The Last Resort

This was a great premise as I've read about the subject that gave Susi the idea for the book.. I'm not going to say more as you have to find out what it is for youself.

If you';re afraid of how tech and new tech ideas can work against us however, this is going to freak you out. There were vibes of And Then There Were None and 1984 and the film The Island. Characters I didn't care for however and it soon became obvious that I was looking forward to seeing them being killed off. Not sure what that says about me but one in particular was awful.

I felt the idea and premise was stronger than the way it panned out. The tech idea however was nicely built up and explored. People's reactions were spot on and the way the people were controlled on that island was nothing short of Big Brother's gone Digital. Hell if this ever becomes a reality, I'm going to live on an island myself. Just not this one.

You never really know where they are but there's a reference to a literary island which was a nice touch. The ending for me didn't fit the rest of the novel but it was a good journey getting there.

The first 85% or so of this book was very intriguing. Sadly, the ending just didn’t work for me as well as I’d hoped it would.

The overall story has a vibe that’s similar to many others: a group of people wake up somewhere unknown and have to go through a series of trials to find out what’s really happening. Where this one differs, though, is in the way that each character’s storyline is pushed forward, along with the manner in which futuristic tech is utilized.

I can’t really say much more without spoiling it, but I will say that one of the three big twists was easy to see coming. I had guessed a crucial detail about the biggest reveal far in advance, too. Neither of these things reduced my enjoyment of the book, which was sitting pretty firmly at 4 stars in my mind until the last 10-15%.

Yes, the ending wraps it all up, but it just didn’t have the necessary impact. I was left thinking, “Seriously? All of this because of that?” I expected a bigger, more interesting motive. I also expected one last twist from a character’s memory that was never completed (which, if it had been, could have provided a much better ending). Alas, neither of those things came to fruition.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

Really enjoyed this book!!! If I could give six stars for the plot twist and not seeing it coming, I would! I loved the idea, I’ve never read something like it before, all of the characters were described just enough to make them seem real and how it all came together in the end, a wonderful thriller read!

Seven strangers in an island, trapped, and soon they are only six... It was a great modern twist on the Agatha Christie story, with new and maybe too incredible technology, but it kept me reading until the end. If you know the original story you can guess some of the twists, but I was not expecting the last one, and I'm still shocked. Great book.

Amelia and six other lucky (?) people are invited to an all expense paid trip on a private island. They have been chosen, they are told, to test a new tech product. It turns out the tech device they are each forced to wear will reveal all their dark and nasty secrets to the other guests. They are told if they can just follow the rules, they will have a lavish party, but the group begins to fight and divisions and loyalties become apparent. Amelia starts to believe the only “gift” she will get from this trip is getting away with her life intact, if she can just stay strong. Now this is a Survivor I would watch!

Wow! This book blew me away. I have huge bags under my eyes as I had to read this until the end, once I had started it. The premise of the story looked promising to me. Seven strangers set off on an unknown adventure, having signed disclaimers and non disclosure agreements. The series of events that follow are shocking. Who are these people? Why were they chosen to be invited to take part in this unimaginable adventure? It is hard to actually write just how compelling this story is, without giving the plot away. So I will just have to say that each character is deliciously depicted in all of their glory and more. As the reader, I felt like I was there with them. So as events unravel, my heartbeat responded and I even commented out loud. In the book, some of the characters discuss their adventures as being perhaps similar to a reality show or drama, but are they right? I will leave you to find out. Highly recommended and compelling story. Huge kudos to the author!

The Last Resort is not unlike an episode of Black Mirror - a show referenced throughout the novel. Susi Holliday has written an entertaining short fiction with a few decent twists. The characters are shallowly defined. The author's decision to centre each chapter on an individual's perspective, while intriguing and offering an opportunity to get to know each, in turn, keeps the narrative going but doesn't lend to more profound character development.
The jacket notes describe this novel as a survival adventure involving 6 strangers flown to an island where each is challenged by the revelation of their deepest secrets. The tale is well paced and keeps the reader engaged. The premise is promising - technology, intrigue and a diverse set of characters. There are flashbacks intended to only become coherent once we reach the end of the adventure. The basic story of the entwined lives of the participants sustains the reader, but the conclusion is ultimately unsatisfying. The buildup, the reveals, the twists, the tension, are all well sprung, but the conclusion seems like the author simply ran out of steam. The outcomes teach us no real lesson, nor draws together the life experiences of the participants. Given that the author is familiar with Black Mirror, one would hope that there might be some thought-provoking question posed and explored. The potential of neurological 'trodes that stimulate thoughtful recollection, for example, or the use of hallucinogenic drugs that allow for self-stimulated alternated realities are promising but unrealised.
The novel is a reasonable read, and I am not unsatisfied to have spent the time. However, I do feel that there is some potential unrealised in the delivery of this novel. The characters drawn from diverse backgrounds could allow for teasing out deeper connections to their ultimates fates or possible reflections on the main protagonist's understandings of her own life trajectories. The intriguing devices introduced raise questions around surveillance and our own self-perception, but this too seems to be merely glossed over. These could have been drawn into a tighter message through more deliberate plot construction.
Decent, but ultimately disappointing for unrealised potential.

A group of strangers are recruited for a secret exclusive getaway. They are unsure what they signed up for, but the offer was too tempting to decline. The trip is off to a rocky start and doesn't seem to improve much after the guests reach their destination. It is definitely not the luxury retreat they were expecting. There are cutting edge gadgets to wear, unclear instructions to follow and no hosts in sight. Are they part of a reality game show? Are they supposed to work together or against each other? One by one, their deepest, darkest secrets are revealed for all to see and their image to be destroyed. Their fate is in the hands of the mysterious host but who might that be?

The last resort is a technologically advanced take on a classic mystery novel. It explores the intriguing concept of memory-tracking and human behaviour connected to it. It's a suspenseful novel that will keep the reader engaged and absorbed.

2.5 stars
The plot is similar to what we've seen in the past-seven strangers from different backgrounds are invited to a luxury trip. The trip is, of course, not luxurious and the seven begin to wonder why they’re on the island. .

I found most of the book to be interesting but the ending didn’t do anything for me. I don’t want to give any spoilers but the ending left me thinking “all of this for that?!” Very implausible and not fleshed out well.

I feel like this book had potential but it was never realized.

The first 90% of this book was amazing. I was totally enthralled by it. I could not stop reading it. Then WHAT? the ending felt weak and wasn't really satisfying. And we never found out why two other people thought they remembered/recognized the island. The epilogue wrapped things up, but I was still left thinking "really"? about the end. That first 90% of the book though. That was so good, it's probably worth buying it for that. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.

What a great book for the first 85% — suspenseful, can’t put down. Seven strangers on an island for mysterious reasons, futuristic technology, everyone with secrets to hide and an unknown, malevolent host. Then comes the end of the book—totally disappointing. Five stars for the 85%, two stars for the rest. But still a recommended read

This book about seven strangers chosen to enjoy a free weekend stay at a luxurious resort in exchange for their participation had a promising start. Instead of starting their weekend at the resort, the participants are left on the island to find their way to the house. Interspersed throughout the book is a flashback to an event that occurred on an island in the summer of 2000, apparently involving one or more of the characters. Based on the frequency of these flashbacks, the reader is led to believe that the event that occurred that summer has something to do with the weekend retreat.

About half way through the book the narrative began to bog down with descriptions of numerous climbs over omnipresent hills dotted throughout the small island where they are stranded, together with holographic projections of each characters most horrendous mistakes drawn from a tracker inserted in their ear. The tracker appeared to be accessing memories from their brain, which each character would have preferred to remain hidden. Then as each of them is seriously injured, they are whisked away by the host’s spokesperson, leaving the remaining participants to fend for themselves in finding the house. The ending devolved into a deranged monologue by the evil perpetrator, explaining the rationale behind the events that occurred.

Although the character development was good, showing how each participant reacted to the stress of their situation, the repetitive bleak landscape, together with the somewhat farcical ending, prevented this book from reaching its full potential.

This book is ridiculous,but fun.

Until it becomes JUST ridiculous.

That's pretty much all I can say.

Star rating: 3 stars. "The Last Resort" by Susi Holliday follows a group of (mostly) young, generally tech-savvy people as they embark upon a mysterious "luxury vacation" that quickly goes awry. At the center of the story is Amelia, a humanitarian aid worker; her fellow retreat-goers include Tiggy and Giles, shallow influencer and gamer, respectively; James, a photographer; Lucy, a celebrity gossip columnist; Scott, a nutraceutical salesman; and Brenda, a venture capitalist. There's much more at stake than a luxury-filled weekend away. Secrets are revealed, people are hurt, and as the hours pass, it becomes apparent that perhaps, these vacationers might not make it out alive.

PROS: The concept was intriguing. There's definitely something about the whole seven-strangers-trapped-together scenario that really is enticing. There was something about the whole setup--and parts of the execution--that reminded me of a book from the '80's called "Savages" by Shirley Conran. Also, the characters were generally well-defined, I did not mix them up with one another as one will do sometimes with an ensemble cast. The technology parts were, for the most part, believable.

CONS: It's a sign of the times that given the ubiquitous nature of cell phones, modern novels have to account for why their characters-in-distress do not have the ability to communicate. In "The Last Resort" the author uses a combination of reasons (left phone on plane/can't get a signal/got a signal but I think my messages have been hijacked). Probably one master excuse would have sufficed, or the character "Harvey" who is running the beginning of the operation, could have just said "You're supposed to be on holiday, so you have to leave your phones with me." Also, as the book is winding down, I found the motivations of the villain to be weak threads indeed. I think it would have made more sense if the friendship between "Anne" and "George" was stronger, not a short-lived summer relationship that seemed to have sparked, lived, and fallen apart all in one afternoon.

This was a quick read, I believe I read it in about 3 hours total. I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. Many thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this book.

★★½
I went into The Last Resort expecting a fun and silly thriller along the lines of Christie's And Then There Were None, and that's essentially what I got. Seven strangers are invited to a luxury island retreat and soon start to find out that things are not exactly what they seemed and everything becomes a bit more complicated.

The plot moves along fast and the revelations keep on coming so it was easy to speed through and kept me reading, which is a definite plus. I also liked the technological gadgets that were used and the references to real world topics and inventions like deepfakes, as well as the fact that the characters actually knew enough about these things to not be completely fooled by whatever they saw.

However the writing style didn't really work for me, it felt more like the description of a film plot than an actual novel (he went there, they did this, they put their glasses down and went to join the rest of the group, etc). Too much unnecessary description of exactly what everyone was doing and how they were doing it. It also felt sort of disjointed at times, the conclusions that were drawn weren't always logical, there were some unnecessary things happening and the plot twists didn't always feel connected. The stakes throughout the book didn't feel very high and the conclusion felt like more of the same and didn't leave me satisfied.

Overall I liked the concept and I liked the fast pace, but I didn't think the execution was great. I'm not against checking out the author's other books if the concepts appeal to me though.

Great writing and strong voice. Recommend if looking for a story that is as captivating as it is well-written, providing endless twists and turns for readers!

I love a good locked room mystery and thankfully there are lots to choose from these days. This book is well-written and had an intriguing premise, combining the locked room (or in this case, island) mystery with futuristic technology in a kind of Fyre Festival meets the Matrix situation...but with murder. I can suspend my disbelief for a great thriller with the best of them, and I love a creative idea, so I was hyped for this, but ultimately it didn’t work for me. I think the book was a little too ambitious, trying to do a few too many things at once. The author could not really come up with a believable explanation for the invention and use of this technology the way it was used in the book. And the ending just flew totally off the rails for me - came out of nowhere and was not believable.

I give the author credit for trying a very cool and creative idea, and she’s clearly got writing skills, but ultimately the plot just did not work for me as a believable mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley, Susi Holliday and Amazon Publishing UK for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars
When I read this blurb I was immediately on board,
Without giving too much away, the 'secrets' that each of these individuals have, ready to be revealed to us throughout, reminded me of the Saw movies. These are people who have done some terrible things and devastated other people's lives. So you're not quite rooting for any of them to survive, which means you're ready to be taken on the rollercoaster ride that is what happens on the island.
The bizarre technology, how they arrive on the island and even the notion of drinking water being tampered with, made this such a unique type of thriller/mystery.
However, the ending, even after what was a pretty disappointing few twists, left me asking myself 'all of this happened for that?!'
Up until probably the last 30/45 minutes, this had me completely engrossed and immersed.
It still is a really interesting concept for a story and had the ending and resolution been handled better, this could easily have been a 4 or 5 star read for me but the frankly silly and rather ridiculous ending ruined the whole experience for me.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Resort was a brilliantly entertaining read, a mix of mystery and mayhem, both speculative and traditional in a kind of locked room mystery that just happens to have a wide vista.

One luxury resort that turns out to be rather deadly and not terribly luxurious, a cast of characters that engage throughout and a black mirror meets the famous five vibe that is addictively brilliant. There's even a cave although no ginger beer unfortunately.

Cleverly timed and implemented death lots of creepy stuff some insightful psychological trauma and a lot of great writing add up to a book that is a pure pleasure to read. Recommended.

A fast-paced thrill ride that keep me guessing right to the end. With a brilliant ensemble cast ego each get a moment in the limelight, I raced through this book to find out how it would end. I wasn’t disappointed!

Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for allowing me the opportunity to read The Last Resort by Susie Holliday.

I loved the idea behind this book - 7 strangers heading off to a luxury island, all eager to see what time in this mysterious resort will bring to their professions and lives. They very quickly become aware however that things are not as they seem.

The story was fast paced, had great relevations that kept me entriqued and I enjoyed the chapters changing between characters.
I struggled with the ending of the story however, after such an intense read, I felt the ending fell a little flat and didn't quite keep up with the pace of the rest of the book.

I was strongly reminded of writing by John Marrs as I read this book and I would definitely read more of Susie Holliday.

Seven people sign up to go to a private island to test a product from Timeo Technology. A device you wear that punctures into your skin and reads thoughts , reveals secrets and pits people against each other. Felt like something I watched before on reality TV and something I read before . Characters were complaining a lot and I could not really get into this. Not a page turner. I tried. I felt I had to force myself to continue . Expected more.

3 Stars. I was attracted by this book because of the description, as a fan of Agatha Christie's "And Then They Were None". This book is a good thriller with a surprising final twist. Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC!

The premise of this book sucked me straight in. The use of mysterious and malevolent technology to reveal each character’s dark and sinful past was interesting, and there was just the right amount of suspense and revelation to keep me turning pages and trying to figure out what was going to happen next. Even though the reader gets to see exactly what each character had done to land them in this situation, it felt a little rushed and superficial at times. I found myself wanting more backstory on each person. It was a quick and mostly satisfying read.

Great read but honestly, the ending hugely disappointed me! But overall it was well written and pretty creepy! Will recommend to a few of my friends who I know will love this book though! Really well written and kept my mind running, heart racing

Thanks NetGalley for the e-ARC!

This book was exciting & full of twists! If you enjoy mysteries, atmospheric settings, and interesting characters, I would definitely recommend this book.

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

Okay, this book was weird, and still don't know if it was a good weird or bad weird.

We have seven people that are invited to experience a luxury resort, they are important people like Influencers, bloggers, photographers and rich people, they don´t know each other, actually they don't know anything but still here they are, in a misterious island, in the middle of nowhere, with no signal. Delightful.

I think the plot it's good, it's really intriguing, a thriller on a island, someone's gonna get murderer for sure and lot of mysteries. And it was something like that.

Like I said it was weird, there were many red flags since the beginning, and the characters, they were just cool with being drugged, being injected with a tracker device that shows all your dirty secrets too, I mean it was kind of ridiculous, but I was okay with that, the books its pretty fast to read, and very quickly to get hooked.

