I loved Michallon's previous book, The Quiet Tenant, and was really looking forward to Our Last Resort, but it fell a little flat for me. I love a good thriller, but this was not it.

This is a layered storied based on the traumatic upbringing of "siblings" Frida and Gabriel within a cult. With a multiple timelines: one present day, and two from the past.
They drifted apart both physically and emotionally after the death of Gabriel's wife. Now they are at a luxury resort to reconnect when a murder occurs and Gabriel becomes the prime suspect.

I didn't particularly care for the cult background, mainly because I felt like it left a lot unsaid.

I was surprised to find out who the true murdered was and about the twist at the end!

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this advanced copy in return for my honest review.

Pub Date: 08 July 2025

The Quiet Tenant blew my little mind when I read it last year, and this new release did the same!

An easy, quick read, Our Last Resort follows Frida and Gabriel, who call themselves siblings, but are not related. They met when they were kids, both raised in a cult that had them cut off from society. 25 years later and they’re on a 9-day vacation before a documentary comes out, a documentary that covers Gabriel’s wife’s unsolved murder. While there, another guest is murdered and they both become intertwined in the story.

This had everything I wanted from a thriller. Unreliable storytelling. Dual timelines. Twists and turns.

I loved it.

Frida and Gabriel meet at a resort in Escalente, Utah after years apart from one another. Frida convinced her brother to spend one week with her. There are things they need to talk about. Their past trickles to the surface in alternating chapters from a horrible childhood, young adult days to the present. Sabrina the beautiful wife of wealthy, older, William Brenner is found murdered at the resort. Will Gabriel be accused of the crime, as he was when his wife Annie died?
I want to thank the author, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for my advanced e-copy of the book via NetGalley. This is my unsolicited opinion about the book. It was a most interesting read, especially the cult portions. (I haven't read Clemence Michallon's previous book, so I wasn't experienced to compare the two.) This book is different. It was the 'cult' hook that grabbed my attention whole choosing it to read. I felt some empathy for the 'siblings' right away because they had escaped terrible circumstances. The alternating between past and present went smoothly which I appreciate.
I personally think that this is a brilliant plot. I kept thinking about Annie, wondering if he did do away with her. The plot moves like, snap, snap, twist! Wow! The final chapters are tense! I recommend for mystery/suspense fans.

Happy book birthday to my birthday twin!

Unfortunately I didn’t like this as much as I expected. I didn’t hate it, but maybe I went in with too high of hopes? I adored The Quiet Tenant, but found this fell a bit flat in comparison.

For a book that starts you right in the action, it read really slow. I felt like not a lot was going on for most of the book. And the set up for what was happening was not super clear, which made it very confusing. While I did like the flashback chapters quite a bit, they didn’t connect well to the present timeline and felt like two different books. Which is a shame because I would have devoured a book solely about the cult chapters.

I still really like Michallon’s writing so I did enjoy reading this well enough, but the story didn’t work for me.

Thanks to Knopf and Netgalley for this ARC. Our Last Resort is out today!

This book was super hard for me to get into. I tried to understand the narrator was unreliable and had a past that causes her to think about things differently, but it was just super hard to follow along and even harder to connect with the character.

I normally love a thriller with a cult aspect to it, and I did enjoy learning about her upbringing and how she met her “brother”. Just knowing there are cults like this blow my mind.

There’s a lot of time jumping from current to back when she was younger. It gave the story more depth, but i just don’t think this one was for me.

I say if you love cult thrillers, unreliable narrators, and a few plot twists, I say give this one a try, you may like it

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook arc of this book in exchange for my review.

💵💵💵💵💵 / 5

OUR LAST RESORT by Clémence Michallon

happy pub day! and thank you to @aaknopf and @netgalley for early access to the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

quick thoughts:
⭐️ 5/5
🤝🏻 siblings reunite at a resort and are forced to confront their pasts and secrets when a guest is found murdered
😬 suspense thriller
✍🏼 short chapters, dual timeline
🕯️ MCs grew up in a cloistered cult
👍🏼 would recommend to thriller lovers!

