I had kind of a hard time getting through this one. I just found myself putting it down and putting off picking it back up. It just seemed like the same book I've read over and over and I never guess any twists but I somehow already knew what was coming through this one.

I wanted to love this but I think the story struggled because it didn't know which way it wanted to go. We have two different timelines: one in the present and the past where the main characters are in a cult. The problem for both is that neither timeline fully fleshed out. Because of this, it was hard to connect to the characters and the mystery was pretty basic. I wouldn't put it as a thriller because there is not much suspense.

Frida and Gabriel grew up in a cult, and this book unfolds in a dual timeline—one set during their time in the cult, and the other in the present day, where they’re enjoying a desert vacation. But peace is elusive; deaths and accidents seem to follow them wherever they go, and this trip is no different.

Unfortunately, this book completely fell flat for me—largely due to sky-high expectations. I absolutely adored Clémence’s debut, The Quiet Tenant—it was one of my favorites of 2023. Maybe if I hadn’t read that one, I would’ve been more forgiving here. But this just felt like a run-of-the-mill thriller, with no significant depth and nothing particularly memorable.

Between the two timelines, I much preferred the one set in the cult—it was fascinating and had so much potential. The modern-day storyline, on the other hand, felt boring and predictable.

I'm giving this one 3 stars, not because I didn’t enjoy it, but because it didn’t quite live up to the incredibly high bar set by The Quiet Tenant, which I absolutely adored. That debut completely floored me, so I went into this one with sky-high expectations. While there’s so much to appreciate here, it just didn’t hit quite as hard for me.

That said, there’s a lot I genuinely liked. The dual timelines were handled beautifully, I really enjoyed the way the past and present wove together to slowly reveal the bigger picture. I was especially drawn to Freda and Gabriel as characters; they felt layered and compelling, and I found myself caring about what happened to them.

I also loved the cult backdrop - it was eerie and fascinating. But where The Quiet Tenant felt like a tight, relentless thriller, this one leaned more into murder mystery territory. It had a slower burn and less of that breathless tension I was hoping for, which may be why it didn’t grip me in quite the same way.

Still, Clémence Michallon is an incredibly talented author, and her writing remains sharp and thoughtful. I’ll absolutely keep picking up whatever she writes next.

Huge thanks to Clémence Michallon, NetGalley as well as the publisher Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for the Advance Reader Copy for my honest review.

Clemence Michallon captured the journey that was Frida and Gabriel in a thrilling murder mystery set in the Utah desert. As survivors of a cult, Michallon provides bits and pieces of Frida and Gabriel's upbringing and to what ultimately brings them to Utah in an effort to reconnect after the murder of Gabriel's wife years prior.

When a woman is found murdered at the resort and with one murder already in Gabriel's past it's up to Frida to unearth the truth of what really happened.

On the surface this novel adheres to the popular genre of murder mystery/thriller; however, Michallon dives deep into relationships, trust, and understanding the complexities of who people become and what they let others see/believe.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor

this book was a mixed bag for me. the pacing flowed really well and i absolutely loved the dual timeline, which kept the story engaging. but the plot itself felt a bit too familiar, cliche and predictable.

i struggled to connect with the characters. it’s a quick and decent read overall, and i can see how others might enjoy it, but it just didn’t quite resonate with me personally.

thanks to Alfred A. Knopf Publishers and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Our Last Resort had all the ingredients for a compelling, atmospheric thriller: a remote hotel, characters with secrets, and a mystery that promised twists. The premise is undeniably intriguing, and Michallon’s writing style is engaging enough to pull readers in quickly. I especially enjoyed the alternating timelines between past and present—it added depth and kept the pacing interesting. The cult backstory was another strong element, giving the novel a darker, more unsettling tone that added to the suspense.

That said, the story ultimately felt anticlimactic. The tension builds, but the payoff doesn’t quite land. The plot became increasingly predictable, and what were meant to be twists came across as expected or underwhelming. For a book that sets such an atmospheric stage, it was disappointing to see it play out so tamely.

While the concept is solid and certain elements like the dual timelines and cult history worked well, Our Last Resort didn’t quite deliver the impact I was hoping for. A decent, quick read—especially for fans of slow-burn thrillers—but not one that leaves a lasting impression.

Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

This book was tough. I did not connect to the story. I did not connect to the characters. It just dragged for me. I’m typically a fan of this author. But this one was just a no.

I dropped everything I was doing the second I was approved for this ARC and read this book in 2 days. I loved The Quiet Tenant so I was really looking forward to Ms. Michallon's second book.

I thought this book was a little bit slower but it got my interest quickly and I was excited to learn more about Frida's and Gabriel's story. It was written in two timelines - now and then, and the parts about both siblings living in a cult were very interesting to me.
I felt a little disappointed with the ending - it guess I just expected more of a jaw dropping twist and that didn't really happen for me.
Overall I still think this is a solid mystery/thriller that I highly recommend.

