Well, I’ll start my unpopular review by saying that even though I’m a die-hard fan of locked-room murder mysteries, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the author’s previous works. There was no issue with the execution of the mystery—the pacing was good, and the intertwining of the past mystery of the Nacka Four with the present-day bachelorette party mystery was gripping.

However, I wasn’t satisfied with how things wrapped up. The unnecessarily exaggerated and overly dramatic ending reminded me of a soap opera. Additionally, the perpetrators’ identities were far too obvious from the beginning, which killed the suspense and surprise.

I also struggled to connect with the characters, including the protagonist Tessa and her best friends. That said, I was intrigued by the mystery of the scandal that ruined Tessa’s life, and when the truth was revealed, it sent chills down my spine. That twist captured my interest far more than what happened to the Nacka Four or the events at Annalise’s wedding.

For these reasons, I’m giving this book a solid three stars. It deserves credit for its balanced pacing and the seamless connection between the past and present mysteries, even if it didn’t fully meet my expectations.

Quick recap of the plot:
Ten years ago, four childhood friends, known as the Nacka Four, gathered on a remote island off the coast of Sweden—a location they kept secret from everyone. They were presumed drowned after an intoxicated boat trip, but their bodies were never found.

Fast forward ten years: four more childhood friends reunite at the same location, this time for Annalise’s bachelorette party. The gathering follows similar rules, including a strict technology cleanse. Among them is Tessa, who has a hidden agenda: to investigate the Nacka Four’s disappearance and salvage her career as a disgraced podcaster.

The island is now owned by the sister of one of the victims, and Tessa is determined to uncover the truth. But when one of the bachelorette party guests goes missing and another starts acting suspiciously, wielding knives, Tessa realizes that digging into the past might come with a price she’s not prepared to pay.

Overall:
I’ve already shared my verdict—three stars. While I expected more, it’s still a fast-paced, popcorn thriller that might satisfy fans of the genre.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for providing a digital review copy of this thriller in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for my arc in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

I have been a Camilla Sten fan since "The Lost Village" and I enjoyed "The Resting Place," so of course when I saw a new novel (translation?) was available as an arc, I had to request it.

"The Bachelorette Party" is a fun summer read that really added a little bit of literary excitement to my otherwise bland coursework and readings. It reminded me a lot of a classic slasher film and that's part of what was so fun about it. I also thought that all the characters were pretty believable. I don't know what it is in particular about this Sten, but I kept picturing a movie or a three episode limited series. It read pretty cinematically and I really think that it would be popular depending on the director.

Overall, I really enjoyed this quick thriller!

Ten years ago, four friends travelled to a tiny uninhabited island in Sweden for a night of partying. They disappeared that night, leaving an unsolved mystery that haunted their families and fascinated true crime followers ever since. Now, ten years later, bride-to-be Anneliese is holding her bachelorette weekend on the same island at a yoga retreat. Her friend Theresa, or Tessa, is attending along with her sister Lena as they have been friends with Anneliese since they were kids. Tessa used to have a hugely successful true crime podcast, until a tragic scandal tainted the podcast and ruined Tessa’s credibility. Tessa secretly hopes for a chance at redemption by solving the ten-year disappearance of the four young women.

Coming from the writer of The Resting Place, one of my favourite thrillers, I had high hopes for this atmospheric thriller. The novel takes place over two timelines – the disappearance of the four young women from the island in 2012 and the bachelorette weekend 10 years later. There are a number of characters involved, and I struggled somewhat to keep all their details straight. The constantly shifting time references and number of characters made it challenging to become invested in any one story or character. There was no surprise twist in the novel as the prime suspect seemed fairly clear to me early on. It had a great setting and a solid concept which could have been executed better, either with more engaging character development or some creative plot twists.

First off I was so excited to be selected to read this! And now that I have I will be reading the other books she has written. I loved this story line, so much like scream. The beginning of the book starts off nice and easy and then boom! The characters were written well and the story line kept my interest.

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten is a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat mystery that blends friendship, secrets, and murder in the most compelling way. Ten years ago, four friends vanished after a night of fun on a remote island, and the mystery has haunted Tessa Nilsson ever since. As a true crime podcaster, she’s covered countless cases but has never been able to uncover what really happened to these women.

Fast forward to the present, and Tessa’s life is in turmoil—her podcast is over, and she’s trying to rebuild her career. When her best friend, Anneliese, decides to have her bachelorette party on a secluded island eerily similar to where the tragedy took place, Tessa jumps at the chance. It’s her opportunity to finally uncover the truth. But little does she know, someone else on the island has their own agenda—one that involves revenge.