*slow claps* she’s done it again, folks! i don’t know what Clémence injects into her books, but i’m addicted 👀

🎶 “in the end, i had to pay”

have you ever read a book and immediately thought, “this is now one of my new favorite authors”? this happened to me while reading Clémence’s debut THE QUIET TENANT. and i’m beyond thrilled to report that she remains one of my favorites after reading OUR LAST RESORT!

i unintentionally started this one after my two-month-old niece fell asleep in my arms for three hours—i of course had my Kindle on standby. once i started reading, i couldn’t stop, and i ended up devouring this one. Clémence’s writing style is unique in that she makes you feel like you’re in the room where the story is unfolding. she also incorporates elements into the story that draw you in and make it impossible to put the book down—not to mention, her execution is brilliant. the setting? perfection. the pacing? on point. the twists? mind-blowing.

i hope we don’t have to wait another two years for the next one, but i absolutely will because i know it’ll be worth the wait 😎

If you loved Michallon’s previous novel, The Quiet Tenant, as much as I did, then you’re going to want to pick this one up immediately! Similarly to her previous, it’s a thoroughly written character study and an exposé of the topic at hand-which happens to include themes of cult indoctrination and how one’s past can shape one’s future.

“𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠, 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑙𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑦 𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑠. 𝑂𝑛𝑙𝑦 100 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑠𝑜.”

It’s one of those books where you can feel the research and time that the author spent meticulously weaving together this complex story. We get an intimate look at the lives of Frida and Gabriel, siblings by choice, who bound together during their adolescent upbringing in a cult. They develop a deep longing to want more out of life and manage to escape together. They have an innate belief of protecting each other at all costs and justifying the actions that assist in their survival. This mindset follows them through their adult lives, which in the present storyline finds them at the scene of a murder at the resort in which they’re staying at. Old wounds are reopened, past trauma brought to the surface, and they’re ultimately left questioning just what each other is capable of.

The psychological aspect of this one is immaculate. It’s haunting, beautifully written, and will leave a lasting effect on the reader. Michallon’s poetic prose is refreshing and adds such a unique layer to her thrillers. Which is why she’s easily an auto buy author for me. I cannot recommend this book enough!

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ★★★★★
𝟒.𝟓 rounded up
𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭: I loved it!!

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for my #gifted ARC

Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon is a shockingly intense, edge of your seat psychology thriller. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the author’s debut novel The Quiet Tenant, and was super excited to read her sophomore effort. Our Last Resort is gripping, suspenseful, and had me quickly turning pages all the way until the very end. A big thank you to Knopf, the author and NetGalley for the eARC of the book.

Two siblings Frida and Gabriel escaped a cult fifteen years ago. They eventually become estranged from one another after the death of Gabriel’s wife, who was actually Frida’s best friend. But looking for a fresh start and a chance to reconnect, Frida and Gabriel arrive at a luxury resort in a secluded desert in Utah. Everything seems to be going well — until the dead body of another guest is discovered. When the police arrive to investigate the death they swiftly cast their suspicion on Gabriel. This sends his sister Frida into a tailspin of revisiting old memories from their time spent in a cult in upstate New York, how they escaped and the fallout afterwards. She believes in her brother’s innocence, but with the evidence building up against him, Frida can’t keep turning a blind eye.

Our Last Resort is an exciting, slow-burn novel that alternates between the present and past examining themes of trauma, identity, loyalty and family secrets. An intriguing, highly entertaining psychological mystery that is perfect for summer reading.

I really liked Clémence Michallon’s last book, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵 𝘛𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘵, so I was quite excited to pick up 𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝙇𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙩. It had such a strong premise that I went in with high hopes. A secluded resort in the desert, two survivors of a traumatic cult past, a suspicious death, and years of buried history resurfacing, so it should’ve been exactly my kind of read. And parts of it were.

The sections set in the past, when Frida and Gabriel were children trapped in the cult, were easily the strongest. They were harrowing and emotionally charged. But the present-day storyline didn’t work quite as well. It was slow to build and the mystery never fully landed.

What kept me reading was Michallon’s writing. She’s observant and layered, and her insights into trauma and survival are sensitive and unflinching.

It’s not a bad book by any means. I just didn't love it like I thought I would. 3.5 stars rounding to 4.

Thanks to @aaknopf and @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the author's debut and had really high hopes for her sophomore thriller about two survivors of a cult but this one left me confused a lot of the time and just didn't hit the mark for me. The audiobook was amazingly narrated by Saskia Maarleveld but the story jumped in time and place and that made it hard to keep certain things straight. Maybe a better book to read in print? I did like the relationship between the two 'siblings', Gabriel and Frida and I definitely didn't predict who the real killer was. Recommended for fans of authors like Ashley Winstead. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

CW: sexual assualt/rape, chronic migraines

I want to start by saying I loved her first book, The Quiet Tenant. It was one of my favorite books last year. When I had the chance to request this book, I didn't hesitate to push that button. I was sold on the cover, and the story captured my interest very quickly. I've already mentioned in previous reviews that I enjoy a good cult mystery. I don't think that trope will fizzle out anytime soon for me. There are so many different aspects of a cult trope that an author can explore .

