“Our Last Resort” by Clemence Michallon is a tense and provocative thriller about a man and woman who grew up together in a cult and bonded as brother and sister. Their story is told in dual timelines recounting the horrors of their childhood, to the present where they are spending a week at a luxury resort together to repair their estranged relationship.

They have had a hard life, he being the prime suspect in his wife’s death and she never finding a path where she fits into society. During their vacation a beautiful young woman is found brutally murdered on the grounds of the resort and once again they become the prime suspects.

These two characters are experts at keeping buried secrets which had me flipping through the pages of this book at warp speed. I think thriller lovers will really enjoy reading this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Last Resort by Clémence Michallon has a compelling premise centered around a couple’s retreat to a remote Utah resort after fleeing a cult, only to be pulled into a murder investigation that stirs up their past. I was especially drawn to the cult angle, which I found fascinating, and I appreciated the “then and now” timeline and character backstories. However, the pacing felt slow, the suspense was lacking, and the resolution didn’t fully land for me—especially with a fairly predictable twist and an abrupt ending. While the writing was strong and kept me reading, I struggled to connect with the present-day characters and found parts of the plot choppy with some loose ends. That said, I still enjoyed the overall concept and would recommend it to those interested in character-driven mysteries with cult elements.

I LOVE A GOOD OLE CULT NOVEL. As soon as I see something set in Utah, I assume it's cult related. This was soooo good. Clemence hooked me with the Quiet Tenant and then did not let me down with Our Last Resort.

✨✨✨ Arc Review ✨✨✨

Our Last Resort
By Clemence Michallon

🌟🌟🌟🌟

My thoughts:

I am eternally grateful to @netgalley @knopfca, and @clemencemichallon for providing me with the Arc Copy. The thrill of receiving an early edition was palpable. I immediately found myself captivated by the author’s unique writing style, which masterfully keeps you on the edge of your seat in her gripping novel, *The Quiet Tenant*.

In her highly anticipated second debut, Our Last Resort, we delve into a haunting murder mystery that unfolds deliberately slowly, gradually building tension. The story introduces us to Frida and Gabriel, two deeply complex characters who have emerged from the shadows of a cult. Their experiences within this oppressive community were marked by cruelty, heartache, and relentless abuse. As they attempted to break free from their traumatic past, they harbored a dark desire to replicate the pain they endured, directing it towards the remaining members of the cult.

This desperate escape, however, came at a devastating cost—one life was lost, and this tragic event casts a long shadow over their futures, haunting them in ways they could never have anticipated.

Our Last Resort delves deep into the intricate dynamics of cult communities, exploring themes of resilience and retribution. It explores the murky waters of new beginnings, the chilling act of murder, and the heavy silence that often shrouds unhealed wounds. The narrative is steeped in a tone of profound sadness, vividly painting the bleak living conditions of the past and revealing the buried secrets that each character harbors. This book’s rich details and emotional depth create an unforgettable reading experience that lingers long after the last page is turned.

I truly enjoyed this book as much as I did the Quiet Tenant.

This book was well thought out but moved a bit slow for me. I also found the writing choppy, especially the dialog. It’s a good story but not the right book for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

OUR LAST RESORT by Clémence Michallon

Bonded as “siblings”, escaping a cult, suspected of murder, and trying to live a normal life, could you imagine?

Give this some thought: if your sibling was wanted for murder, would you believe them if they proclaimed innocence or would you allow doubt to creep in? Such a tough predicament!

As far as vacations go, such a nice resort, it sounds like an ideal place. Minus murder, that is.

I found the author’s writing style to be unique and intriguing; it was great to “hear” what the main character was thinking.

Nice work!

A page-turner from the start, I was thinking “just one more chapter” well into the night. The settings and characters made the story shine so much that I could feel myself right along with Frida and Gabriel at every twist and turn. I enjoy a novel with suspense coupled with beautiful prose. I look forward to reading more of Michallon’s work.

I think I went into this with super high expectations since reading the debut of this author. I found this to be slow, stunted, and very disjointed. Sad to say because this started on such a good foot but I found myself losing interest in the characters about halfway through.

I love how this book flipped back and forth between the present and their past lives when they were in the cult. The characters were great and well written, and I flew through this, trying to see what happened next. It's a great story about childhood survival and a psychological thriller all in one. Their story about growing up in a cult and escaping their bad situation is compelling. I was super excited to read it and devoured it in one day.

I read this so quickly because I just wanted to know what happened next!! The characters were very well written, the action was immediate and very suspenseful, and the twists kept the plot super engaging! The only thing that I didn't like was the murderer reveal was a bit too sudden and clean, but it didn't take away from the rest of the book! I really loved this one and would highly recommend to all thriller lovers!

Overall was a good book had a good plot with a slight twist at the end. Definitely got my wheel spinning in regarding to cult, life, and how people live that way.

