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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.

Thanks for making and re-making this! 🤣 I'll be starting tomorrow but I'm also reading a few other books, as usual. I own his first book in paperback but I haven't read it yet. I'm in the Libby audio queue as well for it. lol

lol yes! I'm juggling a few but really looking forward to this one!

I've read the other by this author - I remember very little but I know I did really like it!

Just finished Ch. 8 (18%). (view spoiler)[Starts out interestingly enough and then once we get some flashbacks it gets a bit Scientology-like! (hide spoiler)]

8 chapters too / 18%

ha! I love your reference (view spoiler)[ to scientology! it is a bit like that
although the child abuse - that seems new. typically I thought cults kind of - adored - the children. They are the future and the only way a cult will survive. the hurt her enough to dislocate her shoulder pulling her out of a chair? yikes

I wonder what happened to Annie. And I wonder why, if it was a favorite running/hiking trail, they didn't think it was an accident? why murder out the gate?

and I wonder - where was her brother when she came back inside? why wash his hands?

what's he been doing on this trip? (hide spoiler)]

Ch 23 (44%) and I'm kind of bored.

through 25 Chapters/ 50%

I agree, it's kind of gotten bogged down in the waiting and the back story (which I don't love)

(view spoiler)[ okay, so they let the husband go . . .but, what? now they think some random guy went there just to kill some random girl? this doesn't make sense.

and they wouldn't have stopped me from getting on that plane. You can interview me with my attorney.

and I can't believe she grabbed that phone. what was she thinking? at least let the guide and others see it THEN let them call the police. OR take it and tell no one.

but she did the worst of both - grabbed it and then gave it to the police. She's lucky she hasn't already been arrested lol

and the backstory is just too slow. I get it, it was bad - and yay about getting out to venture but yeah, I didn't need to know about 4 of their adventures over 4 different chapters. It's definitely slooooooow (hide spoiler)]

through 37 chapters / 82%

well now we know (view spoiler)[ some of the secrets

Gabriel doesn't seem to be acting like a man that was previously suspected of killing his wife. I'd think he'd lawyer up the second they talked to him - because police had already tried to railroad him once.

I can't believe how much he's lied to them. And he was even telling Frida lies - which, again, makes no sense. And his little bouts of rage where he yells and throws stuff - none of this is playing out well.

the story feels a bit disjointed. I don't feel like the fire and the backstory are fully flushing out some other part of the story - it just feels like it's bogging it down.

Did Frida actually kill Annie? (hide spoiler)]

and done

(view spoiler)[ I wondered if she'd killed Annie. I thought she might have, she seemed willing to protect them from anyone finding out they'd set the fire.

and she caught William - I wasn't sure how she would. interesting that he still had the clothes even though I felt like he could have gotten rid of them. . .town was just a 30 minute ride away! lol

oh well, at least it wrapped it all up in the end.
I do wish there was a bit more about the documentary and more talk between brother and sister. by the time she found the hairclip, I was a bit done with them not communicating and him just throwing stuff or walking away (hide spoiler)]

I just finished. Eh. (view spoiler)[I don't remember them mentioning what the documentary was about? So I assumed it was because they were in the cult. I was a bit thrown when they said it was about Annie. But I guess only Annie knew they were in the cult...right. They literally didn't have or know anyone else! lol.

I guessed Frida killed Annie as well. It seemed pretty obvious as the book continued. Gabriel just didn't seem the type. So I knew he also didn't kill Sabrina. There are a couple name typos in the book, when Frida starts "being inside William's head" and his thought processes. It said Annie when it should've said Sabrina. Once or twice.

I would've liked to have seen someone else from the cult again. One of their friends or something. (hide spoiler)]

ooh you're right, that would have been good (view spoiler)[ maybe when they went there, for them to see someone else they had lived with in the cult. that would have added some definitely interesting at the end (hide spoiler)]