Skip to main content

Member Reviews

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!

Was this review helpful?

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!

Was this review helpful?

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.

Was this review helpful?

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.

Was this review helpful?

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

Was this review helpful?

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.

Was this review helpful?

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.

Was this review helpful?

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!

Was this review helpful?

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.

Was this review helpful?

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

Was this review helpful?

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

Was this review helpful?

Exciting, suspenseful, quick read by Camilla Sten, with many twists and turns along the way. I didn't love all of the characters, but I feel like that helped to make the story even better. While the overall book was good, some events at the end seemed totally outrageous, hence my giving the book 3 stars vs 4. However, I would definitely recommend to others and would like to read other stories from this author.

Was this review helpful?

If you love locked room murder mysteries, but put it on a deserted island, this is your book! I binged this like there was no tomorrow. I loved the idea and I was actually spooked with the eerie vibes!

Was this review helpful?

*I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for my honest review.*

A group of 4 ladies have an overnight (or a weekend) at a remote and secluded island that they have been visiting for years. And they aren't seen again. Ten years later, a group of women are invited to a Bachelorette Party on a secluded island resort in the same area.

Tessa is a true crime junkie since her babysitter went missing - one of the original 4. She has made true crime her life with a podcast that recently crashed and burned in a fantastic manner. While she wants to stay hidden away in her misery, she has been invited to the bachelorette party and is hoping against hope that resort in on the same island where the original 4 ladies went missing.

This story unfolds in a tantalizingly slow fashion. Just when I thought I knew how it was going to go, there would be a twist of some sort that would make me think something else. It is definitely a twist on a closed room mystery. I enjoyed how everyone had a motive for everything. I felt like it was very smartly written! Revenge is best served cold!

Was this review helpful?

This thriller is an electrifying journey packed with unexpected twists and heart-stopping moments. The author expertly weaves suspense and mystery, making each chapter more intense than the last. The protagonist is compelling, navigating a dangerous world with grit and intelligence. The pacing is flawless, keeping the adrenaline high throughout. It’s a captivating read that will leave you breathless and eager for more.

Was this review helpful?

Four women used to escape to a private island off the coast of Sweden until one trip ended in their disappearance. Now, ten years later, Tessa, a true crime podcaster whose career just fell apart, heads to that same island for a bachelorette party.

This was a fun, fast-paced summertime thriller. I liked Tessa she felt real, like someone just trying to hold it together. Her true crime obsession was a bit much at times, but it fit. The twists were great, the pacing was solid, and the mystery slowly built into a full-blown thriller. Some characters I liked, some I didn’t, but they all added to the story.

This was my first read by Camilla Sten, and I’d definitely pick up more from her!

Was this review helpful?

I listened to The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten on audio and... whew. Creepy, twisty, and totally addictive. What starts as a fun girls' weekend in the woods quickly spirals into secrets, tension, and serious “who can you trust?” energy. The narration pulled me right in—I could feel the unease building with every chapter. It’s one of those stories where everyone’s hiding something, and you’re just waiting for it all to explode. If you love thrillers with messy friendships and a chilling atmosphere, this one’s got your name on it.

Was this review helpful?

I struggled to get into this novel. I don’t know if it was how it was translated into English, but the writing and storyline just read a little bit choppy. Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me.
Thank you NetGalley, and St Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for an opportunity to receive this ARC!

Was this review helpful?

Devoured this in just a day! The stunning cover is what first drew me in, and the dramatic, violent start immediately engaged me in the mystery. We start in the POV of one of the victims, Matilda, in 2012 at the original scene of the crime, and then transition to the POV of Tessa, a woman going on a trip to the same island for a bachelorette party almost exactly ten years later. There’s now a super-luxe yoga resort built on the tiny island in the Baltic Sea, and they will be the first group of guests in a trial run, so staff will be very minimal. And of course being yoga focused, no WiFi and phones turned in upon arrival. What could go wrong?

My favorite summer thriller vibe involves being isolated on a luxe island, and this one was so well done, I couldn’t put it down! The action was well paced, and the writing was surprisingly lyrical and full of quotable moments. I clearly need to check out more Swedish authors as the style kind of had similar vibes to Fredrik Backman.

There are a lot of characters, but I found it easy to follow once I got the main players straight. And a very satisfying conclusion - I always appreciate a thriller that both surprises me and also where things make sense / are explained versus the ones that just focus on shock value to distract you from giant plot holes. Definitely recommend picking this up!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press Minotaur Books for sending this DRC for review consideration.

Was this review helpful?

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This one was just OK for me. I had a hard time staying invested. I did like that it was fast paced but I mostly just didn’t care for the characters. I think I would have enjoyed a much closer girl gang on the trip to really connect with them.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Was this review helpful?