The Bachelorette Party is good but I felt that it didn't quite live up to its promise. My rating: 3.5 stars rounded up to 4
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This story and many of its elements make for a good summer thriller -- a summer bachelorette party on an isolated island (where a mysterious tragedy just happens to have occurred ten years ago) and a large cast of characters who may or may not have something to hide. I particularly liked the fact that there is a dual mystery at play -- what happened ten years ago and why does Tessa feel such unsettling vibes on the island in the present? (A more concrete mystery unfolds in the present timeline but I won't specify so as to avoid spoilers.) Even though one of the mysteries plays out in a somewhat predictable way, the other does not and both are an interesting ride. I think that having the story told from the perspective of Tessa, a struggling podcaster with a deep interest in the island's tragic past, really added something. It's satisfying to see how things end up for her and intriguing to follow along as she tries to figure out both mysteries - and stay alive.

I enjoyed this book a lot but do think it could have been even better. It is billed as "Scream meets The Guest List" which is a fairly good description, but the uneven pacing prevented it from having as much "oomph" as you would expect from such a story. There is one detail that was confusing from a timeline perspective (unfortunately is a major spoiler so again I won't elaborate). I also was a little distracted by the numerous instances of Tessa's internal monologue being focused on her romantic past and feelings of attraction for various characters, most of which seemed like non-sequiturs at the time they occurred.

3.75 stars rounded up -- a solid locked-room thriller set on a deserted island for a bachelorette party. I liked the setting of the island and the dual timelines between what happened 10 years ago there and present day. I was pretty sure about who the killer was, but could not figure out their motive, so that twist was good! Overall a pretty good mystery, a quick read, and I'd recommend !

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

There were times throughout the book where the pacing lagged for me. The dual timelines didn't necessarily cause confusion but didn't always progress the story enough. My favorite part of this thriller is that as you read you pick up on the little hints that make you think you know exactly what is going on. Then at the resolution you see that while those hints were pointing you in the right direction you truly had no idea what was going on. Solid story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press and Camilla Sten for an advanced copy of this book set to release on June 10,2025. The following is my honest review:

This was my first time diving into Camilla Sten’s work, and from the very first chapter, I found myself completely pulled in—mostly because wow, the prose is gorgeous.

But don’t let the lyrical writing fool you—there’s a sharp contrast between the beauty of the language and the surprise violence and gruesomeness found at times. It caught me completely off guard in the best possible sense.

The novel centers around two intertwined mysteries set on the ominous Isle of Blínn, one from a decade ago involving a group of missing friends, and one in the present day involving a bachelorette party gone wrong. I really enjoyed the dual timeline structure—it moved back and forth in a way that felt seamless and kept the tension steadily building (at least in the first two-thirds of the book). The current-day storyline follows Tessa, a podcaster with a scandal in her past and a stalled career, who is hoping to revive both by solving the mystery from ten years earlier. That premise gave me Between the Waves (by Hilary Tailor) vibes, in the best way.

Tessa herself is a really compelling main character. Her true crime obsession gave me major season 3 Quinn Perkins (Scandal) energy—slightly unnerving, but weirdly relatable. I’ve been down the true crime rabbit hole too, until my anxiety begged me to stop. So yeah, I got that. And this story scratched that itch you get when wanting to solve a crime podcast you’re invested in.

There’s a moment where Tessa talks about feeling stuck in life and the judgement, pity and distaste people meet her with and that hit me right in the chest. I'm a sucker for universal hurts dressed up in poetic prose, and Camilla Sten definitely delivers that. It’s a little Taylor Swift-esque, honestly—pretty packaging for very real pain.

Another highlight: I really appreciated the thoughtful inclusion of bisexuality and the way the story explored harmful stereotypes, microaggressions, and casual disrespect through character interactions. There’s an especially cathartic moment when someone actually calls out the bad behavior and defends our bi character, and it felt so earned. Representation matters, and it was handled with care here.

Also, shoutout to the setting—I didn't realize we were in Sweden until a currency reference clued me in, and that added a subtle layer of atmosphere I really enjoyed.

A few nitpicks: I couldn’t hear the name “Annalise” without thinking of How to Get Away With Murder. That's not the book’s fault—it's mine, but still. And “Matilda”? Same thing.

Where the book lost a bit of steam for me was in the final act. (Arguably the most important part of this kinda story) The pacing, which had been so tight and compelling early on, started to drag. I found myself waiting for that satisfying moment when everything clicks into place—and while it does eventually come together, it felt slower and less impactful than I hoped. The twists were solid, but my jaw didn’t quite hit the floor, you know?