This book had two different stories. Both were very interesting, and I'm glad the author chose to tell the backstory of the cult along with how it affected the two main characters in the future. This book had secrets, mystery, manipulation, atmosphere-the whole works. I felt that this book flowed very well, keeping me interested the whole time. The author writes beautifully, and the character development in her books is impressive. There were a few elements that kept it from being a five-star read for me; however, overall, this book was very good, and I highly recommend it if you're interested in the aforementioned items.

Thank you, NetGalley and Knopf, for this eARC of Our Last Resort. Clemence Michallon is undoubtedly an auto-read author for me now.

My thoughts: Raised in a cult and bound by shared trauma, Frida and Gabriel are just trying to reconnect on a luxe Utah getaway but when someone turns up dead and suspicion falls on the siblings, they’re forced to confront their complicated pasts 👀 This one was a slow-burn thriller that seriously hooked me, I really enjoyed it! The dual timelines kept me intrigued and I was curious to see how everything would unravel. I didn’t see the twist coming! Overall, it was a solid, suspenseful read. Would definitely recommend adding to your summer TBR!

Thank you to the publisher for this eARC

The premise of this book sounded very interesting to me. It’s sometimes difficult reading books about cults, even fictional, but this was very respectful even with similarities to real tragic events.

While I really loved Michallon’s debut, this sophomore novel also delivers a gripping mystery, albeit a bit quieter, no pun intended!

Frida and Gabriel are siblings by circumstance, choosing each other while living in an unthinkable situation. The flashback chapters were an interesting character study, we see how Frida develops into the cunning and smart woman she is in the present. Despite her upbringing, I thought she was a very strong personality. While Gabriel suffered more emotionally and mentally in their life after. Even though they grew apart, the unconditional love and desire to protect each other is strong in them both.

The story unfolds slowly but I really liked the tension and Frida’s drive to absolve her brother of any wrongdoing. She was a better investigator than the cops! When I thought the story would go a certain way, it still surprised me a little. Sure you can see the result a mile away but I liked how the reveal was handled.

To talk about obvious triggers, both characters grew up in a cult. Lead by a single man Émile, there are moderate mentions of rape but it’s stressed the persons are 18 and over. I found similarities to real events that happened in Waco in 1993 so please read with care.

3.5⭐️

Thank you to Knopf for the review copy.

OUR LAST RESORT is a thought-provoking look at the aftereffects of growing up in a cult.

The story is told in alternating past and present timelines. We see our MCs as teenagers in the isolated cult, then later as adults having escaped with their secrets.

Pacing is an intentional slow burn. Pieces gradually slide into place, shifting what we think we know until the whole picture reveals unexpected truths.

*Thanks to Knopf for the free eARC, provided via NetGalley.*

First, thank you NetGalley and Knopf for the digital ARC of Our Last Resort!

The cult background in this book had me super excited to read this one. We have dual timelines which is always hit and miss for me, often I find that I care significantly more about one timeline over the other but that wasn't the case here, both held my attention pretty evenly. This was an easy, interesting read but not anything remarkable for me. No blown away moments or reveals.

For what I expected and what I wanted, from this author, this was definitely in. The debut I read from this author was disturbing, and when I read the synopsis this one has cults involved - I clapped my hands thinking this will haunt me for the rest of my days. What Michallon does well is write characters, and their psychological state. And I can't say that this didn't happen here. It did, but it kind of was boring. At the end of the day the MC was not acting for the better of the cult, which is usually the case even with those who left, but for herself. And that's what missed the mark for me. She was boring, and nothing really special happened in the whole book. The slow reveal of who and why it was meh. I didn't gasp, I didn't care.

I would still want to see what this author does next, just because the debut was such a strong idea, that is still living in my head rent free.

Our Last Resort follows two siblings who were raised in a cult, now navigating adulthood while trying to outrun and understand what shaped them. Told in a dual timeline that toggles between their chilling past and a present marked by a suspicious death (one that places one of them under scrutiny... again), the story steadily unravels layers of trauma, guilt, and memory.

