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mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My new favorite thriller! I loved the background of the characters escaping from a cull, their relationship dynamic as survivors hardened by their trauma, the way past events are woven into the present narrative. Fantastic writing. Interesting twists without feeling far fetched. It’s just a really good story!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Maybe I had wrong expectations for this book. I didn't think the MCs' past in the cult would take up this much space. I expected the murder mystery to be, well, actually mysterious and not completely transparent. I felt like the chapters of the book that were set in the present didn't have a whole lot of plot and felt more like an afterthought for the author to write about people escaping a cult.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Mental illness, Rape, Murder
Minor: Blood
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Our Last Resort is a mystery thriller with multiple timelines——mainly the present and when the two main characters grew up in a cult. The writing is definitely strong even when it was slow paced. The twist at the end is very satisfying even though I did see it coming. Michallon wrote a well executed suspenseful story of trauma, survival and unconditional love. While I did enjoy this story I do prefer her other novel The Quiet Tenant more.
3.5 stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you NetGalley, Clémence Michallon and Knopf for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
SYNOPSIS
-Frida and Gabriel were raised in a creepy cult and basically trauma-bonded into becoming siblings.
-They haven’t seen each other in years but are reuniting at a fancy resort in the middle of the Utah desert to reconnect and maybe, you know, not hate life for five minutes.
-Everything’s going okay-ish until a young woman turns up dead.
-The book flips between their childhood in the cult and the present-day murder investigation, and neither timeline is chill.
⸻
MY THOUGHTS
-I was locked in from page one. I fully ignored life responsibilities for it.
-It’s suspenseful without being melodramatic. Creepy but not in-your-face. Smart and unsettling in a way that sneaks up on you.
-I loved both timelines equally.
-The cult stuff is super well done. It’s quiet and insidious and believable, not all wild robes and chanting. The vibe is more emotionally manipulative and terrifying in a slow-burn way.
-The murder plot at the resort gave me locked-room mystery energy, and I kept changing my mind about who did it every five pages.
-Frida and Gabriel are messy, broken, and totally compelling. I weirdly loved their weird little relationship.
-The writing is kind of beautiful? Like, it’s a thriller, but then she’ll throw in a line that feels like it wandered in from a literary novel and I was like… okay, flex.
-Solid pacing, no saggy middle, actual twists, and an ending that didn’t make me roll my eyes. I’ll take it.
⸻
TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Spooky cult childhood meets luxury resort murder mystery. Sibling-adjacent trauma bonding. Beautiful writing. Great vibes. Weirdly heartfelt. Five stars, no notes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Rape, Sexual assault
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Gaslighting
Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So, I consumed this book in 24 hours. I don’t even know how long I’ve sat in the bath reading it tonight—I just couldn’t stop.
I loved Michallon’s debut novel. When she announced that ARCs were up on NetGalley, I had to make an account just for this. I kept checking my approval and was so thrilled when they gave it to me.
This second novel has just cemented her as an instant-read author for me. I love the way she weaves together plot lines and character arcs. This is a gripping thriller hitting all the right beats—but it’s more than just a twisty plot. She writes with vividness and beauty, and her characters are fascinating. The setting is an entity of its own, only adding to the story. I wish I would’ve been more emotionally connected to the characters, but still found them interesting.
I’ve searched for thrillers like these for so long, and this fits the bill perfectly. Thank you to the publisher for a free ARC—now I’ll go recommend it to all of my crime-and-cult-loving friends.
I loved Michallon’s debut novel. When she announced that ARCs were up on NetGalley, I had to make an account just for this. I kept checking my approval and was so thrilled when they gave it to me.
This second novel has just cemented her as an instant-read author for me. I love the way she weaves together plot lines and character arcs. This is a gripping thriller hitting all the right beats—but it’s more than just a twisty plot. She writes with vividness and beauty, and her characters are fascinating. The setting is an entity of its own, only adding to the story. I wish I would’ve been more emotionally connected to the characters, but still found them interesting.
I’ve searched for thrillers like these for so long, and this fits the bill perfectly. Thank you to the publisher for a free ARC—now I’ll go recommend it to all of my crime-and-cult-loving friends.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Alcoholism
Contains a lot about cults