Still, this was a beautifully written, eerie, and thoughtful mystery with strong characters and an unsettling atmosphere. I’ll definitely be checking out more of Camilla Sten’s work after this!

Whew! This was a page turner because I kept wanting to read just one more chapter to find out what would happen next. Now that I’ve finished- I can’t say it was anything super groundbreaking, but it was a solid thriller, mystery about a group of girls on a secluded island for a bachelorette party.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you St Martins Press and Netgalley for this ARC! Tessa is at a low point in her life when she is invited to her childhood friend is having a bachelorette party on a secluded island. The only reason Tessa is going if to try to see if she can salvage her true crime podcast reputation by looking into the murder of 4 friends on the island 10 years ago she’s been infatuated with. Thru 2 timelines we see the 2 parties unfold to dangerous ends for all. Great twist and turns till the end! 3.5🌟’s!

A bachelorette party at the Baltic Vinyasa on Isle Blind, a remote island off the Scandinavian coast, the invitation reads. Tessa couldn't think of something she'd rather do less since her recent fall from grace as a once-notable podcast host who made about the biggest misstep you can make. But the bachelorette is for her long-time friend Anneliese, and for Anneliese, she'll go.

Well, for Anneliese and one other reason.

What Tessa knows that the others don't is that ten years ago, something terrible beyond comprehension happened on Isle Blind. It was never proven in court and it never made the papers, but the proof is out there, scattered somewhere in the wind and waves of that island. And if Tessa can somehow uncover the truth, maybe her fall from grace can take shape into a resurrection.

"The Bachelorette Party" is an entirely different novel in both writing and pacing from Camilla Sten's "The Lost Village," and in a good way. While the latter was atmospheric but took far too long to reach an ultimately lackluster destination, "The Bachelorette Party" is a novel refreshing in that it is, in many ways, exactly what you expect it to be: succinctly written, quick paced, and the sort of whodunit that lifts you out of a reading slump. It's not a perfect novel and is predictable in many parts, but well-written enough to still be entertaining from start to finish and one I'd still recommend for readers looking for a quick summer thriller.

Pub date: June 10, 2025

The Bachelorette Party didn’t hit for me as much as I was hoping it would. It has so many components that I’d normally love! Psychological thriller. A group of friends on a relatively isolated trip. Murder. Different timelines. Lots of drama. But I found that it could be kind of confusing and was a bit too slow for me.

I’d recommend giving this one a chance if you like psychological thrillers but I wouldn’t make any promises that you’ll love it.

Thank you St. Martins Press & Minotaur Books for my copy of this!

Thank you to the publisher and the author for this arc! This was a great thriller read for the summer months, and I really enjoyed the atmosphere. I did find the plot to be a bit predictable, but I still enjoyed this reading experience and it was a refreshing read after a long time without reading a thriller.

Thanks to Net Galley and Minotaur Books for an early digital version of Camilla Sten's The Bachelorette Party. I was interested in its setting, the remote Isle Blind, a bleak, craggy island situated off the Swedish coast. I usually enjoy mysteries in the 'locked room ' genre. I regret I was never engaged in the plot, the book's structure, or its large cast. The many names were confusing for me. My problem was with the translation or with my confusion over the timelines and names of the characters. I found myself rereading sections to figure out who was speaking, and which of the two groups I was reading about.

The book was just not for me. It was disjointed, and the timelines were often unclear to me. Its pace was mostly slow, and the time jumps detracted from the momentum and suspense. The story tended to be predictable. I note that I am in a minority, as many liked the book. I urge prospective readers not to be deterred by my misgivings, but to read the positive reviews.

Ten years earlier, in 2012, four friends went to this deserted island, which they had visited before. They vanished, and the mystery has never been solved. Ten years later, a different group of friends visited the same island for a bachelorette party. A luxury health resort is opening, and they plan to celebrate Annelisse's upcoming wedding, relax, and participate in yoga and the spa at the resort. Tessa attends as the bride's best friend. She also has another agenda. Tessa was a popular true-crime podcaster. Something happened that spoiled her reputation, and she is bitter at the loss of the podcast. He hopes to solve the mysterious disappearance of the four women ten years ago, and make a new podcast about the case, drawing back her many fans. The group is unaware of a danger still lurking.
Fans of Camilla Sten, and those who enjoy a complicated, puzzling mystery should be entertained. The publication date is June 10, 2025.

