In The Bachelorette Party, Tessa joins a yoga retreat on a remote Swedish island to celebrate her best friend’s wedding. What should be a peaceful getaway turns tense when a guest goes missing and dark secrets from the past come to light. With no cell service and devices confiscated, the group is completely cut off—creating a perfect locked-room mystery.

The moody, haunting landscape heightens the tension, and the story’s shifts between past and present slowly reveal the characters’ hidden truths. Tessa is a compelling, flawed protagonist who keeps you engaged right through to the shocking and satisfying conclusion.

Read this if you like:
• Moody, isolated island settings that feel like a character of their own
• Locked-room mysteries where escape isn’t an option
• Past-and-present storytelling that gradually unearths long-buried secrets
• Shocking, well-earned endings that truly deliver
• Female-driven thrillers with layered relationships and dark undercurrents
• Complex themes like trust and betrayal, past trauma and redemption, secrets and hidden identities, isolation and suspense, revenge and justice, and the complicated nature of female friendship and rivalry
• Authors of atmospheric psychological thrillers with twists, like Ruth Ware, Shari Lapena, Lucy Foley, and Lisa Jewell

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️¼ (4.25/5)

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press Minotaur Books for this e-ARC which will be published June 10th 2025.

Perhaps I can find more information after it is published, but this book seemed translated from another language. Most of it was easy enough to follow. A few places seemed a little wonky which could have been due to it being an early copy. Overall, I enjoyed the story. It was a slow start with a lot of build up, but once the story started unraveling, it had me on the edge of my seat.

This was a great story! I loved that it confirmed what I believed was going to happen, but also twisted it on its head. I always love to be surprised when I read mystery and this did not disappoint! The characters were well written and fully fleshed out. I love that I got to see some of the aftermath as well! Great book!

Am I stupid or is this book a little hard to follow? I kept getting confused with all the names.. I also found the twist to be a bit predictable.

However, I do think that the overall book was intriguing, I just don't know if it's for me. It's a fast paced, dual timeline thriller. There was lots of suspense, twists and turns to keep you on your toes!

Overall, I think although it was predictable and I got confused by the names, I do think it was enjoyable!

The Bachelorette Party: ★★★☆☆ 3/5

Pub date: out now!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars for me but rounded up to 4. I think overall the storyline was great. I liked trying to solve two mysteries in one — however, given the amount of characters and dual timelines, it would sometimes be hard to keep everyone straight. I also felt like it was a little too much of a slow-burn for me. Still would recommend a read.

A bachelorette party on an island where 4 women were killed....sure, that sounds like a GREAT idea!
I would recommend this to readers who appreciate stories that include friendship, life celebrations gone wrong, private/secluded trapped island mysteries and mysteries told from multiple timepoints and POV's. All of these aspects made for a very interesting story to follow!
I also appreciated that I was able to start making connections and forming my own theories because of the way the story was told!

This was 2.5 stars rounded up to 3. I feel like this story line has been so overdone lately. A few female friends run off to an exotic resort where there is no cell service or they don’t have their phones and then bad things start to happen. It was clear to me from the beginning who the bad guy was going to be.

I love a dual timeline and multiple characters but in this book, the names were all similar to each other and it was hard to keep straight who belonged to which timeline and who was who. There were no stand out characters of the characters to make them memorable. Overall, this book wasn’t terrible but it wasn’t great either. 3/5⭐️

A fast-paced, binge-worthy thriller with a locked-room mystery twist, The Bachelorette Party had me hooked from page one. Set on a remote island off the Swedish coast, the story blends dual timelines and POVs to deliver a chilling, claustrophobic atmosphere full of paranoia and secrets.

While the characters leaned a bit dramatic, the two main narrators were easy to root for, and the horror-movie vibe—complete with a shadowy villain, rising body count, and relentless tension—was pure fun. Think One by One meets a slasher flick.

Graphic, eerie, and addictive, this is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and survival stories. Just maybe leave the lights on.

A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Camilla Sten for the digital ARC of The Bachelorette Party. All opinions are my own!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

In need of a good popcorn thriller? Consider giving this one a try! Follow Tessa, a true crime podcaster, and the rest of the bridal party on a remote island and luxury yoga retreat that quickly turns upside down!