Tiggy for me was the best character on the book, she's not the principal but we get to know her, The Last Resort has differentes POV, Amelia (The main character) Brenda, Tiggy and Lucy, but at the end all of them were just nothing

The end, was awful, and again, ridiculous, it was so flat, the big mistery was boring, and predictible.

3 stars because the reading was fast, and I got hooked, but that ending... ugh.

A huge thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Susi Holiday for the Uncorrected Proof, in exchange for my honest review.

Let me start by saying that locked room mysteries are my absolute favorites. I love using the clues throughout the book to figure out who will be the last one standing and how it will be done. A locked room mystery with a technology twist, sure why noy?

The story started out great! The characters were developed well, there was just enough question to make you keep reading but not so much that your head is spinning. I loved all of the false starts and stops just when it looked like something was going to be revealed. Unfortunately, these "stops" also applied to the characters as well. Mid-way through the development of the character, they are killed off and their story is ended just as abruptly. This left holes in the story.

The technology angle also had a lot of promise but jumped the Sci-Fi train along the way. I don't regret reading this one and if you are looking for a fairly quick read with short chapters, this is it! Just don't forget that there may be some suspension of reality and no Agatha Christie.

A fast paced thriller that doesn’t just pique your curiosity but it frantically drags you along with every disastrous & dangerous moment for the guests of the island. The first chapter when we meet Amelia had made me interested and the middle section of the book was full of tension. However the ending left me feeling deflated and slightly disappointed after such an exciting journey with these flawed but addictive characters. The resolution felt lacklustre and sadly meant that my overall enjoyment was spoiled.

As the rating system doesn't allow half marks, I will be generous and round up my rating.

This book is definitely the genre I normally like to read...mystery and a little Sci fi. It was good from the start and had me guessing what was really going on. While you can kind of figure out what will happen, there are some surprising elements. I will say, it does get a little slow in parts and the end is disturbing and a little rushed. Not sure if I will read another from this author. Thank you to Netgalley for providing this book in exchange for my honest review.

I must admit that I read several reviews prior to starting this books...both good and bad and there were plenty but I decided to read it anyway since I had already downloaded it.
I am still trying to figure out exactly WTH it was that I finished last night. Nothing in this book makes much sense including the title which just does not fit with this book.
7 strangers are placed on an island for obviously false reasons the biggest of course is they wanted the money at the end of the weekend. Each chapter is told from a different female character's view (can't figure out why the men are excluded in this but author's choice). Each person has done something truly awful and are made to be viewed as a sinner or something and not worthy of the game or money or whatever she is trying to accomplish as each person's past deeds are slowly revealed. There are also chapters thrown in titled 'Summer 2000' about 'Anne' and 'George'. It's obvious who 'Anne' is but 'George' is a mystery until the very end and when it's revealed...well,.that's when most bad reviews ask the question...WTF is this crap?!
I think she tries to make this a techno-thriller but the thrills fall short, unfortunately. I honestly think that this book does have potential but things just don't fit together into a big picture at least for me in the end. I would give her another chance with a different book because she can write but can't fit all that she tries to do in this book into a good book.
Thank you for the chance to read this prior to release.

A LONG JOURNEY THAT WENT NO WHERE!

A group of people, tricked into coming to an island for a weekend of luxury, only to find out they are going to be guinea pigs for a new neuro-based tech and the menu includes their worst held secrets.

The premise sounded very intriguing, unfortunately that's where the intrigue ends. A cryptic backstory, so vague it essentially provides no backstory at all. This book is quite long, too long given the pace was not consistent. Attempts at suspense were squashed by four extra pages when only one was needed. Ultimately this was a story where none of the characters mattered or played into the main story, with the exception of one. This was somewhat mind boggling to me, as I wondered what was I bothering to read then for the past few hours. Topped off with an underwhelming almost B-rated horror movie ending. (Don't be fooled by the word "horror").

I believe this is supposed to be a whodunnit/locked room book. Sadly, this was just not up to par and felt a bit amateur. I believe if someone did a large amount of editing there is definitely room for much improvement as there were very interesting ways in which the characters were "toyed" with.

*Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK via NetGalley for providing the digital review copy.

I'm a Susi Holliday fan and have yet to read anything by her that doesn't blow my mind and The Last Resort was no exception. Even if the story hadn't been brilliant, the creativity of the technological ideas was enough to carry this book. How on earth does Ms Holliday come up with such innovative and unique concepts? Sheer genius. The story was so taut, at times I could feel myself tensing up, waiting for the next shock. The two strands of the story seemed so disparate, I couldn't begin to figure out how they would connect. But connect they did and with a huge WOW! I had to stay up until 3 in the morning so I could finish because I was totally engrossed and wouldn't have been able to sleep without knowing how it ended. Taut, tense, atmospheric, engrossing, captivating, unique, brilliant, I could go on and on. I'll precis my thoughts for you. Buy The Last Resort today. You can always thank me later.

I received a free e-copy from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

A few times a year I receive those tempting invitations to go somewhere warm and sunny (obviously not this Covid year), stay in a nice swanky hotel and do it all for nothing - so long as I'm willing to sit through a hard-sell about investing in a time-share or a time-share dressed up as something else. I'm no millionaire or famous person but even I can tell it's just not worth getting involved. If something seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is. I just wondered why the seven strangers - or one couple and five singles - would have accepted the offer of a luxury trip to an island without thinking "Hmm, is this a good idea?"

The seven spend a day being drugged, manipulated and having their minds and their memories mined for their guiltiest secrets. As my old French teacher would quote - usually at people who'd not done their homework "Be sure your sins will find you out". As the seven blunder about the island wondering what the heck is going on, we readers soon work out who might be behind the invitation but in most cases, we're not sure why the people have been chosen.

I enjoyed this. Well, the first 85% or so after which it all got a bit more weird than I was ready to swallow. Word to the wise; if invited to a luxury retreat on a mystery island, be really careful what you swallow.

The book is well paced, a lot of what happens requires the reader to suspend rather a big chunk of disbelief, but it thankfully avoids following the Agatha Christie style 'And then there were none' approach, preferring instead to save up a lot of the action and deliver it in a 'blink and you'll miss it' finale. Did I believe the baddie would do what they did? Not entirely. Did I believe the mighty powerful techno-brains behind the world's great innovations? Only partially.

If I wanted one improvement it would be for the seven weekenders to be more logically linked to the story and for there to be a better reason for at least five of them to be there.

When seven strangers are invited to an all-expenses paid luxury retreat in order to test a new product from the mysterious Timeo Technologies, they eagerly accept. But soon their excitement turns to terror when it's revealed why they're really there.

Each of them has a guilty secret and instead of luxury they find a trap. Will any of them make it out alive?

I have to say, the premise of this book is a lot more exciting than the actual novel. It's a quick read that does not move quickly, if that makes any sense. The plot is slowed down by a lot of backstory, but its backstory that doesn't illuminate anything. The book rests on two narratives: the present tense of the guests POVs (only the females; the three male protagonists never get a chapter) and the past story of "Anne" and "George." It's clear the past plays an important role in why the strangers were brought together, but it's simply to tell us over and over that "Father was a bad man." But we're never really shown anything to make us care. This leaves the ending bizarre and lackluster.

Likewise, in the present story, no one's really developed in a way to make you feel connected to them or care about what's happening and their reactions to what's unfolding are just strange. As their secrets are revealed and each is shown to be a terrible (actually, how are most of them not in jail?) person, they keep hammering home that, "no, this isn't real, it's all a game. And even if it's not, everyone does terrible things so our terrible things are justifiable!" Amelia repeats this to herself so much it's annoying, and no dear, while a lot of people may harbor memories they're not that proud of, most of us haven't committed acts of murder/brutal, bloody assault.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for making this available to review. I'll have to recommend this lightly. It wasn't the worst thing I've read, and it was entertaining enough to keep me reading, but I was hoping for a little more intensity throughout. Or at least be a little more believable.

I really liked the majority of this book but the ending let it down in my honest opinion. It fell felt and didn’t live up to expectation sadly. Sadly because 90% was great. Possible rewrite before actual publication???

The Last Resort is a modern-day thriller that felt like The House on Haunted Hill had been combined with aspects of The Hunger Games. Containing equal parts of sci-fi, mystery, and thriller, this story started off interestingly with seven strangers sitting on a plane, being flown to an unknown destination for a luxury experience. However, when it comes out that most of the participants were coaxed there using blackmail, and strange happenings begin occurring, the experience becomes more about survival and less about the luxury getaway they were all promised.

I found the plot of The Last Resort to be very exciting and it kept me guessing throughout the story; trying to figure out each characters’ dark secret, the backstory of the main protagonist, Amelia, and who the mastermind was behind the entire experience. I enjoyed how Holliday wrote the story from the different character perspectives and at certain points had each of the character’s experiences overlap so that readers could see parts of the story from different views. I also liked how you slowly were given more information about each of the characters, especially as their dark past was revealed. Holliday was able to create several characters that were both likable and hated all at once, which is often difficult to do. Her ability to intertwine multiple characters and their personalities kept the story fluid and I often found myself not wanting to put it down because I needed to know who was behind all of this.

While I did appreciate how Holliday created each character, along with their sordid pasts, I did find myself wanting more at the end. I wished there had been a bit more development with each of the characters, as well as with the flashbacks that were trickled throughout the story. I also was a little disappointed with how abruptly the story ended. While the ending was not something I would have predicted, it could have had more depth to tie together the various story lines together.

Overall, this was a fast read that took a different spin on the frequently written thriller. I would still recommend for anyone that enjoys a good mystery and thriller that they add this to their reading list.

The Last Resort is a gripping thriller that mixes in technology and wearable devices expertly. While I was reading there were some And Then There Were None and Black Mirror vibes.

Seven strangers have been invited on a luxury trip to review new devices and technology created by a mysterious company. They meet for the first time on the plane to the island. Amelia, a notable aid worker feels wildly out of place alongside a game developer, social media influencer, and financial powerhouse. Despite their hodgepodge backgrounds, they are quickly bonded when the plane experiences severe turbulence and they realize, this trip may not be the luxury adventure they were promised.

After the harrowing flight, the guests are greeted by Harvey – seemingly the only person on a remote island. But it is difficult to know where the plane landed and where they are as it seems they were drugged on the plane and woke up here. Wherever here is.

The promise of luxury is even farther removed when Harvey equips each of them with a prototype of a new wearable device the mysterious company is developing. He indicates that the device taps into their neural networks. It seems completely fanciful and too futuristic to be real but somehow, device knows things about the guest’s lives, it knows their darkest well buried past.

The Last Resort has a locked room feel with the guests being trapped on the island. The combination of this and the futuristic tech is intriguing, and I flew through the first 75% of this book but wow the ending was… such a letdown.

Dredging up the past of the seven guests felt like it was leading somewhere. How are these seven strangers connected? And then, the climax wraps up the connection, but it seemingly leaves out the relevance of five of the guests.

I could have looked past that since the significance of the island was established but I ended up reviewing 3/5 stars because the actual ending was so dull. It easily could have wrapped up a different way. The whole focus was on the technology but the ended fizzled. It truly felt like the book was unfinished.

I absolutely loved the idea and premise of this book however after reading the first few chapters im not entirely sure it fits in with my interests as a reader. I dont tend to lean more towards the dystopian side of thrillers (the ear devices in the first few chapters for e.g.). That being said, should that be enjoyable for a reader, im sure this book would be a hit.

I want to thank NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, and author Susi Holliday for providing me with an ARC of this novel!

This was a reading experience unlike anything I’ve had before! This was a super compelling story that I was unable to put down once I started it. I felt like the author had transported me into this world to see first-hand what was happening. This really kept bringing me back to the TV show Black Mirror, one of my favorites. The idea was spot on. If advancing technology freaks you out, I don’t recommend reading this; it will unsettle you until the awesome twist at the end. But I say get over it and read this!! It was superb!

Thank you again to those named above for the chance to read and review this novel!

WOW!!! Wait till you read this story!

The reader is treated to a high tech - but not impossible - suspense thriller!

Seven very different people are invited on a "luxury concept island " trip. Since they are being offered money, too, they had figured - what the heck.
These seven have no idea where they are flying to in their small plane. Upon arrival, shock and utter bewilderment are only their first reactions....

Superb characterization and vivid description add to this wild read. Super suspense awaits at every turn of the page!

Praise for Susi Holliday.

Many Thanks, as always, to Amazon Publishing, UK ; Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a real adventure.!

The premise of this book was interesting; seven strangers are invited to an all expenses paid luxury retreat on a private island, under the premise to provide feedback to the owners. When they get there, it’s not quite what they signed up; instead, they are testing a new product for a company for a company called Timeo Technologies which is a memory tracking device & their deepest darkest secrets are broadcast to the group. They realise is some kind of trap they can’t get out of, & it’s a race against the clock for their survival.
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I love a good thriller, & it doesn’t always have to be ground breaking; give me a good Shari Lapena, a Ruth Ware, even the occasional Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen & I’ll be happy. But this book was honestly just ridiculous. So many things didn’t make any sense, the characters were flat & you never really got to know them, so you didn’t really care about what happened to them. I was so tempted to DNF this book so many times, but as it was an advanced copy given to me for review, I felt like I had to push on, because there could be some great twist just around the corner...
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Spoiler alert, there wasn’t. In fact, the more I read, the more laughable it became until I reached the very end where it was almost hysterical in it’s absurdity. The story flicks between the past & now, & the past story is clunky & boring, & when it finally ties into the now & you start to realise what’s going on... it just makes no sense.
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I liked the idea of the memory tracking devices & this was an aspect I haven’t really read in a thriller before; but the execution of this idea was not well thought out.

The promise of a luxury experience on an island turns deadly. 7 strangers chosen for a free luxury holiday on a secluded island. Of course nothing comes without a catch. Holliday put together a thriller with the expected twists and turns. Some loose ends were there but it was an easy read

This book is really a perfect example of missed potential.

The plot is so very promising, and everything I would have hoped for. And Then There Were None with a techy Black Mirror twist? People with dark secrets in a locked room mystery? Of course I was going to get it, but I was so very let down. Some things are truly too good to be true.

But, before I get into some criticisms I must say this book is here for one reason only, and that is to be entertaining. Even though I didn't get as much entertainment out of it, this is honestly a goofy ride and if you're ready to roll with it just roll with it!

Like I said, The Last Resort had so much potential with the technology aspect. But, I didn't find it to be used to its fullest abilities. It was cool, but there was definitely more that could have been done. And atmospherically it could've pulled a lot more off. It felt as if the characters were spending 50% of the book in the same area until the very end. It almost felt claustrophobic in a way and I was begging for something to happen so they could all get split apart. Speaking of characters, I thought a lot was missing. Their basis and personalities are fine, but I was really lacking any of their true character arcs once the book ended. I love subtle dialogue where we get all of the information we need without someone having to actually say it, and this book did the opposite of that. It was almost trying a little bit too hard for me to hate their characters and understand what their goals were.

In the end, this was just for entertainment book. I gave it a one-star due to my thinking "is there anyone I would be able to recommend this too?" And I had to sadly answer a no to that question.

One of the strangest books I've read in a long time. I was really excited when I was approved for this book. It had such an interesting premise but ultimately a disappointing ending.

Seven strangers are brought to a mystery location and promised an all-expenses paid 'luxury' retreat where all they have to do in return is test some new products for Timeo Technologies. Sounds easy enough and the seven go willingly. Immediately things are off but like sheep they all follow each other mindlessly. The characters are all quite dull and I wasn't rooting for any of them.

They were told it would take approximately 19 hours to get to their destination, not that they know what their destination is. They also have to walk there. Through dense bush land. Luxury it ain't. I felt like I was reading for 19 hours what should have been a relatively short story. Over descriptions of the surroundings (I get it, they are in the bush) and the characters constant whinging about where they are going were tiresome. However, there were some things that kept me going. It was alluded that Amelia wasn't actually meant to be on the island. She may not have been selected like the other six. I was right about her having ulterior motives but just not in the way I thought. Also, I desperately wanted to know how this bizarre story ended. What were they doing there? Where they all going to start dying one by one Agatha Christie style?