The novel had me hooked from the start with its mix of suspense, mystery, and tense atmosphere. The island setting adds to the creepy vibe, and the secrets the characters hold make for an unpredictable ride. If you’re a fan of thrillers with twists, suspense, and dark secrets, The Bachelorette Party is a must-read!

I am unsure about this one. I loved the premise, and it was one I couldn’t put down, but I didn’t love it. I think I just was invested and needed to know how it ended. It went between past and present but something there was lacking. I wish there was more written about the past event as little was said. I did forget who was who, as there were a lot of characters at times was and had to think. It was okay, not terrible but not amazing either

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten is a psychological suspense that intertwines the haunting disappearance of four friends a decade ago with a current day bachelorette party on an eerily similar remote island. The setting and atmosphere really captures the isolation and creeping dread of the Swedish archipelago. This book is a tangled web of secrets, betrayal, and revenge. There is a slow burn of suspense with cleverly placed twists. Such an unsettling yet addictive story!

A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with access to this ebook in exchange for my honest review!
The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten will be released in Jun 10th 2025, perfect timing to pick it up for your holiday!
Every year, four childhood friends met on a secret Swedish island for one night of carefree fun—until they mysteriously disappeared. Ten years later, true-crime podcaster Tessa, obsessed with solving their case, seizes the opportunity to investigate when her best friend’s bachelorette party takes her to a yoga retreat on a suspiciously similar island. As Tessa digs deeper into the unsolved mystery, she realizes someone else on the island has unfinished business—and a thirst for revenge.
I went into this completely blind, and it did not disappoint! The dual timelines added so much depth, and those shocking, gripping first chapters had me hooked. The twists kept coming right until the very end—I couldn't put it down!

I love a duel timeline book. This one is a thriller that has a bachelorette party in the present and then in the past there was a gathering a decade ago. I enjoyed all the twists and the remote island made it feel extra creepy. I liked the writing and the characters. This was a fun and entertaining thriller and I would pick up the author's next book for sure.

The Bachelorette Party combines so many elements that I love — years-old unsolved mysteries, locked-door plots, and a podcast — but the execution didn't work for me. There are so many characters introduced early on and they weren't that distinguishable, so I had to keep reminding myself who was who. The prologue was so long and, in general, I don't love dual timelines, so I wish the book focused on the present rather than jumping around.

This is a dual timeline thriller centered around two different gatherings of friends, separated by a decade. The novel weaves suspense between the present and the past, revealing the chilling connections that bind them together.

In the present, the focus is on a bachelorette party, specially arranged at an exclusive hotel resort that has not yet opened to the public. Four friends gather to celebrate Annaliese's upcoming wedding. Among them is Tessa, who is reluctantly attending after her recent fall from grace as a once-popular podcaster. Tessa secretly hopes to learn more about the tragic gathering from ten years ago—a gathering that led to the deaths of everyone involved and remains an unsolved mystery to this day.

As the bachelorette party unfolds, the group begins to unravel, and friends mysteriously start to disappear. With each disappearance, we are treated to a firsthand account of what happened during that ill-fated gathering a decade earlier. These haunting flashbacks add a chilling depth to the story, slowly revealing the truth behind both events. The dual narrative structure keeps the reader guessing, connecting the dots between the past tragedy and the current tension.

Camilla Sten does an excellent job of keeping the story taut and full of suspense. The characters are complex, their secrets tangled in the eerie atmosphere of the secluded hotel. The narrative seamlessly shifts between the present-day party and the tragic past, making for an engaging and thrilling experience. The ending delivers an unexpected yet satisfying twist that ties both timelines together.

This is a captivating mystery that not only provides edge-of-your-seat thrills but also sheds light on aspects of Swedish culture, adding a unique layer to the story. Sten has crafted a truly enjoyable and gripping thriller that will keep readers hooked until the very last page.

#stmartinspress #thebacheloretteparty #camillasten

This thriller really pulls you in from the get-go with its dark, suspenseful vibes. What makes it so gripping is the way it weaves together the unsettling mystery of four missing friends and a chilling present-day bachelorette party that mirrors the tragic events of the past. The remote island setting is perfectly eerie, and you can feel the tension building as secrets from the past start resurfacing. The main character, Tessa, adds a layer of obsession and determination that makes her journey both fascinating and fraught with danger. The mix of old wounds and new opportunities for revenge makes for a thrilling narrative full of twists, and by the time everything unravels, you’ll be glued to the pages. If you love thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat with unexpected turns, this is definitely a must-read.