One thing I can usually count on is that, even if the story isn’t revolutionary or the characters aren’t engrossing, I’ll still be pulled in to a summer thriller. I had several complaints about this story, but overall, I still wanted to see where the story would go.

Did I find the story of the original 4 women that went missing unnecessary? Yes. Did I find Tessa’s story and motivation to be less than convincing? Yes. But when the action FINALLY picked up, I was ready to go. Pick this up if you want a quick, mindless palate cleanser!

Didn’t love it or hate it. Has everything you want but missing something. Was easy to follow. Wasn’t in love with the ending…

Four and 1/2 stars, actually. But - I loved it! Not going to lie, I didn't initially care for this book - another bachelorette party gone awry kind of story, with distinctly unlikeable characters. Gave it a chance and it came through with flying colors. I had a feeling for who the villain was going to be, only because someone else was constantly pushed in front of us as 'the bad guy'. But I didn't guess the reason. My biggest complaint is that the names of the 'Nacka Four' and the names of the current women at Isle Blind were very similar and it was difficult to keep them straight at times. And I was a little taken aback - Tessa's friends were a bit ugly to her that first night, and yet she didn't really acknowledge that. And they didn't apologize. And the next day, they're back to being best friends. I think I held a bigger grudge than Tessa did. But overall, I would highly recommend this book!

This ARC was provided by NetGalley and the publisher, the opinions expressed herein are strictly my own.

This was a decent, creepy read with a great setting. I’m always drawn to locked-room mysteries and dual timelines, and the remote island vibe definitely worked for me. The whole idea of a bachelorette party being held on the same island where four friends disappeared years earlier was super intriguing.

That said, it was a pretty slow burn overall. Not a lot really happened until later in the book, and I did get a little lost with the big cast of characters (some of the names felt a bit too similar), so it was hard to keep track at times. The timeline jumps also got a little foggy — with the dates being so close (just the year changing), I often found myself flipping back to check which timeline I was in. I did enjoy Tessa’s podcast background and her personal struggles, which added some depth.

While this wasn’t a total standout for me, I think readers who enjoy a slower-paced, atmospheric thriller with a strong setting might enjoy it more.

This was a little more horror than I usually read, but I’m glad I did! It was a good read that surprised me at the end with why it all happened. I will definitely read more by Camilla Sten.

2.5 STARS - A bachelorette party on a secluded, bleak Swedish island where a group of women disappeared years prior and a podcaster on the hunt for a good story? What could go wrong?!

I love a good, locked room, tense and twisty story. I do! But (unpopular opinion incoming ...) despite the setting and sinister past of the island, The Bachelorette Party failed to deliver a gripping, edge of your seat read for me.

With the constant switches between the two time frames, its very slow burn tension (nothing happening until past the 50% mark) and its large cast of very similar characters, it was just too convoluted. The characters needed more fleshing out and clear motivations because they blended into each other and I struggled to remember which friend was in which timeline or even who was speaking at the beginning of each chapter.

It was simply a complicated and disjointed way to tell the story.

I'm in the minority with this book so if you love a creepy, desolate setting with a slow burn story, then give this book a try.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Minotaur Books for the complimentary digital copy of this book that was given in exchange for my honest review.

Every year on a remote island near Sweden, four friends meet for one night to reminisce. One night, they disappear. Years later, someone is obsessed with their story as a true crime enthusiast. She is invited to a bachelorette party on this same remote island that is now a yoga retreat. Will she be able to solve the mystery? Will she meet her own demise. This is a must-read summer novel.

I do enjoy locked room thrillers although I think they are being overdone currently, especially the “old” stranded on an island trope. This book grabbed my attention when Tessa’s character was introduced because she was so different from the other women in both timelines and my curiosity was sparked over what happened with her podcast. The mystery around the disappearance of all four women in the first timeline laid a good foundation for the events taking place during the current bachelorette party. To avoid spoilers, I will only add that when one of the characters is revealed to be connected to one of the past victims, that person became instantly suspicious. The book offers lots of action and several twists. The revelation about Tessa’s podcast was a bit of a letdown. In spite of the entertainment factor, I wasn’t wowed by this book. There were almost too many characters to keep track of and the basic plot wasn’t anything new or creative. Overall, a mediocre read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

2.25 ✨

This book was…fine. It was suspenseful if not predictable.

