I'll start with saying I really love reading thrillers, so even when I find a thriller average, I still like it... you know what I mean? I had my eye on the 'bad guy' pretty early on in this one, so there were no major surprises. This one leaned a little horror movie for me at the end, and with a name and title like The Bachelorette Party, I think I wanted it to be more fun? 2.5 rounded up to a 3.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and of course Camila Sten for sharing this advance copy with me in exchange for my honest review. The Bachelorette Party will be available on June 10, 2025! #ARC

This book hooked me from the start and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time! The story centers around four childhood friends who gather annually on a secluded Swedish island for a night of fun—until they mysteriously vanished without a trace. A decade later, true-crime podcaster Tessa, who has long been obsessed with uncovering the truth behind their disappearance, gets the chance to investigate when her best friend’s bachelorette party leads her to a yoga retreat on an eerily similar island. As Tessa delves into the cold case, she uncovers unsettling truths and realizes that someone on the island may have their own sinister agenda and a thirst for revenge.

I went into this book without any expectations, and it absolutely exceeded them! The alternating timelines added a rich layer to the story, and the gripping opening chapters immediately drew me in. The twists were relentless, keeping me guessing until the very last page. If you love suspenseful thrillers full of unexpected turns, this book is a must-read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinions!

I think this sub-genre is a newish trend: a group on a reclusive island where one by one, the guests/bridesmaids/friends begin disappearing or showing up murdered, leaving the main character to fight to the end against an unknown enemy/one of the others/the elements/all of the above. I've definitely read several versions of the story in the past couple of years, to varying effect. So how did The Batchelorette Party fare? Only fair. While weaving in flashbacks to a previous group has not been done to death, I have seen it before so this was not new, And even though the flashbacks did leave a couple of mysteries to figure out, the cast itself in this story was not one I grew to care about so the mysteries set in both the past and present were not exciting (or mysterious) enough for me. Also, red herrings were easily spotted, and the end of the story was a stretch. All in all, an okay read for an escape, but not enough strength to the who and why to truly capture my interest.

The Bachelorette Party is advertised as “scream meets the guest list” and I thoroughly agree with that description. A group of women head to a remote island for a yoga retreat bachelorette party, but little do they know they’re headed to the scene of a dark tragedy that remains unsolved ten years later.

They must fight for their lives to escape this island and uncover the truth of what really happened there. With a true crime podcaster as the main character, we’re given quite the interesting perspective into the events of the Bachelorette party.

For a fast paced and whiplash filled read, I would highly recommend.

They say nothing under the sun is original—not even a thought. And early on, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had read this story before. They are not identical, but very similar. A group of women, a bachelorette weekend, a secluded island… very She Started It.

Because of that, I knew who to rule out early. I knew who to pay attention to. I knew what to watch for in both the dialogue and the narrator’s descriptions.

It was clear that each character was meant to make you second-guess them at some point. Natalie, the quiet newcomer who doesn’t say much. Mikaela is the self-absorbed one who won’t shut up about herself, her husband, or her kids. Caroline, disappears early—almost too early, making her an easy suspect. And of course, there’s Tessa, with her muddy past and a desperate need to revitalize her career. Could she have created this entire situation for the sake of a comeback? It all felt very cliché.

The story jumps between two main timelines—2012, with The Nacka Four, and 2022, with the bachelorette party. I found the timeline shifts easy to follow, but other elements felt unnecessary. There’s a blog entry from Matilda that I initially thought would play a bigger role—maybe during an investigation or in Tessa’s research—but it doesn’t. It’s just there for the reader, and honestly, it didn’t add much. Then there’s a set of call records—one number ending in 1220, which we know belongs to a key player, but the number ending in 9813? Never revealed.

There are a lot of callbacks in 2022 that reference the women from 2012, giving the impression that the present-day characters know more about what happened than they’re letting on—especially Anneliese. But by chapter 38, I had it figured out. At that point, I just had to power through the last fifteen chapters to see how it all played out.

Finishing this book, I felt a little underwhelmed. The final reveal was a lot—over-the-top, even for someone like me who loves a good murder mystery. I get what the author was going for, but something about it felt disjointed. It tried to be twisty and shocking, but it didn’t quite stick the landing. Overall, I enjoyed the book, the story, and the writing.

I really need to stop requesting stories that are super scary. This one was a lot to read and I just didn't love the ending (soap opera vibes for sure) so it definitely impacted my overall rating.

