I will start this review by saying that "The Quiet Tenant" was one of my favorite books I read last year. Kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. So I went into "Our Last Resort" (thank you NetGalley and Knopf!) with high expectations.

And they were met.

A "couple" is visiting a beautiful resort in the Utah desert. And of course, there's a murder.

If Mike White set "White Lotus" in the desert it would have definitely been here. Had a very similar set of characters - wealthy, romantic, confused...

Turns out our "couple" , Frida and Gabriel are not a couple. They actually state that they are "brother and sister" - but we soon find out they are not. They were actually both born and raised in a cult in upstate New York.

The flashbacks to their time in the cult are fascinating and highly realistic. You've seen it before: charismatic leader, concubines, etc. But the descriptions of this cult are extremely realistic. It's a business, it's a school, it's a religion. You can see why people join these groups... but also why they flee.

Of course there are a multitude of secrets. And twists and turns galore. A coyote even comes into play.

Like White Lotus, no secrets are safe, and they all come out in the end. Highly recommend and look forward to Michallon's next book!

Thank you @netgalley @aaknopf #partner for the gifted copy of this eARC.

I LOVED The Quiet Tenant so when I saw Our Last Resort I jumped at the chance to read it. I am happy to report this one is another winner! I loved The Quiet Tenant because that one literally scared the bejesus out of me and this one although different, still was engaged and was more of a slow burn mystery! I think my favorite part of this book was the brother and sister relationship and their loyalty towards each other having escaped a cult and all when they were younger. Seems like that’ll do it to create that unbreakable bond! 😝 Even though they had grown apart a bit when they were older, I still really appreciated their original roots. I love how Clémence created tension and suspicion using two timelines of past and present because it helped paint the picture of why the characters were the way that they were. The storytelling is a great and although I had an inkling of who was behind the mystery it didn’t spoil the book for me at all. I highly recommend this book for any mystery and cult lovers out there!

I unfortunately didn’t vibe with this one as much as The Quiet Tenant, there were certain aspects that just didn’t work for me. But it had an interesting back story and kept me invested the whole time, and I will definitely read more from her in the future. Thanks to the publisher and @netgalley for the digital arc - out July 8th!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy! I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

Our Last Resort is a murder mystery that leaves you breathless til the end. There are many twists and turns.
Frieda and Gabriel grew up like brother and sister in a cult. He was a suspect in the murder of his first wife but was ultimately cleared.
Having grown apart over the years they go to a resort to rekindle their friendship. A woman is killed at this resort and many secrets come out
You won’t be disappointed if you like a suspenseful mystery

This book had some many interesting elements to it. Cults, innocence, growing up, murder, complicated feelings, chosen family and morality. It definitely kept me reading, as I wanted to find out what happens next, unfortunately I was able to predict the main plot and most of the ending. That didn’t stop me from reading it though. Good sophomore book.

3.5⭐️
I was obsessed with her previous thriller, and was so intrigued by the ~culty~ presence in this one, so I knew I had to read this one asap!

I liked it, but i wasn’t itching to pick it up (which I want in a thriller!!)
- There is a past and present timeline. Past is the cult, present is the murder investigation at resort
- I enjoyed the cult chapters more. That’s just always a fascinating theme to me!!
- the present chapters didn’t have as much action as I was looking for
- the last chunk was quick as the final events unfolded! I did guess the twist, but still enjoyed reading
- I feel like there could have been more drama with some of the side characters at the hotel?? There wasn’t much done with them, even though there were some interesting characters described

This book definitely gave off murder mystery vibes. The cult connection also gave it an interesting perspective. Overall I feel this one just fell a bit short for me, I wasn’t super excited to pick it up after getting into it. This may be a favorite for someone else though, so don’t be scared to give it a chance!

Thank you to NetGalley, Clemence Michallon, and Knopf for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Our Last Resort is a fun, light mystery, perfect for long summer days at the beach or by the pool. The book doesn't demand too much from its readers other than going along for the ride. The cult background of characters Frida and Gabriel is interesting, their bond believable. Anyone looking for an easy escape need look no further than this quick mystery. Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest review.

(3.5/5 stars)
Our Last Resort is a slow-burning psychological thriller that blends the glossy allure of a luxury desert resort with the eerie undercurrent of cult trauma and buried secrets. It’s atmospheric, well-paced, and often unsettling—but not without its bumps.

The alternating timelines were a strong structural choice, gradually peeling back layers of Frida and Gabriel’s dark past. The cult background adds real intrigue, offering emotional weight and nuance to the present-day mystery. But while the premise is rich, some character dynamics—especially Frida and Gabriel’s—felt a little underdeveloped. Their emotional connection was meant to be the heart of the story, but I found myself wanting just a bit more depth to really feel their unraveling.

That said, the mystery is engaging and well-executed. The desert setting adds a cinematic isolation, and the tension around the murdered guest never fully lets up. The final reveal is satisfying, if a little predictable.

Overall, Our Last Resort is compelling and thoughtful, just not quite as sharp or emotionally resonant as it could’ve been. Still, a solid, enjoyable read for fans of slow-burn suspense with a cultish twist.

Interesting story. It revolves two siblings, there escape from a cult and how to move forward. As the siblings are trying to make a go of it, a murder occurs and things become interesting. I enjoyed and I recommend it.