The good
🌟 You could really identify with Tessa and all that she has been through
🌟 The friend group was fun to read about
💫 The Storyline was interesting enough to follow

The not so good
- ⭐️ This book didn’t pick up for me until around the 50% mark
- ⭐️ It was really predictable
-.75 ⭐️ Some of the storyline was a bit convoluted and confusing. I think the secondary story about Tessa’s podcast was a bit unnecessary even though the little twist with that was shocking. The most surprising part of the book, really.

You know I would probably recommend this book to the very specific audience. I want to thank NetGalley for the e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. It sure was an interesting time, and even though I found it predictable, I think for some people that might be very thrilling and surprising.

Every year, a group of friends meet on a remote island off the coast of Sweden. No one knows the location except the four of them. There is a lot going on with each of them, and they don’t seem to be communicating it well between them. All four of them are then murdered, and no one can figure out why. Fast forward ten years and the story is now focused on Tessa. She is a podcaster, focusing on true crime. She currently blew up her job and now her life is a mess. She has always been fascinated by the murder of the four women. When an opportunity comes to go to the island for a bachelorette party, she hopes that she can find some information and hopefully bring back her career. The location has been described as a luxury yoga retreat. It hasn’t officially opened yet, but one of the bridesmaids made a connection with the owner and the women will be there for a trial run with a hefty discount.

Also reviewed on B&N (1IrishEyes430) and Kobo (IrishEyes430)

The Bachelorette Party delivers exactly what you are hoping for in a psychological thriller. I found myself completely absorbed, nearly finishing it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. The isolated island setting paired with a murder mystery created the perfect atmosphere for this type of story.

What really worked for me was how the author wove together past and present storylines through different perspectives. The shifting timelines revealed disturbing secrets that made the current danger feel even more threatening. The author crafted a genuinely unsettling atmosphere that reminded me why I love this genre.

The plot builds tension relentlessly, creating that sense of inevitable disaster that keeps you turning pages. While some characters came across as overly theatrical, the two main narrators were compelling enough to carry the story. Even the less sympathetic characters served their purpose well, keeping me invested in their fates. The supporting cast might not have been particularly likable, but they were definitely memorable.

The book captures that classic horror movie feeling perfectly. I kept wondering who would survive and in what order the others might meet their end. There's something satisfying about that familiar dread building as you try to piece together the mystery alongside the characters.

This strikes that balance between genuine scares and thriller pacing. Sure, I saw some plot points coming, but that didn't diminish my enjoyment. Sometimes it's fun to watch the pieces fall into place, even when you can guess the pattern.

The paranoia builds steadily throughout, and the sense of isolation really amplifies the fear factor. It's the kind of read that makes you want to keep all the lights on, which is exactly what I look for in a good thriller.

Tessa Nilsson is down on her luck. Her successful true crime podcast is under water, she's got an impending lawsuit filed against her, and she's as close to rock bottom as one person could possibly get. But when she finds out that her best friend's bachelorette party is going to be held on infamous Isle Blind, she sees this as a way to relaunch her podcast and hopefully get everyone to stop hating her. That's because Isle Blind is a well-known where four best friends were murdered (or had "gone missing") ten years earlier. Tessa believes she can find something there to prove that the girls were much smarter and responsible than the police and media gave them credit for; that someone did kill the girls, and she wants to bring them some justice. However, what Tessa finds is much greater than she had bargained for.

I loved this book. As a seasoned thriller reader, I knew not to believe or go along with who the "bad guy" was first suspected to be, and I guessed who the bad guy actually was BUT I loved the twist of who the original murderer was! Definitely wasn't expecting that, and also wasn't expecting the end - usually the person who SHOULD be killed by the "bad guy" doesn't actually get killed but it was kind of satisfying to it to happen ??

Two things I'll point out for the editing/publishing team (that I'm sure have already been fixed since it's now published): mentioning the honey vinaigrette and fairly compensating bees for the brunch was a silly little addition but honey is not vegan, and when Mikaela was talking about the apartment complex that Matilda lived in, it went from Caro being the friend also living there but then changed a few pages later to Natalie (instead of Caro).

All in all this book offered more twists and surprises than "expected" elements and I'm really grateful I got this advanced copy!