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.

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.

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

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*.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.