This book was just ok for me. It started off strong, but then dragged on at a very slow pace in the middle. The twists and turns were predictable and the dual time line was confusing at times.

This was not my cup of tea, but I think it could be a good read for someone who is more into thrillers. The book was suspenseful enough that I wanted to keep reading, and I enjoyed the flashbacks/two timelines throughout the novel. However, I did find this book a bit gory, yet boringly predictable at the same time. The premise was interesting but I think there were too many characters that were not fleshed out enough/a lot of different names and connections.

I really didn’t know exactly what to expect with this but i really enjoyed it. It was fast paced and super engaging, there were a decent amount of characters and although the dual timelines got a little confusing at times it all wrapped up perfectly

Title: The Bachelorette Party
Author: Camilla Sten
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Kindle Page Count: 304
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Start Date: May 15, 2025
End Date: May 19, 2025
Anticipated Publish Date: June 10, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Twisty but a bit too drawn out

The Bachelorette Party starts off with an intriguing premise—an off-the-grid getaway with a group of old friends, secrets simmering beneath the surface, and one missing guest. Camilla Sten does a great job creating a claustrophobic, isolated atmosphere, and there are plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing.

That said, while the suspense builds well in the first half, the pacing slows considerably in the middle. Some of the twists felt predictable, and a few character decisions had me scratching my head. I found myself wanting more depth from the main characters to fully invest in their motivations and fears.

The final reveal was satisfying, but it didn’t quite pack the punch I was hoping for. Overall, it’s a decent psychological thriller with solid writing, but it didn’t blow me away. Worth a read if you enjoy slow-burn suspense and group dynamic tension.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

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This is high high anxiety up until the very end! This author is FANTASTIC at building tension and pumping fear into her books. At one point, I was only reading dialogue because I needed to get to the next part! Another great one by Sten! Well structured and pulls the reader in immediately

What a read! This book was set up for me to like it: a bachelorette party that goes awry, secluded island, constantly questioning who you can trust. There is such a huge cast of characters between the two timelines and groups of women we meet that at times, it all kept blending together. I would find myself having to restart a chapter to check which timeline I was in because of the similar names and the fast pacing of the book that had me flipping pages! Some of the twists and surprises felt a bit predictable, especially for someone who reads this genre often, but nonetheless I really enjoyed this one and how it took some common tropes and added more to them. In so many (good!) ways, this felt like a summer slasher film that I shouldn't have been watching at a middle school sleepover.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!!!

Tessa is a true crime podcaster who got interested in true crime after her babysitter disappeared.

She's invited to a Bachelorette Party on an island that she knows is the possible place where everything happened. She boards a boat with her sister and friends from high school to this remote island. Only one resort is on the island and they must turn over their cell phones for a yoga retreat style weekend.

Tessa starts noticing things on the island are more suspicious than she thought. And soon one of their friends is missing. I thought the suspense was great in this book. Slightly predictable in some spots but still a fantastic read.

Bachelorette parties on a secluded island with no phone reception is not an uncommon trope - but this cover is gorgeous and I'm always willing to give a mystery a try! And this one had a great twist - a podcaster who is trying to hold on to her career and get something good and juicy about an old, unsolved mystery of 4 missing women.

But this one lost me really early on. I wanted to love it. I didn't even mind the big cast - two sets of women who are friends with eerily similar names. The location, this craggily old rocky island that now has a resort in the middle of it was great and really set the tone. The creepy feeling of the boat floating and feeling isolated and abandoned was great. The rest, I just didn't connect with it and I wish I did! Sadly, just too many leaps that didn't feel realistic.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

The Bachelorette Party had all the classic summer thriller ingredients. A celebration of old friends, lots of baggage, a remote island, no cell reception, and disappearing characters. Plus, this felt ALOT like a 00’s slasher movie you’d beg your parents to let you rent at Blockbuster and I am not mad about it!

Some twists were easy to clock, but a few genuinely surprised me and honestly, that’s the sweet spot for a summer thriller. I loved how the book leaned into the “who can you trust?” vibes, layering long-buried secrets with the kind of character drama that only intensifies when you’re stuck somewhere with no cell service and rising body count.

If you’re into bachelorette parties that go off the rails, friendships under pressure, and a little blood and gore with your beach read, this one belongs in your summer thriller stack.

Big thanks to @NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the early look! This one is our July 2, just in time for summer getaways!

This book was a wild ride. It had so many twists and turns. The writing was also so well done. I was hooked from the first page.