I’ve really enjoyed Camilla Sten’s previous books, The Lost Village and The Resting Place, so I had high hopes for The Bachelorette Party. Unfortunately, this one just didn’t quite click with me.

I was immediately drawn in by the eerie, atmospheric, and eye-catching cover, and I appreciated the quick pacing, but the story itself felt too overwhelming. There were so many characters that I had trouble keeping track of who was who, and the shifting timelines made it difficult to stay engaged. I found myself losing patience as the plot unfolded, and ultimately, I just wasn’t invested enough to push through.

I still love Sten’s writing and will definitely check out her future books, but this one just wasn’t for me. If you enjoy fast-paced, multi-layered mysteries and don’t mind juggling a large cast of characters, you might have better luck with it!

Expected Publication Date: June 10, 2025

Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy.

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten
Celebrating your upcoming wedding with your oldest girlfriends should be filled with laughter, fun, and frivolity. But this hen do is anything but. It’s a fight for survival.

Getting together with friends to celebrate a wedding was not exactly high on Tessa’s to-do list. Especially after everything she had been going through. But she would do anything for those she loves, and she knows not showing up would be worse than faking a few smiles.

She figures that since she will be on the island where tragedy struck years ago, she can snoop around and find a way to recover herself.

This was told by altering timelines and narrators, and I found the way the story was unraveled clever. The cast of characters were all women, which I think the majority of readers will identify with. We all know someone with a past, right? We all have secrets.

The novel's beginning was a bit slower as the groundwork and backstories were laid out, but the plot took off at a breakneck speed once that was sorted. Things happened so quickly that I couldn’t stop reading.

I enjoyed the way the characters were developed and the bonds they had. There was a level of realism that made this terrifying tale feel real. And the emotions were well played.

I loved the genuineness of the humanity within these pages. I also appreciated how the author called attention to what you see in horror films and brilliantly used that reference within her tale.

This was well done, fast-paced, and a deliciously deadly read. Katy approved.

Publication date: June 10, 2025
Publisher: Minotaur Books

Camilla Sten’s The Bachelorette Party is a gripping psychological thriller that combines elements of mystery, suspense, and atmospheric horror. Set on a remote island off the coast of Sweden, the novel explores themes of friendship, betrayal, and the haunting weight of unresolved secrets. With dual timelines and a locked-room mystery premise, Sten delivers a chilling tale that will keep readers guessing until the very end.

The story alternates between two timelines. In the first, four childhood friends—Tilly, Anna, Linnea, and Evelina—vanish during their annual getaway to a secluded island. Their disappearance leaves behind unanswered questions and eerie clues. A decade later, the same island has been transformed into a luxury yoga retreat, where Tessa Nilsson—a former true-crime podcaster—joins her sister Lena and other bridesmaids for a bachelorette party. Tessa sees this trip as an opportunity to investigate the infamous case of the "Nacka Four" and redeem her faltering career. However, her curiosity leads to danger as secrets from both timelines collide.

Sten excels at creating an unsettling atmosphere. The isolated island setting amplifies the tension, with its rugged terrain and eerie history serving as a backdrop for both timelines. The characters are well-developed, each bringing their own complexities and hidden agendas to the story. Tessa’s journey is particularly compelling as she grapples with her personal struggles while uncovering dark truths about the past.

The pacing is sharp, with twists and revelations that keep readers engaged throughout. The dual timeline structure adds depth to the narrative, allowing readers to piece together clues from both eras. However, some critics have noted that the transitions between timelines can feel disjointed at times, and certain plot points may stretch plausibility.

Despite minor flaws, The Bachelorette Party offers a thrilling exploration of trust and betrayal among friends. Its claustrophobic setting and layered mysteries make it an immersive read for fans of locked-room thrillers like The Guest List or atmospheric horror such as Scream. Camilla Sten’s ability to weave suspenseful storytelling with psychological complexity cements her reputation as a master of the genre.

For readers seeking an eerie and twist-filled thriller set against an evocative backdrop, The Bachelorette Party delivers intrigue and chills in equal measure. It’s a must-read for fans of suspenseful mysteries with dark secrets lurking beneath the surface.