Thank you Knopf and the author for a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

So goof kept me wanting to turn the pages I am happy I was able to read this book it was a great page turner will I recommend yes I would

Fifteen years ago, Frida and her brother Gabriel escaped from a cult in upstate NY. Estranged for the last few years, they agree to a vacation at an upscale resort in Utah to discuss an upcoming documentary about the cult. But when a high-profile guest is murdered, suspicion falls on Gabriel, and their past may come back to haunt them. Our Last Resort is a melancholy tale of two lives- before and after the cult. Seamlessly told in dual timelines, we learn of their life in the cult and how those experiences have affected Frida and Gabriel since their escape, as well as how they deal with the police investigation in present time. Can Frida still trust Gabriel as intensely as she did when they were cult members? Or has the time apart changed them both? This was a great premise, and the author delivers with a tense, at times heart aching novel that will keep you spellbound. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this book from Knopf via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. The premise sounded fascinating, but the execution was a bit of a let down. It seemed like nothing much was happening, and I never really connected with the characters. Although the main twist was a surprise, instead of being pleasantly shocked, I just felt, "yeah, so?"

What did work: the vivid descriptions of the resort, Frida's concern for the injured coyote, the chapters about the past in the cult. I also think Ms. Michallon did well describing the various challenges & newness the characters faced when first leaving the cult (such as thinking a small store is huge and imposing, or not knowing how police investigations operate). That seemed quite believable and an aspect that I wouldn't have even thought of.

I read Michallon's debut novel The Quiet Tenant a few years ago and was very impressed by it. This set the bar pretty high for Our Last Resort and, unfortunately, I don't think that it reached that bar. For me, there were a couple of issues with this novel. First, it was very slow and simply not interesting. I had very little reason (if any) to care about the death of the woman at the resort, and since this is essentially how the novel begins, it was tough to fully engage. This book has two distinct storylines, and neither were very riveting. If I had to choose one, it would be the "past" storyline with Frida and Gabriel at the cult, but even this felt overdone and unoriginal. Lastly, the "twist" in this book was so obvious. I'm assuming we were supposed to be surprised, but I couldn't have been less surprised if you paid me. Unfortunately, there is really nothing redeeming about this novel, and I think it will be one I quickly forget.

Our Last Resort by Clemence Michallon takes the reader to a luxurious hotel in Utah. Frida and her brother Gabriel need a much due break and the Ara Hotel seems like the perfect place! That is until one guest is found murdered at the secluded resort. Suspicion falls on Gabriel and Frida knows only she can clear her brother’s name. But issues from their past seem to be rearing up again—even at this isolated oasis.

Thank you @aaknopf and @netgalley for this ARC ❤️

Fifteen years ago, Frida and her brother escaped a cult. Now her brother is the prime suspect in a murder investigation—and it isn’t the first time.

Like many readers, I absolutely LOVED The Quiet Tenant. It’s always nerve-wracking picking up a sophomore novel after loving the first. I have to say that I enjoyed this one! While it wasn’t as fast paced and memorable as The Quiet Tenant, I thought it was well written and it held my attention the whole way through.

Read if you enjoy:
*Dual timelines
*Cult life
*Twisted family bonds
*Atmosperic desert setting

⭐️ 4/5

This was a good read but it didn’t trick me in ways that I was hoping, as I was able to see the plot twist coming. I would recommend the book to others for sure, but it just wasn’t quite what I was hoping for.
Thank you for the opportunity to read in advance

What a BOOK!! I was not expecting to feel the feels but here we are! I went into this as blind as I could & was so pleasantly surprised this had a cult aspect (a personal favorite). The characters were so flushed out, their stories were so heartbreaking & I found myself rooting for Gabriel & Frida the entire time.
The hotel murder wasn’t too big of a shock but I still enjoyed the ins & outs. Overall I LOVED this books so much & can’t wait for others to read it!

Our Last Resort is the new thriller by Clémence Michallon, author of The Quiet Tenant. I absolutely loved The Quiet Tenant so getting my hands on this new story was super exciting for me.

The story is told in two timelines—then and now. Then is when our two main characters, Frida and Gabriel, are living in a cult led by a charismatic man named Emile. This story line was very interesting to me and I could have read an entire book on it alone. But this story shifts every chapter or two to a “now” timeline when Frida and Gabriel, now out of the cult, are reconnecting after a while apart.

The hotel stay turns into a whodunnit once a famous Hollywood wife staying at the hotel dies and not only stirs up old memories for the two main characters but also puts them in the spotlight as persons of interest.

I figured out what was happening pretty early on. That’s not to say that I didn’t or couldn’t enjoy it but I kind of felt like it took the story a long time to get where I already knew it was going. I think people who love traditional thrillers will enjoy this book. I was hoping for something a little more off the beaten path like The Quiet Tenant.

I would absolutely recommend this for thriller lovers, it’s good. I just typically want something a little different from a formulaic thriller and this was a little on the nose for me.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Knopf, the author and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital ARC for review.

Our Last Resort is a fabulous story about two people who escape from a cult and go on living their lives the best they can. I love how the author writes the past and the present so fluidly. She is able to take you back to the their life in the cult to help you understand exactly the things they have gone through and what drove them to leave. Their lives weren't always easy once outside the cult which leads them to this vacation destination. On their vacation to try to re-kindle their friendship/sibling love for each other there is a murder. Who committed this murder? Was it the husband? A lover? or the previous cult members? This book keeps you guessing until the very end and then surprises you as it is wrapped up! I give it a solid 4 stars!

3.5 ⭐️! Thank you to Clémence Michallon, Knopf/Pantheon/Vintage, & Anchor and Netgalley for the e-arc of Our Last Resort. A murder mystery thriller. This book flashes back and forth between past(cult) and present day (resort). Overall this book was good but it was a slow burn for me! This book publishes on 7/8/25!