Our Last Resort
Frida and Gabriel arrive at the luxe, secluded Ara Hotel in Escalante, Utah, seeking a fresh start after a sudden, unspeakable tragedy. Once inseparable siblings, they have grown apart in recent years, but the desert paradise offers a chance to finally reconnect.
The peace is shattered when a beautiful young woman is found dead and suspicion falls squarely on Gabriel. As the investigation deepens, Frida is forced to confront their dark history—their upbringing in a cloistered upstate New York cult and the scandalous escape that defined their youth. While she has always defended her brother, the mounting evidence at the resort makes his innocence harder to believe.
- Frida - Gabriel’s sister
- Gabriel - Frida’s brother
- William - Sabrina’s husband
- Sabrina - William’s wife
- Émile- Cult leader
- Edwina - Émile's most devout follower
- Annie - Gabriel’s wife, deceased
- Sabrina is found dead at the Ara Hotel.
- Frida and Gabriel formed a sibling bond while living in the cult but they had different biological parents.
- Nine years ago, Annie went missing and was later found dead.
- Frida finds Sabrina’s phone in the desert around the resort.
- Frida finds one of Sabrina’s hair clips in Gabriel’s backpack.
- When Frida turned eighteen, Émile raped her. Afterwards she learned this was normal in the cult, so she and Gabriel decided to leave.
- Frida and Gabriel set fire to Émile’s building and flee the cult.
- Edwina dies in the fire.
- Émile is sent to prison for tax evasion.
- Gabriel tells Frida he was having an affair with Sabrina after meeting her at the Ara.
- Police arrest Gabriel - they say they found the murder weapon, a rock, in his backpack.
- Frida knows the rock must have been planted by William because it wasn’t in Gabriel’s backpack when she found the hair clip.
- Frida finds William's bloody shirt in the trunk of his rental car.
- Frida killed Annie after Annie overheard Gabriel talking in his sleep about killing Edwina and threatened to go to the police.
- William is arrested again and confesses to Sabrina’s murder.
- Frida tells Gabriel she killed Annie.
- Epilogue: Gabriel moves back to New York and he keeps Frida’s secret.
Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon leans much more into suspense and mystery territory than your typical thriller. The story has a slower pace than what I usually gravitate toward, but the short chapters help keep the momentum of the story moving.
I really enjoyed the character development of the main characters, Frida and Gabriel. Learning about how their close bond formed and the realities of being raised in a cult adds so much depth to the plot. The cult flashbacks are perfectly paced and never feel repetitive, which keeps the backstory interesting.
When it comes to the conclusion, there is no shock and awe to the ending at all. Even without a massive twist, it wraps up nicely and gives you closure without leaving you hanging on a cliffhanger. It is a really good read that rewards you for taking the time to understand the characters.
- Sabrina - Dead - Killed by William
- Edwina - Dead - Killed in the fire set by Frida and Gabriel
- Annie - Dead - Pushed off a waterfall by Frida
- Émile - Alive - In prison for life for tax evasion
- Murder
- Rape
- Fire
- Infidelity
Publisher: Knopf
ISBN: 9780593802762
Publication Date: July 8, 2025
Note: Details are for the original edition. Other formats, editions, and audiobook versions may be available.
