Our Last Resort: A Novel by Clémence MichallonPublication Date: July 8, 2025
Pages: 320
Add on: Goodreads
Rating: ★★★½
Source: Personal Copy
Genre: Fiction / Thrillers / Psychological
Publisher: Knopf / Penguin Random House
From the bestselling author of The Quiet Tenant comes a propulsive new thriller: 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.
“Clemence Michallon is one of the most daring, exciting new voices in psychological suspense; she writes page turners with stunning and surprising depths.” – #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell
"Thought-provoking and shocking. A perfect summer read.”—Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of She's Not Sorry
Innocence doesn't bail you out; it just makes you easier to trap.
Frida and Gabriel arrive seeking a fresh start at the stunning Ara Hotel in the secluded desert of Escalante, Utah. Once so close they were able to finish each other’s sentences, they’ve grown apart in recent years after a sudden, unspeakable tragedy. Now, at the luxe resort, they are ready to reconnect between dips in the pool and hikes on spectacular desert trails. It all feels like paradise—until the dead body of a beautiful young woman who was vacationing at the Ara with her powerful, much older husband is discovered.
When the local police arrive and suspicion quickly falls on Gabriel, Frida is forced to revisit memories from their upbringing in a cloistered cult in upstate New York, their dramatic escape, and the scandal that followed. Frida’s belief in Gabriel’s innocence never wavered at the time, but now even she can’t ignore the evidence mounting against him.
Alternating between past and present timelines, Our Last Resort builds toward a shattering climax that uncovers the fate of the murdered Ara guest and poses the question: how well do we ever really know those we love? Taut, gripping, and intense, Clémence Michallon’s latest suspense novel is a nail-biter until the last page, cementing her status as a major new talent in the genre.
REVIEW
REVIEW
Clémence Michallon’s Our Last Resort hooks you from the first page and doesn’t let go. The story centers on Frida and Gabriel, siblings whose childhood escape from a cult left them with scars that never quite healed. Fifteen years later, hoping for a fresh start, they meet at a swanky resort—only to have their fragile reunion shattered when a woman turns up dead and Gabriel lands in the crosshairs of a murder investigation.
The heart of the novel beats in the complicated relationship between Frida and Gabriel. Their bond, battered by trauma and secrets, is tested as Frida tries to figure out whether she really knows her brother at all. Michallon deftly explores themes of loyalty, survival, and the haunting persistence of the past. Readers are pulled into a maze of suspicion and memory, where every revelation feels earned—and dangerous.
What sets the book apart is Michallon’s writing: sharp, immersive, and loaded with emotional punch. The story unfolds in fragments, mimicking the way trauma fractures memory, and the tension is relentless. The resort itself feels claustrophobic, amplifying the sense that danger is closing in from all sides. Michallon doesn’t shy away from the darkness—she dives right in, using the cult backstory to explore how easily people can be manipulated, and how hard it is to break free.
There’s a lot to love here: characters who feel painfully real, a plot that keeps you guessing, and an atmosphere thick with dread. Some readers might find the slow, puzzle-piece storytelling a challenge, especially if they prefer their thrillers more straightforward. The emotional weight is heavy, and the cult history at the novel’s core is unsettling. But if you like your suspense layered and your characters flawed, you’ll be hooked.
Michallon, whose debut, The Quiet Tenant, won international raves, proves again that she’s a master at digging into the messiest parts of human nature. Our Last Resort is a gripping, thoughtful, and deeply unsettling ride—perfect for anyone who loves thrillers that leave a mark.