Michallon’s debut novel The Quiet Tenant was a quick, suspenseful read; Our Last Resort fell short. The story follows Frida and Gabriel, two adults who have escaped a cult.. While the pair are visiting a resort, a woman is found murdered. The story is told in different timelines, which was a bit confusing at times. I also did not enjoy the way the book was written. Although we were given more back story about Frida, I couldn’t connect to either of the main characters. Overall it was a quick mystery read.

I was able to read an advance copy from NetGalley.

I finished this book the day before I saw Clemence do an interview on the NYPL event zoom. I was so happy to have the additional sense of her writing process and discussion of dark themes and empathy for the villain as well as a chance to understand something of writing in a not first language. Clemence is so very articulate. So enjoyed finding out about her early rereads. A lot of the discussion of this book re visits The Quiet Tenant and the rave reviews that it garners. not sure why comparing takes up so much head space..I actually will go back and try to find
some of the freelance writing as well so I can dwell in good writing. I liked Resort a lot more than I would have imagined,, escape from a cult, murder, not light topics for my fiction reading ways. I did find some of Fridas actions meant suspension of disbelief for me the cult sections of the book were slow and the life after cult sections flew by…I wasn’t looking for twists or tied up endings so it seems pretty average for how any book might end. if you read only this genre you might have less neutral feelings. Four and a half stars for sure

I really found the plot of this book intriguing, and I'm someone who likes books that alternate timeliness, but this one just jumped around to much for me to enjoy.

Absolutely loved this. Our Last Resort is haunting, emotional, and beautifully written. The atmosphere pulled me in right away, and the slow-burn tension kept me hooked. Clémence Michallon does an amazing job balancing suspense with real emotional depth—every twist felt earned, and the characters stuck with me. If you like literary thrillers with a lot of heart, this one’s a must-read. I feel like it will definitely be a staple this summer.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the DRC of this book. 'Our Last Resort' will be published on 7/8/2025

I was so hooked for the first half of "Our Last Resort" - it's a duel timeline story between the main characters,
one, as children growing up in a cult, and two, in the present day experiencing unusual events at a fancy
vacation resort (it's giving major White Lotus vibes.)

It has a lot of enjoyable moments. I especially liked the characters' back stories.

Sadly, the second half of the book fell flat for me. For the sake of avoiding spoilers, I'll leave it at that. 

I would still recommend this as a vacation read to a casual thriller consumer,
but for a person who consumes a lot of thrillers, it's not a must-read. 

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Knopf for an advance e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Frida and Gabriel were raised in a cult, escaped together, and have always stuck together, calling themselves siblings. After not seeing each other for a while, they meet up on a vacation together in Utah and another guest, Sabrina, ends up dead. Frida and Gabriel become persons of interest, which is quite surprising for Gabriel as he was already a suspect in dead wife’s murder 9 years ago. It appears that death keeps following him, from even back in the cult days. Suspect Gabriel lied to the cops, but also, Frida is keeping past secrets.
I loved The Quient Tenant, so I think I went into this book with too high of expectations. This book wasn’t very thrilling. It is told from Frida’s past point of view in the cult and after as well as her present POV on this vacation. The first twist was a bit shocking, but there was nothing shocking about who the killer of Sabrina was. Overall, I was kept on my toes just because I needed answers, but the story still was not as fast paced and thrilling as I would have preferred. I also did not like or connect with any of the characters. We also did not get to know them on a personal or emotional level despite story telling from the cult days full of trauma.
Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a steady mystery suspense. Siblings Frida and Gabriel escaped an unconventional childhood and forged a new life. After growing apart, they plan to reconnect at an upscale desert resort, but then a body is found and Gabriel looks suspicious. Told from Frida’s point of view in alternating timelines, we see how they became close as children, escaped their cult upbringing, and what has brought them together. It’s a quiet mystery, Frida is quick and observant, and nothing feels over the top but still keeps the reader engaged. I saw the turn of events coming, but it’s worthwhile to see how we get there.

I seem to be in the minority, but I liked this better than the author’s debut.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this one. It’s my second book from the author and I just really enjoyed the writing and the plot. Pulled me in from the first page!

really liked this book but who doesn't love a good cult book? This was a slow burn for me but I read it in one day. I really liked The Quiet Tenant so I was excited to read this book and it didn't disappoint. I gave it 4/5 stars 🤓
Thank you @netgalley for giving me a chance to read this.
#OurLastResort #netgalleybooks #arc #readersgonnaread📚 #netgalleyreader #clémencemichallon

Frida and Gabriel are brother and sister. Not in the biological sense, but in the family sense. They have always been close, often finishing each other’s sentences or thoughts.

But, in the past seven years, they have grown distant, hardly speaking after an unspeakable tragedy, and secrets separated them.

When Frida reaches out to Gabriel, to try to mend their relationship, they decide to take a vacation together at a luxury resort in Escalante Utah. Swimming in the pool, long hikes, beautiful surroundings, and top quality food, have them relaxed and happy to be together again.

Until the body of a beautiful young woman
who was vacationing at the resort with her powerful, much older husband is discovered. When the police arrive and place the resort on lockdown, all of Frida and Gabriel’s secrets come rising to the surface that they are desperate to keep hidden.