The pacing is deliberate, at times almost too much so, but the payoff is worth it. The emotional depth of the characters, especially the sibling dynamic, is where this novel shines. They’re flawed, believable, and often heartbreaking.

Not every twist is surprising, but the atmosphere is thick with dread, and the writing is sharp, introspective, and unflinching.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers that focus more on character than shock value, this one’s for you. Think: long shadows, buried memories, and a truth that refuses to stay hidden.

3.5 of 5 stars!

Clemence Michallon delivers a great story through her second novel, Our Last Resort. Like her debut novel (The Quiet Tenant), the writing is smooth and accessible and easily draws you in to the story and characters. Michallon thoughtfully weaves multiple storylines, bringing the characters’ motivations and actions to the surface by dredging through their difficult pasts.

A brother and sister who were inseparable during their upbringing in a cult based in New York meet at an upscale resort to reconnect after years apart. While their past was harrowing and required them to make difficult decisions, her brother’s life path following their escape from the cult was marred by another tragedy in the early death of his wife. Yet again, the siblings can’t seem to escape trouble - a suspicious death happens at the resort and each becomes entangled in the investigation. As everything unfolds, you’re whisked back in time with alternating storylines between the current crime and life in the cult. Their efforts to save their own self and each other creates an ultimate tug-of-war between eliminating and strengthening their bond. In the final chapters, the death of the brother’s wife is revisited with a secret revelation about her demise and the circumstances of the death at the resort is solved. Can they trust each other the way they always said they could?

** Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. **

They hoped for a fresh start....

....but a murder brings their troubled past back into the light.

Gabriel and Frida were raised in a reclusive cult in upstate New York, one in which they were subjected to abuse and from which they eventually made a dramatic escape marred by tragedy and scandal. Once extremely close to one another, they have been estranged for years but are hoping to bridge the divide during a visit to an upscale desert resort in Utah. Their dreams of connecting as they hike the local trails and enjoy other resort attractions come to a jarring end when a fellow guest, Sabrina Brenner (the young wife of an older and powerful man), is found murdered. When Gabriel quickly becomes a suspect given their past history, Frida has to confront all that went on during their time in the cult. She loves Gabriel, but does she in fact really know him at all?
Our Last Resort is a page-turning tale of psychological suspense, featuring two flawed protagonists who shared a traumatic upbringing which shaped the people they grew up to be. Chapters alternate between the present events at the resort and the pair's past life in the cult led by the charismatic Émile, weaving the two timelines together as the suspense mounts. The characters are well-developed over the course of the story; my one observation is that the cult part of the story seemed to overshadow the murder mystery part, which I felt detracted from my overall enjoyment. Having read and loved author Clémence Michallon's debut novel, The Quiet Tenant, I had high expectations for this novel and while I don't think that it quite lived up to that earlier novel I still found it an intriguing story, a solid summer read with a satisfying amount of psychological complexity....3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4. Fans of Emma Cline, Lucy Foley and Andrea Bartz should think about adding this to their TBR stack, as should those who enjoy suspenseful page-turners in general. My thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor Books/Knopf Books for allowing me access to this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Our Last Resort by Clemence Michallon

Thank You NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
All Frida and Gabriel knew for the first twenty or so years of their lives was the cult run by Emelie. Then they were able to escape and build lives out in the real world. Gabriel got married to Annie eventually and were married for two years before Annie mysteriously disappeared and her body was eventually discovered. Gabriel was the prime suspect, but with not much evidence, he was never charged. After this, Gabriel and Frida grew apart.
It's now 15 years later and Gabriel and Frida are offered a chance to do a documentary on their lives when they lived in the cult. So they agree to meet up – Frida from New York and Gabriel from Seattle. They meet up and stay at the high-end Ara Hotel in the desert of Escalante, Utah. Now another woman has been found dead, Sabrina, wife of the rich and often temperamental and jealous, William Brenner. The novel alternates between the two timelines...Gabriel and Frida’s past while in the cult and the present at the Ara Hotel. The past slowly builds up to the present and secrets are slowly revealed about Frida and Gabriel and how they were able to escape the cult. But now, at the Ara Hotel, Gabriel has told the police lies about if he knew Sabrina and once again, he is found to be the prime suspect. With Annie’s murder still unsolved and Sabrina now dead, is Gabriel truly innocent or is someone else behind these murders? This is Clemence Michallon’s second novel and I love how she kept the suspense going!!! I loved the twists and how everything tied together at the end! Look for this novel AVAILABLE July 8, 2025!