Halfway through, I was still bored. I guess I expected more people to be dead. Or maybe some big revelations? When this didn't happen I was sure the ending was going to be a big one. I only hoped it wasn't going to be like the TV show Lost. You know, no ending at all. All a dream. Please God no. I was wrong. It was worse. Honestly, the most implausible ending I've ever read. The small flash back scenes did not help. The ending just didn't make sense. Probably better off making it all a dream.

Look, the writing wasn't bad. The descriptions of the scenery, vast and wide, were good. I did feel like I was emerged in the jungle and on the beach. And I liked the cover, very eye catching. Sadly, this story is forgettable.

**Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK for providing my review copy via NetGalley.

The Last Resort by Susi Holliday reminds me of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” but with the modern trappings of a futuristic hi-tech era. It puts a sci-fi twist on a good old murder mystery.

Seven people are invited to a luxury getaway on an exclusive private Island. They’re unsure of exactly what they’re supposed to do when they get there, but soon they realize that the adventure they’ve embarked upon is not what they thought it would be.

They’re fitted with devices that reveal their innermost secrets and as it turns out, they aren’t very nice people after all. Things start to go very strange after that and it becomes apparent that not all of them will make it out alive.

I really liked the concept of the book and how it took modern elements and combined them with the classic elements of a murder mystery.

Each chapter was from the perspective of a different character, and that was quite interesting as well. However, we never really got to know the characters in depth and it all seemed to just skim the surface of the characters’ personalities, which makes them come off a bit shallow.

As much as I enjoyed the book, I thought the ending lacked a certain something. I would have liked a stronger motive for the events that transpired and a deeper connection to the story line.

This is a good book for mystery fans, and especially those who like their mystery with a modern spin.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader’s copy, for an honest review.

The Last Resort is a wild, slightly over-the-top mystery for those who are able to sit back and just enjoy the ride not worrying too much about logistics. The novel is clearly based on Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, but beyond the setting and circumstances the plot is definitely updated. The book is technology heavy which gives it a bit of a different feel and atmosphere than ATTWN. I enjoyed the book, and the technology aspect was an intriguing change that felt sinister because what if tech like this is an option in the future? (That'll definitely be the end of going on vacations with strangers without knowing where you're headed!)

Content Warnings: SPOILER racism; incest; domestic violence; child abuse END SPOILERS

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own.

Seven strangers find themselves on an airplane, all mysteriously picked to be a part of a super secret, exclusive, ultra luxurious resort. Soon after landing though, they begin to realize that what they thought they signed up for may not be the case, and that things they never thought possible begin to happen. The seven strangers need to work together to survive, but no one is sure who they can trust or cannot trust.

Most of this book had me completely hooked. I could not stop reading, just trying to get to the end as fast as possible because I NEEDED to know what was happening. But the ending left so much to be desired and was a total let down. This book had a lot of potential, and I did enjoy reading it. I just think that the ending was wrapped up too quickly, leaving a lot questions and dissatisfaction for the reader.

Between the sinister looking cover, and the ominous, promising sounding synopsis, I had high hopes for this book, as it sounded like my exact cup of tea. Unfortunately, I was completely let down, as it failed to deliver and live up to my expectations.

While I believe this was supposed to be a whodunnit/locked room book (aka plot lines in which I love), it was just not up to par in this book and all felt a bit too amateur. There is a cryptic backstory, but its so vague, that its pretty much nonexistent.

The beginning of the story is perhaps the most interesting part of the book, if only because it involves the characters being onboard a plane on the way to a mysterious destination, wondering what's in store for them and why. I almost wish I hadn't found out why, cause it's all so outlandish and ridiculous, TBH.

The plot is essentially a group of cardboard cutout characters, arriving at a luxury resort, going through a series of trials to find out what's really happening, and being killed in dull, ridiculous ways. There's also some futuristic technology involved. I..just didn't get it.

Given a different set of characters, more interesting elements, and a more developed plot line, perhaps I would have enjoyed this a little more. Maybe even a lot more. But unfortunately, I just could not bring myself to like this book.

Unfortunately, this wasn't for me and I can't see myself recommending it, as there are other books similar to this one, but better.

Thank you to #netgalley, #amazonpublishinguk and #susiholliday for the eARC of this book.

Black mirror meets survivor meets fantasy island!
What a great idea for a book, I really enjoyed the premise. Because of the way technology is advancing it certainly had a very realistic yet creepy vibe.

I don't want to say much more as I think going into this book blind is the best way, but I will say for me the twist was kind of obvious, and I feel the ending was a bit of a letdown. But other than that, excellent storytelling!

This was a pain to read. The story was excruciatingly long and led absolutely nowhere. It was a heavy book with no plot and characters that seemed to be going around in circles. I had to keep checking the premise again and again every few minutes to remind myself of what it was about.

This book is like a bad Netflix TV show that you can’t stop watching. Seven people are on a plane to a mystery destination having been handpicked for a luxury experience. After a staged emergency the plane lands on a strange island where they are told they have 19 hours to go. They are implanted with devices that can connect to the neural system. They repeatedly state in a very meta way that it is like an episode of Black Mirror. Just in case we hadn’t realised that for ourselves. It was certainly an intriguing premise and an easy read which I read in one sitting but it is also borderline ridiculous. A series of bizarre events follows where the book can’t decide if it is a horror, a thriller or a mystery and ends up as a messy clash of ideas. Ultimately it turned out that most of the characters were utterly pointless and completely disposable. There is very little explanation of the antagonist and a hashed attempt at backstory. It felt a lot like a rushed first draft with a good underlying premise. I’m giving it 3 stars as in spite of all of this I still enjoyed it.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book was ok unfortunately in my opinion it was not suspenceful enough for me.

This to me was let down by the silly ending. A mixture of Fantasy Island meets Lost, a group of people arrive on an Island with the promise of luxury and a sumptuous party in return for their feedback. Their party consists of a social influencer, a gossip columnist, a paparazzi photographer, a business woman, a nutritionist and a humanitarian.
It soon becomes apparent that this is no ordinary Island and it isn’t going to be all plain sailing. Then an accident kills one of them and the others realise that they are in danger.
#netgalley #TheLastResort

The ending came too soon on this read! This is one of those books where I want every charter to have their own spin off. Though the ending made it all seem a bit random... to not give too much away... it leaves me wanting more mystery, more secrets, more surprises!

I received this book as an ARC from Net Galley.

I have never read this author before. The book started out slow and got strange. I did not like this book at all.

This was a dnf book for me.

I think the book was great and had great characters. The story itself had a new and interesting idea then others that i've read. It had such a great build up but then ended so suddenly in my opinion that it didn't do the story justice.

I tried - but this just got too ridiculous too quickly for me to even be invested enough to want to see it through... I'm fine with some suspension of disbelief - but this one went very far past that very early on. On top of that, I couldn't connect with any of the characters, all of whom were odious or irritating in their own way and felt like tropes trotted out to tick off boxes: ditzy girl, check; hipster dude, check; earnest do - gooder, check; brusque older woman, check; obnoxious American, check. The idea that any - let alone all - of these people would just go along with whatever was presented to them right out of the gate, just felt incredible - and not in a good way... I think I'm just not a good fit for this one. I was invited to review it - the blurb sounded dark and fast paced but I never found my way into caring about what was happening and ultimately it's just not my cup of tea...

Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for my ARC which I received in exchange for my honest review. I was immediately intrigued by the premise of this book and was so excited to be approved for the title. Even though the book is not due to be released until November, I skipped over some of the earlier releases in my NetGalley queue to read this one. I'm sorry to say that I was ultimately very disappointed.

The premise of the book is fantastic! Amelia, an aid worker, is intrigued when she receives an invitation to an all expenses paid, exclusive luxury island resort. Amelia soon finds herself on a private plane with six strangers en route to the island. It quickly becomes clear that none of the passengers on the plane have any idea as to what they have really agreed to. The island resort is owned by the mysterious Timeo Technology corporation and passengers are fitted with a memory tracking device upon arrival. The device not only guides the guests through their own personal journeys, it also reveals the deepest darkest secrets of each person to the rest of the group.The secrets are uniformly horrible and all of the characters are unlikeable.

The technology described in the book is amazing, very much like something you would see on Black Mirror. I get the sense that the author is a big fan of the series as Black Mirror is repeatedly referenced in the novel. I loved that aspect of the story and I was willing to suspend my disbelief just to see where this was headed. Unfortunately, it all falls apart. The author reveals the deepest secrets of the other guests on the island but yet the reader is not given enough background information about any of them to care when they start dropping like flies.

The big reveal at the end is beyond absurd. I still cannot fathom why or how the brief interaction the sole surviving guest had with the evil genius behind Timeo as a child could have resulted in a lifelong obsession. I am a huge fan of Black Mirror type storylines and locked room mysteries. This book truly had the potential to be fantastic but the reasoning behind the villain's actions is just so outlandish and tenuous that I couldn't help but be disappointed.

I think the author is very talented and I enjoyed her ambitious willingness to think outside the box. Although this book was not nearly as good as I hoped, I would be willing to give the author's next release a read.

The premise hooked me immediately, and I was intrigued enough to power through when the first part of the book felt a little too cryptic. Once things started to move, however, I couldn't put it down. Like some of the other reviewers, I was ultimately underwhelmed by the big reveal and had guessed many of the twists in advance. The ending just didn't seem to make sense with the rest of the book.

That said, there were parts of this I loved. Even though the perspectives jumped around quite a bit, I liked seeing the story unfold from different angles. The plot moved quickly and had enough head-scratching moments to keep me flying through the pages. I just wish the reveal made a bigger impact and felt more compatible with the majority of the plot.

Good premise, but I found that the book fell short. The idea of being trapped on an island with a bunch of strangers and being forced to tell all your secrets sounds super fascinating, but I feel like the story is a little off. More than once it compares itself to Black Mirror; in the book.

The Last Resort by Susi Holliday is like a mixture of And Then There Were None, The Most Dangerous Game, and 1984 all rolled into one lovely psychological thriller. The concept is that 7 people (one couple, but the rest are strangers) are invited invited to an island to provide their feedback on a new type of luxury experience. Each person has to sign a nondisclosure agreement in exchange for the experience and some type of remuneration. Upon arrival, the group begins to feel like less like invited guests and more like contestants on some type of reality show competition (think Big Brother with some touches of Survivor thrown in). Each guest is is promised to have an experience which has been tailor made for them; however, it is quickly revealed that this experience may not be what the guest actually wants. Everyone has a past that they would rather keep hidden, but secrets will be revealed.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I liked the concept of using the advanced technology (I won't elaborate as I don't want to accidentally spoil anything). I liked how the author used the children's book series The Famous Five to help give a back story from the summer of 2000 to introduce mystery characters when they were children (using aliases from The Famous Five). I actually would have loved more from this back story because it also sounded rather fascinating. I also liked how one "minor" interaction between characters can seem trivial to one person while be something much more meaningful to other characters.
While I liked the overall concept of the book, the ending felt a bit rushed to me. I would have liked to have more information from the host. I also think that the final act of the host didn't seem to fit with the development of the character. Again, I don't want to spoil anything, but it kind of reminded me of the super villain in a comic book revealing their ultimate evil plan to the super hero and being thwarted by their own reveal. (This is NOT what happened, so NOT a spoiler -- it just felt similar to me.)

The premise was great, the execution not so much. The characters are shallow and their 'secrets' are not that great...This was much better executed in And Then There Were None. The ending is pretty ludicrous as well. Thank you for the review copy, unfortunately this was not for me.

I could not get into The Last Resort by Susi Holliday. I didn't connect with any of the characters. The synopsis sounded so good and that the story would be a page-turner. Seven strangers are invited to an all-expense paid retreat on a private island. It's revealed they are testing a memory tracking device, and their darkest secrets are told to the group. Sounds exciting, right? Nope. I had a difficult time getting through the first few chapters, but I kept hoping it would get better. The story was very long and felt too convoluted to be believable, especially the reveal at the end. The concept was interesting, though, but it just wasn't developed well.

#NetGalley #TheLastResort

#TheLastResort #NetGalley
A good read.
Amelia is invited to an all-expenses-paid retreat on a private island, the mysterious offer is too good to refuse. Along with six other strangers, she’s told they’re here to test a brand-new product for Timeo Technologies. But the guests’ excitement soon turns to terror when the real reason for their summons becomes clear.
Each guest has a guilty secret. And when they’re all forced to wear a memory-tracking device that reveals their dark and shameful deeds to their fellow guests, there’s no hiding from the past. This is no luxury retreat—it’s a trap they can’t get out of.
As the clock counts down to the lavish end-of-day party they’ve been promised, injuries and in-fighting split the group.
Characters were creepy but enjoyable.
Narration of the story is excellent.
Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for giving me an advance copy of this awesome thriller.

Thank you so much to Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for a;lowing me to review this book. This is my first NetGalley review and what a fantastic book.

This story had me gripped from the beginning and I finished it in a day. It was such an interesting concept which I haven't come across before.

The story begins with a group of strangers meeting on a plane. They have each been invited to a new luxury resort but have been told not to tell anyone of their trip. They all come from different backgrounds and have been invited for their particular skills. They arrive on an Island but have no idea where they are and what is going to take place over the coming hours. When they arrive they are all fitted with a tracker which can access their neural pathways. They all hope this means that they will have a personalized luxury experience. The device can access their memories, hopes and fears but all is not as it seems! They are tasked with making it to the big house for a party where all will be revealed.

I found all of the characters really interesting and was particularly drawn to the stoic Amelia. She seemed to be the most sensible of the group and was the one who kept the group together throughout the story. I liked the way each chapter focused on a different character and their perspective. It also kept referring back to what happened in the summer of 2000 which was the premise of the story. I loved how this was all tied up at the end. It was a very Big Brother brother like situation but t'he contestants didn't know what they were involved in. I found the story tense and pacey and I didn't want to put it down. I found the whole technology absolutely terrifying but also quite believable. It's very unusual for a book like this to make you laugh but there were a few moments that I did laugh out loud. I really enjoyed the cultural references too. Such a fantastic book. I am looking forward to reading more from this author..

Seven strangers. Seven secrets. One perfect crime.

Now this is the mystery novel I needed in my life. The story sounds like it’s been done before. Strangers are invited to stay in a creepy place for a research study. Blah blah blah. BUT GUESS WHAT!?! It is WAY MORE THAN THAT!

The characters are mesmerizing and so alluring. The setting reminds me of somewhere you fall in love with during the day, but at nighttime, it turns into a nightmare.

The story flows effortlessly and I’m amazed at how quickly I read this book from start to finish!

Started out well, the premise was intriguing but I found it got more and more ridiculous. The ending (which I was very glad to get to!) was as disappointing as what had gone before it. Sorry, I didn’t enjoy this book and wouldn’t recommend it.

This book started out fine. It seemed as though it was a mix of Big Brother and Fantasy Island. I was quite curious and interested in where it would go.

However, once it reached the climax of the story, it fell flat. I found it predictable and it seemed as though the ending was rushed.

It wasn't a terrible book, but it isn't one I can recommend.

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for approving my request to read on netgalley.

I spent a sunny afternoon in the garden reading the majority of this.

I watched hunger games recently and i certainly felt there were elements of fighting for survival in this. A mixed bag of charactars are summoned to a island,on paper it sounds idyllic but the reality couldnt be more different.

Action packed and fast paced this delves straight into the storyline.

Fantastic ,unpredictable and chilling. Mysterious and terrifying.

It has a dystopian black mirror feel which i love!.

