I loved Clémence's debut and had high hopes for this one but it wasn't my favorite. This was a very slow burn and more about a cult than a resort which I didn't know or expect. If you like cult stories you'll likely enjoy this but it wasn't for me! Thanks to NetGalley & Elliot & Thomas for an advance copy

This was a locked room/cult thriller that was great for lovers of the genre.
Two siblings that escape a cult of reunite at a resort to reconnect but when a guest is murdered their vacation is no longer relaxing.

The dual timeline worked really well and gave readers an accurate picture of life in the cult before and life after. I love books that have an emotional theme as well and this had just that as it addressed the theme of overcoming trauma.

Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon is a very highly recommended mystery/thriller following two cult survivors embroiled in a murder investigation. This is an excellent second novel after her debut novel, The Quiet Tenant.

Frida and Gabriel are on a vacation at the luxurious Ara Hotel in the secluded desert of Escalante, Utah. The two shared a traumatic childhood as they live in a cult under fanatical leader Émile until they escaped fifteen years ago when they were 18. They consider each other brother and sister. Ten years earlier Gabriel's wife Annie went missing and was found dead. He was the main suspect. Nothing connected him to the crime, but tabloids had a field day trying to indict him. The two drifted apart after this but are trying to reconnect.

Late one night Frida overhears a fight between wealthy, aging tabloid tycoon William Brenner and his very young, beautiful wife, Sabrina. The next morning Sabrina is found dead. Frida tells a deputy about the argument she overheard. William is arrested but is soon released and the focus seems to be on Gabriel.

The writing is exceptional in this engrossing literary mystery/thriller which unfolds through Frida's point-of-view. The pace is fast, allowing the narrative to build suspense and tension with each page and each new twist. Chapters alternate between the present day murder investigation and Frida and Gabriel's life growing up in the cult. There are actually several different mysteries within the plot.

The dual timelines work very well, are equally compelling, and help develop and provide insight into the characters. Frida is a fully realized, complex character with both her strengths and weaknesses displayed. Growing up in the cult helped shape both Frida and Gabriel's personalities. Understandably, they are both deeply flawed individuals who had to overcome a lot to learn how to live in the world. The final denouement was a shocking surprise.

Our Last Resort is an excellent choice for those who enjoy a well-written mystery/thriller. Thanks to Knopf/Doubleday for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

This had a promising premise. Exclusive resort, cults, sibling relationships…however it fell short. This didn’t feel like the same author as The Quiet Tenant which was a 4.5 star best thriller read for me. While TQT felt like thriller lit OLD felt a little more basic and pedestrian. Probably a sophomore slump and I still look forward glad future books by this author. 3.5 stars if Good Reads allowed half stars.

The desert setting and luxe resort backdrop made for an intriguing contrast with the dark themes of cult trauma and buried secrets. The dual timeline and sibling dynamic offered plenty of potential, and the cult storyline added a fascinating layer. Unfortunately, the suspense fizzled out too early, and the emotional impact never quite landed. While the setup was strong, the overall execution felt flat. A decent read with a memorable premise, but not as gripping as it could have been.

Frida and Gabriel were raised in a cult and managed to escape together. Over the years they have drifted apart but reunite at an exclusive resort only to find themselves embroiled in a murder investigation. The story moves between the past and the present. I am torn on this one. There is a neat twist. But found I could not get engaged with the characters. Thanks to Elliott & Thompson and NetGalley for the free copy.

I enjoyed this quick paced thriller that followed Frida and Gabriel during their time being brought up in a cult, and the time after they escaped. There were twists and I was invested in the story. It didn’t measure up to The Quiet Tenant though, in my opinion.

I was hoping for so much more. I loved her previous book but this didn’t do it for me. The two storylines were very disjointed. Def wanted to see the two timelines intersect somehow.

Thank you Netgalley and Elliott & Thompson for this digital advance copy.
Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. I really didn’t like the cult aspect POV and the current timeline wasn’t engaging enough for me to carry on reading. The plot was very slow and unfortunately not interesting to me.

After reading and loving "The Quiet Tenant," I was excited to receive an early copy of "Our Last Resort." Thank you for sharing the free digital copy with me! Once again, Michallon delivered a gripping thriller that sucked me in right away. Reading about cults is always fascinating, and the dual timelines made it especially interesting, as I was able to make connections between the main character's childhood and their present situation.

