(4.25/5 stars)
The Bachelorette is an exhilarating mix of suspense, dark secrets, and an edge-of-your-seat mystery that will keep you turning pages long into the night. Camilla Sten masterfully combines the intrigue of a true crime podcast with the unsettling atmosphere of a remote island getaway, creating a thriller that’s both unnervingly tense and wickedly enjoyable.

The setup is brilliant: four friends who mysteriously vanished years ago, and one woman obsessed with uncovering the truth behind their disappearance. Tessa is a compelling protagonist, driven by her podcasting fame and an unrelenting need to solve the case that’s haunted her for years. Her decision to attend her best friend’s bachelorette party on an eerily similar island where the tragedy unfolded brings a new layer of tension to the narrative.

The dual timelines—the flashbacks to the friends’ last days on the island and Tessa’s investigation in the present—add depth and mystery. They gradually unravel dark secrets while keeping you guessing who is responsible for the tragedy. The slow-burn tension is punctuated by sharp moments of horror and a constant sense that someone is watching and waiting.

What really sets The Bachelorette apart is the atmosphere—Sten’s writing envelops you in a cold, eerie world where trust is fragile, and everyone is hiding something. It’s a compelling mystery that never lets you rest on your laurels. My only quibble is that at times, the pacing slightly stalls, and some secondary characters felt a bit underdeveloped. However, the overall twists and revelations are satisfying, and the ending lands with a chilling punch.

If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers with a touch of revenge, dark friendships, and haunting settings, this one is a must-read. It’s a masterclass in suspense, and the pages practically turn themselves.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is told in dual timelines. It starts out in 2012 when four friends went to an island in an archipelago off the coast of Sweden for a night of drinking and telling secrets. This isle was unknown to anyone but them. They disappeared and no one ever knew what happened to them. Flash forward ten years to 2022, Tessa Nilsson, our main character is a true crime podcaster but has never been able to figure out what happened to the missing girls ten years prior. Her best friend Anneliese is getting married, and they are having a bachelorette party on Isle Blind, the same isle as the disappearance of the four women ten years ago. There is someone on this isle intent on revenge. I really enjoyed this story and the island setting. It's a locked room mystery which are some of my favorite books.

"The Bachelorette Party" is an atmospheric locked-room thriller. Ten years ago, Tilly and her three friends disappeared while on their annual trip to a remote island. They had always kept the location a secret, and they were never found. Ten years later, Tessa, a disgraced true crime podcaster, travels to a small island for her best friend's bachelorette party. They stay at a resort owned by the sister of one of the victims. Tessa hopes to use the trip to investigate the missing women's disappearance and save her podcast.

This book was okay. The story is told from the POVs of Tessa in the present and Tilly in the past. I really liked the dual timelines and trying to guess how they were connected. I also liked the remote island setting and the mixed media format. The book started off a bit slow, but it got more interesting after they arrived on the island. There were so many characters, though, that it was kind of confusing and hard to connect with anyone. I started to get a little bored with the present day narrative and was more interested in what happened to Tilly and her friends in the past.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the gifted ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

A creepy, isolated, trapped on an island triller at it's best. Told in dual timelines, a group of friends travel to a Swedish isle for a Bachelorette party and what they think will be a weekend of rest and rejuvenation. Ten years prior on the same island a group of friends travel for their annual girls weekend and go missing, presumably dead. Where it starts to get good is when Tessa, a disgraced true crime podcaster decides to go on the trip with an ulterior motive of trying to crack the missing persons case with the hopes of restoring her reputation.

That kicks off a chain of discoveries that culminates into a wild night on the island. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, there wasn't a ton of 'extra' information or side characters that try to distract you from the twist, which is one of my pet peeves in this genre. The author wove this one together tightly and it packed a punch at the end while also tying up the loose ends leaving a tidy and satisfying ending.

