4 stars


Frida and Gabriel were raised as self-selected siblings in a cult led by Emile. They ran away when they were around eighteen, amid a lot of darkness.

Now, as adults, people are seeking their participation in a documentary. Gabriel has agreed to talk, but Friday doesn’t understand why. Frida is hoping to reconnect with Gabriel, since they have drifted apart, so she’s invited him for a stay at a resort in the Utah desert…where Friday witnesses what may be a prelude to a murder.

THE QUIET TENANT has been on my “to read” list forever but I haven’t gotten to it, but I was very excited to get the ARC of Michallon’s new book. This was good, both the flashback sections and those taking place in the now. A fair number of good twists and both main characters were well written. Very enjoyable.

I really enjoyed this. A slow burn with lots of shocks and very well written. Everyone wants disposable, read in one sitting popcorn thrillers these days but I prefer slow burn books that build suspense and have a well structured plot, making it more believable. This ticks all the boxes for me. Thank you for the ARC.

Our Last Resort is a suspenseful whodunit that will keep you guessing.

Frida and Gabriel are seeking a fresh start at the stunning Ara Hotel in the secluded desert of Escalante, Utah. Once so close, they grew apart after the sudden loss of a loved one. Now, at the resort, what was meant to be a time to reconnect takes a dark turn when the body of a young woman is discovered. Suddenly, their relaxing getaway becomes a nightmare as shadows from the past begin to surface.

When the local police arrive, and suspicion falls on Gabriel, Frida is forced to revisit memories from their upbringing in a cult, but she is determined to prove his innocence.

After reading The Quiet Tenant, I was immediately attracted to this author’s writing style and couldn’t wait for her next release. Alas, we were gifted with Our Last Resort. Personally, I don’t believe this story was as strong as The Quiet Tenant, but there were parts of the story that kept me hooked. It follows two timelines, past and present. I was more intrigued by the past as it was focused on Frida and Gabriel’s childhood and cult experience, which made me eager to dive in; the present fell a bit flat for me. The story's murder mystery elements were all there, but I didn’t particularly enjoy the main characters; their personalities were quite dry. However, the reason for their stale personalities was apparent: they lived a horrible childhood in a cult, and it was fight or flight for the remainder of their young years, so it’s understandable. Despite being understandable, connecting with the characters in their adult life made it challenging. It was easy to communicate with them in their past life. I enjoyed their story; the growth of their relationship was strong, making it believable and easy to follow.

To bring it back to the overall story, again, I did enjoy the murder mystery aspects of the story. It was intriguing and predictable, but I was eager to see how everything played out. I got whiplash from trying to figure out whether or not I believed Gabriel’s story, so his part of the story hooked me. The ending was predictable, and I wasn’t thrilled, but there were a lot of moments in the story that had me second-guessing myself, which made the story a little more fun. It wasn’t my favourite, but I recommend giving this book a chance.

MUST READ!
Our Last Resort delivers the perfect blend of two of my favorite subgenres—vacation-gone-wrong and cult thrillers! This gripping story pulls you into the lives of Frida and Gabriel, cult-siblings bound by a shared and haunting past, and now reunited under unsettling circumstances.

As the narrative unfolds, we dive into their traumatic childhoods while navigating a shocking murder in real time. Frida is determined to reconnect with Gabriel, a sibling of sort from the cult they escaped. But Gabriel is still grieving the sudden loss of his wife and the media storm that framed him unfairly as a killer. When the young wife of a media mogul dies mysteriously at the resort, all eyes turn to them.

The layers of trauma, suspicion, and tension make this an unforgettable read. Clemence Michallon masterfully weaves past and present, keeping you on edge as secrets unravel and relationships are tested. Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers with a dark twist.

#Knopf #Elliot&Thompson #OurLastResort #ClemenceMichallon

I enjoyed this book a lot. It's an extremely well written domestic thriller, chock full of evocative details, that unfolds over dual timelines. It's very character driven. Well paced. I enjoyed the twists and the relationship of the main characters.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf publishers for the digital advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the author's debut novel, so obviously I had to pick this one up. Unfortunately, I didn't like this one as much. It was very slow, the story took a while to keep going and I wasn't really that engaged while reading. I also found the back and forth between the timelines confusing at times. The writing was good though and this picked up eventually, however I wish the endign had been less predictable, I figured it out pretty early on. I was hoping there would be another unexpected twist to bring in some suspense. However if you like a slow burn murder mystery, you will probably enjoy this more than I did.

While I didn’t LOVE the Quiet Tenant as much as other readers; it was so unique that I knew I had to pick up this one without knowing a synopsis at all.

If you enjoy a slow burn murder mystery, resort setting, dual timelines and cults, this one is for you.

I will say the past timeline aka the cult portion had me captivated right from the beginning of course; but the present day perspective was extremely boring and I didn’t really care what was happening there. Eventually, this opinion switched as the cult aspect seemed forgotten and things were really picking up in the present. There was also a third subplot that felt really left field for way too long but ultimately did tie things together at the end. There was one “plot twist” and while I didn’t predict it; it also wasn’t anything super shocking or exciting. I also wanted more from the ending than what I got.

Overall, I did really enjoy this story but at the same time I was also bored at the same time. I found this one really hard to rate but I do feel like it’s above average but still below a five star. Maybe a 3.5?

It’s a bit predictable in that I guessed all the villains but didn’t completely guess the methods. I found it a fast paced and fun read even so and would recommend! Especially good for a bit of brain candy when you need it.

Review of ‘Our Last Resort’ by Clemence Michallon due to be published on 7 August 2025 by Elliot & Thompson.

This book is based on two former members of a cult, who have survived but now find themselves embroiled in murder.

The chapters back and forth from the past to the present day.

Personally, I had worked out the ending, which is fine - but I prefer to have a twist of something I was not expecting.

If you like a tightly plotted, clever story with razor sharp dialogue, characters that pop off the page, and a twist so chilling you’ll be reaching for a blanket to wrap yourself in, then this is a book for you!

I raced through it, it consumed me in its pages... A shocking conclusion which left me gobsmacked... Brilliant... HOOKS YOU FROM THE START. LOVED IT! LOVED IT! LOVED IT!’

It was delightful and thrilling read kept me hooked... I found myself glued to the book. I cannot wait for the next!
A massive 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 stars from me!

Thank you NetGalley for sending me this arc.
I read his other book by this author and I loved it, so when I saw that I got an arc for his new one I screamed. This book got me hooked on the 1st chapter. It’s good!!