Another amazing Thriller by Clemence McMihllon. I was fully absorbed into this book. Once I started reading I simply could not put it down. I loved the dual perspective in timeline, the complex relationship between Frida and her brother. I also loved reading about the cult they were a part of when they were younger. This story had the perfect mix of suspense, fear and mystery. An absolute stellar read.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this one and will absolutely purchase a hard copy for myself once it’s available.

Highly recommend!

I really enjoyed The Quiet Tenant so I was hopeful for Our Last Resort, but something about it just didn't hit the same way that Quiet Tenant did. I enjoyed my time in this story, but I much preferred Quiet Tenant.

What a nail biter this one is!

Siblings looking to connect are booked in at a fancy resort in the desert. Time away, getting to know each other again while enjoying the pool and sun.

Until a guest is murdered. The younger wife of a rich guest and suddenly all the evidence is pointing to Gabriel. Which forces Frida to face their past and how they escaped from the cult they were raised in.

Is her brother a killer? Is she?

This author is an expert at building tension! Great summer reading!


NetGalley/ July 08, 2025 Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor/Knopf

I was so confused reading this book. I wanted to love it so much because I really loved the quiet tenant by Clemence. But this just fell shot for me unfortunately. Maybe I’m just not into cult murder stories but I felt like the plot was all over the place.

After loving The Quiet Tenant, I was super excited to get the ARC for Michallon's sophomore novel. Our Last Resort is quite a bit different from her first book. This one takes place in a luxury remote spa in the Utah desert. Frida, the narrator, is vacationing there with her brother, Gabriel when one of the guests is murdered. This is told in dual timelines. The present day, in Utah, while the police investigate the murder with Gabriel and Frida as prime suspects, and back when the two were children who grew up in a cult. Frida explains how the two grew up in their secluded environment, how they managed to get away from it, and how their relationship has changed over time. It's highly propulsive, and very well written. Michallon is now a must-read for me.

I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to receive this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

I rate this 3.75 ⭐️

This is a wonderful book! It is told in a dual timeline past and present about 2 “siblings” that are supposed to be enjoying a vacation and discussing some matters when a murder happens and it brings up past events. This has cult history in it so if you dont like that this book isnt for you. Overall, I really liked this book

Not released till july 8, 2025

Where are my thriller fans who enjoy books about cults?? Michallon’s newest release centers on Frida and Gabe; estranged siblings who have agreed to vacation together in a lush resort in Escalante, Utah. When another guest is found dead, the resort is locked down, and Frida and Gabe are named as persons of interest due to their brief interactions with the victim. This brings up memories the siblings would rather keep buried and private. Told with flashbacks to Gabe and Frida’s past lives growing up in a strict cult, readers learn more about the bond between them, the fiery crime they committed to escape the cult, and the risks they are willing to take to keep one another safe.

This is a high stakes and tense thriller; Gabe and Frida are experts at keeping secrets so there is a great balance of an unreliable narrator, morally ambiguous characters, and secrets! Tightly plotted, Michallon perfectly jostles readers back and forth between the past and present with increasingly shortened segments that had me flipping through the pages as record speed. There is an excellent sense of foreboding and claustrophobic writing that kept my hackles raised until the end. I think thriller readers who enjoy mystery books with dark secrets, trauma bonds, and cults will love this next thriller by Michallon.

Thank you to Knopf for my early ARC! This summer thriller released on 7/8/25.

Frida and Gabriel share a childhood past spent in a cult where they bonded as "brother and sister." Once they make the decision to escape the cult, they only have each other to rely upon while having to quickly learn everything about the "outside" world. Through the years, they go their separate ways, only to reunite from time to time or in times of crisis for either one of them. When Gabriel is accused of his wife's murder, Frida is there to help fight off the police and public opinion, having full faith in Gabriel that he didn't do it. Years later, a documentary film crew wants to chronicle their experience during and after Annie's murder. Gabriel and Frida meet in an exclusive desert spa hotel to discuss the proposed film only to have Gabriel accused or murdering one of the hotel guests. Once again, Frida must come to the rescue of her "brother." What they don't know is that each of them has been keeping secrets from the other about their present situation and Annie's murder all those years ago.
Tenacity and family are the two driving forces in these character's lives. Having to scrape by all their lives and only having each other builds an unwavering trust between them. But is that trust as solid as they each believe?
An interesting take on characters coming out of life in a cult and learning the skills needed to survive in the modern world. Frida is the stronger of the two characters. Gabriel just seems to float through the story even when he's been accused of a second murder.

This book has a little bit of everything…cults, murder, mystery, multiple timelines. Frida and Gabriel grew up together in a cult and consider themselves brother and sister. They decide to leave the cult in order to have a normal life so they devise a plan to leave. Once away from the cult, they slowly adapt to life in the real world and Gabriel even ends up getting married. Frida and Gabriel eventually lose touch after he moves across the country so they decide to reunite at a fancy hotel in the desert. A murder takes place at the resort and the race is on to figure out who the murderer is.

This is my first book by Clemence Michallon and I enjoyed her writing style, even though the twist wasn’t as jaw dropping as I would have liked.


Thank you, Knopf, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.