I just finished The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten and I’d rate it a 3.5 out of 5. It had a really intriguing premise and a great atmosphere — the remote setting and slow unraveling of secrets created a tense vibe that I enjoyed. Some of the twists genuinely surprised me, and I appreciated how the story explored the complicated dynamics between friends. That said, a few of the characters felt underdeveloped, and there were moments where the pacing dragged or felt a little repetitive. I liked it overall and found it entertaining, but it didn’t quite stick with me the way I hoped. Still, it’s a good pick if you're in the mood for a moody, suspenseful read with a bit of drama and mystery.

Begin by experiencing the legend of the "Nacha Four", a group of young women who have been friends as young girls and know each other inside and out. When these four women don't return to their families after their weekend getaway - chaos ensues, but after a time they're labeled as lost at sea.
When recently disgraced, true crime podcaster FMC is invited to an island getaway for her oldest friend's bachelorette party, she is initially uninspired to go. However, after realizing the destination is that from which the "Nacha Four" disappeared, she feels that this might be the redemption she and her career need.
FMC gets increasingly concerning vibes from the trip until the first of the party disappears, then shows up dead. As FMC continues to dig into the old cold case and tries to figure out what happened to her friend, things get messy.
Such a twisted thriller, with a fantastically serene setting that contradicts the history of horror (and then current horrors) of those who visit. A cast of delightful female characters and a few sketchy men and women draw the reader into a spooky island that hides bad vibes.

Thank you Camilla Sten and the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for letting me read this ARC via NetGalley.

Genre: Psychological Thriller
Vibes:
Rating: 3.0⭐
Tropes: reunion / dual timeline / slow burn betrayal / locked-in

I enjoyed the beginning part of the book more than the ending. The mood and setting were described so well and it really got me engrossed in the island's mysterious vibes. There was a slow build of dread and occasional dark humor.
That being said, I feel like the characters never fully developed to me. Tessa is compelling on paper but I didn't connect with her emotional journey. I suspected many of the twists early on in the story which ruined the impact. The final "revelation" felt rushed in contrast to the slow burn of the rest of the novel.
Definitely a satisfying dark read, but not a stand out to me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Bachelorette Party.

I dunno what it is with me and islands / remote areas for book settings, but as soon as I see that I am invested. It makes for such a spooky setting (if done properly). The pacing of this book was done really well, especially flipping from past to present. Overall, the mystery was decent although I didn't LOVE the ending.

For a quick read where you'll be hooked, this lives up to the hype.

I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down! The storyline was unique and I enjoyed how the past and the present mixed. I did wish that the flashbacks weren't as frequent, but I did see how they were needed to explain the story. I was shocked with the ending but overall I recommend this book!

First book by this author...
Unfortunately, this did fall a bit flat for me and the plot was convoluted - there were a lot of characters and shifting timelines which made this hard to follow at times.

Ten years ago, four friends made their annual trip to a remote, uninhabited island off the Swedish coast. None of them returned and were presumed drowned. From the prologue, we know better. Now Tessa Nillson, emotionally devastated by the tragic end to her podcast career, is going to a bachelorette party to celebrate her best friend’s upcoming wedding. The guests will stay at a glamorous new yoga retreat on an isolated island. Sound familiar? Things do not go well at the retreat - a guest makes an unexpected departure, the owner of the resort is the sister of one of the missing women and the chef walks around with a boning knife. Camilla Sten skillfully weaves together two plot lines. The lives of the missing women before and during their island visit and the activities of the bachelorettes slowly combine. There are unfortunate similarities.

This is my third mystery by Camilla Sten and I’ve loved them all. They are very different but share strong plot lines, well described characters and unexpected conclusions. I’m looking forward to what comes next. 5 stars.

I sadly did not enjoy this book as much as the author’s previous books. I found The Bachelorette Party to be a little bit too much towards literary fiction and not mystery. I don’t really like the drama and soap opera feel that it gave me. The pacing was good and so was the mystery aspect, it just wasn’t my favorite. Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this entire book. Actually, I liked all of the character as well. Which is pretty rare in a thriller book for me. The dual POV was awesome. The author’s writing style is a pleasure to read. It looks me and doesn't let me go until the final page. I didn’t expect that ending though. But, thinking back to the original crime I wonder why the one character fight back. Instead, she let someone murder her. I am nosey so I want to know why but not knowing it's much better for the story.

This book was a good time! I enjoy a book where the protagonist has good instincts , and everyone else looks so silly for not listening to them- especially when there’s murder involved. I also enjoyed the tragic backstory, it made the fraught dynamics more realistic, bc of course her sister would want her to tone it down a bit.

