Our Last Resort
Clémence Michallon
In this propulsive new thriller from the author of the break-out debut The Quiet Tenant, a reunion between estranged siblings is interrupted when a woman is found murdered at their luxury vacation resort, dredging up memories from a shared childhood they’ve tried to keep buried in the past.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 put the resort into lockdown, Gabriel and Frida are forced to revisit memories from their upbringing in a cloistered cult in upstate New York, led by a charismatic and fanatical leader. It was their dramatic, fiery escape from his control fifteen years earlier that bonded them for life—or so Frida thought.Alternating between past and present timelines, Our Last Resort builds toward a shattering climax that uncovers the fate of the murdered Ara guest and reveals the shocking secrets Gabriel and Frida have been hiding for years. Taut, gripping, and intense, Clémence Michallon’s sophomore suspense novel is a nail-biter until the last page, cementing her status as a major new talent in the genre.
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Our Last Resort is a suspenseful whodunit that will keep you guessing. Frida and Gabriel are seeking a fresh start at the stunning Ara Hotel in the secluded desert of Escalante, Utah. Once so close, they grew apart after the sudden loss of a loved one. Now, at the resort, what was meant to be a time to reconnect takes a dark turn when the body of a young woman is discovered. Suddenly, their relaxing getaway becomes a nightmare as shadows from the past begin to surface. When the local police arrive and suspicion falls on Gabriel, Frida is forced to revisit memories from their upbringing in a cult, but she is determined to prove his innocence. After reading The Quiet Tenant, I was immediately attracted to this author’s writing style and couldn’t wait for her next release. Alas, we were gifted with Our Last Resort. Personally, I don’t believe this story was as strong as The Quiet Tenant, but there were parts of the story that kept me hooked. It follows two timelines, past and present. I was more intrigued by the past as it was focused on Frida and Gabriel’s childhood and cult experience, which made me eager to dive in; the present fell a bit flat for me. The story's murder mystery elements were all there, but I didn’t particularly enjoy the main characters; their personalities were quite dry. However, the reason for their stale personalities was apparent: they lived a horrible childhood in a cult, and it was fight or flight for the remainder of their young years, so it’s understandable. Despite being understandable, it made it challenging to connect with the characters in their adult life. It was easy to communicate with them in their past life. I enjoyed their story; the growth of their relationship was strong, making it believable and easy to follow. To bring it back to the overall story again, I did enjoy the murder mystery aspects of the story. It was intriguing and predictable, but I was eager to see how everything played out. I got whiplash from trying to figure out whether or not I believed Gabriel’s story, so his part of the story hooked me. The ending was predictable, and I wasn’t thrilled, but there were a lot of moments in the story that had me second-guessing myself, which made the story a little more fun. It wasn’t my favourite, but I would recommend giving this book a chance. Thank you, Netgalley and Clémence Michallon, for the advanced copy!
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