I’ve noticed that thrillers centered around cults don’t tend to work for me. I liked that I wasn’t able to predict certain twists at the end, but I also didn’t necessarily love the direction that things were taken.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review💖

, I’d like to thank NetGalley, Clémence Michallon, and Elliot & Thompson for the opportunity to read Our Last Resort in exchange for my honest review.

I flew through this book—it completely sucked me in and held my attention from the start. The writing was immersive, and the pacing made it hard to put down.

I was especially fascinated by the cult elements and the emotional journey of Frida and Gabriel as they escaped that life and worked to build something new for themselves. Their resilience and quiet strength were compelling and heartbreaking all at once.

While I did have a sense of the twist coming, and it didn’t totally shock me, it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story.

This was a fast paced and captivating read, perfect for those who enjoy psychological suspense with emotional depth.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Clémence Michallon's debut was like nothing I had ever read and left me needing more by her. I immediately jumped at the opportunity to read this. While I enjoyed this, it wasn't as riveting to me as The Quiet Tenant. With that said, I went into this expecting to be blow away as much as I was with her debut, and cult thrillers just aren't my thing. If I like cult thrillers, I think I would've liked this more. I also just wasn't as connected with these characters, I found them rather unlikeable, which isn't a bad thing at all. I love a good thriller with unlikeable and unreliable main characters, but this just didn't hit the same.

With all of that said, I still found this an enjoyable suspenseful thriller. I didn't see the big twist coming at all, which is always a huge plus haha.

If you're looking for a cult based thriller that is a slow burn with characters that aren't particularly likeable, this one is for you!

I can't wait to read Clémence Michallon's next book and HIGHLY recommend reading The Quiet Tenant if you haven't read it already.

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

Gabriel and Frida grew up in a cult and were inseparable, but after escaping 15 years ago, they parted ways to try to heal and live their lives. Over time, their communication lapsed. Now, determined to re-connect with her brother, Frida meets Gabriel at a luxury resort in a desert in Utah. Amid hikes, dinners, pool days and long talks, Frida feels like they're finally reconnecting.

But one night,Frida returns to the hotel room and Gabriel isn't there, and when the body of a wealthy young woman is found the next morning, all evidence is pointing to Gabriel. Knowing this wouldn't have been the first time someone died around Gabriel, Frida doesn't want to believe what people are saying. Yet, as the case unfolds, she is forced to revisit memories from her time in the cult, and begins to wonder how well she ACTUALLY knew Gabriel.

I loved this book. I binged it in a day and was left wanting more! Well done!