Thank you so much Netgalley & Minotaur for the eArc!

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
I truly loved this book. The characters developed throughout the story and the protagonist was likeable and I enjoyed her getting into the background and trying to figure out what truly happened in the past and what is going on now. The twists and turns in this story were great and totally unexpected. I for sure never ever expected the ending even though I thought I had things long figured out. In addition, I truly enjoyed the setting on a Scandinavian island; it sure made for a more dark mysterious setting. Great job to the author; I look forward to reading more of her books!

This was a good read. I've been in a slump lately, and The Bachelorette Party was able to pull me out and hook me pretty quickly. I was able to figure out most of the twists before they were revealed, but that's something I always try to do. My ADHD brain, combined with my writer's brain, usually does. I would read more books by Camilla Sten after this one.

An old tragedy that was never solved and a current day Bachelorette Party on a creepy uninhabited island off the coast of Sweden make for an interesting story that you want to keep reading to find our the answers to the mystery.

What was supposed to be a fun trip with friends before one of their marriages turns into a scary event on a remote island in The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten.
I’m a big fan of locked room mysteries and I really liked the setting of this book- a remote “uninhabited” island off the coast of Sweden and how the two storylines mirrored each other. The chapters were short and the story moved quickly.

The main character Tessa has had a difficult time lately and her coming on this trip is not what she initially wanted to do but when she found out where she knew this was her ticket back to her old life. The location, Isle Blind, is the supposed site of the tragedy of four childhood friends on their yearly trip and with Tessa being a true crime podcaster this is her chance to break a case she’s been fascinated with for forever. From the moment Tessa stepped on Isle Blind, she knew something was amiss she just didn’t know what or how it all connected.


Thank you publishers and netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback

Four friends meet every year in a remote island off the coast of Sweden. That is until one fateful retreat when they disappear, never to be heard from again. Tessa has always been consumed by the story and when she finds herself invited to a bachelorette weekend ten years later to the remote island, Tessa sees her chance to investigate the mysterious disappearance further, but it’s also someone else’s last chance for revenge. A good book with an overly dramatic ending. Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Camilla Sten nailed it again. The Bachelorette Party is a chilling, locked-door mystery that gripped me from the first minute and never let go. I listened to the audiobook and—wow. Captivating, terrifying, and so atmospheric I swear I could feel the cold wind off that remote Swedish island.

Ten years ago, four childhood friends disappeared during their annual secret retreat on an isolated island. No phones. No outside contact. No bodies ever found. Just questions—and silence.

Now, Tessa, a washed-up true crime podcaster obsessed with the case, gets an invite to a bachelorette party on a suspiciously similar island. Instead of running the other way (as I absolutely would have), she sees a second chance to solve the mystery that’s haunted her for a decade.

Let’s just say: yoga, cava, and sisterly bonding go spectacularly sideways. 😳

From eerie premonitions to buried secrets and a deliciously creeping sense of dread, this is the kind of book that makes you jump at shadows. Sten delivers twist after twist, and the remote-island setting is so vivid and sinister it becomes a character of its own.

🔒 No cell phones.
🌲 No way off.
🩸 No one is safe.

If you love locked-room thrillers, sinister friendships, and stories that keep your heart racing—this one is for you.

Thank you to Netgalley, Camilla Sten, and St Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Every year, four life-long friends meet on a remote island for an escape. They never share the location of the island to anyone. But one year, no one returns home. Ten years later, Tessa, a podcaster, is consumed by true crime. Her best friend Anneliese is getting married and wants to have a destination bachelorette party at Baltic Vinyasa, a brand new, not yet open retreat on a small island off the coast of Sweden. Tessa’s podcast needs a new life line and she decides this will be the perfect opportunity to investigate the case of the missing women, especially since the owner of Baltic Vinyasa is the sister of one of the missing women.

What we soon find is that though Tessa has the best intentions to unravel this mystery, someone else is seeking revenge.

WOW! I really enjoyed this one! The first chapter is captivating! As the book continues, you are slowly introduced to Tessa’s backstory and it continues to unravel, which causes mixed feelings for the reader. There are multiple twists through the entire book that keep you on your toes.

4 stars!

What should have been a thrilling and engaging read was not. This was so slow read for me. I found myself disengage with the story. The breathy audio narration was annoying. This is a locked door “mystery thriller “ with way too many characters and dual time lines which caused some confusion. Between the slow pace, the large cast of characters and the confusion this was not a good fit for me. Thank you for the gifted copy.

LOVED IT! Fast and furious suspense, podcaster, grief and guilt, murders, family. This book is perfect for the beach!

This book was good, not great. There wasn't any major problem (I did see the twist coming), it just didn't wow me.