I recently read The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten. This is my second book by this author. I read and enjoyed The Lost Village as well. In this novel, we are following a group of women as they go to a new, not yet opened, hotel on a private island for a bachelorette getaway/party. The island is beautiful and the hotel stunning. There is a dark secret, however. The island was the site of the disappearance of four young women several years earlier. As odd things start happening at the current gathering, similarities to the happenings of the past become apparent.

This story starts quickly, leaving the reader anxious for the wild ride yet to come. It slows slightly as the background is told and the getaway trip progresses, showing the relationship between the members of the bridal party. Once the characters are known and the basis for the story set, it takes off like a world class roller coaster. Told in traditional thriller style, it has the reader flipping pages while almost hiding their eyes as their breath quickens. After reading a bunch of neighborhood, domestic thrillers, it was a blast to experience a peek around the corner, nail biting story. So much fun.

Many thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy. It was a pleasure to give you my thoughts.

What I really liked about this book was the way it tied the present to the past. I will say that I liked the past story much more and wish the author would have elaborated on that! This was a pretty good thriller even if I guessed the who did it part early on.

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten
My thoughts:
Locked room thrillers are my cozy security blanket when I want a palate cleanse. The Bachelorette Party started slow and never took off in a way that allowed me to get comfy in the story. Locked room thrillers to me should be relatively easy to follow, allowing the reader to focus on the who, what, why and how. I’d hoped to love The Bachelorette Party because I enjoyed The Resting Place by this same author. The plot unnecessarily complicated, had a few too many characters and changing timelines (which I normally have no issue) but it made the story a bit hard to follow which took away from my enjoyment. The authors’ style of writing is unique so I will certainly read her next book even though this one failed to capture my attention like The Resting Place. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC.

This could have been a very good book , but there was too much distraction from the plot with so much focus on sexual promiscuity. You have the heterosexual bride, the bisexual Tessa, the lesbian Anna and it goes on. In addition, I didn't care for the language/profanity and it was very disjointed with the back and forth from the past to the present. I found myself skipping over many parts because of these 2 issues. I believe this book would mostly appeal to woke/liberal readers.

I am beyond floored by this book! I just finished it and I already want to read it again. I love the characters, the setting, everything about it! I am definitely going to go looking for more books by this author!

This book was so atmospheric! I loved the setting and the friend group. I never knew who to trust and the twists were like a pretzel! This authors writing keeps a great blend of mystery with character development.

The plot of this story involves not only Tessa (Theresa), the main character, but her friends and even the eerie island. Tessa's life has fallen apart but she feels pressured to attend her friend's bachelorette party. There's a hidden agenda here. The final pages are a nail-biting ride. I never saw the twist coming. This book will leave you breathless. Loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! This book had great pacing but I overall struggled to care about any of the characters. I was intrigued by the mystery to keep reading, but overall was left a little disappointed.

Okay, so Camilla Sten wrote "The Bachelorette Party," huh? Right off the bat, that title screams "chaos" and "potentially regrettable decisions." It's like a neon sign pointing towards a rollercoaster of friendship, questionable fashion choices, and maybe, just maybe, a little bit of self-discovery amidst the tequila shots. Honestly, the whole bachelorette party concept is a goldmine for storytelling. You've got a group of friends, usually at different points in their lives, all thrown together in this high-pressure situation: celebrate the bride-to-be, create memories that last a lifetime (or at least make for good stories later), and try not to completely embarrass yourselves or the bride. It's ripe for conflict, comedy, and a whole lot of heartfelt moments. I haven't read Camilla Sten's specific take, but I can already imagine the possibilities. Will there be a wild night out that ends with someone accidentally getting arrested? A heart-to-heart conversation where long-held secrets are finally revealed? Or maybe just a series of increasingly awkward games and activities that highlight the absurdity of it all? The success of a story like this really hinges on the characters. Are they relatable? Are they flawed? Do we care about them? Because if we do, we're invested in their journey, even if that journey involves feather boas, penis-shaped straws, and questionable karaoke renditions. Ultimately, "The Bachelorette Party" sounds like it has the potential to be a fun, messy, and ultimately heartwarming story about friendship, love, and the often hilarious journey to adulthood. I'm definitely intrigued to see what Camilla Sten did with it. It's a topic that pretty much everyone can connect with on some level, whether they've been the bride, the bridesmaid, or just a casual observer to the organized mayhem.

