Our Last Resort - by Clémence Michallon (Hardcover)

About the Book

"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, Clâemence Michallon's sophomore suspense novel is a nail-biter until the last page, cementing her status as a major new talent in the genre"--

Book Synopsis

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.

"Clémence 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 Quotes

Praise for Our Last Resort

"Clémence Michallon is a genuine talent, with a gift for unexpected angles, finding fresh ways of approaching even the darkest subjects that make them feel reinvigorated and daring. You come to Michallon for beautiful, thought-provoking prose and deep characterization. In Our Last Resort, she finds tenderness in a story about cults, dreaminess, and compassion in the lengths to which people will go to save themselves."
--Ashley Winstead, USA Today-bestselling author of Midnight is the Darkest Hour

"With a chilling cult backstory that feels ripped from the headlines and a complicated heroine you can't help rooting for, Our Last Resort is both an immersive mystery and a haunting exploration of just how far we'll go to protect those we hold most dear."
--Andrea Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here and The Last Ferry Out

"Clémence Michallon lures readers in with a luxurious, lush setting, her beautiful prose and a distant crime before dropping a bombshell. Thought-provoking and shocking, Our Last Resort tests the bounds of family and reminds us that, no matter how hard we try, we can never forget our past. Readers will be thinking about this one for a long time! A perfect summer read."
--Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of She's Not Sorry

"A tale of childhood survival wrapped around a psychological whodunnit, Our Last Resort is a taut and twisty exploration of how far we might go to save the people we love the most. Clémence Michallon is the real deal; from her nuanced characters to her hypnotic prose, readers who enjoyed her dazzling debut will be delighted to find that her sophomore novel packs the same powerful punch."
--Stacy Willingham, New York Times bestselling author of Forget Me Not

About the Author

CLÉMENCE MICHALLON is the author of The Quiet Tenant, a USA Today and international bestseller and nominee for the Hammett Prize. She's also a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times Book Review, Time Magazine, The Independent, and more. Clémence was born and raised near Paris, has lived in New York since 2014, and became a U.S. citizen in 2022. Our Last Resort is her second thriller. She can be found on Instagram at clemencemichallon and on X at Clemence_Mcl.