Alex has a career she loves working in true crime stories, she is getting married and she has the opportunity to interview the famous 666 Serial Killer. What could be better? Her friends decide to give her a bachelorette party with a theme to match her obsession with the famous case. Of course, the perfect location for said party is none other than a hunting lodge where he once stabbed one of his victims and wrote 666 on the walls in blood. Unfortunately, Alex wakes up covered in blood and her friends are nowhere to be found. The cabin is snowed in, she is unable to find her phone, the car won't start and she needs to figure out a way to find and save her friends as soon as possible.

First things first, let me just get this out there. I was given a free advanced copy of the book before publication. Based on that fact, I'm hoping the book still has some proofing and editing that will be done before publication. Otherwise, there are a lot of areas where the formatting is wonky. As in new chapters starting in the middle of pages, words strung together with spacing missing, and several times when the title of the book is just randomly in the middle of a paragraph. So as long as that is fixed, it should be fine.

Now as for the book itself, the premise is really good, although I would not really say it was a thriller at any point. Or maybe I just read too many thrillers and need more to get my heart racing. For me, I figured out the first twist pretty early on. (Although the person sending notes/calls/flowers was a surprise) The final twist was more of a surprise based on where the story had been going. The story does go back and forth between the party weekend and her investigation into the serial killer in prior weeks. Some parts of the story do seem to drag, but it is a fast read that can be finished in a day if you are so inclined.

I really enjoyed this author’s writing style… it was easy to read and rich with details. The beginning was a bit hard to get into— the first few pages felt like a giant info dump, and some of it just felt weird and implausible right off the bat (a 26 year old intern? An intern who is approved to interview a serial killer for an assignment? A 26 year old who’s marrying someone with a 12 year old son after a whirlwind romance?)— but it’s worth pushing through. Once you get past that, the book is suspenseful and intriguing. I definitely did not expect either of the main twists!

The premise of this one really intrigued me but unfortunately I could not get into it at all. I had to DNF.,

Alex is a journalist, and she can’t seem to
let go of the famous 666 serial killings,
especially because she doesn’t believe that
Eric Myers is truly the man who committed
the crimes.
The story takes place over two timelines,
the present, where Alex is celebrating
her bachelorette party, and six months
ago, when she really started to dig into
the 666 serial killings.

Overall, this was an easy read. However,
parts of the ending were poorly laid out.
Additionally, I was able to predict a big part
of the story within the first few chapters.
There was the final twist, which turned it
around for me, and redeemed the small part
I didn’t enjoy.

I rate it 3.5

True crime aficionado Alex is headed out of town with two friends for her bachelorette party. Unbeknownst to her, the friends have booked the lodge where her current crime obsession/assignment took place. One cannabis induced nap later and Alex is running for her life away from the scene of a brutal crime that she may or may not have committed:

Readers can expect a number of twists and some unfinished plot points in this thriller. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital advanced copy.

This was an excellent, enjoyable read. The plot kept me on my toes the entire time and I found myself desperate to know what happened next. I enjoyed the alternating timelines and thought they added to the story. I also liked the characters and thought the author did a great job of making you suspicious of literally everyone. The twists were excellent and while I tend to be pretty perceptive, I saw none of this coming. Overall, a great thriller and definitely one I will be recommending!

dazed and engaged • rating [3.5] 💍💍💍💍

A crime junkie and aspiring investigative journalist finds out her bachelorette is at a cabin that is the very site of the murder she’s investigating. Because of course great bride tribe would give the bride a bachelorette based on everything she loves, right? Even though, it’s on my own personal bucket list to stay at a haunted or creepy place, I’ll admit I was hesitant at first about the premise of this story. But eventually I actually ended up getting pretty caught up in the story. The sequence is a bit jarring going back and forth between past and present but it sort of adds to the chaos of it all. A terrible idea that just keeps getting worse, it definitely kept me on my toes. I won’t spoil the ending but it was a bit abrupt, though I appreciated it not getting dragged out too much. There were definitely a lot of “wait what?” moments in the book, but overall still entertaining.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!
This was the first book I’ve read by Sandra Block, I liked it! Although at times I had a hard time following, but not too much. I wasn’t sure how things would go, and it took awhile before all the pieces began to click together. It wasn’t what I had expected at all! For the most part I did enjoy this and thought it was a entertaining read.

Sandra Block's "The Bachelorette" follows Alex and her friends on a bachelorette party at a notorious serial killer's house, leading to a dangerous mystery. While the main plot keeps readers engaged with true crime intrigue, the secondary storyline involving Alex's fiancé feels somewhat distracting. However, the depth added by the backstories of supporting characters Melody and Lainey offers a refreshing take. Overall, it's a gripping read perfect for mystery and thriller fans.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This compelling book follows Alex, an intern at a TV studio, joined by friends Melody and Lainey for a bachelorette party at a notorious serial killer's house. As Alex investigates the 666 Killer's crimes, she finds herself entangled in a dangerous mystery with unexpected turns. The story keeps readers on edge with a blend of true crime intrigue, red herrings, and a fast-paced narrative. While the main plot is riveting, the secondary storyline involving Alex's fiancé feels somewhat distracting. The backstories of Melody and Lainey add depth and intrigue to the narrative, offering a refreshing take on supporting characters. Overall, a gripping read perfect for fans of mysteries and thrillers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Girls weekend gone wrong. Fun mystery novel with some unexpected twists. Strong female characters. A quick read that you won’t want to put down.