Published 1st December

Another book I just couldn't put down! Read it all in one night and then couldn't close my eyes to fall asleep because I was so creeped out! Unfortunately, the book itself wasn't ~FANTASTIC~ but it was gripping and I was definitely sucked into the plot. I think one of my major issues with it was how much disbelief I had to suspend - there were just a bunch of things that never would've flown in real life (e.g. when everyone gets implanted with the devices - sorry but WHO is just cool with a device being stuck into their brains?? Literally NO ONE I know would just roll with that, and the moments like this continued).

I liked the minimal flashbacks to the cliff scenes - I thought those were well done and added to the intrigue. I wasn't wildly surprised by the "twist", and felt that the ending ultimately didn't really match the rest of the book, which was a little disappointing.

The most apt comparison I can make is that this book was like reading a Black Mirror episode. If you can suspend your disbelief (and not get frustrated by it, like I do when I'm supposed to be reading a realistic book), then you will probably like it even more than I did!

Overall, a 3/5. Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for a free eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Last Resort is an enjoyable beach read about seven strangers who are invited to a mysterious island by a shadowy tech corporation. Each person has a terrible secret that will be unwillingly revealed to the group. It’s the Fyre Festival mashed with And Then There Were None squashed up with The Famous Five and quite a lot of Black Mirror.

In summary, a load of old bobbins, but I enjoyed the ride. Susi Holliday can write a good read!

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

3.5/5 Fun quick read provided you can suspend disbelief enough to enjoy the story. Interesting story line and good suspense build-up, but the ending was rather far-fetched and abrupt.

The premise of this book had me so interested to read it and unfortunately (for me) it was a bit of a let down. The characters are all tricked into coming to this island, drugged so they don't know where they've been sent, required to sign a non-disclosure agreement about their time there, hooked up to a new 'neuro based' technology and somehow it just was not what I expected. It had all the right elements, but the flashbacks and the connections between characters were a little weak. I wanted there to be something more to this whole premise but was left wanting more.

I loved the premise of this book. Seven strangers get invited to an island with the promise for luxury. Only to find out things are not as they seem as soon as they arrive. Everyone has a hidden secret and these secrets are to be exposed along the way.
There is also use of advanced technology in the story, which I found interesting. It reminded me a bit of the film Cabin in the Woods. Having the technology aspect definitely made it a fun book to read. I constantly wanted to know what was next and what did the island have in store for the characters.
Along the way you are wondering how the characters are connected, if at all and who knows what. It is a bit of a 'who's done it' mystery, which is an easy and fun read. It was definitely different to the usual books that I read but I loved it and would read more books like this.
I do wish the ending was better than it was. It felt like the author just wanted to wrap it up quickly once you had a few answers. But I also don't feel that everything was answered. There were moments several characters recognised the island, but this was never explained at all. I love the idea of this book, I just feel a bit more could have been done with the story and more questions could have been answered a long the way.
I will definitely check out more books by Susi Holliday as I did still enjoy reading this. I hope she does more similar books in the future.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, strangers trapped on a remote island. The ending really fell flat for me though and it was a real let down.

I was really enjoying this book... Until the last 50 pages when the book wrapped up. It was a great story line.. Like something from a movie but the ending was so strange and left me feeling like it needed an additional few chapters to really wrap it up.

this book was kind of hard for me to stay interested in. it took too long for it to get to the good bits and when it did get to them, they didn't last as long as i would have liked. i will try and give it a second shot closer to the spooky months in hopes that it will help me make it through this entire book.

Interesting premise. I love the locked room atmosphere and multiple characters. I also liked the technology aspect.

3 for neutral, as I was not able to finish, since it didn’t seem to grab me. I don’t know if it was my mood or what, but I tried a few times. Will update if able to finish at later date, as it was one I was really looking forward to.

Great idea with loads of action and suspense which kept me reading.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

If you are a fan of 'Black Mirror', you will love this book! It is full of the same suspense and intrigue and introduces poignant questions about technology and what humanity is capable of as a species. It is a book that really gets under your skin as, although this technology may seem far-fetched, it is not completely unbelievable.

I really enjoyed the premise of the novel and the constant revelations of different characters' darker sides. I sped through this book as I was so intrigued and couldn't wait to find out what was really going on.

However, like many thrillers/horrors, I felt the ending was this book's downfall. I kept wondering where the book was going until it went...nowhere. I feel it is another example of an author having a great idea but not knowing how to tie it up at the end.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book up until the last chapter, which I found very disappointing.

Seven...yes seven strangers and they are all on a luxury trip for the weekend, except that their plane crashes and they are stuck on a weird and creepy island. So weird!!! I had to read and keep reading, find out what was going on with the trackers that they all had.

The characters are....interesting...flawed.... and layered. There are characters that I immediately liked (Lucy) and characters I felt sorry for (Twiggy) and others I was just not sure about (Amelia). There were also characters I did not like (Giles) and characters I felt that I would never really understand (Brenda). James and Scott, well I wasn't sure what to think about them... but more than anything, I wanted to see how they were connected. I kept reading and reading and the ending- well, I did not see that coming!

If you are up for a suspense novel that at times is creepy and at other times is high tech - then The Last Resort should be added to your list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Susi Holliday for this advance review copy for me to read and enjoy. As always, my review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

Seven strangers are invited to an all-expenses-paid retreat on a private island, the mysterious offer is too good to refuse.

On reaching the island, they are told they’re here to test a brand-new product for Timeo Technologies. But the guests’ excitement soon turns to terror when the real reason for their summons becomes clear. Each guest has a guilty secret. And when they’re all forced to wear a memory-tracking device that reveals their dark and shameful deeds to their fellow guests, there’s no hiding from the past. This is no luxury retreat—it’s a trap they can’t get out of.

Unfortunately for me this book did not work out. I was intrigued by the cover and the premise but after a few chapters into the book, I did not find it much exciting.

The technology described in the book is something unique and amazing. I just felt that the plot had a lot more to offer especially in terms of the ending since it was kind of weird.

Thank You to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC!

Creepy thriller that had me guessing! Reminiscent of Agatha Christie! Very engrossing- kept me guessing. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

A trip to a secluded island sure sounds like fun but the story tells us different. I loved getting to know each characters dirty secret throughout the story and thr twist at the end certainly was not expected.

Seven strangers. Seven secrets. One perfect crime.

When Amelia is invited to an all-expenses-paid retreat on a private island, the mysterious offer is too good to refuse. Along with six other strangers, she’s told they’re here to test a brand-new product for Timeo Technologies. But the guests’ excitement soon turns to terror when the real reason for their summons becomes clear.

Each guest has a guilty secret. And when they’re all forced to wear a memory-tracking device that reveals their dark and shameful deeds to their fellow guests, there’s no hiding from the past. This is no luxury retreat—it’s a trap they can’t get out of.

As the clock counts down to the lavish end-of-day party they’ve been promised, injuries and in-fighting split the group. But with no escape from the island—or the other guests’ most shocking secrets—Amelia begins to suspect that her only hope for survival is to be the last one standing. Can she confront her own dark past to uncover the truth—before it’s too late to get out

The premise of this book was intriguing to me, being a locked room mystery, but it completely fell flat. The characters were flat, and I just could not connect to any of them. I honestly didn't care about reading about testing a product and I just got bored.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion

I was really excited to receive this from NetGalley as I love this kind of book. After recently reading Death in the Family by Tessa Wegert and The Guest List by Lucy Foley, I was ready for another thrilling adventure set on an island. I read the book quite quickly as it was fast paced and the end of each chapter made me want to keep reading more. On the whole, this was a fresh take on the 'locked-room mystery' and was an engaging read but often the plot became a little far-fetched. I would certainly read more books by Susi Holliday.

A group of strangers are on a plane, headed to a remote island, to experience a luxury all expenses paid retreat. But, when they land they have no recollection of the journey and that's when things become weird.....

This is a book with a very different premise and I was enthralled. It's an interesting read that held my attention throughout as each individual's 'secret' is revealed.

I don't want to give anything away, so I'll stick to; it's about secrets, consequences of actions, incredible and scary technology and murder. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride and will definitely be looking out for more from this author.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Susi Holliday for the opportunity to preview and I wish this book every success. Definitely recommend.

This has got Hammer Horror written all over it. It's absolutely bonkers. I loved every syllable of it. I've read other stories by Susi Holliday but this is so over the top it's in a field all of its own. It's well paced, it's compelling. For all that much of the story happens outside in the sunshine I was constantly reminded of a film called The Old Dark House based on a JB Priestly book called Benighted. Great stuff, thoroughly entertaining.

A group of strangers with dark secrets are invited to a resort where things go wrong. Since And then there were none, this has been one of my favorite premises. The Last Resort started out great. Amelia, who has dedicated her life to helping others, is the main character, since her presence doesn’t make sense among the rest of the rich and fabulous guests. She is likable and smart. We get chapters written from the POV of the rest of the guests/victims. There is a technological twist which required a considerable suspension of disbelief but worked well. The plot is nicely paced, and it’s hard to figure out exactly what’s going on, so I kept turning the pages until the last twist which unfortunately spoiled it for me. My disbelief was suspended so far out that it overloaded and the whole explanation seemed too extreme. Also, the baddie’s motivations were too contrived, more in line with a James Bond villain than with a believable character. To the first 75% of the books I give 5 solid stars because I was engrossed. The rest of the book gets 2 so I’m rounding them up because I actually enjoyed the novel.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/ Amazon Publishing UK!

This book starts with 7 strangers that all have been told that they have been selected to go to an all-expense-paid retreat while being paid a large sum of money - sounds too good to be true? It is!! When the plane takes off they all fall asleep because someone gassed the plane and when they wake up they are on a mysterious island. There they meet Harvey and he puts trackers on their ear that can read their mind and communicate with them. He leaves them and they discover that this tracker knows all their deepest, darkest secrets. They start out on a journey to get to the house for a party at the end of the day but little do they know that not all of them are going to make it that far.

This premise was so intriguing and although it was a good read I wasn't completely in love. Maybe it's because I'm not a huge Sci-Fi fan and all of it just seemed so unbelievable and by the time I got to the end i was like...really? The writing was very good and the book was a good idea but just not the book for me.

this was a really enjoyable mystery, I enjoyed trying to figure it out, the characters were great and I really enjoyed the way they interacted with each other.

An entertaining locked door mystery set on a island resort. But the all expenses paid trip is not all it seems to be each guest has a guilty secret.
A futuristic And Then There Where None.

I started off quite enjoying this book I liked the premise of seven strangers all seemingly ordinary but behind that facade all of them had something to hide… they are all invited to a private island and from then on things begin to get a little weird and it becomes clear all is not as it seems. The trouble was as the book progressed I found my interest waning for two reasons I didn’t like any of the characters and also I found the storyline getting less and less believable and very far fetched and I did struggle to continue reading it.
It was a quick read and I did finish the book but I’m sorry to say it just wasn’t for me and ended up being just an ok read and so just 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
My thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

When Susi Holliday’s The Last Resort begins, seven strangers board an airplane on their way to a remote island for a mysterious weekend arranged by an elusive host. With that setup, it is impossible for crime fiction genre fans not to immediately think of Dame Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. Those allusions certainly do not stop there. However, Holliday also succeeds in bringing this plotline into the modern age by incorporating some technological aspects that feel cutting-edge and timely, allowing readers into the minds of the characters in a fresh approach.

Amelia is the character readers hear from the most – ironic (maybe) given that she is the one person on the island dealing with faulty mechanical equipment. Susi Holliday also gives all the other female members of the group at least one chapter to share their internal thoughts. Interrupting it all on occasion are sections that relate unattributed events that occurred in the Summer of 2000. It does not take a mystery fan to know that those encounters are somehow related to the present-day action on this remote island.

Each of the four women and three men have secrets. The method by which Holliday exposes those long held nuggets of information is unique both for the readers and the characters. By revealing them in this way, the impact is altered for the characters in the novel, allowing readers to “read into” the true meanings of the others’ reactions. It is interesting how each of the secrets is related to timeless emotions – anger, fear, rejection, and guilt to name just a few; but the connection to modern culture via concepts like social media, surveillance, and beyond opens some new angles of exploration.

By tagging each chapter with a countdown to the “big bash” planned for the guests on this island, readers feel the dramatic pull required to keep them turning pages, faster and faster. This technique, borrowed from the thriller genre, works extremely well for this narrative. The homage to And Then There Were None pretty much guarantees that not everyone will survive this weekend and this ticking clock reinforces this idea. The title of the novel also alludes to these possible demises, but also serves the function of having multiple meanings that only become clear as the novel reaches its conclusion.

Susi Holliday has never been one to shy away from unique storylines that often blur the artificial lines between genres. Readers looking for something innovative that also celebrates the origins of the crime genre would be well-served by checking out Susi Holliday’s The Last Resort.

So this is a rather tech heavy twisted thriller version of Survivor - very original. I really liked the mystery of this latest offering from Holliday. The characters arrive on the island and it’s all shrouded in secrecy including why they’re there. They’ve signed NDAs and they’ve all got humongous dark secrets that they’d rather were kept private. But of course, they’re revealed one by one. I enjoyed how the technology takes front and centre in this story, and it that has them prisoner. I have to say that I didn’t see the big reveal, but I liked how Amelia’s big secret is slowly revealed in snippets (for plot reasons) building to the mystery. And I did try to work out where the story was taking us - and I got it totally wrong! Another great read from Holliday.

This type of thriller is a hit or miss depending on the resolution. And sadly, this just wasn’t for me.
I thought the premise was very intriguing - seven people invitied for a day of luxury on a remote island by an unknown benefactor, all of them have dark secrets that they don’t want known. It had the potential for a very exciting Whodunnit/Agatha Christie-esque mystery.
Sadly, for me, the characters were just not fleshed out enough; I thought their individuell backstories were interesting, but the way they were connected to the overall plot was lacking. The ending was rushed and a bit chaotic; the deaths sloppy and without a thrilling element.
The resolution was - even though it was kind of weird - also a bit predictable.

I did like the writing style and it was a fast read - I read it in one or two sittings.

But in the end, not my kind of thrille, I’m sorry to say.

There are many reality TV programmes now featuring people (famous and non-famous) going to islands for challenges, adventures and if they’re lucky, a bit of luxury. So if you were to receive an invitation saying you’d be chosen to scout out a new resort with a twist, it might seem plausible, especially if the invite plays to your skillset, your job or just your ego.

Amelia is a caring and compassionate young woman. She’s an aid worker and has dedicated her life to helping others. She’s not entirely sure why she’s been invited to try out this new resort but suspects it may have something to do with having a cool head in the middle of a crisis. The others on the trip seem more likely candidates to Amelia. Brenda is a hedge fund manager, Lucy a journalist, Scott a health advisor, James a photographer, Giles a gamer and his girlfriend Tiggy, a social media influencer. A very unlikely bunch of people but they all have skills and influence that would benefit the resort. But if they’re going to survive they’ll have to work together. Because this isn’t a luxury resort but a place of fear.

I’ve read all of Susi Holliday’s books and what impresses me most is her versatility. She’s gone from a police detective to ghost stories to a killer train journey. In The Last Resort, she focuses on technology. If this book had been written thirty years ago it might have been considered sci-fi. Technology has moved on so fast now that this story feels like the very near future. It’s a tense read as the tech does it’s best to split the group as they endure the terrors of the island.

As well as the fascinating insight into technology, we find out more about the guests, their greatest fears and the secrets they’re hiding. I’m not going to say what those things are but it’s interesting to see how Susi’s characters justify their actions to assuage their own guilt.

The Last Resort takes place in one day. It’s an intense, dramatic countdown to the evening where the participants will receive their just deserts for taking part. And I don’t mean eclairs. I was gripped from the beginning and had literally no idea how it was going to end. I wasn’t disappointed. So if you’re invited to attend a luxury resort that involves testing some new technology, unless it’s The Gadget Show, run for the hills!