This book got off to a bit of a slow start, but started to pick up about 25% in. I really wanted to love this book because of the idea of it, but this fell a bit short for me.
What I did like was that they intertwined the case of the Nacka Four that happened 10 years prior, and linked it to this present day mystery on the island. Tessa, our FMC, goes to the island with the intentions on trying to find about why those girls disappeared 10 years ago, while also facing her inner demons.
I found myself guessing halfway through the book who the new suspect is, but I was really shocked when I found out who the suspect from 10 years prior was.
Overall, it was a decent thriller with some twists that will surprise you, but it was a bit on the slow side.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins for the early digital copy.

This was giving Lucy Foley vibes and I loved it! Great concept, easy to follow, couldn't put it down! It was a good thriller that gripped me from the beginning.

The Bachelorette Party is full of twists and turns. An interesting premise and location for a thriller. I enjoyed it

A bachelorette party on an isolated island, a down on her luck true crime podcaster, and a decade old cold case of four friends who disappeared- add it up, you get a really fun summer thriller. A quick, fun read where a group of bachelorettes realize they’re cut off from help as things start to go wrong. Mixed in with the locked room mystery, we get flash backs of what happened to the original missing girls. Gave me I Still Know What You Did Last Summer vibes. I think fans of Lucy Foley would really like this.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC of The Bachelorette Party!
This book ended up being a page-turner with quite the twist at the end. It kept me up way too late at night too many times to count!

The Bachelorette Party follows a group of friends who go to an island resort that sounds like a dream come true - yoga in the mornings, view of the ocean, secluded and peaceful. However this dream trip turned into an unimaginable nightmare as secrets of the group of friends’ past is slowly revealed.

Camilla Sten’s The Bachelorette Party is a riveting psychological thriller that masterfully intertwines dual timelines to create an atmosphere of suspense and mystery. Set on a small, remote island off the coast of Sweden, the novel follows a haunting annual reunion where four best friends mysteriously vanish—a tragedy that haunts the island for a decade. The narrative is reenergized with the arrival of Tessa Nilsson, a determined true crime podcaster, whose investigation into the past uncovers chilling secrets and reignites old fears. Sten’s meticulous attention to detail and atmospheric setting not only draw readers into the isolated island world but also heighten the tension that permeates every page.

The novel excels as a page-turner, thanks to its twisty plot and the clever use of a dual timeline that gradually reveals the layers of deception and hidden truths. Sten’s storytelling is both elegant and relentless, ensuring that readers remain engaged as the suspense builds toward unexpected turns.

With its compelling blend of psychological insight and intriguing mystery, The Bachelorette Party offers a thought-provoking exploration of friendship, betrayal, and the enduring impact of unresolved pasts. This engrossing narrative is sure to satisfy fans of thrillers who appreciate a well-crafted and twist-filled journey.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Camilla Sten for this ARC in return for an honest review!

Tilly, Anna, Linnea, and Evalina meet once a year at their favorite place, a remote island off the coast of Sweden, to celebrate their lifelong friendship and unwind from life's pressures with beer and dancing by the water. All they need is one night of fun and trading their secrets before they return to their day-to-day lives.
Ten years later, the friends suddenly disappeared. Tessa Nilsson, a local true crime enthusiast whose true crime podcasts were extremely popular in Sweden, had attempted to uncover the mystery of their disappearance before her podcast came to a sudden end.
Tesse’s best friend, Anneliese, planned a bachelorette party for her at a popular yoga retreat on a small island off the coast, near where the tragedy occurred years ago. Tessa felt this might be a chance to find out what happened to the four women. Little did she know of the danger ahead for her.

This book was just okay for me. I had a hard time getting through it. I liked the idea of it, but the execution just wasn't there. I thought it was a good thriller, but it just didn't grab me like i thought it would.