The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten is a locked room type mystery/thriller set in Sweden. Suspenseful and atmospheric, this book will keep you up way too late because you don't want to put it down!

On a remote island off the coast of Sweden, four friends Linnea, Evelina, Matilda (Tilly), and Anna meet every year for a fun filled break from everyday life. But in 2012, something happened and all four friends were never seen again.
Now ten years later, Tessa has been invited to her best friends destination bachelorette party. Tessa has been trying to lay low after a disastrous end to her podcast career. When she finds out that Annaliese has planned her party for the exact place the four friends were last seen, Tessa knows that she can not pass up this opportunity. But the sunrise yoga and unlimited cava is not enough to hide the ugly truth of what happened 10 years ago. And someone wants revenge...

Wow! I flew through this book in a day! Fast paced and exciting, it definitely gives off slasher movie, final girl, and The Guest List meets Girls Trip vibes! Atmospheric and rich in details, I could totally see myself in tree pose overlooking Sweden's majestic landscape! I really liked the parallel with the four missing friends in 2012 and the women in 2022 on the same island. This book does get a bit graphic in some parts and some sensitive topics are introduced including: gun/knife violence, homophobia, violence, and mention of suicide. Overall a great tension filled thriller that is perfect for classic scary movie lovers, final girls, and fans of locked room mysteries!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Camilla Sten, and Minotaur Books for this ARC!! Publication date:June 10th 2025

3.5 stars rounded up The Bachelorette Party is a suspenseful thriller told in alternating timelines. Ten years ago four best friends disappeared. Now ten years later, some friends are traveling to the same island for a bachelorette party. Tessa is one of the guests. A former podcaster whose career was marred by tragedy, she's now looking for redemption by finding out what really happened ten years ago but danger has returned for the island's guest once again. The suspense builds steadily to keep you reading but I didn't really develop any attachment to the main characters. The book was okay with a few twists thrown in but some of the plot was obvious. My voluntary, unbiased, and non-mandatory review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

The Bachelorette Party is a meeting of a thriller and a character study of a fallen podcaster. Its always interesting to read translated stories, giving us a glimpse into another country and what they interpret as meaningful. I enjoyed the overall summertime vibe along with the remote island setting.

Tessa Nilsson is a true crime podcaster dealing with a big scandal that has left her struggling. Much of the story is Tessa dealing with anxiety and feelings of inadequacy alongside her successful childhood friends and sister while attending a bachelorette party. The posh, soon to open yoga resort, is set in a place where an old crime may have been committed and Tessa tries to investigate but she never seems competent enough. She is always second guessing her choices and straight out panicking when things don't go her way. I had a hard time connecting to her and it was a struggle at times to keep reading. Thankfully I found the characters and their interactions along with the dual plots interesting, feeling like a true bachelorette party where everyone reminisces and sometimes doesn't always get along while imbibing lots of alcohol. I felt like the big reveal was a little lackluster but I enjoyed the ending and wish we got some more fleshing out of the after events and one more chapter of the past party.

Overall suggest for those who enjoy dual timelines, translated works and psychological thrillers.
Thanks to the publishers St. Martins Press and Minotaur Books for access to the netgalley edition.

I liked how the past catches up with the cast of this locked room mystery. Tessa was my favorite with her determination to solve the mystery. The setup on an island with no contact with the outside world was fun, especially with the dual timelines gradually unraveling the mystery.

Summary: On a remote island nestled off the coast of Sweden, four friends—Tilly, Anna, Linnea and Evelina—meet every year. Best friends since childhood, the idea is to drink beer, dance by the water, and shake off the weight of life's expectations. The location of the island is a secret to everyone but them. One night of reckless fun and secret-sharing, and then they return to their normal lives.

Ten Years Later. Ever since she was a teenager, Tessa Nilsson has been consumed by the story of four friends who disappeared. As her true crime fervor turned into a wildly popular podcast, Tessa covered Sweden’s most gruesome cases, but could never find the answers behind what happened to these women who disappeared. Now Tessa’s podcast has crashed and burned, any chance she had at uncovering the truth vanishing with it.