Four childhood friends vanish without a trace during their annual retreat to a remote Baltic Sea island—a night filled with bonfires, secrets, and celebration. Ten years later, disgraced true crime podcaster Tessa, who once obsessively followed the case, finds herself invited to a bachelorette party on a what is more than likely the same remote island. Determined to reclaim her reputation, she sees this off-the-grid, vegan retreat—complete with sunrise yoga and endless cava—as a chance to uncover new clues. But as the weekend unfolds, the eerie parallels between past and present grow impossible to ignore, and Tessa realizes the island may hold more than just answers.

Although there is some back and forth from past to present it wasn’t difficult to keep it straight. I found the timeline to be well weaved together and the end was fast paced. I was counting down the hours at work so I could get home to find out how this mystery ended.

Thank you, NetGalley and Minotaur Books, for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. If you’re looking for a twisty, atmospheric thriller, this one is for you!

This was a fun thriller and I enjoyed the writing and story telling! Some twists and tropes were predictable, but I loved the characters and the suspense. 100% recommend!

3.4
This feels like a 70 something percent effort. Like, it all could have worked, if maybe the reader put in the effort to make up for where the author got a little bored and kind of...made some stuff happen...ish.

Very entertaining book! I enjoyed it and found myself eager to find out what the heck was going to happen next!

2.75 stars

Thank you Netgalley, Camilla Sten, and Minotaur Books for the #ARC in return for an honest review!

This was not for me, sadly. It was okay. I was so excited to read this after The Lost Village but it missed a few things for me.

What I enjoyed/what to expect?
👍🏻short chapters
👍🏻social commentary aka how in todays world, the scope of a story and fame in regards to true crime can really hurt people...
👍🏻true crime elements
👍🏻friendship drama
👍🏻locked room mystery
👍🏻psychological aspects
👍🏻gore + unreliable narrators

What did not work?
👎🏼the timeline was confusing at times and I had to double check exactly what time frame I was in.
👎🏼I feel like the suspense and drama and plot didnt kick in until the last 30% of the book. Pure whiplash and everything was suddenly solved. I just think the suspense could have been built up half way through with the way it was going. I dont know, it just left me feeling meh.

Thank you NetGally and publisher for this book!

Wow! WOW! Wow!! Boy was this book a great one! I enjoyed this writing style. All of the twist and turns. This thriller was definitely one I had a hard time putting down. I guessed wrong every time!! I will be picking up more books by this author ASAP!!

What an absolutely wild ride. While it starts slow, it picks up rather quickly. Tessa is a disgraced podcaster, who sees her chance to return to the top by covering the case of 4 missing women who disappeared from the same island she happens to be going to for a bachelorette trip. I loved how this kept me guessing even up to the final big reveal! It was quite detailed re gory when describing some things which gave me the ick, but overall excellent story.

The Bachelorette Party – A group of women head to a remote island where a crime occurred a decade earlier for a bachelorette party, what could possibly go wrong? The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten (expected publication: June 10, 2025) is an enthralling “locked room” mystery with some loveable characters and many suspicious ones.

2012: On a remote island off the coast of Sweden, four friends gather annually to drink beer, dance by the water, and escape. But, this year, one night of reckless fun turns sour. Ten years later, 2022: Tessa Nilsson, famous true crime podcaster, is invited to her best friend, Anneliese’s, bachelorette party on an island that eerily mirrors the circumstances of the past. Now, the island destination is a yoga retreat lead by Irene, who has a connection to one of those four women that mysteriously went missing 10 years earlier. Tessa knows this is her opportunity to find out what really happened to the group of women in 2012, but someone else is seeking revenge.

I thought the plot for the book was great; a locked room thriller on a remote island is always a winning plot in my book. The main characters were likeable, which was a positive. I didn’t think they were the most dynamic characters, which is typical of a book that follows so many main characters as this one. I did appreciate that it was not at all difficult to keep track of who was who for me, which can often be a struggle. The book switches between present day (2022) and the past (2012) giving the point of view for two women in particular – Tessa and Tilly. I thought each was a great narrative voice for the story.

I really enjoyed this book and think it’s a great thriller for summer and would definitely recommend this book. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.