The premise of this book sounded very intriguing, but unfortunately that's where the intrigue ends. The pacing was off for a book of this size. The characters were a bit lackluster, and I couldn't tell if this was a whoddunit mystery or a B-rate horror book.
I did enjoy parts of the reading, as it's pretty bonkers at times and the writing is good. the idea is cool, but it just felt off to me.

I've been meaning to try one of Susi Holliday's books for ages now, so I jumped at the chance to read her newest story The Last Resort early. I always love a good locked-room mystery, so I fully thought I was going to find a new favorite with this story after reading the blurb. Unfortunately, it wasn't ment to be... And sadly the actual story didn't live up to the blurb at all for me. I'll try to explain briefly why below; it's hard to talk about this story without giving away any spoilers and I don't want to spoil the fun for those who find this story to be a better fit.

Like I said before, I still love the idea behind The Last Resort. I'm a sucker for a good locked-room mystery and this element is definitely present with the seven main characters being 'trapped' on a mysterious island. I don't think the element itself reached its full potential though... Part of this probably had to do with the characters, which sadly were considerably unlikeable. I can live with unlikeable if they are at least interesting and well rounded, but most felt like stereotypes and there were a lot of cliches involved. I wasn't able to connect to them at all, so I honestly didn't care less about what happened to them... So the whole suspense around them possibly being in danger was lost to me.

As for the science fiction element... I love a good futuristic technology element when done right, but in this case I felt this element lost its mark. Sure, the whole memory-tracking device itself sounds intriguing and adds that technology and science fiction vibe to the typical locked-room thriller. But once again I hoped it to be a bit... I don't know, more exciting? More thrilling? I can't put my finger on what exactly would have worked better for me, but I do know that this element didn't do the story any favors in its current state.

That said, I do have to say that if you look at the writing alone I can't deny that it's well written and easy to read. Despite the fact that I wasn't actually enjoying the story and the pace was quite slow in points (for a story which such a fascinating blurb, nothing much happened most of the time and it was mainly focused on the cast of unlikeable characters), I did somehow finish this story rather quickly. This has a lot to do with the writing itself, so I will definitely try more of her work in the future to see if my reaction is different. The Last Resort, sadly didn't work for me though, and not in the least because of that over-the-top and rather absurd ending... But I guess your reaction could be completely different depending on how you react to the main characters, pace and the science fiction element.

There definitely seems to be trends in writing and publishing. Remember recently when a lot of book covers featured a girl in a red coat. Now it seems there's a flurry of books set on islands. And I'm not unhappy about it. After all, what a perfect opportunity for murder and mayhem when you're trapped somewhere unable to escape and having to deal with all that island life throws at you. This usually includes no mobile signal, harsh weather conditions, the sea battering the cliffs below you and then someone out there who's up to no good and wants to do you harm. It's a winning combination, in my opinion.

This time, I'm reading The Last Resort, Susi Holliday's spin on Island life. I enjoyed this one.

It moved along at a real pace and had an Agatha Christie-style to it. A group of strangers thrown together visiting a so-called luxury resort. Naturally, all does not turn out as they expect and we're not sure who's going to be picked off next and why. They all seemed insufferable and the sort of people you definitely don't want to be trapped on a small plane and island with. Holliday does play with our emotions though, using stereotypes to bring out our judgemental side (or mine at least) and then she adds in some backstory that makes us feel a little more sympathetic or for a while at least.

When the characters arrive on the island, all seems well. However, part of their experience involves being fitted with a tracker which it transpires can read prior memories. These memories are then projected and can be viewed by others and let's just say they're not happy ones of wedding days and puppies.

I really enjoyed the near future elements that run through the novel, and it has a Big Brother/Black Mirror feel to it. It also reminded me of some of the Bond films. You know the sort of thing - a wealthy villain, living in a remote place messing about with science and technology but for their own gains.

There's a lot to enjoy about this book, although the end felt a little rushed to me. The history that led to the ending is intriguing in its own right and I'd actually like to read this book too. So if you're reading this Susi any chance of that novel on Father Island being written too. Even writing down the name of it sends shivers up my spine given what you've told me about the place.

Thanks to Susi Holliday, NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for sharing an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was just silly.

Gaping plot holes and a premise that made very little sense, decimated any potential this story might have had. The characters weren't fleshed out, the reasoning behind the whole shebang was ridiculous, and the conclusion was laughable.

1.5 stars--that extra half-star for the potential only.

Available December 1, 2020

My thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for my review copy.

Highly recommended! Well developed characters and a great storyline that keeps you both interested and guessing!

The more books of this nature I read, the happier I become that I haven't been quite so able to take part in any of my. planned holidays this year. also glad that, when I do go away, it is generally in this country and not to some fancy island getaway. Well, aside from the one I am on right now, obviously. To be fair, the holidaymakers in this particular twisted tale really should have stopped to wonder just what they were letting themselves in for given all the concessions they had to make in order to be allowed to travel. This is no ordinary holiday. This is no ordinary island. Living the life of luxury? Yeah. Not so much. Perhaps they should have read the small print just a little more closely ...

From the beginning as a reader you know that something out of the ordinary is about to happen. Given the apparent mismatch of travellers on. that teeny-tiny plane to begin with, you do have to wonder quite how they all ended up on the same journey in the first place. The more we read the more we realise just how abstract the personalities are, especially Amelia, the proverbial fish out of water. A gamer, an influencer, a health guru and venture capitalist, a photographer, a celebrity columnist and an aid worker. It will make for a very interesting trip. But this is a Susi Holliday novel - their contrasting personas will be the least of their problems.

The book is based in the world of future possibilities. In which the tech that some of them come to rely upon can also be the root of all their problems. The intrigue begins from the off, the seven of them thrown into an unpalatable situation which is a country mile from the luxury they expected. They must learn to trust one another if they want to make it to the end of the weekend, something that becomes increasingly harder for not only the characters but the readers the more we learn about each of them in turn. Secrets and lies abound - but which is the darkest of them all.

There is a kind of sci-fi element to the novel in terms of the trackers that the guests are fitted with when they first arrive on the island but whilst this is intrinsic to the plot, it doesn't overwhelm the story. It is not about the tech, but it does inform and facilitate the action and leaves you wondering, 'what if'? What the author has created here, albeit completely fictional, is not a million miles away from reality as scary as that seems and it adds a kind of tension to an already mystery and suspense laden read. That element of the story, combined with some carefully crafted characters who both intrigued and annoyed me, led me to power through the book in one afternoon, wanting to understand the big picture. Hints are dropped throughout, but it's not easy to build a full picture until we reach the end of the story and it is certainly not clear who, if anyone, we can trust.

If you like a pacy, tense, intrigue infused read with a slightly tech-infused twist, then I would definitely recommend this book. One warning though - if you are easily triggered by flashbacks of the idiots who wore the early noughties bluetooth headsets over their ear, or even snakes, this may not be the book for you. Happy reading.

I'm honestly not sure where to begin with this review. The synopsis of this book was everything! Unfortunately, the book was everything but! I was so excited to read this book and was ready to get lost in the story, but this book was one that lost me soon after it started. For just a brief time in the beginning, I had high hopes for the book, and then it turned sour. I just felt like the storyline didn't really go anywhere, it wasn't very exciting, and I wasn't finding myself interested in what was being said. And even though the story was an average length story, it seemed way too long for what was being said. This was an unfortunate miss for me.

I enjoyed ‘Violet’ by this author so was keen to read this book. This starts with seven individuals being invited on an all-expenses paid trip to a luxury island, who wouldn’t jump at the chance?

The characters all have a back story but none of them were very likeable or interesting. Once on the island they were fitted with a memory tracker which revealed all their secrets. This all sounds intriguing but quite unbelievable.

The writing style is good and very easy to read but the futuristic side of the story didn’t appeal to me.

The concept of The Last Resort sounded so intriguing, clearly inspired by Agatha Christie. I thought the book started out strong but then quickly derailed. At points, the plot felt silly, contrived and even boring. By the end, the book was dragging and I wanted it to end. Honestly, the book ended up reading as an amateur effort, despite the strength of the concept.

This is not the trip everyone was expecting!

Before you begin reading The Last Resort, leave your preconceptions behind, willingly suspend your disbelief and immerse yourself into an exciting, slightly unhinged and surreal narrative that has echoes of Agatha Christie, Enid Blyton, Lord of the Flies, Brave New World and a Gatiss inspired episode of Dr Who or The League of Gentlemen. The Last Resort is quite mad. That might sound critical, but it isn’t at all. I absolutely loved this book. Susi Holliday has produced a narrative that is brilliantly entertaining and quite unnerving because she takes the familiar, like the concept of reality television, and presents it in completely innovative and distorted ways that are absolutely gripping.

I thought the plot was breathtakingly fast past in a twisting manner that fits the overarching reason for the action perfectly. Indeed, The Last Resort is a convincing example of a traditional narrative with its unities of time - a single day, place - an island, and action - although I can't tell you much about that action for fear of spoiling a corker of a read. All the elements needed in a thriller are there with a dystopian use of technology that is frighteningly close to today's reality, a terrifyingly familiar exploration of the survival of the fittest, and and a scarily clever exploitation of people's fears and memories all blended with a psychological element that glues the action together.

The style of the narrative made me feel as if I were part of the action, seeing the projections and experiencing the memories alongside the characters. I loved Susi Holliday's descriptions too. She has a deft touch in suppling just the right amount of detail to bring her settings alive without the pace of the narrative missing a beat.

The characters are an unsettling example of how we never really know the innermost thoughts and fears of those around us and The Last Resort illustrates with complete clarity that leaving our past behind might be more challenging than we hope. It was Amelia with whom I felt the greatest affinity, but each of these guests has a personality hook that illustrates the underlying vulnerability that many off us have behind our public personas. I think it says something about me too that I rather enjoyed what happened to one or two of them!

If you were to ask me if The Last Resort is realistic and believable I'd say, 'No'. If you were to ask if The Last Resort is brilliantly entertaining, completely absorbing and a wonderful opportunity to escape into a different world for a few hours I would say 'Absolutely'. I thought it was totally crackers, somewhat disturbing and quite fabulous. I loved it.

I really don't know how to review this one.

I was really enjoying the "Lost" meets "Harpers Island" feeling to this book. Even had touches of the old TV programme "Fantasy Island" in it. Ok Yeah it was a little far fetched, but you expect that in this sort of novel.

All was going well until we got to the end.

**SPOILER BEGINS HERE**
I did like the idea of each guest having a nasty secret in their past and them being revealed one by one but did I miss it or was the reason for Lucy setting the house on fire and presumably killing the parent & child not revealed? I did at one point think the book was going down a Willy Wonka type path with each guest being punished for their personalities etc but found it disappointing that they were more or less just collateral damage.

Also unless I missed it, I would have liked to have known what was the reason for the Famous Five references. I get that it related to Merryn and the flashbacks but I'm guessing that Merryn was just meant to be a fan of the books?

My biggest issue though was the ending - To believe that one girl carried out all that and invented all that futuristic technology, killing people, employing staff etc just to get revenge on one person for what was basically not keeping in touch....no sorry - i just......no
SPOILER ENDS HERE

A massive shame because as I was saying, I was REALLY enjoying it up to that point and actually looking forward to picking it up each night.

Maybe we can say that Susi Holiday is a fan of Agatha Christie. I read the premise for the book and hit the request button immediately. I am so glad that I was approved because this is one hell of a book. The twists and turns kept me in suspense the entire time. I definitely recommend this book and do not want to spoil the ending but will say if you have ever thought about where we are heading in the tech world, you need to read this book. I could not even begin to say that I expected the ending because that would be a lie. It truly caught me off guard and in a good way.

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/ publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Last Resort is like a high-tech extra thrill version of the TV show lost. It's Lost but on thriller book steroids. I had fun simply imagining all everything that was going to happen in between reads and trust me it took a lot to get me to pause reading this book and do something else. The characters all of these interesting lives but things that a lot of people can relate to like IG influencer, salesperson, etc. And the secrets they had made me feel like I jumped into a real-life soap opera at times. It was just so good. It would almost make you want to write a gossip column about it. Read this book. You will not regret how amazing it is.

The Title/Cover Draw:
The overt red color in this book makes me super angry...like really badly. The synopsis made me want to read this book the most.
What I liked:
The first half of this book was really promising. 7 people come to the island thinking it's a luxurious getaway. Stuff goes down!
What I didn’t like:
Gaping plot holes.
What kept me reading:
The read was compelling enough to make me want to finish but …(see spoiler section)
The Characters:
Were real enough and I could keep them straight but… (see spoiler section)
The Ending:
It definitely wrapped up some things, but other things, not at all (see below).
****Spoilers***** Read with caution:
I still don’t know how the characters came to be chosen for this special project, at least enough to justify what happens to them. Especially Brenda, who’s past trauma wasn’t fully explained, just glossed over as “It looked like it was going to cause emotional distress” from her reaction. The ending isn’t logical, whether it’s what happens to the head of the company OR the choices the main character makes. There was a fourth choice, clearly available that a humanitarian worker would have chosen.
Consider if you like:
Fantasy Island (kinda like Blumhouse) but also with more plot holes.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

The book is described as Agatha Christie meets Black Mirror, which is a good description of the premise. Seven strangers are invited to an all-expenses-paid retreat on a private island, once they arrive they’re each connected to a device that tracks their memories. This is an intriguing premise, but sadly I don't think the book lived up to it.

The main thing I didn’t enjoy about the book was the characters. They all seem a bit two dimensional, there was very little in their dialogue or behaviour to really set them apart. There are chapters from different POVs and I found myself frequently forgetting whose point of view it is meant to be, the characters behave so similarly.

The ending was expected and the motive weak, I would have liked a bit more of a twist.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed this book. I love a locked room style mystery, and this delivered. I thought the characters were interesting & I was shocked at what some of them were hiding. The technology aspect gave it a creepy vibe that I thought worked well for the story.

I loved the sound of The Last Resort as soon as I heard about it and I jumped at the chance to be an early reader.

The Last Resort comes across as a golden age mystery crossed with an episode of Black Mirror. It’s a combination that works really well to deliver something a little unusual, combining a classic mystery scenario with elements of science fiction. It can be a hard balance to strike, but Holliday does well to use the science fiction elements to enhance the plot without completely overwhelming it. And the technology she has imagined is extremely discomforting – whoever invited these guests to the island knows their deepest, darkest, and most shameful secrets, and the trackers that the guests are fitted with links directly into their neural pathways, allowing their innermost thoughts to read. It’s a set up that gives the novel an eerie and uncomfortable tone throughout.

The main protagonist is Amelia, and the story is told predominantly from her perspective. From the beginning, she seems to be the odd one out. She makes the numbers uneven – otherwise three men and three women – and her line of work as a humanitarian aid worker also marks her as different to the others who include an influencer and a gossip columnist. She is also the only one who isn’t fitted with a tracker – supposedly due to a tech malfunction – something that doesn’t go unnoticed by the rest of the group, although her own secret is still revealed over the course of the novel. Singling out a character in this way did make me sympathise with her more than I would have done otherwise, particularly as some of the others (who are largely unlikeable) turn on her.

The plot starts off well, throwing the idea of a supposed luxury get away into doubt almost from the very first page. As things go from bad to worse, these seven guests – mostly strangers – are quickly put into a situation where they have to work together and trust each other. You can imagine how well that works out, particularly as more information about each is shared. It's a fast-paced novel, and one that will keep you turning the pages as you try to find out what happens. There were a few elements to the plot that I found to be a little unbelievable, there to enhance the plot without really making sense to me, but I found that, with a little suspension of disbelief, this was an enjoyable read.

The Last Resort will be published on 1 December, although it’s available now to Amazon Prime members through the First Reads program. Many thanks to Susi Holliday for the opportunity to read and review ahead of publication via Netgalley.