Anneliese is Tessa’s best friend, and before she walks down the aisle, she wants to have a bachelorette party. The destination: Baltic Vinyasa, a sleek, sophisticated yoga retreat on a small island off the coast—one with such similar characteristics to the tragedy years ago that it raises the hair on Tessa’s neck. The idea is to drink gallons of cava, do sunrise yoga, and get in their last chance to bond with the bride. Tessa will not pass this up. It’s her last chance to find out what happened to the four women, once and for all.

And it’s someone else’s last chance to get revenge

🏝️🏝️🏝️🏝️🏝️🏝️🏝️🏝️🏝️🏝️🏝️🏝️🏝️🏝️🏝️

Review: This one didn’t grab me the way most thrillers do. I never connected to the main character and I guessed pretty quickly what the twist was going to be. It was an interesting story, but could have been executed better.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Bachelorette Party is a twisty dual timeline thriller with alternating POVs set in both present and past.
I love an isolated setting thriller and this one was especially creepy being set on an island where a decade in the past a group of friends disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
There were quite a lot of characters spread throughout the alternating timelines, so it made things a little hard to follow for a while. I did find it somewhat obvious who was behind the nefarious doings in present day, but I was entirely lost as to who the actual killer was originally.
The beginning started with a fantastic, very scary bang, and things were tense throughout, leading to a climactic reveal, all of which made for a quick and enjoyable read.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for sending me an eARC via NetGalley!
Publication date 6/10/25

I'm not huge into mysteries, but enjoyed The Guest List and this seemed to be in a similar vein...and it's always good to branch out a little.

In 2012, four friends went to Isle Blind for their annual reunion weekend. They never returned. Authorities determined it was a boat accident, but we know Matilda and her three friends were murdered (since the book literally starts with them being murdered). Ten years later, disgraced true crime podcaster Tessa is headed to a new health retreat/hotel on the island with five friends for a bachelorette weekend, hosted by Irene, Matilda's sister. Tessa is determined to find out what happened to the Nacka Four ten years ago.

I found the book to very well plotted. The action is mostly set in 2022, from Tessa's POV, with occasional jumps to Matilda in 2012. There were, I think, too many friends on the 2022 trip to keep them all straight, though just doing another four women would be troublesome, plot-wise. I quite liked Tessa's wrestling of a recent career implosion; I honestly could've done with more time spent with Tessa's podcast history. The ending made sense, though was a bit drawn-out for me and the ultimate perpetrator was reasonably obvious, even if motivations were not, so that was satisfying.

It does get all the bonus points for this passage, which occurs when Tessa gets up for early yoga at the bachelorette:

I don't believe there are people who genuinely like the taste of green juice and kombucha, who take joy in getting up at five in the morning, or who get their kicks from sweating out made-up toxins by exercising in saunas. I think runner's high is a myth and sunrise yoga is a scam, and I'd pay the entire remaining balance in my account to go back to sleep. (Chapter 13)

Ultimately, an enjoyable-enough read. Other reviews indicate that Sten's other books were better, so I might check those out.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for providing a review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Thank you to Minotaur books via Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

6 best friends since childhood go on a bachlorette weekend to a remote island where 4 girls had gone missing 10 years before. Its now a yoga retreat, with vegan food and mindfulness hikes, the weekend is meant to be tons of fun, but Tessa uses the weekend to see if she can find out what happened to the 4 women who went missing and finds someone looking for revenge instead.

As much as I really loved this story I wanted more thrill, it felt like all the thrilling juicy parts were in the last 3rd of the book. I liked the closure and the twist was a little expected BUT I liked the overall reasoning behind it. I understood it, I got behind it. I wish there was some more things happening in the first half and middle parts of the story to keep me engaged more. Overall I loved the story and it did have the engaging thriller aspect to it when it needed it. Definitely worth a read.

Thank you so much to Minotaur Books for the gifted ARC!

I've really enjoyed Camilla Sten's books in the past and was so excited for this one.

Unfortunately, it just felt so overdone to me. I have read countless books where friends gather together year after year and even many that are based around bachelorette parties. Just a few I can think of are SHE STARTED IT by Sian Gilbert, ONE OF THE GIRLS by Lucy Clarke, YOU MAY NOW KILL THE BRIDE by Kate Watson, etc. So maybe it's just a personal case of being exhausted by thrillers taking place on an island with a toxic group of friends, but they are all blending together.