In Sandra Block’s latest, The Bachelorette, true crime junkie and aspiring crime reporter Alex is about to have a weekend right up her alley. Her best friends are whisking her away to the scene of the crime of the murder she has been obsessed with: The 666 Killer. What could go wrong at an isolated cabin where a gruesome killing took place?

At first, it is all fun and games, but when Alex wakes up covered in blood with both of her friends missing, she now finds herself in a nightmare. While Alex searches for her friends, the reader is taken back and forth from the present to the recent months, where more is revealed about Alex’s involvement and obsession with the 666 Killer.

Alex as a main character could be further developed; there is plenty to explore with her relationship, her future stepson, and the reasons behind her night terrors, but Block just lightly scratches the surface of these compelling areas.

It is intriguing how Block weaves the past with the present, allowing the puzzle pieces to fall into place. This makes way for surprises along the way, with plenty of unexpected twists. This keeps the reader engaged, though one twist is bizarre and too drawn out to the point where it becomes frustrating and takes away from the plot.

Overall, this is a quick and fun read for fans of the genre.

I couldnt finish this - the collection of characters are quite-- dumb? The book is poorly written, with lack of depth or "mystery" at all.
I usually do not DNF novels, but I felt this was a poorly written book.

read if you like:
🕵🏻 whodunnit
🔫 murder mysteries
👯‍♀️ strong women

summary:
One of the best books I’ve read in awhile! This book tells the story of Alex, an intern at a “Dateline”-esque tv studio, and her two friends, Melody and Lainey, who throw her a bachelorette party. Given Alex’s obsession with a local serial killer, the 666 Killer, they take her to the house where his crimes were committed for a weekend of fun and girl time. But Alex, who is investigating whether the man who confessed to the 666 Killer’s murders really committed the crime, finds herself in way over her head with no way out.

This book takes a typical trope — a girls weekend gone wrong — and adds a fun and unexpected twist. I can’t say much more without spoiling the plot, but it is a super quick read that will keep you on the edge of your seat THE ENTIRE TIME. Anyone who is a true crime junkie can relate to Alex’s investigation, and her relentless pursuit in finding the truth. There are several red herrings throughout, and just when you think you might know what happens, something else throws you off. I binged this book in a day, and even the ending was satisfying! My only criticism is the secondary storyline with Alex’s fiancé, Jay. You’ll understand what I mean when you read it, but it just feels like a distraction from the main plot. As an added bonus, I loved the backstories of Melody and Lainey — I love any backstory where a woman is successful, and these are fun and different than supporting characters in other books.

Bachelorette party gone wrong! Such a good read and honestly kept me wanting to read more. This one was my first read by this author and it didn’t disappoint.

A classic trips of friends on a trip and end up stranded alone. A locked-room mystery where characters get picked off one by one and everyone is a suspect. This one had a twist in our main character and the area the cabin is in. There was one crucial thing throughout the book that I hated--the sudden and too often switches from past to present. I would have liked to stay longer on one or the other; jumping too quickly diminished my chances of really getting into either, so I started skipping the past.

3.5 rounded up!

I am currently torn with this book. I really liked it, but there were aspects that I didn’t like at all. The first twist, I guessed before I even began reading the book. The second twist, I didn’t guess at all, so that was a fun one to read!

This book also gave me quite a bit of whiplash. The back forth between past and present happened so quickly between short chapters. It made it hard to follow as well as hard to get into. I was really into the present timeline but failed to get invested in the past timeline chapters. I also felt like there were quite a few plot holes that tried to be explained away but just felt wrong (the tennis racket hit, for example).

I really liked the premise of this story and the Bachelorette Party theme that they are in a remote cabin, snowed in with no cell service. Makes for a super eerie read.

All in all, I would recommend this book. The back and forth wasn’t my cup of tea, but that’s just a personal opinion.

This is so much more than a party/get-away gone wrong! What a ride!

Alex's wedding looms near and her friends surprise her with a haunted hunting lodge night in the Catskills. The very place an infamous seriel killer once lived. Alex has been investigating the murder as an intern for a media outlet and is completely obsessed! When the snow cuts off their communication and Alex wakes up to blood on the floor she is afraid that her worst nightmares have come true. Alex has to use all of her
investigative know how and her wits to ensure she lives through the night.

So fun and surprising - really enjoyed every second of it! I love love love when you can't guess an ending!
#penzler #Thebacheloretteparty #sandrablock

I was excited to start this book after reading the synopsis, but was disappointed in the end. It’s not a horrible book, but I didn’t find it very scary or interesting enough to keep my attention throughout.

I love Block's books and this was one of those that when you finish you may think, "Did I have a dream...or a nightmare?" Alex is away for the night on her bachelorette party with her two closest friends, Melody and Lainey. Because Alex is an intern at Crimeline, they have arranged to stay in a creepy lodge where the famed serial killer, Eric Myers committed his heinous crimes and is now in prison. But there are more surprises than any of them bargained for as Alex awakens in the basement with blood everywhere after they smoked dope and her friends are nowhere to be found! Alternating in time between now and earlier, the novel details Alex's suspicions about her fiancee, her friends, the man in jail, and just about everyone she's come in contact with in the last ten years. It's bloody, gruesome, but such a great tale that had my head spinning like the Exorcist!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!