Good book! The story centers on a bachelorette party on a secluded island in Sweden, the site of a tragic women’s trip ten years earlier. There are primarily dual timelines, now and then, and it is easy to follow.
I have read previous novels by this author, and she is a good storyteller, creating an atmosphere with interesting characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten due to be published June 10, 2025.
Tilly, Anna, Linnea and Evelina meet every year on a remote island. But one trip they all mysteriously disappear. Tessa Nilsson is consumed by the story and has covered it in her podcast but could never find the answers she wanted. When she has a chance to go to the island with some of her friends, she jumps at the chance. What will happen while they are there?
The book alternates between the four girls who disappeared 10 years ago and the present-day group. Although it is an interesting concept, I couldn’t get into the characters much. For lovers of true crime, though, the book will be a good one. It was just an OK thriller for me.
#NetGalley #CamillaSten #StMartinsPress #TheBacheloretteParty

This book was pretty graphic at some parts, I love being on the edge of my seat, but was taken aback at some places.

Overall decent novel!

This was a slow-paced novel. The characters were obnoxious and fake. I did not enjoy reading about them nor did I care to.

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten is a psychological thriller set on a remote Swedish island, where four childhood friends vanished years ago. Tessa Nilsson, a true crime enthusiast, sees a chance to investigate their disappearance when her best friend hosts a bachelorette party on a similar island. While the atmospheric setting and mystery offer intrigue, the story feels slow at times, and the characters lack depth. The plot’s final twist is satisfying but not groundbreaking. It’s an enjoyable read for fans of slow-burn mysteries, though not particularly gripping or memorable.

Thank you to Camilla Sten, St Martins Press, & Netgalley for the e-arc of The Bachelorette Party! Quick thriller-keeps your interest! The two stories come together perfectly in the end! Such a good twist! Loved the setting of the book and the friends who don’t give up on each other no matter how long it’s been or how they’ve all changed! This book publishes on 6/10/25!

A really good thriller/mystery on a remote island off Sweden. It's a dual timeline about the original mystery & the current one unfolding. The author's descriptions are very well done since I kept thinking I was cold reading the novel. The mystery part is good because I didn't necessarily see it coming and she keeps you guessing until the end.

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

Every year for the past eleven years, Matilda, Linnea, Evelina, and Anna had been coming to Isle Blind in May to escape the expectations of their lives, to drink beer, to dance at the water’s edge, to drop all pretenses. Then they’d return to their lives,

But then, ten years ago, they didn’t return.

Before losing her true crime podcast, Tessa Nilsson had tried to find out what happened to the four women, now known as the Nacka Four. But now she has no way of finding that truth. Besides, she’s planning a bachelorette party, a weekend yoga retreat on Baltic Vinyasa for her best friend, Anneliese.

Once the women arrive, Tessa, who’d researched the missing women case, realizes that this island is the same island the women visited . . . and never returned from . . . all those years ago.

Are there answers here?

=========

Told in two timelines with two groups of young women, the unfolding story keeps readers guessing as secrets are slowly revealed as the suspense keeps those pages turning as fast as possible. Of the two groups of women, Tessa and her friends have more depth than the original group. Tessa, not particularly likeable, does not seem close to any of the women other than Annaliese, but it’s the mystery and the far-away-from-everything setting that keeps the reader involved in the telling of the tale.

With its strong sense of place and a plot that twists and turns as revelations slowly come to light, this compulsive tale keeps readers guessing. Those who enjoy stories of friendship, mystery, and suspense will find much to appreciate here.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books and NetGalley
#TheBacheloretteParty #NetGalley

Camilla Sten’s The Bachelorette Party is a chilling, high-stakes thriller that expertly blends psychological suspense with slasher horror elements. Set on a remote Swedish island, the novel unfolds across two timelines—one in 2012, when four friends vanish without a trace, and the other in 2022, when a bachelorette party unknowingly steps into the remnants of an unsolved mystery. Tightly plotted and filled with unsettling tension, this book is perfect for fans of locked-room thrillers, true crime, and survival horror.

Plot Overview

Ten years ago, four best friends—Tilly, Anna, Linnea, and Evelina—made their annual trip to an undisclosed island off the coast of Sweden, a sacred tradition of drinking, dancing, and shedding the burdens of everyday life. But that year, they never returned. Their disappearance became one of Sweden’s most infamous unsolved cases, captivating true crime enthusiasts for a decade.