I can't wait to see what Camilla does next because she is such a talented writer!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Camilla Sten for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Bachelorette Party coming out June 10, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I’ve read a couple books by this author and I really enjoy her writing. I thought this was an interesting summary, so I was excited to check it out. Unfortunately it didn’t work for me. I couldn’t connect to any of the characters. I wasn’t really onboard with any of their choices. It wasn’t for me. I would read other books by this author though.

Camilla Sten is the queen of atmospheric thrillers…her settings are always characters themselves. This one was no exception, set on a remote island in the Baltic Sea. Supposedly a bachelorette getaway, of course it turns into something more sinister & deadly. The bulk of the book was a little slow, with way too much irrelevant information about Tessa & why she’s feeling like a failure. But the last 25% made up for it & I couldn’t put it down!

This was sooo good! This is a great keep you on the edge of your toes read! I highly recommend this book especially to all those bachelorettes out there!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Review: The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten

I was really excited to read The Bachelorette Party, especially since I loved Camilla Sten’s The Village—a haunting, atmospheric thriller that stayed with me long after I turned the last page. Naturally, I went into this one with high expectations, and while it delivered in many ways, there were a few aspects that didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

What The Bachelorette Party absolutely nails is pacing. This is a fast, compulsive read that kept me turning pages late into the night. The setup—a remote villa, a group of women with complicated histories, secrets bubbling beneath the surface—was right in my thriller sweet spot. Sten does a great job building tension, and her writing style is sharp and immersive, pulling you right into the heart of the drama.

As the layers peeled back, I found myself fully engrossed in the unraveling dynamics between the characters. The flashbacks and shifting perspectives were used effectively to deepen the suspense and keep me guessing. There were some solid twists, and even when I started to suspect where things were heading, I still enjoyed watching it all unfold.

That said, I wasn’t totally sold on the ending. Without giving spoilers, it felt a little abrupt and left me wanting more resolution. I understand the intention behind it, but I personally prefer conclusions that feel a bit more grounded or emotionally satisfying. That’s the only reason this was a 4-star read instead of a 5 for me.

Still, Camilla Sten proves once again that she knows how to craft a tense, bingeable thriller. Her writing remains a highlight, and I’ll definitely keep reading whatever she writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten is a slow-building, highly entertaining, dark, unnerving thriller that’s the perfect summer read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The dual timeline, along with the characters kept the storyline intriguing, and kept me turning pages right up until the very end. A huge thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, the author and NetGalley for the eARC of the book.

The premise of this intense mystery starts out in 2012 when four girlfriends go to a remote island nestled off the coast of Sweden to hangout and catch up. They do this every year, but their last meet up turns out much different. Fast forward a decade later, Tessa has been obsessed with the story of the four girlfriends that completely vanished on that island. Tessa’s fascination with true crime has turned into a hugely popular podcast. She has been able to investigate some of Sweden’s more grisly, high profile cases. But the one case she has never been able to find any answers to is the disappearance of those four women on that island.

Now, Tessa has been invited to a bachelorette party at a yoga retreat on a small remote island that is eerily reminiscent of the one where the four woman went missing years ago. It gives Tessa an uneasy feeling, the plan is to just go hang out have some fun, and connect with her best friend Anneliese, who is the bride to be. And with her podcast stalled as of late this might be her last opportunity to discover what really happened years ago. Can Tessa uncover the truth behind the disappearance of the women, and stop the danger that lies in wait for her and her group friends?

The Bachelorette Party is a well-written, propulsive, spine-chilling secluded island thriller filled with twist that will keep you guessing, and have you reading with all the lights on.

I think that the fact that this book touches on so many different genres made it difficult for me to totally immerse myself in the plot. The genres are suspense, mystery, thriller and horror. I would like to say that I thought they all rolled together into a neat package, but it was more like a mish-mash or a scatter painting. I didn’t know what to expect next because although there were plenty of twists, the preparation for the twists was not there. The clues were either non-existent or gave away secrets long before I was ready for them. So, plot was a definite two for me. The characters were not relatable or believable, but I did sympathize with them. I especially liked the character of Tessa, a narrator who is mostly unreliable and totally off-the-wall challenged in her career since she is desperate to make a new podcast that actually succeeds. But, because the characters and their dilemma held my attention, I give them a four, so the average I came up with for my rating is thus a three. I would have to say it is actually a little more than a three because the setting was perfect, a remote place for disappearances and murders to take place, and an empty boat…very eerie and enticing. Those who enjoy gothic kind of mysteries mixed with suspense (not a lot, but some), thrills (more prevalent) and horror (that seemed like it was trying to hard to horrify), will like this book. I struggled to read it, but every book is not everyone’s cup of tea. So I hope that this one finds its place with the people who will enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