Pros:
Remote Island
Locked room mystery
Friendship drama
True Crime theme

Cons:
Somewhat predictable

This book reminded me of a previous thriller I've read (I cannot remember the title at the moment). Therefore, I found it quite predictable without much surprise for me. I still enjoyed reading it and I think if you haven't read a similar plot it will be more enjoyable.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Really enjoyed this one. I don't read a lot of books set in Sweden, so this was a nice change of pace. I thought the setting of a dark, remote isle in the middle of an archipelago really added to the mystery.

This was my first book by this author. Throughout the book I found it surprising how much I could parallel this upper-class Swedish group of friends to my experiences as an American. I now see that the author is American, and this makes a lot more sense to me.

I did struggle a bit to connect to Tessa, the main character. She was just a mess, and I found her very self-absorbed. It was easier for me to connect to Tilly, but it was a bit frustrating to see how things played out there. Red flags were flying.

Overall, the tension was high. and I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I didn't find the mystery too obvious, and I thought things came together pretty well.

Thanks to Net Galley for the book to review.

Thank you so much for this ARC!

A fun ride that gave off horror movie vibes. It felt like a VERY slow burn until the ending and then it was a very sharp climax.

At times I felt there were too many characters to keep track of and the story in the past was not developed thoroughly enough to really like it or care but I guess it helped paint a picture. Would have LOVED to get a better sense of the setting and had that be more of a character than all of the girls.

I really enjoyed this one. The first half was a bit slower than the second but once it picked up, it was unputdownable. The twists were nice but sometimes predictable. The level of gore/graphic descriptions was surprisingly but not excessive. Overall, I enjoyed it and would recommend. I did find a typo in Chapter 22 (loc 1698 on my ebook) where they are discussing threesomes in never have I ever and Mikaela asks Annaliese when and “were” it happened. Great book!

As someone who enjoys all things horror I loved this book! It was a page turner with just the right amount of gore and suspense. Slasher film meets girl's trip.

Tessa's closest high school friend Annaliese is getting married, to celebrate she's having everyone join her for a retreat on Isle Blind. This trip, on a seemingly remote island promises yoga, relaxation and time away with friends. But Tessa can't shake the feeling that something is very wrong. Is it her knowledge of the women who previously disappeared there or could something more sinister be going on? The friends will soon discover that this island holds more than one secret and someone who is seeking revenge.

This book kept me coming back for more. It hooked me right away and left me questioning my own theories until the very end! Very much gave me Scream vibes and I loved how it had me questioning all of the characters motives.

A Swedish murder mystery starting with 4 best friends murdered on a small private island, then we cut to a bachelorette party taking place on the same island 10 years later.

Tessa, one of the friends on the bachelorette party is aware of the island’s dark history and hopes to gain insight to the murder to reignite her failed true crime podcast career.

Slow burn, then throws everything at you half way through only drag out the ending.

I liked this okay. The premise was interesting, but I was able to predict the ending pretty early on. I also found most of the side characters under developed which made it hard to remember who they were as the story progressed. Once we reached the ending, it all felt a bit overdone and hard to imagine someone going through the trouble. Overall, a good summer thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was giving strong 90s horror movie vibes in the best way possible!

Duel time lines
Friend drama
Unhinged bachelorette party
Twist you won’t see coming!

When a group of 4 friends go missing, the lives of their family and friends are turned upside down. Years later, a different, yet connected, group of friends head to the same place they went missing for a Bachelorette Party and discover the secrets that led to the tragedy 15 years prior. I really enjoyed how this book was a mix of psychological whodunit and an 80's slasher movie. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a fast paced mystery with several twists you don't anticipate.

This was a decent thriller! For once I actually managed to figure out who the killer was but I never could have guessed the reason why. This was a page-turner and the last 20% of the book had me speed reading at an insane pace 👀 I really enjoyed the back and forth between the present day and the past mystery of the Nacka Four, it set up the story nicely for the explosive finale. My issues were more with the characters, I didn't really connect with any of them and they were pretty unlikeable.