I really wanted to like this book. I have read quite a few of this author's previous offerings and thoroughly enjoyed them. I did enjoy this - up to a point - but then it all got a bit weird and very far fetched and, well, the author just lost me in the noise. I can swallow a few niggles, I can suspend belief a tad if the rest of the book stacks up but sadly this did not happen here.
So... where to start... Two kids and an accident on an island in the past. Back in the present and a bunch of misfit people are invited to experience a luxury island retreat. NDAs aplenty and all very hush hush. But their enjoyment is short lived as right from the start it becomes obvious that there is a darker reason for their inclusion... a very dangerous time awaits...
It was ticking along OK but the ending really fell short of my expectation. I really didn't engage with (m)any of the main characters so that didn't really help. The technology I can accept and that side of things did work for me but when all was said and done - the reasons behind what was going on, the reasons for the participation both guests and hosts... well... sorry... it's a no from me.
That said, everyone is entitled to an off day and my experience with this book will not put me off reading this author in the future. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I loved the sound of this book from the synopsis and it started brilliantly. I did feel it lost its way a little though. I was expecting it to be a bit out there with the 'Agatha Christie meets Black Mirror' descriptions I had heard, but it felt more like a futuristic episode of Lost. Whereas nobody really knows what happened or is going on, but you can't stop reading and are a bit disappointed by the end.

Oh, this one.

I was in. Curious. Excited. Just...in.

Our characters were intriguing and some of their secrets were so gossip-worthy!

But the book goes so wrong in the end. The how and the why of everything are certainly amazing, but not maybe in the best of ways.

I do think the author had fun with it and made me enjoy most of it.

I'd read the author again, but would like a little more...sense in the way things work out.

What a lot of fun this book is!

Seven strangers are lured to a luxury retreat on a private island, for the weekend of their lives, with false promises of riches in return for their 'expertise'? How very Agatha Christie you may exclaim... and yes, there are definitely echoes of the Queen of Crime herself in the set-up, but dear readers, there is so much more....

Imagine if you will, what would happen if someone had access to all your dirty little secrets and indiscretions? Perhaps, if your sins are small, you would not be too worried, but what if they were whoppers that would bring your downfall should they become public knowledge? And some of the secrets that come to light in this story are whoppers indeed.

Susi Holliday takes this idea and then ramps it up a notch by bringing in some technological advances that allow someone's memories to be tapped into and displayed for all to see - not to mention by also allowing us to see first hand the rather dodgy extra features associated with these new gismos. Pretty scary stuff!

The beauty of this book is that we know each of our seven strangers are heading for their own individually designed nightmare endings and as the tension mounts they begin to drop like the proverbial flies.... all for a single purpose that serves to force Amelia to confront an uncomfortable truth from her own past.

So, shades of Agatha Christie, with her scene setting and unveiling of secrets from our cast of players, but they are also players in another sense too - because this is not your usual Christie weekend house party. There is a wonderful feeling that these seven people are being played from the very start and that they are engaging in some sort of dangerous game, and as the first metaphorical die is cast the bloodletting begins in earnest. It put me in mind of a cross between Jumanji, The Crystal Maze and a honest to goodness slasher movie, and the pace is fast and furious all the way through to the intriguing denouement.

This is certainly one for the lovers of a thrill ride, but this book also asks some interesting questions about some meaty (pardon the fleshy pun) themes. It will leave you mulling over deep thoughts about the nature of memory, the role of technology and social media in out lives, and how we deal with guilt.

I must admit that the ending of this book did side swipe me a little, and that perhaps some aspects were tied up a little too quickly, but there is scope for more from these deliciously dark themes, as they could be teased out for more gory, dystopian technological fun - and judging by the way Susi Halliday weaves her menacing storytelling skills here, I would definitely be up for reading it!

A new luxury retreat operated by Timeo, a mysterious tech company, invites a group of strangers for an all-expenses paid trip to try it out. They’re a disparate bunch, each seemingly selected for a different purpose (a social media influencer, a games designer, etc) and they’ve each been lured by an email that demonstrates the company knows a lot about them and promises them great things, though they’ve been forbidden from telling each other what exactly they’ve been promised.

Amelia, the main protagonist, is the odd one out. An aid worker, it’s not clear what she brings to the table. Similarly, when they’re all fitted with devices attached to their skulls which tap into their brainwaves, hers won’t work and she has to wear a less effective bio-sensor that’s worn around the wrist like a watch.

The head attched devices are the cause of trouble, for they soon start projecting the wearer’s deepest secrets for all the group to see. It soon transpires that each member of the party has a shameful past and the disgusted reaction each feels towards the others sows division. Amelia also falls under suspicion, for how come she got out of wearing one?

There are a number of books coming to market at the moment where a group of friends or strangers find themselves marooned or isolated somewhere and discover they have secrets. Susi Holliday’s novel is part of this trend, though it has a unique spin, being a genre crossover between speculative sci-fi and crime. The Last Resort is a kind of Black Mirror-esque tale where the implications of real-world tech that is in development (bio-sensors and efforts to read brainwaves are being worked on) is imagined and given a dystopian treatment.

Holliday has written a really good thriller here that’s very readable and a real page-turner. It’s well plotted and despite their pasts and the things they’ve done, I found the characters relatable, the author making even those that had done the most appalling things all too human.

LAST RESORT•

Characterized with catchy words such as horror and psychologically thrilling.

I debated for a while how I needed to rate this book and ultimately settled on two stars.

This book had suspense and mystery but never actually went anywhere with it. I was reading and checking how far I was to finish.. and at 95% completed the story still hadn’t come to a head.

Ultimately this fell extremely flat with vague characters, a plot with big holes, and a conclusion all in a span of 4 pages.

Very honestly, not a book I would recommend.

This story has me hooked from the first page. I loved the author's voice and the way the words flowed and pulled me right in. It's well written and it kept me gripped from start to finish.

The Last Resort tells the story of Amelia and six other strangers who accept an invitation to be the first to experience a new luxury retreat on a private island. From the start, there is an air of mystery and when the characters find themselves being fitted with sophisticated trackers that supposedly connect with their neural waves, I knew I was in for an exciting read.

All is not as it seems on this island and as the seven set out on their journey to locate the "Big House" things turn more and more sinister. Memories are triggered and broadcast on a holographic screen so all of the guests get to see the secrets the others are hiding.

The characters in the story were great and even with seven points of view, the story never lagged or felt confusing. Amelia is the main character but we get chapters from the point of view of all the other characters. As the characters are all together throughout the story, it makes for a very smooth transition from one character to the next and the story continues effortlessly.

I loved all the references to other TV programs and books and would never have predicted the ending. It was creepy, fun, and a book I didn't want to put down. It gripped me right from the opening paragraph and I was still gripped right at the very end. Wonderful thriller that kept me guessing right the way through.

Oh dear this has had some mixed reviews.
Most readers report that the idea for the book was better than the finished novel.
While I understand this sentiment I feel it does an injustice to the author. Firstly them had the inspiration and than wrote their own story. It seems churlish to criticise how a writer exploits their idea by allowing g one’s on creative juices to run riot all over the plot.
This is a story of a mysterious island 7 individuals are invited to with the promise of reward and a future link with a high tech company. The modern world of communications, soft ware advances and gaming seem to be on show for the seven to repot on and critique through practical interface games and scenarios.
Unfortunately like an old fashioned mystery such as Agatha Christie’s ‘And then there were none’ there seems to be a more sinister motive for the host gathering these individuals together.
High functional individuals who in the main do not know each other quickly form a team mentality as they feel out of control and pleasure turns to horror.
I liked the tension created; the different scenarios that reveal qualities in the group while exposes truths no-one would want exposed. Different cliques form but any links become brittle as more damming reality is shared. Each seem to have skeletons in their cupboards which would destroy their brand, career and character.
Susi does not dwell on this only; by alternating between the protagonists she shares the guilt, self- loathing and suspicions directed at others. Amelia seems to stand out as different but why this might be is never revealed sufficiently to leave the reader as confused and out of control as the seven hapless characters. The measure of control over them seems all knowing and powerful and while the intent seems more sinister you can’t fully reason why this should be.
In part it is a novel about technological progress, the older theme of machines taking over from humans supplanted by the present concern over a Chinese wifi delivering more than just band width.
It pays homage to older style crime mysteries alongside this while delivering a credible modern twist.
Above all for me it was about damaged individuals who have things in their past they struggle to overcome. How such events can be suppressed or buried in some, work out in others without understanding or being related to such events and trauma. Self-harm, addiction or criminality.
It also flags up responsibility, ownership of who you are and one’s mistakes and poor judgement.
Ultimately it is about memories. Can they be manipulated, overwritten or simply forgotten by what you can think in the present or create through technological advances going forward.
For this reason alone this book will stick with me for a long while. Susi Holliday is a bold and talented writer and this fine novel deserves a wide and extensive audience.

Thank you to the author, Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise sounded intriguing, and the book started off with a lot of action and mystery... which then fizzled out quickly into slapdash cardboard cutouts of characters, a plot with more holes than a Swiss cheese and a credibility problem - not to mention a major letdown after all the wannabe build-up. These are three hours I will never get back, and I'm not pleased about it.

The Last Resort by Susi Holliday is about 7 strangers who have been selected for a secret, luxury getaway. Throughout the book we learn more and more about the individuals as events unfold on the island and for the first 90% of the book I could not put it down, I just wanted to know what was going to happen next and why it was all happening. However when I got to the ending, although good, it left me feeling like there was something lacking as the ending did not measure up to the lead up to it.
I did enjoy it and would recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for my ARC.

Amelia is part of a group of people who have been invited to an event. None of them have any idea where they are going or what they will be doing. They also don’t know anything about any of their travel companions. Most of them have the public image that they want to glorify and they all have something that they want to try and keep hidden. The most exciting part of this novel for me was when and how their secret would be revealed. And all of their secrets made me think about each of them differently. Some with pity and some with revulsion. The rivalries and friendships made in the small group were perfect. I could really sense the tension between them, especially the women.

It’s an unusual novel that I struggle to assign to just one genre. There is a crime element, but also Sci- fi, tech, and suspense. The tech was just enough for me. It didn’t go over my head and was just about the right amount to make me wary.

When I read a book by this author I know that it will always be a little different. No two books have been the same. What I didn’t expect was to find some thoroughly unlikeable characters or rediscovering my childhood with the references to The Famous Five. But you have no need to be concerned if you are not familiar with that series. This novel is completely original and I think it will be a long time before I read anything like it again.

Tried And Tested Formula Works Well......
Tried and tested formula works well in this atmospheric suspense. A remote island, six strangers and Amelia. An invitation too good to refuse? They’ll wish they had. For this is no luxury retreat. High technology, secrets and shame all play a part in this engaging and entertaining tale.

Would you accept a luxury trip with all expenses paid without knowing where you were going and having no control over how to get there or what you will be doing? Sounds great right! Well if it sounds too good to be true .... it has strings attached. Seriously twisted up strings! The book starts out with seven strangers on a small plane who received a letter with an invitation. The invitation promises a luxurious all expenses paid vacation for testing out a new luxury guest experience. The catch is the guests do not know where they are going and what the experience will be. They must sign non disclosure agreements before they arrive. Once they arrive things are not what they expected and things get very strange and take a dark turn. Who invited them to the island and why? The answers to those questions will leave you with you gasping in surprise. I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.

It is odd to think that I may never know if I am a terrific sleeper or an insomniac. That is because I go to bed with the best of intentions, just one more chapter to unwind. As long as there are books that make me furiously flip pages to find out what is going on, I will never get eight hours of sleep. Luckily, I seem to be able to still function, and only my Fitbit knows the truth, that I stayed up with a book, again.
The Last Resort was another one of those books. Seven strangers have accepted an invitation from Timeo Technologies to be the first guests at an exclusive luxury resort. That is the one thing that they all have in common, however, we will learn that each of them has a different reason for saying yes. Before the plane even lands, things start to go wrong, and once they land, they will soon discover that this adventure will be anything but relaxing and luxurious.
They say everyone has something to hide, but these ‘guests’ would win prizes for their horrible behaviors. Their memories are broadcast on a holographic screen through the trackers each of them receives, and we see what they did through their own eyes. High tech, but not presented in a way that takes you out of the story. The more I learned, the more I wanted to know why these seven people were chosen.
I didn’t love how it ended, as the reasons they were here seemed a little hard to believe. I loved the journey though, and since most of it was so intriguing, it still gets four stars from me.

A joyful combination of both dark and humorous mystery that I read in 24 hours (because I, too, was on an island with nothing to do but read, luckily!), that I could tell Susi Holliday had enormous fun writing. The Last Resort abandons a bunch of self-absorbed, narcissistic strangers on a pretty much run-down island under a false pretext, and gleefully takes pot shots at the lot of them - brilliant! I loved the fact that they're all a pretty desperate bunch of people, who really hate the fact that they're not needing their best frocks and shirts as, they thought they might do, on this adventure; instead, it gradually dawns on each of them that maybe, just maybe, there's been another, less salubrious motive in inviting them all to Nirrik Island...

Paying wicked homage to a certain children's mystery series and also a Christie novel that needs no introduction, The Last Resort is just that - not somewhere you want to visit, but definitely one to read and enjoy from outside! Quite different from the author's previous books, and no less entertaining. Recommended!

With thanks to the author and publisher for the advance e-copy of this book.

The last resort by Susi Holiday.
This is one of my favourite authors. I loved the cover. The blurb got me too.
Seven strangers, seven secrets, one perfect crime.
1) Amelia
2) James
3) Scott
4) Lisa
5) Brenda
6) Giles
7) Tiggy
Who will be the last one standing?
I really wanted to read the end to find out what happened but I read it and so glad I did. Brilliant read. Amelia was my favourite. I wasn't sure about Tiggy or Scott and James and Giles. I did like lisa and Brenda. I was surprised with the ending. It didn't end how I thought it would. Still a great read though. 4*.

Mixing technology and an isolated iland this book is a great thriller. It had me hooked from the first chapter. The book kept me hooked with enough description to create an atmosphere of suspense and to like/dislike certain characters. I could easily imagine this book as a film. Great Read

This is just perfect for fans of Jumanji and Black Mirror.

Susi Holliday kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time! While I've never been much of a sci-fi fan, Black Mirror had me converted and The Last Resort is the first book in this genre I genuinely enjoyed.

Seven people from different walks of life are invited to go to a new island resort being developed by a high level technology company because they believe they each have skills that may develop the resort. They have no idea where it is and their journey gives them no clues as their cabin pressure drops and the oxygen renders them unconscious until arrival. As they explore the island, they discover that by tapping the tracker, a holographic image is projected to all revealing their personal details, secrets and fears, just like in Jumanji. But the tracker can also read their minds and if they ask for something it is granted.

Nothing is quite what it seems as they have to play a game to survive. WHAT A RIDE. I was loving the suspense, character development and the unusual plot, which was perfect for the spooky Halloween and fall season. The only thing I didn't love was the ending.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

2 stars. I don’t really know what to say about this one. It was all over the place, crazy. I almost didn’t finish it but was curious to see if maybe the ending got better...:sadly it did not.

Everyone has a secret and the Timeo company has a device to discover them. That's the unlikely underlying premise of this locked island tale. Seven people, seven secrets (well, more than that really) collide over an all expense paid weekend that turns into a familiar trope. It's a bit hard to keep track of the characters in the beginning but once you sort them out, you'll realize there's not one of them who is likable. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. I found myself flipping pages- not in a page turner way but in that way where you want to know what happens without reading every word.

If you like Agatha Christie's And Then There was None you know what you are in for. I was disappointed in this book, it did not grab me. The premise has been done so many times this year and this one is not good. Very predictable and rather lack lustre. Saying that I am sure other readers will enjoy it more just not for me.
Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Seven strangers have been invited to experience a luxurious vacation on a private island. Each guest is offered a different sum to be the first to test the brand new tech items from Timeo Technologies, while enjoying the comforts of the island.
Sounds perfect, right?