New to me author. The cover is what ultimately drew me in and made me want to read this book. The story was just okay and I found myself not caring about any of these characters. It has a large cast of characters that at times made it difficult to keep up with who was who and what was going on. This book also didn't give me that shock or wow factor that I enjoy in thriller books. I started the digital copy and finished on audio.

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Bachelorette Party by Camille Sten is a slow paced thriller that takes its time setting the stage. Personally, I found it a bit hard to get into at first—it wasn't until about halfway through the book that I really felt pulled into the story. One of the challenges early on was keeping track of the large cast of characters. It took some time to sort everyone out and understand their dynamics.

The novel alternates between two timelines: the past, where four best friends known as the “Nacka Four” mysteriously vanish during a girls' trip to a remote island, and the present, where a group of women arrives on the same island—now home to a luxurious resort—for a bachelorette weekend.

The present-day protagonist, Tessa, is a reluctant guest. She’s dealing with personal issues and almost skips the party, but ultimately decides to go—partially out of loyalty to her friend, and partly because she has an ulterior motive. As a once-successful podcaster, Tessa sees this trip as an opportunity to dig into the mystery of the Nacka Four and maybe breathe new life into her fading career.

But the island has secrets, and as her friends begin to disappear, Tessa starts to wonder if the events of the past are repeating themselves—and if the person responsible is still lurking nearby.

While the story does eventually build suspense and delivers some intriguing twists, the pacing might be too slow for readers looking for a high-octane thriller. That said, the atmospheric setting and dual timelines add depth, and once the plot kicks in, it becomes an engaging mystery.

I enjoyed this book, the characters, and the storyline. There is a dual timeline that goes back and forth from 2012 and 2022. But when you read the 2 timelines, there is no real CLEAR point that it's the same person's pov or if it's one of the other friends' pov.
2012 a group of 4 friends go to a remote island that one of their fathers owns and have a get together just to reconnect and catch up, They do it once every year and have been doing this for years, but THIS year is different. Fast forward to 2022 and a group of friends are headed out to the same remote island as the sister of one of the original group has built a luxury hotel on the island and they are going there for a Bachelorette Party, and somethings just NOT right...
Aside from the slight confusion of who's pov you're reading, I really did enjoy this and would recommend it.
Thank you, #netgalley, for the ARC copy of this book.

This was SUCH a well-written thriller. (Also loved that it was set in Sweden!) The dual timeline was perfection. There’s an underlying mystery around each storyline that just leaves you wanting to know more at every turn. That, along with the way this was paced, made this book highly addictive. I read about 50% of it during the second night because I just. Couldn’t. Put. It. Down.

All the tropes I thought I would hate - the superficial setting x unlikeable girls group, namely - were so well-crafted and fleshed out that I was actually had a change of heart for some of the b’s in the group. (I also didn’t care that I figured out the “bad guy” about halfway through because their backstory was so compelling).

Highly recommend this for your next summer thriller! This was my first time reading Camilla Sten and I’m officially a fan. Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this advanced copy! ✨

Stuck on a remote island in the middle of nowhere with a tiny row boat and no cell phones already had me breaking out in hives. To add to the fear factor, four women mysteriously disappeared here 10 years ago. It was assumed they all drowned. What could possibly go wrong? I was already getting Friday The Thirteenth vibes times ten after reading the first chapter.

Although there are several characters, Tessa is the star. Tessa has always loved true crime. After a horrific occurrence happened in her life, she feels that her life is in tatters, both professionally and personally. Even though she immediately feels unseen eyes on the island, her curiosity gets the best of her. She is determined to get answers to what happened here a decade ago. Tessa was, at times, likable and unlikable at others.

This book gave me the creeps and made me question whether I should be reading this at night. There were a few things that I didn’t like about the book. However, it was not enough to make me stop reading it. The intensity of the story sucked me into it’s vortex and would not let me go.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.