Now, in 2022, former true crime podcaster Tessa Nilsson finds herself on the same island under very different circumstances. After a scandal ruined her podcast career, she’s hoping for a weekend of bonding with her best friend Anneliese, whose bachelorette party is set at a sleek, newly opened yoga retreat on the island. But from the moment they arrive, something feels off. Tessa recognizes the landscape from her years of research on the missing women. The unease escalates as she realizes that some secrets never stay buried—and that someone on the island may be willing to kill to keep the past hidden.

Characters & Themes

Tessa is a deeply compelling protagonist—flawed, haunted by her past, and struggling to find redemption. Her true crime obsession, once a professional calling, now borders on self-destructive fixation. Her bisexuality is subtly explored, adding depth to her character, particularly in a tense confrontation with a bridesmaid who makes ignorant, biphobic remarks.

The supporting cast includes a mix of women with varying dynamics, but many of them remain somewhat underdeveloped. The original four friends from 2012, while intriguing, don’t receive enough differentiation to make them truly memorable beyond their roles in the tragedy. However, Sten succeeds in portraying the group dynamics of both timelines—the way female friendships shift, fracture, and sometimes rebuild under pressure.

The novel also plays with themes of obsession, trauma, and how the past never truly lets go. Tessa’s career-ending “mistake” is teased throughout the book, adding an additional layer of mystery that keeps the reader engaged.

Atmosphere & Writing Style

Sten is a master of atmosphere, and The Bachelorette Party delivers a deeply immersive sense of dread. The remote island setting is both beautiful and foreboding, with its isolated beaches, dense forests, and eerie silence heightening the tension. The dual-timeline narrative is well-executed, with the 2012 storyline gradually revealing the truth behind the original disappearance, while the present-day timeline accelerates toward a violent, shocking climax.

Fans of classic slasher films (Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer) will recognize the genre’s DNA in this book. The characters make questionable decisions, the body count rises, and the danger feels omnipresent. While some moments may require suspension of disbelief, they add to the novel’s cinematic, pulse-pounding energy.

Final Thoughts

While The Bachelorette Party isn’t without its flaws—some one-dimensional characters and predictable horror tropes—it more than makes up for it with its unrelenting tension, eerie setting, and fast-paced storytelling. The mystery is engaging, the twists are well-timed, and the final act delivers a satisfying, blood-soaked conclusion.

If you’re a fan of true crime, survival thrillers, or psychological horror with a feminist edge, this book is a must-read. It’s an addictive, nerve-wracking ride that will keep you flipping pages late into the night.

This one was fine. It was a quick thriller that could’ve used more cliffhangers on the end of chapters but it was still enjoyable. Just predictable.

A horror movie wrapped in the pages of a book! I loved this one! This was a page turner that made me want to keep reading to see the “who” in the final chapters! There were parts that felt a bit odd within the flashbacks, but still, a very good read! Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own. Rating: 4 stars Publication Date: June 10, 2025

Pretty typical definition of a beach read- thriller. The timeline definitely made me question some things though. Decent for what it is.

Thank you @netgalley @stmartinspress for an ARC of The Bachelorette Party💃

This was one of my most anticipated thrillers of the year and I was so excited to get approved for an ARC read. Described as Scream meets The Guest List I was instantly hooked by the thriller tropes. While I think the story was very well written and the set up was great, the actual execution of the locked door was just okay. Tessa, the main character is unlikeable (and doesn’t seem close to any of her “friends” on this trip), the hidden identities were obvious from the moment they were put into action. I also wasn’t a fan of how abrupt the ending was and I felt some characters didn’t get a fair ending.

Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten, is a locked-room thriller which takes place on a remote island which flips between two timelines. In the present, five women are at a bachelorette party. Ten years earlier, four women disappeared and believed murdered in the same location.

The main character, Tessa Nilsson, is a true crime podcaster who life is currently a mess. She’s been obsessed with the decade-old mystery of the missing women. Now she’s attending her best friend Anneliese’s bachelorette party at a remote yoga retreat and the person running the retreat might have the answers Tessa’s been chasing for years.

I really liked the pacing of the story, and the way it jumps between the past and present kept things moving. The mystery itself had plenty of suspense and action, but I’ll admit, I didn’t feel as connected to the women in the present storyline as I wanted to. Their personalities kind of blended together, so it was hard to really invest in them.

That said, the book still had plenty to keep me turning the pages. It’s got a solid mix of mystery, drama, and the remote island setting added to the atmosphere.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.