At first, The Last Resort seems like a Jumaji and Survivor mash. The characters are thrown together, on an unknown island, and have to accomplish levels in a game (they don't even know their playing) to stay alive. Adding the technological aspect, with GPS and hologram projections, it really feels like they are experiencing a virtual reality game.
Everyone eventually is forced to face their fears and the sins of their past. Revealed slowly, their secrets create harsh judgments and suspicion among the strangers, while pulling them together in a strange bond. Not ideal for what they all thought was going to be a retreat.
Though I do like the idea of the strangers trying to survive the island, I did not really like the reveal of the reason why they were picked in the first place. The last few chapters, where everything ties together, left me with questions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an opportunity to read The Last Resort.

This book brings Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None to current times. Seven strangers, each with their own secret, are brought together on an island with the promise of a luxury weekend. But it’s the 21st century so there’s a lot of technological advances the hosts have at their disposal. And then people start to die 😱

Overall I enjoyed this book - although the ending was a bit disappointing and I think could have been more exciting.

This book has the makings of a great movie or a Netflix limited series.

3.5 ⭐️

A diverse group of people are thrown together when they accept a mysterious invitation to a luxurious getaway. It soon becomes apparent that this adventure is not going to turn out well. There’s great promise at the beginning, which I found both intriguing and gripping, and I was looking forward to an Agatha Christie-like mystery. I have to admit though, that for me the book didn’t really live up to the promise..

This is a deeply unsettling novel, set in a near future dystopia which reminded me somewhat of Westworld. It’s an opportunity that seven strangers can’t pass up when Timeo Technologies invites them to experience the very latest in leisure experiences. Our group of characters are promised a luxury getaway of their dreams, an experience they’ll never forget. The last part is definitely true.

Amelia wonders why she’s been invited, especially when she meets the other guests who have more obvious benefits to Timeo - a social media influencer, a photographer, a games developer and a financier. They have nothing in common with Amelie who works for an NGO and prioritises helping others. Where do her skills fit in? However, as the trip develops it becomes clear that this seven have something else in common - each has a huge secret they wouldn’t want the world to know about. Every guest is fitted with a tracker that is symbiotic; it fastens into the skin behind the ear to tap into the body’s nervous system. Once activated it’s impossible to remove without causing damage, a sensation that made me feel really uneasy - I would be worried that it would give them control over me and of course there is a downside. Instead of enhancing their island experience, or simply tracking where they are, this technology appears to harvest memories and then manifest the worst of them like a flickering projector film. Each person must relive a time when they behaved at their worst, knowing that every other guest can see it too. One character relives a time she attacked a girl with a glass in a nightclub. The guilt and shame is terrible and each person responds differently. As injuries and paranoia start to set in, Amelia begins to think that the only way to leave the game is to be the one left standing when the countdown ends. As each person makes their way to the big house, where a party is promised, true characters emerge and the group are split. Who will get there first and what will they have to do in order to get there?

I really enjoyed the opening chapters of the novel where we get to know the seven characters and they get to know each other. This was fascinating to read for a therapist like me, because we are only being introduced to everyone’s surface characteristics. The author cleverly sets the scene with a sense of foreboding and although I wasn’t really invested in any particular character I did start to worry about what was to come. I enjoyed the set-up of the technology, it felt believable within the context of real innovations mentioned in the narrative. This felt like the future, but not too distant. I did think the entire island was virtual for most of the narrative, because the setting felt strange. The island itself felt warmer and more tropical than an island off the south coast of the U.K. A couple of participants seem to have memories of the island and there were also moments that felt artificial, such as where Amelie noticed pixelation at the house. I wondered how far the device they were wearing created the environment and whether Amelie noticed differences because she was on an alternative type of tracker. It was more like a ‘Fitbit’ than the headset worn by the others and wasn’t quite as advanced.

To get the best reading experience I would definitely recommend reading in longer stretches. I had a lot going on when I started this and had to read in short bursts, so I did struggle to remember the characters and become fully immersed in the story. It was great to be able to read in long sections from then on and really lose myself in the story. I also think that in order to truly enjoy a story we need to engage with one of the characters, but I found that difficult to do in this novel. I really didn’t like anyone, even before their past was revealed. If anybody, I think Amelie was the one we were supposed to identify with but for some reason this didn’t happen for me. This wasn’t just because these characters have done some terrible things, but because they felt as unreal to me as the island itself. These are not people I meet in everyday life, but then I live in a very rural part of the country and so my experience is possibly limited. Social media influencers and financiers are few and far between in Lincolnshire where you’re more likely to meet a farmer, gamekeeper or home carer. I really came away from it thinking this was a world far outside my social and economic experience.

This may say a lot about my character, but the most fascinating parts of the novel come when the characters are at odds with each other or under pressure. There’s a scene between Brenda, the banker, that’s almost Biblical! She is lured away to a quiet spot with a delicious looking picnic, but a nightmarish snake is lurking and starts to slowly wind itself around her leg. For someone with a snake phobia, this was a really vivid scene and hinted that perhaps the technology could root out each participants greatest fears. The following descriptions of Brenda’s leg, as the others try and get her to the big house before the poison takes hold, are horrific. In her pride she hasn’t wanted to tell them she was bitten, but her leg swells and changes colour dramatically and the tension created by the time scale on the injury really added urgency to the narrative.

I think the author had a brilliant premise. She has married our fear of modern technological advances with a good old-fashioned mystery in the style of Agatha Christie. You don’t know who is going to be picked off next. I did feel a bit side-swiped by the ending. It came suddenly and felt a little like the exposition of a Bond film with a villain hiding in his luxury home in an island, playing god with the guests lives. I think Susi Holliday is an incredibly talented writer. I struggled to fully engage with it though and it didn’t reach the heights of her last novel Violet which was one of my books of the year in 2019. However, if you like mysteries, morally questionable characters, and a bit of sci-fi thrown in then this might be the book for you.

This was not my favourite book written by this author by any stretch of the imagination. The blurb sounded great and the book was interesting at the beginning. Seven people “invited” on a luxury retreat which soon turns out to be nothing of the sort. I enjoyed the character descriptions and the ideas behind the story and it the story gathered momentum and kept me interested. Unfortunately for me, the ending was too far fetched and let what was a otherwise enjoyable book down..

This book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 7 strangers set out for a "luxury" retreat. They have all signed a non-disclosure statement. They all have secrets. They are under the pretense that they are there to hype up a new vacation/resort area. However, they are exposed to new technology. They are all suspicious, of the retreat and of each other. I suppose when I requested this book, I didn't read the full description, so as I am reading I was really trying to figure out what the heck was happening. The book is told from the perspective of the 4 women on the trip. There is also the back story from 2000 interspersed. The reader does not know whose is involved in the back story. Thinking Big Brother meets Survivor. I enjoyed reading this but I felt this book led up to a really strong point, but the ending seemed just a little flat to me.

Three men and four women are receive invites for an all-expense-paid retreat on a private island. They are all told they will be there to test a new product for a technology company. They weren't expecting to be drugged while on the plane .. and they have no idea where they are. Nor are they prepared when a chip is inserted in each of them , all but one.

What ties all these people together? Six of them are in the business of influencers and reality shows ... all but one. Each guest has a guilty secret that somehow this tech company has rooted out.

One by one, the 'guests' find themselves hurt and injured ... or worse. There's no way off the island ... phones get no signal. Survival is for the fittest .. and that seems to belong to Amelia. She plans on being the last one standing.

The premise was a good one, all though this was more sci-fi / fantasy / horror than thriller. I couldn't connect with the characters, didn't even like most of them. They seemed to all be shallow and kind of boring. It became hard to care what happened to them. There's lot of action involved, but again, I didn't feel much suspense. The ending felt rushed and wasn't satisfactory for me at all.

Many thanks to the author/ Amazon Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of THE LAST RESORT. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Amelia and six other guests all sign up for an all expense luxury trip not knowing what they are getting into. The truth becomes something that none of them can fathom. This book is quite the mind trip and really kept me guessing until the very end on what was even going on. I liked the psychological components and that the book flashed back into time to further develop the story. The end of the book seemed a little cut and dried, but overall this was a good read. I thought this was well written and will definitely recommend this book to others. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley, Susi Holliday and Amazon Publishing UK for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, I was so enamoured by this cover that I requested it before I even knew what it was about! But luckily it was right up my alley! Novels like these with sketchy characters and a deserted island vibe are my guilty pleasure. I was suspicious of everyone and all the interesting technology that they seemed to have that no one had ever heard of. All these characters were guilty of something, but you couldn't help but feel bad for what they were all going through and how all their dirty laundry was being aired. The ending was amazing and while I knew it had something to do with one specific character, I really didn't see how it was all going to end up. It was a good, if a bit tidy ending, but I really enjoyed the journey!

The characters are interesting and the plot kept me hooked. Thank you to NetGalley, Susi Holliday, and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC of this book.

I loved this book and simply flew through it! My only qualm was that the constant changing of tenses (oftentimes mid-sentence) threw me whenever I picked the book back up after a break, but once I was in the flow of reading I barely noticed it. I found the characters 'real', regardless of whether they were likeable or not, and nothing was so unrealistic as to be jarring. Most of the book wasn't particularly suspenseful, but it was super fun and the twist at the end was intriguing - it's certainly a book I'll read again on a rainy weekend!

Seven strangers have had invitations to stay on an island for a day or so, enjoy a bit of luxury, give their opinions based on their areas of expertise. Once they’re all on the plane things begin to unravel and nothing is as it seems. None of the guests were pleasant and all had secrets they’d rather stayed secrets. In between the island shenanigans there’s flashbacks to the meeting between a holidaymaker and an islander in 2000. The book is a mix of several genres. I quite liked it, it was easy to read and the pages/percentages went by quickly but it was really rather odd/silly with an unsatisfying ending and all a bit predictable! The premise was great and the story definitely intriguing and I’d be happy to try another book by this author.

Wow, this was a game of two halves for me.I loved the description of the book, and it had a perfect start for me, intriguing and with lots of different characters. However after a while I started to lose interest, and I am not sure why. I am an impatient reader, and I found it to be slow in places, and that is where my attention span switched off a bit, but I don't know it that says more about me, or the book. I loved some of it, but felt it dragged in places. I hope other more patient readers than me will enjoy it more.

Seven strangers invited to an all expenses paid luxury retreat with a whole island to themselves and of course you would go...

It all goes wrong very early on in this book and is extremely drawn out. It took me longer than usual to read as I just didn’t get in to it at all. I did finish it but it was difficult trying to convince myself to keep going and hoping for something more to happen. I felt like I didn’t connect with the characters, I felt the whole plot was a bit pointless and the ending... well didn’t really go anywhere.

All in all, not great. The cover caught my eye as it looks brilliant but as they say ‘you can’t judge a book by it’s cover’.

Hmmm ... this is a really difficult book to review for me because I am in two minds as to whether I really enjoyed it or not!

The premise is excellent and it started off really well and, I thought, this is going to be good but alas it soon became a tad boring and I gradually lost interest the further on I went. I was hoping for that "wow" ending that might redeem the book a little but, for me, it didn't really happen.

The characters aren't particularly likeable but that doesn't really matter in this book and I ended up looking forward to seeing what inventive ways were going to be employed if/when they were to die but it was all rather "meh" and anti-climatic.

What I did like was the setting of the remote island, the mystery surrounding why they were all there and how the advanced technology was used but I wanted more tension and excitement ... there are times throughout the book where it ramped up a little but they didn't last long enough and there were too many down-times and periods of inactivity for me.

I think there will be many, many people out there who will love this book particularly those who prefer a more slower paced mystery so please don't take my word for it and give it a go if you like the sound of the blurb.

Many thanks to SJI Holliday and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.

This one is creepy, and it had all the elements I was looking for, but missed the mark somewhat for me. I never felt fully drawn in. I'm not sure if the writing style just wasn't for me or if it was more character development. If it sounds interesting, I still recommend giving it a try.

Fast Paced and addictive I could not put this down! The premise of this book is seven strangers, seven secrets, one perfect crime. That alone hooked me and this book absolutely does not disappoint!
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Invited to an all expenses paid private island to test out technology, seven strangers easily agree. It’s an easy yes. They will all quickly come to regret their decision. Nothing is as it seems as all of their awful secrets are exposed one by one.
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Adrenaline fueled and heart stopping I couldn’t read this book fast enough. The ending was satisfying and one I didn’t see coming.
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This book comes out on Tuesday, December 1st
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Thank you #Netgalley and #thomasandmercer for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Usually, I really love this author's books. This one just didnt work for me as much as the others. Started good but then it just couldnt hold my interest. Could just be me though so give it a chance as usually she's a solid writer.

Such a bizarre premise for a book but it works. Things start to go wrong for the strangers almost immediately and gradually dark secrets are revealed as the contestants try to work out what on earth is going on. It's tricky to write a review without spoilers but this book does come recommended.

I enjoyed Susi Holliday's recent psychological thrillers The Lingering and Violet so was very keen to see what she wrote next and The Last Resort didn't disappoint. It belongs to a very definite (and rather different) subgenre, the "last man standing" thriller where a disparate group are brought together in an environment they can't escape and challenged to survive. It's both a contemporary genre, and one with deep roots - think And Then There Were None, which The Last Resort has some affinity with, being set own an island with each character possessing one or more guilty secret. Indeed, the book affectionately tips its hat to Christie and - some way in - its protagonists, realising what genre they're in, comment knowing on what may be in store.

I rather like this sort of self awareness (I'm avoiding the "meta" word) and it's only one of the many respects that, in this book, Holliday simply OWNS the format. From the setup - seven strangers on a plane, invited on a dream holiday, in reality off to who knows where - through the subsequent dangers, to the enigmatic last page, this is a book that demands attention. The group members themselves are satisfyingly portrayed - Amelia, a development worker, Tiggy, a social media "influencer", Giles, the games designer, gossip columnist Lucy, photographer James, Scott, who flogs dodgy dietary supplements and Brenda, the venture capitalist. While 283 pages isn't much to give a rounded description of this many people Holliday makes them distinctive and creates a real personality for each, avoiding them being stereotypes - it would be too easily simply to make everyone nasty, all the time, to set up the necessary conflict but that doesn't happen here.

As the group progresses following the instructions of their enigmatic host, there are of course rifts between some, stoked by the mysterious revelations about their pasts and the fear of what is being done to them (are their minds being read? How closely are they being surveilled? Above all, why were they chosen?) but these arise organically from the characters as depicted, they aren't imposed.

And there is a real mystery here. The reader too will wonder what, exactly, is going on. Obviously all are being manipulated, but why? What does it have to do with the interpolated story - set in 2000 - featuring two new characters? That's, of course, the puzzle which Amelia and the rest have to solve too, although they're not being given all the pieces we are and it creates a real sense of doubt for us as we follow their plight. I did work my way to the solution before the big reveal, but not that long before, and again, the key turns out to be motivations and character, so you need to watch everyone closely.

In all, The Last Resort (the title has to be ironic!) was great fun to read, with plenty of surprises and some real shocks. While it playfully hints at what's going on by its references to earlier examples of this genre, those should not all be taken at face value - things are tricksy here!

Love Susi Holiday's books and this one was no different. Eeriely atmospheric and a great cast of characters to carry the plot along at a perfect pace.

The description of this book drew me in and even the beginning had my attention. Shortly after that it went off track for me. The futuristic vibe seemed a bit far fetched for me. There were a good amount of characters and suspense and it was well written, just not my cup of tea. Thanks to NetGalley for the privilege to read and review this book.

This book is well-written and had an intriguing premise but didn’t deliver. The premise was intriguing but it just never went anywhere.
Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the eARC.