Summary: Frida and Gabriel seek a fresh start at the remote Ara Hotel after a personal tragedy. Their attempt to reconnect turns sinister when a young woman's body is discovered, and suspicion quickly falls on Gabriel. Frida is forced to revisit their past in a cloistered cult and their dramatic escape, questioning Gabriel's innocence as evidence mounts against him.

Michallon is a must-read thriller author and I can't wait to see what she writes next!

Cover is stunning and it’s a perfectly bingeable book for the beach. ☀️

The good: sped through this one. It’s a fast read with mostly short chapters, and has really great atmosphere (I could fully envision the Amangiri-esque resort). You love to see it. 🤌

I definitely enjoyed one of the big twists. I’ll admit my detective skills figured it out a bit earlier on, but still the payoff was satisfying.

The not as good: while it’s super easy to binge, there was something that never fully clicked for me.

I friggin love a cult story, but I wanted more from that time in Frida and Gabriel’s lives and/or for it to better connect to the present timeline.

Thanks so much for the opportunity to read this in advance. I did really enjoy The Quiet Tenant, probably slightly more than this book. The twists caught me off guard but the journey there was slow at times, would recommend though

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75

fun thriller with cults and resorts. what more can you ask for?!

This book was very intense and enjoyable. I couldn't figure out who did it on my own. I was blindsided by the author.

First, thank you to NetGalley for this ARC copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

At first I had a hard time getting into it, the beginning was a little slow paced. But it quickly sucked me in and kept my interest. I really enjoyed the writing style. I did figure out the “twist” before it was revealed, but it didn’t change my interest.

We follow Frida & Gabriel in interwined timelines. Past showing us their lives as children/teens in a cult, where they call themselves “siblings”. Present where they are reunited at a resort and find themselves in some trouble.


Read if you like:

💥Murder Mystery🔪🕵‍♂️
💥domestic suspense🏠❔️
💥cult vibes🖤
💥resort setting 🏨
💥dual timelines⌛️⏳️

Alternating between past and present timelines, Our Last Resort builds toward a shattering climax that uncovers the fate of the murdered Ara guest and poses the question: how well do we ever really know those we love? Multi-layered, gripping, and intense. Very slow from the start, takes its sweet time to get the pace, overall, 3.75 for me. Story is good but very predictable.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Elliott&Thimpson for the book #OurLastResort by #ClémenceMichallon. This book is just brilliant and I could not put it down. Frida and Gabriel met and grew up in a Commune. They have always considered each other brother and sister. They have just reunited after many years of being apart and are staying in a resort in Utah. It’s very secluded and expensive. And young woman turns up dead and they are once again in the spotlight and it’s assumed they had something to do with her death. Can they clear their names before they end up in jail?

In this book, we follow Frida and her brother Gabriel, who are on holiday together at a resort in the desert. As the story unfolds, we discover more about their past growing up in a cult.

I absolutely loved Clémence Michallon's debut, The Quiet Tenant, and have been looking forward to reading her second book. While it wasn't quite as spectacular as The Quiet Tenant, I did still find it an enjoyable read. The author has the fantastic ability to change your entire perception of a scene with just an aptly placed word or sentence, which is used to great effect here, particularly since the story is told from Frida's point of view and switches between present day and her childhood.

A recommended read for fans of thrillers with dual timelines and flawed protagonists.

Thank you to Netgalley and Elliott & Thompson for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I had read this author's previous book, The Quiet Tenant and was absolutely enthralled, so I was extremely excited for a chance to read and review this next one. Well, Our Last Resort definitely deserves a read also! Frida is on a vacation with her brother, Gabriel at a resort in the Utah desert. A woman is found murdered and Gabriel becomes the suspect. Oh, and did I mention that Frida and Gabriel also escaped from a cult years ago as teens? And Gabriel was also accused of killing his wife 9 years ago. So, there's that too. Yes, there's a lot going on, but it was really interesting figuring out how everything tied together. And the desert scenery was a character unto itself. Loved those descriptions!! I am eager to see what Clemence Michallon comes up with next!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Clemence Michallon and Elliott & Thompson for the chance to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Facebook and other retail and social media sites upon publication day of August 7, 2025.

Our Last Resort is a slow-burn mystery, delivering emotional depth and a tense sibling dynamic, between a brother and sister who escaped from a cult, that is gripping and atmospheric.