The Last Resort

The Last Resort
Susi Holliday

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I raced through The Last Resort in just three sittings, it was that good!
I've known Susi for a few years, and we both had short stories in the CWA Mystery Tour Anthology, but this is the first time I've read a full-length novel of hers. 
It seems that I've been missing out! I will be sure to read her other books, including those penned under SJI Holliday. As always though, the book is a recommended read because I really enjoyed it, not because I know the author.

The book is a great blending of a modern, hi-tech thriller with some futuristic technology, and a traditional 'strangers trapped on an island together' mystery.
The basic premise is that seven people agree to travel to a 'luxury resort'. They've all been summonsed individually, and aside from one couple, are unknown to one another. The way that the whole thing has been organised is sketchy from the outset, but as is common with these stories, the protagonists all have their own reasons for accepting the invite. You, the reader, are already shouting "run away, you fools, it's a trap"... I love that sort of set-up.

It gives nothing away to tell you that each of the guests have their own hidden pasts, and the pleasure is trying to guess what secret each person harbours that they would rather nobody else knew. As the book progresses, things start to go horribly wrong...

The book is told in short chapters, and although it is 3rd person narration, each chapter is told from the perspective of one of the seven characters. This allows the reader a privileged glimpse into the mind of that chapter's subject, even as they strive to maintain their own facade. It's a technique that works really well, avoiding the need for extensive exposition from an omniscient narrator. 

Interspersed between the chapters is a shocking event that happened long ago in the summer of 2000. Which character is hiding this secret and how will it feed into the modern day narrative?

As I said at the start, I raced through this in three sittings, and it was only heavy eyes that stopped me from reading 'just one more chapter' in bed. Definitely a page-turner, and definitely a recommended read.