I did find this story interesting and enjoyed the past flashbacks. The cult aspect felt horrifyingly real and the setting of the isolated resort was well done. I liked that as you went along you start to question if you can trust any of the characters. I do think there needed to be a bit more flow, it felt broken up. Despite expecting the twists I was still invested enough to keep reading. Overall I prefer her first book to this one, but Clémence Michallon's writing is great and I look forward to reading what she does next.
Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for the eARC!

Thank you NetGalley, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this ARC. I was excited to read this book as I really enjoyed The Quiet Tenant but I don't think this one was quite on par. Our Last Resort is centered around Frieda and Gabriel, alternating timelines between their current situation at the Ara hotel and their prior life growing up in a cult. I had a hard time connecting the relevance between their cult life and the current timeline as they were completely unrelated when it came to the plot. I was hoping the book would go into more detail about their cult upbringing but felt that portion was a little rushed. The plot 'twist' at the end wasn't really a twist - It was an obvious move.

3.5 ⭐️

Overall, this book was interesting and a fun puzzle. I did enjoy the then and now timelines and character backgrounds. I always think the perspective from cult members is fascinating.

However, I thought there were a lot of loop holes and felt choppy at some points, and I tried to connect with their present characters but had a hard time. I saw one of the twists coming, but I still wanted to know how it would play out so I didn’t think that was a negative. I will still buy this book and recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you NetGalley, Knopf, Pantheon, and Vintage for this ARC.
I flew through this! I don't particularly care for cult thrillers, but I really enjoyed the writing. It was the writing that kept me reading, not the plot-through that really picked up at the end. 4.5 rounded down!

I loved The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon, so I was thrilled to dive into her sophomore novel. This time, the story follows siblings raised in a cult as they attempt to reconnect on a vacation after a recent estrangement. The pacing is spot-on, and Michallon’s writing style remains captivating. I managed to predict about half of the twists, but that didn’t take away from the suspense. While this wasn’t my favorite of her two books, it’s still an engaging and fast-paced read that’s worth picking up.

“Here’s the truth about committing murder: There are no perfect crimes. Only lucky ones. Only a hundred cursed stars aligning just so.”

I can only say that I need a minute after finishing this masterpiece.. After “The quiet tenant,” I’ve been anxiously awaiting a second book. And this was even better if that’s even possible.

The seamless way the past/present was told and how they intersected made for a story I couldn’t put down. You love these characters yet struggle to find their redeeming qualities. You feel for them deeply and want a happy ending. But this is a story of a life not chosen and a family of you’re own making.

Frieda and Gabriel grew up in a cult together, then, years later Gabriel’s wife, Anna, suspiciously died. After that, the two drifted apart. When they finally come back together for what is meant to be a relaxing vacation in Utah, another guest is murdered and once again, the spotlight is on them.

Frieda and Gabriel are both flawed figures. With their pasts, this doesn’t come as a surprise. With the way things pan out, switching between the past and the present, it becomes clear how they became who they are, and why they cling so dearly to each other.

Furthermore, the ride is bumpy and wild. It seems like it’s straightforward at the beginning, yet you quickly come to question if you can directly trust anyone involved. It has so many twists and turns that leave you guessing what the outcome could be.

While at the end of the day, it is a whodunnit, it kept me locked in the entire time. It doesn’t just tackle classic thriller topics, but dives deeper. It goes into how well we really know people and what bonds us together to create a propelling story that you cannot put down.

I would recommend this to anyone who loves interpersonal dramas as well as murder mysteries

really enjoyed this!!! it does not beat michallon's debut, but still a good book all on its own.

thank you to the Knopf, Pantheon, and Vintage team for an ARC of one of my most anticipated books of 2025.

I absolutely loved The Quiet Tenant and was super excited to read Our Last Resort. They are different styles, but they do share Clémence's flair for dark, emotional story-telling. Both have that family drama that is almost claustrophobic feeling. Clémence has the ability to make you feel trapped in the drama with the protagonist. Really enjoyed the multiple POVs and the author does it well by staying true to each individual character. Some books, the characters blend together. Overall, a fantastic book about family secrets and trauma, that is paced just right.

This book had all the things I love, short chapters, alternate timelines, decades of mysteries, and a cult! Told in alternating timelines between Gabriel and Frida’s teenage years in a cult and present day where there is a suspicious murder at a resort in Utah. I found myself wanting to do nothing until I finished this book. I loved the sibling relationship and I really loved Frida’s character. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Our Last Resort
by Clémence Michallon

I am a huge fan of The Quiet Tenant and was so excited to read her 2nd novel.

The story is told in dual timelines involving a cult Frida and Gabriel escaped from in their teens. In present time, estranged siblings Frida and Gabriel are at a resort. There, a murder occurs and Gabriel is a suspect as his wife died under mysterious circumstances years before.

Quick and entertaining read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed The Quiet Tenant so I was very excited when I saw that Clémence Michallon was coming out with a new book. The premise of this book sounded new and exciting, and it did not disappoint. I will definitely be recommending this book to patrons and friends, however The Quiet Tenant is a stronger book, so I'd maybe tell them to read this one first. Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for this ARC!