The pacing was great and the intertwining mysteries from the past and present were well done! I love short chapters and this book delivered on that front!

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten was a murder mystery narrated from both past and present perspectives. While I found the beginning a bit slow and the plot challenging to follow, the middle section was where things truly began to unfold, and the ending was very engaging. The author kept me guessing until the very end, leaving me thoroughly surprised. I would rate this book 3.25 out of 5 stars.

Thanks, St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

I loved the setting for this book- isolated, creepy island only accessible by boat. I was also very intrigued with the beginning of the book, but as soon as the timelines started changing the story couldn't hold my attention. I still think it is a great thriller for when you want a quick read, but overall it did not leave me astounded.

Thank you Net Galley, Camilla Sten, and Minotaur Books for an EARC of this book.

This was a slow read and I was disappointed with the end. I was hoping the book would pick up some speed but it kept going slow.
This book did give off lots of ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ movie vibes but just kept dragging on.

I want to start out by saying I was so drawn to to this book because of the beautiful artwork on the cover ( I am a huge artwork girly when it comes to covers and sprayed edges). So immediately drawn to that and then the description of the murder mystery plot, I was hooked!! I do think they executed the mystery portion of the book perfectly and the connection between the Nacka 4 and the present. However, there was just so many characters and so many time switches that it was overwhelming and hard to concentrate. I loved the idea and the mystery of the book which is why I am confidently able to give this book a 3-star. I think Camilla Sten is a great writer and it was a great concept but it just kind of got lost at times and that is why I cannot give it a 5 star. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ability to read and review this book. These thoughts and opinions are of my own.

Wow!! I kept seeing this was an anticipated book all over social media platforms. This did not disappoint. Very engaging and kept me wanting more. I really enjoyed this

Not terribly interesting up until the climax but the author was able to introduce some surprises in a limited setting.

To celebrate their friend's marriage, six women embark on a trip to a not-yet-open luxury health retreat for a relaxing, mindful look weekend. Their phones are taken at the door to encourage a fully unplugged experience and although the women may not have seen each other in quite some time, the trip is going nicely. What these women do not know is that one of them has come with the motive of investigating a decade-old murder that may put all of them at risk.

The Bachelorette Party is a story you have probably read before. A bunch of women agree to go on a private retreat where something spooky happened once and, lo and behold, the spook is back with a vengeance. The thing that made me give this book such a low rating, though, is that the author takes this tried and true formula and proceeds to do nothing interesting with it.

First of all, the book starts out very slow. I can take a slow burn, but waiting until nearly 60% for something interesting to happen goes way past the "slow burn" threshold - that's just bad pacing. There is a smaller sub-mystery that strings the reader along for that time, but the payout is just too weak to really be engaging enough to warrant that kind of page space.

There's a lot of danger floating above the characters in this book which would be effective if I felt any sort of attachment to them. Every character is so flat, though, that it was really hard for me to care about the fate of any of them. Any woman that wasn't Tessa (our leading lady) or Irene the yoga teacher faded into the background for me in a muddy swirl. Even Annalise, who was the bride being celebrated, felt like an afterthought at her own party. The other women, whose names I'm even having a hard time remembering, had very few defining characteristics at all and completely merged into each other. Natalie and Liane and Caroline and Mikayla could all have been the same person. I wouldn't know any better (except that one was super annoying about her kids).

Frankly, I wasn't a huge fan of this author's first work, The Lost Village and I probably should not have agreed to review this one. At least in TLV though there was a maybe-paranormal-maybe-not mystery standing behind the characters to make the plot interesting. Although I found the writing amateurish, I did find the core of the story interesting. This book, though, read like a stripped down version of every other locked-room mystery I've ever read. I know I personally called the killer from a mile off which, while not a cardinal sin, definitely left a damper at the end of the book when there was no twist to twist - just a lukewarm confirmation of what was pretty obviously hinted at the whole time.