Our Last Resort by Clemence Michallon 

I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Michallon at the Hamptons Whodunit. I talked to her about how wild our imaginations can be to come up with these stories about some of the most unhinged things. I was specifically talking about her last novel, The Quiet Tenant, but she’s done it again. 

Fifteen years prior, Frida and Gabriel escaped a secluded cult. Now, they are looking to reconnect at the gorgeous Ara Hotel in the isolated desert of Escalante, Utah. To Frida, it feels like heaven, until the body of a young woman turns up and both of them saw her alive the previous day. Now, a local police investigation is underway, and Gabriel is the prime suspect due to the mysterious death of his wife, 9 year earlier. 

Our Last Resort explores Frida and Gabriel’s life growing up in a cult, the aftermath, and how it shaped their lives now. You can clearly tell the bond between Frida and Gabriel is that of siblings: they become frustrated with each other but would do anything to protect the other. The story progresses through dual timelines, slowly unveiling secrets and deceptions making you question everything surrounding these two. The building tension had me ravenous for the climax and satiated with the ending. I would highly recommend grabbing this book for one of your first summer reads that will have your heart in throat during the wild ride. 

Thank you Netgally and Knopf for my eARC!