I had the chance to read a digital advance copy of The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten, coming out on June 10, 2025—and it was a fun, fast-paced popcorn thriller. The kind of book you can breeze through in a single sitting.​

The setup had so much potential—a bachelorette trip that takes a dark turn—but unfortunately, the story never truly takes off. It had all the right ingredients for a gripping thriller, but it never quite delivered that extra punch.

One of the biggest drawbacks for me was the main character. I just couldn’t connect with her at all, which made it harder to get fully invested in the stakes. That said, the book was a quick and entertaining read, perfect for when you want something light but suspenseful.

If you’re looking for an easy thriller that doesn’t demand too much from you, this could be a solid pick!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the free digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. The pacing is good and kept me reading to the end. I didn't feel that the plot was original. Tessa, the main character, is a podcaster. Tessa goes to this remote island for a bachelorette party and here's where the thriller begins. I'm typically not a thriller book reader and for me parts of the story gets a bit gory. If this were a movie I would have closed my eyes through part of it. That being said it was engaging and I'm glad I read the book. I think this story will appeal to many readers.

Tessa Nilsson was a wildly popular true crime podcaster until one bad decision changed everything. When she’s invited to a bachelorette party on the same island that was the scene of a tragedy ten years ago, Tessa hopes to redeem herself by uncovering the truth. Set in Sweden, this novel flips between the two timelines in alternating chapters. I especially liked the remote setting and have to say that I never guessed the ending. I also appreciated the raw reality described in the aftermath of Tessa’s life-altering quest for answers.

This was a fast read filled with suspense right from the start. It kept me interested to the end.

This story is about four friends who meet at an island without letting anyone know. It is their secret getaway place to have fun and relax with each other's company. They do this every year. They go on their last trip and never go back home...

Their families are left with so many questions since their bodies were never recovered....

Many years later another group of friends do the same. Only to find out what they thought was a relaxing and fun bachelorette part, becomes a life-or-death getaway they will never forget. Well, at least for the ones who survive.

There are many secrets that unravel throughout the story. This was a nice read. I would definitely have my teen read it since she enjoys thrillers full of twists and suspense.

I give this novel 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ only because I was able to predict some of the things that would happen.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have enjoyed several other works by this author and I was excited to jump into this book based on the synopsis. Unfortunately for me it was just ok overall. The story line and plot were interesting and I had high hopes but I think what got me the most was the 5 friends that went to the Isle where not very relatable or enjoyable. I did like the main protagonist, Tessa, as she was dealing with a lot of baggage and the unveiling of what happened to her was heart breaking. But the other friends were borderline annoying and self centered in my opinion. The host Irene was creepy as hell and I kept wondering what was going to happen, which is what made me keep turning the pages! I will also state that I didn't see the ending coming and I am usually pretty good at guessing "who did it".

I will continue to read more books by this author, but this one just wasn't my favorite.

Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin Press for an ARC in return for an honest review.

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten is a gripping psychological thriller that draws you in from the start. Set on a remote island the novel cleverly shifts between two timelines—, centered around a baffling mystery, and another in the present day, where a seemingly innocent bachelorette party takes a turn.

Sten masterfully builds tension, creating an atmosphere of constant unease. The twists are unexpected and brilliant, keeping the reader guessing at every step. Just when you think you have a handle on the plot, Sten delivers a shocking turn that completely shifts the narrative. This is a book that will keep you on your toes.

This was my first book by this author, I know at least one other book of hers that's on my TBR. I am definitely going to get to it now! I love a good wedding thriller, and the one-by-one, isolated island trope so I requested this because it's my usual go-to kind of thriller! I loved the atmosphere, I loved that it was by Sweden, I loved the past and present, and some of the twists took me by surprise. The main character was trying to figure out what happened to women a decade ago, on the same island and after she gets there with her friends, things start to get...weird. I thought the beginning was going to be slow, but things happened right from the start and then I was invested in knowing what was going on. Thank you to Camilla Sten, publishers and Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

Man...oh man oh man oh man. I THOUGHT I knew what was going to happen here and then BAM, SURPRISE!! This was set in such a beautiful place that I could envision in my mind the beauty of the new hotel backdropped by the Baltic Sea with the smell of salt on the air. Camilla Sten truly draws a beautiful picture in your mind of what's going on so wonderfully that you're almost in the thrall of the environment before you remember hey, there was some dark stuff that happened here that Tessa needs to figure out. The twists and turns of this had me staying up til midnight to finish this. Truly some twisty stuff and SO GOOD!!

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.