I was thrilled to receive a free ARC of Our Last Resort by Clemence Michallon from Knopf and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. After absolutely loving Michallon’s debut, The Quiet Tenet, my expectations were sky-high—and this book did not disappoint.

I’m giving Our Last Resort 4 stars. It’s a quick and enticing read, especially if, like me, you find cults endlessly fascinating. The novel unfolds through two interconnected timelines: Frida and Gabriel’s past as children of an unnamed cult and their present-day entanglement in the fallout of a murder at a high-end desert resort. The dual narrative kept me hooked, with each timeline revealing its own set of twists and emotional depth.

Michallon’s portrayal of the cult is chillingly realistic, evoking echoes of real-life groups I’ve read about, and it’s clear she’s done her research. The resort murder mystery is equally compelling, with plenty of surprises to keep readers guessing until the very end.

One of Michallon’s greatest strengths is her ability to craft characters you genuinely care about—a quality that’s often lacking in thrillers. Frida and Gabriel’s struggles and resilience felt deeply human, and I found myself rooting for them even when the stakes were high. I also couldn’t help but appreciate the sly nods to “the mob show,” a recurring reference that made me smile as a fellow fan.

With its gripping pace and evocative setting, Our Last Resort is tailor-made for summer reading. It’s out on July 8, 2025, and I highly recommend packing it in your beach bag—or better yet, devouring it while sipping a cocktail at a luxury resort in the desert.

Told in two timelines; a bond forged by the trauma of their cult upbringing, too many secrets, and a murder are the basis for this unputdownable and gripping story of the reunion between estranged siblings, Frida, and Gabriel.

I enjoyed the brother sister story since I have not read many books about that. I also love a dual timeline so that amped up my reading. This was a good murder mystery and I liked the set up from the very beginning. The author knows how to write a great story. It was not really twisty or a thriller but I did not mind. I wanted to know the characters and their backstory and how they got to where they were which the author provided in great detail. I enjoyed this story and think you will to especially if you liked The Quiet Tenant.

I enjoyed reading this novel Our Last Resort by Clemence Michallon. A brother and sister, whose lives began in a cult have planned a reunion to spend time together at a resort in Utah but upon arrival a murder occurs. Suspicion falls upon the brother because his wife also died under similar circumstances.
A twisty thriller with plenty of suspense and surprises makes this for a great and entertaining read!

I was completely hooked on Michallon’s last thriller, The Quiet Tenant and was so excited to dive into her next novel.
Our Last Resort covers Frida and Gabriel as they grow up and end up escaping from a cult. They survive their childhood and life after escape by clinging to each other and we follow their bond as they grow up and learn to manage life on the outside. Then Gabriel’s wife goes missing and turns up dead. Things fall apart but they end up connecting in present time at an upscale resort to reunite and discuss doing a documentary. At this resort another woman ends up dead and Frida and Gabriel must decide if they truly trust each other.
This second novel was very well written and the cult history was interesting but semi surface level. The characters could have been more insightful but overall this was an interesting read and definitely drew me in.

I was a little wary since I was probably in the minority on The Quiet Tennant, but I really enjoyed Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon. It wasn’t what I expected and that was definitely a good thing. We are introduced to Frida and her brother, Gabriel. We find out through dual timelines that they grew up in a cult and have a hard life. We have “then” and “now” which creates an interesting dynamic and allows for in depth character development. With tragedy in their past, and new drama unfolding around them on what is supposed to be a relaxing vacation, this creates an interesting plot.

I do think the beginning was a little slow, but it was setting up for the rest of the novel. It was well written and interesting. The slow burn led to an interesting climax, which I was able to predict part of (which of course we know I like being right). I like the premise that family isn’t always about blood, and there are lengths that people will go to in order to protect those they love. This was a solid 4 star rating thriller for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Knopf, Panthen, Vintage, and Anchor I Knopf Publishing and Clémence Michallon for the eARC of Our Last Resort in exchange for an honest review. Publication for Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon is set for publication 08 July 2025. I would recommend grabbing this one when you can!

The premise of this story was great: 2 ex cult members, survivors, back in present day who are once again surrounded by murder and scandal. This forces them to revisit the horrors of their past and we go back and forth from the present to the past cult days as we get to know the characters intimately.

I enjoyed the story, but for me it wasn't amazing. The cult storyline has been frequent in books lately and I felt like that aspect lacked the depth to make me really care for these characters, I needed that part of the plot to dig deeper. 

As a thriller lover I'm always trying to solve the "whodunit" and I was able to halfway guess the answers by 60%. The ending also felt like it was a bit anticlimactic, wrapped up too neatly given the circumstances. 

Overall I enjoyed the story and do recommend!

Thanks Netgalley for the free ARC! I was very excited to receive this ARC because I was highly impressed with Clemence Michallon’s first novel The Quiet Tenant. This novel in comparison to previous works was a bit mediocre. I did enjoy the storyline, but unfortunately it was not gripping or memorable.