Seven strangers are invited on an exclusive getaway in The Last Resort, each coming with their own pasts and terrible secrets. As the secrets start to be revealed, the strangers come to realize that this might not be the luxury getaway they were promised. The secrets are revealed, one more despicable than the last, until all the visitors are horrified with not only themselves but their new friends. Eventually the book gets to the final, last reveal, one final secret that has caused all this.

The book started off a bit slow for me, but picked up as secrets were revealed and the characters moved around the island they were on. This wound up to what I thought was a relatively anticlimactic ending. Overall I enjoyed the book. It was an easy, escapist read, but not as twisty as I thought it might be.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Have you ever had a secret that you kept from everyone? Well, imagine that secret being used against you... and in front of others as well. That is the nightmare faced by the characters in this disturbing read.

I was hooked by the blurb and thought this would be a creepy read with an interesting storyline. The book starts off slowly but the tension builds and it culminates in a climactic ending, which was completely unexpected. The characters are well-developed, and it is easy to form opinions on them early on in the book, although few of my opinions were good! The characters are the predictable and rather spoilt bunch which you might expect from a cheesy horror movie.

I did enjoy the book, and decided to take it at face-value. That is, even though a bit of an unrealistic storyline, it is a work of fiction.

An enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Where to begin with The Last Resort. This book completely pulled me in with that stunning and creepy cover. After reading the synopsis I was genuinely intrigued. The Last Resort had so so so much potential and really it was a good book, until that rough ending that made absolutely no sense.

Seven strangers are given a chance of a lifetime. They are all told they can go to this private island, all expenses paid retreat. Once they all arrive, things start to get quite weird and mysterious. All seven of them start to realize it probably is to good to be true. We get perspectives of all seven of the characters, which I thought was a great idea and made it that much more mysterious. They all have secrets they would rather keep hidden, but the creator of this island has other ideas. They want all of their dirty secrets to be spilled and let me tell you the secrets are crazy.

While I did really enjoy the weirdness that was this book, it honestly doesn't even make sense. I liked the drama and the technology aspect, as well as, the creepy dark part that had me wondering what was going to happen to all the characters. I guessed what the ending would be and was completely disappointed that there wasn't some crazy plot twist. Not to mention, the ending doesn't even make sense. It is so beyond weird and it just felt like the author took zero time to look at the plot holes. It was completely unbelievable and actually made me mad. If it wasn't for that ending this book would have definitely been a better book, but the ending was just awful

📣 Review 📣

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Seven strangers. Seven secrets. One perfect crime.

7 strangers get invited to a luxury retreat on a private island... how could you turn it down? What could go wrong? Each has been asked to sign a Non Disclosure Agreement. That is just the beginning of where it all goes wrong.

This book gives Black Mirror vibes,of a future that seems far fetched but too real all at once.

I loved this book and loved the ending. It was gripping with an ending I did not expect. It was at times unrealistic, but if you can let yourself just go with it, it was a good read. Slower in the middle but ultimately a mind bending read.

Thank you to @netgalley and @amazonpublishing for my ARC in exchange for an honest review

In The Last Resort, a mysterious invitation brings seven strangers together on a seemingly deserted island. The strangers include:
• Amelia, a humanitarian aid worker
• Lucy, an anonymous celebrity gossip columnist
• Giles, a game designer
• Tiggy, Giles’ girlfriend and a brand influencer
• James, a cameraman
• Brenda, an investor
• Scott, an American CEO
As each person’s worst life decisions are played one-by-one on video in front of the group, the strangers stumble on toward the promised “party”.

Taking the premise of a fantastic Agatha Christie tale, and then “modernizing” it, is a gigantic risk for an author. In The Last Resort, only the setting from And Then There Were None is used. Because the plot itself is original has resulted in some bad reviews. So if you want to read a new Christie, you will need a time machine—not this book.

However, if you are willing to suspend disbelief for a few hours, this book is a compelling and twisty near-future thriller combined with an underlying mystery. The reason I took a star off was that the mystery cannot be solved using clues provided by the plot. It is just a reveal at the end. The armchair detective in me was extremely disappointed. Still, it’s a fun fall down a rabbit hole. 4 stars!

Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Amelia is an international aid worker, tired and stressed after years of gruelling work in disaster zones. For years she has dedicated her life to making the world better for others, some seeing what she does as selfless, but Amelia knows she has a different reason for carrying out this work. She has a secret she has never divulged and it eats her up from the inside.

But when she received her invitation from Timeo Technologies to test out a new product as part of a luxury, all-expenses paid trip, she thinks that perhaps it is time that she allowed herself some personal relaxing time.

That’s her first mistake. Soon she finds herself on a secluded island with six strangers; the most self-obsessed, unlikeable bunch of characters that she has ever met. Social media influencers, a photographer, a hedge fund manager and a games developer are all given technology to wear that will have a significant impact on their actions throughout their stay.

Soon it becomes clear that these four women and three men all have something to hide. Each has a guilty secret they do not want to divulge; but what is it and who has brought them together and for what purpose?

As the seven navigate the secluded island, their dream of a luxury retreat becomes a nightmare that threatens their very existence.

Susi Holliday’s book starts with an ominous prologue that clearly sets the scene for what is to come, but it is for the reader to try and guess just how that relates to the seven guests on the mystery island.

A sort of The Hunting Party meets Lord of the Flies, The Last Resort uses the idea of advanced technology to create a tense and exciting scenario where that technology is used to drive people apart and reduce them to their basest fears.

One by one, the participants are set against each other and Amelia wonders when her turn will come.

Susi Holliday’s book is a quintessential locked room mystery expanded into an island setting and with the added fun of technology to offer bite and intrigue. This is a book where you let your imagination have free reign and just enjoy where it takes you, as you find yourself horrified and surprised by each turn of events.

Verdict: Susi Holliday has created a fun and interesting mystery overlaid with technological advances that are just plausible to create a fascinating story. I would personally have liked to know a great deal more about Amelia’s story and particularly the aspects of it that related to why she was on the island. Perhaps though, that’s another book to come?

I had high hopes for this book. It sounded great really exciting. But sadly I couldn’t get into it. I found it dull. It failed to capture my interest. It just didn’t play out the way the description had told it

This is a great book that had me gripped from start to finish. It gives you brilliantly flawed characters that both horrified me but who still had a real likability about them.

Told from three different perspectives in real time and woven with short snippets of one fateful day in the past, it follows 7 people as they are all mysteriously invited to a luxury adventure weekend. However, things go dramatically wrong the moment they take off and it's clear that all is not what it seems. Each person on the island as a secret they want to keep hidden, but one by one each secret is revealed in dramatic fashion. Part adventure, part drama, part mystery and part high tech sci-fi, The Last Resort has a lot going on!

Don't get me wrong, it's not perfect as when you look closely at the story and think about it, not much really makes sense. There are definitely holes and some motivations are a little questionable. However, it is really well written with enough character development and action to keep you turning page after page and you just have to know what happens.

This book was not one that I enjoyed. A bit strange for me. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Oh what a fantastic concept - brilliantly delivered. Part futuristic, part take-you-right-back, Susi Holliday has done it again.
An easy five stars for The Last Resort and a massive recommendation from me.

This was a fun thriller. Quite Agatha Christie with a modern twist. I enjoyed it and read it quickly!

Great book! I was hooked from the start, thank you so much for providing me a copy of this book to read. This is something I would love to purchase.

Amelia gets an invitation to a luxury weekend away. Too good to refuse, despite the disclaimers and non-disclosure agreements required of her, she embarks on the trip to an unknown destination in the company of 6 strangers. It’s not too long however before things start turning strange and eventually nasty.
I’m afraid that one word sprung to mind after I had finished, and that was ridiculous.
The Last Resort is well written and very easily read but its potential to be developed into something rather chilling felt wasted. Most of the characters were see- through, annoying and superfluous, and the denouement was a “what?”
Many readers will really like this book.
With thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK.

Amelia is no stranger to travel, but she’s not used to luxury. She generally travels to poor or war-torn countries for her humanitarian work. But now she’s on a small plane with several strangers, heading to what was described as a luxury vacation. Each person on the small plane was asked to sign an NDA, a non-disclosure agreement, about the remuneration they were offered and about the trip itself.

The trip seems to start innocuously enough, with the small plane heading to an undisclosed location, where this group of strangers will enjoy a vacation they will never forget. There is the Instagram influencer and her game designer boyfriend. A photographer. A gossip columnist. A venture capitalist. And a man who sells nutraceuticals, fancy vitamins to help improve health and performance.

And then the plane hits turbulence, shaking the plane so badly that the oxygen masks come down. Amelia is able to get hers on, but then everything goes dark. When she wakes up, the plane has landed. They are parked inside of a building, and most everyone is still asleep. As they slowly come back to life and find their bearings, they figure out that they are on an island, but they’re not sure where. And when the doors of the hangar close behind them, locking their belongings on the plane, they wonder if this really is a luxury vacation that they’ve stumbled into.

Their host shows up and tells them a little about the island, outfits them all with trackers, and explains that there will be a party at the end of their journey. And then he leaves them to their adventure.

They theorize that they’re in an elaborate game, and when they solve the puzzles along the way, the party at the big house will be their prize, a celebration filled with champagne, caviar, and anything else they desire.

But then they discover that the trackers are more than just trackers. They can be used by the masterminds behind this odyssey to share the wearer’s secrets, vulnerabilities, and even to broadcast videos of their most shameful moments for everyone to see.

The group starts to break apart and then to break down, as these individuals are faced with these memories of their worst moments. And as they find themselves coming apart at the seams, each individual wonders what they’ve gotten themselves into. Is this really a game developed for playful tourists? Is there a luxury vacation waiting at the end? Or is there just some psychopathic tech wizard who brought them all together just to make them pay for their deepest secrets?

The Last Resort is a twisty thriller about secrets and survival, about the things that draw us together as humans and the things that split us apart. Author Susi Holliday has created this creepy adventure filled with questions and she takes her sweet time leading us to the answers.

I enjoyed The Last Resort. I thought it was a fun, if really dark, trip through the jungle of human emotions. I’m a big fan of stories where a group of disparate people are thrown together and have to figure out the puzzle together. These stories generally don’t end well for everyone in the story, and The Last Resort is no exception. But the ending is mostly satisfying, and I would recommend it to others who are drawn to this type of story too.

Egalleys for The Last Resort were provided by Amazon Publishing UK through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Based on the synopsis of this book, I was expecting something super fast-paced with lots of twists and turns. Unfortunately, this wasn't as thrilling as I'd hoped. First off, I found it very difficult to keep all of the characters straight. The switching back and forth between perspectives made me forget which character I was reading from, so I was constantly looking back to figure it out. The middle of the book was pretty good...there were some really suspenseful scenes and I found myself becoming more and more intrigued by where the whole story was leading. The end was what really brought my rating down. None of the reasoning behind why all these people were on the island made and sense to me and it was so far-fetched that I still don't even understand what happened. The main character's tie to the plot and what was in her past that brought her here was ridiculous.

I've seen The Last Resort summarised as Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None meets Black Mirror and it's almost the perfect description except I'd also add that there's something for Famous Five fans too!
I love a bit of genre blending and it's something that Susi Holliday does superbly; I realise some readers might be reluctant to try a novel with a sci-fi element but although the sinister technology employed on the mysterious island is integral to the plot, it never feels intrusive or out of place. I suspect opinions will be divided as to whether the memory-tracking devices used on guests are a frightening glimpse into the future or something that could never happen but the writing never becomes bogged down with overly technical explanations and I thought added a fascinating new dimension to a familiar scenario.
The book actually opens on a different island in the summer of 2000; two young girls calling themselves Anne and George are involved in a horrific event - more of which is revealed in later flashback chapters in the novel. However, most of the story focuses on the guests who have been handpicked to test out a luxury island resort. Each has signed a non-disclaimer agreement and each has the own reason for accepting the invitation. Although the third-person narrative switches between the female guests - Amelia, Lucy, Brenda and Tiggy, it's Amelia who is central to the novel and she is perhaps the most likeable of the characters. She is also the most unlikely guest as an aid worker who is more used to staying in rather more basic accommodation than a private island with all expenses paid.
After an unsettling flight, however, it soon becomes clear that this experience isn't what any of the guests had in mind, particularly when they are all fitted with their memory-tracking devices. I really liked their reluctant compliance here; they are obviously not keen on being attached to the trackers but as people are inclined to do, accept them with little more than a few questions and complaints. As the book progresses, these little gadgets prove to be deceptively powerful and to the collective distress of the group, are able to reveal their darkest secrets. Each of them are darkly representative of modern life - there's the apparently vacuous influencer, the seemingly ruthless financier, a gossip columnist, paparazzi photographer, sleazy games designer and a cynical snake-oil nutraceuticals salesman.
Their most shameful moments are exposed intermittently as the guests are forced to work together in what rapidly becomes evident isn't the luxury environment they were expecting. The dreadful revelations do little to foster trust between the group and the recriminations are almost as dramatic as the terrifying surprises the island has in store for them. Without giving anything away, there are some horrifying encounters here, as they attempt to cross the inhospitable terrain in a bid to reach the main house and what has been described to them as a lavish party where everything will be explained.
The characters are all deviously flawed and the addictive plot twists and turns, becoming increasingly tense as the story heads inexorably towards the shocking conclusion. I loved The Last Resort, it's a deliciously dark story and quite possibly the best fun I've had with a book for ages. Very highly recommended.

My thanks to the Publishers via NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I gave this a 3.5 stars or 7/10. Reading the synopsis of this, the story sounded just right up my street. However, it didn't quite deliver as much as I thought it would and I was expecting great things from it.

This is a thriller that airs on the side of dystopian in some ways. What sounds like an experience to good to ignore an all expenses paid retreat for seven strangers. They all have secrets and there is one perfect crime. Arriving on the Island that the retreat is on, they are all informed that they are there to help test out a brand new product. What starts out quite innocent, soon takes an unexpected turn that none of them saw coming. As the product that they are testing, which is a memory tracking device that inadvertently begins to reveal the secrets that they have all kept hidden to one another. Tension amongst them all begins to mount and they begin to react to what is being revealed to them.

As they begin to turn on one another, who will be the ultimate survivor as it looks as though they are fighting to survive.

Whilst, on paper this sounded perfect for me. I felt that it was lacking and that at times the story became a little lost to me. Please don't let this review put you off grabbing a copy of it yourself if you come across it as we all read books differently and take something different away from what we have read.

This is a well written locked room mystery with an interesting premise. A combination of a mysterious island and futuristic elements are blemded together creating a slow burn thriller. There is a lot going on in this book, with cutting edge technology in the fore front. Suspend belief, and sit back and enloy! Thank you NetGalley for my ARC!

The Last Resort by Susi Holliday is the first book I’ve read from this author.

If you enjoy watching reality tv shows, you will enjoy this story. A story about seven strangers, secrets, a luxury island, and a large prize. Enticed by an all-expense-paid retreat along with a mysterious offer, Amelia rides with 6 strangers to a private island to test Timeo Technologies’ new state-of-the-art product. Strange things start happening after they are forced to wear this device that is attached to their heads. The device has deadly consequences and is controlled by the Creator of the island. As time goes on, their deepest and darkest secrets are revealed to everyone.
The description and book cover pulled me in but it fell flat for me, especially the ending.

Pros:
**This book started off as a good concept and seemed promising.
**There are some creepy scenes and learning each person’s secrets kept me reading till the end.

Cons:
**The character’s jobs off the island were good choices but the character development was lacking. Most of the characters fell flat to me. If they were developed like the people in the Lost series or similar to the contestants on Survivor, readers would be biting their fingernails to read what happens next to their favorite character.
**The ending.

I’d love to try more from this author in the future.
Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for my copy. In return I am submitting my voluntary opinion and review.