The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten is the story of a group of women who head off to a secluded yoga retreat on an isolated island as part of a bachelorette party. The main character is disgraced podcaster Tessa Nilsson, who is coming to the island to celebrate her friend's pending marriage, but also to uncover the truth of a case of missing girls from ten years earlier in an attempt to rejuvenate her failing career.

I previously read The Lost Village by Camilla Sten and enjoyed the book enough to request this one, and I wasn't let down. This was a fun and easy ready that took me just one afternoon to get through. I'm a big fan of locked room mysteries, which is essentially what this book was given that they were all trapped on an island together. The story is told mostly from Tessa's point of view but the narrative does jump back and forth, giving the reader the perspective of the missing girls.

Slowly over the course of the story the two narratives come together to reveal the ultimate villain in the story and the truth of what happened on the island all those years ago comes to light. I had a really fun time reading this and I think anyone who likes a good mystery/thriller will enjoy giving this one a read.

I listened to this on audio and I thought the narrator, Laura Jennings, was great as well. I would recommend it on audio or just as a read if that's your preferred method of consuming books.

Thank you to Camilla Sten for writing this, Macmillan Audio for sending it my way, and NetGalley for facilitating them sharing it with me.

I read the audiobook version of this book and I think that might have played a role in my rating. Right off the bat you are given a lot of characters from two different timelines. The character development was lacking so as a reader, I had no visual or any aspects to differentiate between who was who. I was still struggling more than halfway through and having no easy way to go back and figure it out was a hindrance. The narration was fine.

10 years ago four women disappeared from a remote island where they meet once a year for a girl’s night. But this, time none of them returned. It’s still a cold case.

Now, Tessa is headed to a bachelorette party for her BFF Anneliese on a remote island. Oooh I love a locked in/ remote location thriller. And they also had to turn in all their phones when they arrived on the island. One boat to travel from the island to mainland. Let’s amp up the anxiety.

Told in dual timeline POVs, it was a little confusing at times. I didn’t really get into Tessa, and never found myself fully vested in the story.

BORROW. Good enough read, but I’d borrow it from the library or read on Kindle Unlimited.

Thank you #NetGalley for the complimentary copy of #TheBacheloretteParty in exchange for an honest review. Thank you #MacmillanAudio for approving my request.

This was such a fun, fast-paced thriller! I loved the mix of old secrets, messy friendships, and the true crime angle. Cold cases are my jam! The remote island setting added a cool, locked-room vibe, and I couldn’t wait to see how the two timelines would come together. Perfect for fans of twisty thrillers with drama, tension, and a little revenge.

Thank you Camilla Sten, St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

This book was absolutely incredible! From the very first page, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. The suspense had me on the edge of my seat the entire time, and the way the author writes made me feel like I was watching a movie unfold right in front of me. The plot was smart and gripping, and the twist at the end completely blew me away. I’ve read other books by this author and they never disappoint…this one is no exception. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing a ARC of this thriller in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I devoured this book in one day! This bachelorette party gone wrong/locked room thriller is unhinged in all the most fun ways. Though it was pretty predictable, it’s an enjoyable suspense/thriller all the same.

Ten years after four best friends seemingly vanish from an island off the coast of Sweden, a bachelorette party is set to occur at a soon-to-open resort on the same island. True crime enthusiast and ex-podcaster, Tessa, is among the bachelorette party attendees, but she has ulterior motives while there—to get to the bottom of what really happened ten years ago.

Thank you to Camilla Sten, Macmillan Audio, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

The Bachelorette Party takes place in dual timelines: 2012, when four friends mysteriously disappeared on an island, and 10 years later, when a new group of friends, including main character Tessa, arrive on the island for a bachelorette party. Tessa's been struggling lately, but she's interested to go to the island to uncover the truth behind the 2012 disappearance, which she believes wasn't an accident.

The secluded island setting creates a locked-door mystery atmosphere, especially when the group is asked to hand in their phones. As the story progresses, it picks up pace, heading towards a graphic and action-packed ending. The descriptive writing is vivid and left quite the visuals in my mind.

I listened to the audiobook version of this novel, and while the narration was well-done, I initially struggled to keep track of the characters, which led to some confusion. Having a physical book would have allowed me to easily flip back and forth to clarify things. Despite the slow start, the book builds momentum, and the payoff is well worth it.

Premise - Tessa is a true crime obsessive and her pet project is the disappearance of 4 bffs on a remote island off the coast of Sweden. After her podcast implodes along with her love life, she gets a second chance at cracking the mystery when her own best friend, Anneliese, throws a destination bachelorette party at Baltic Vinyasa, a yoga retreat set on an island much like the one the original four besties disappeared on.

It's pitched as 'Scream' meets 'The Guest List' and "compulsively page-turning thriller." I didn't really get that from this story, to me it felt more like a twenty-something second coming-of-age LGBT women's fiction with thriller underpinnings. I was definitely invested in Tessa's story, but I had no problem putting this down to participate in real life (coming from someone with a noted history of foregoing adulting for a riveting read).

The pacing was a little slow for me, but without the dishy drama I'd have wanted from a book titled 'The Bachelorette Party.' The characters all felt real, but I would have enjoyed a little heightened drama over complete realism here.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Laura Jennings. She delivered a varied read, though some of her characters were more interesting than others. Overall, a very solid audiobook with an overall cozy, introspective feel.

Thanks, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A yoga-themed bachelorette party on a remote island with no internet, and we’re expected to sacrifice our phones? No thanks.

I’ll be honest, not long into this I started getting frustrated because I could already see where it was going. We had to get rid of the cell phones somehow, there’s only one boat off the island, and… no Wi-Fi? Come on.

And the person responsible? So predictable that I genuinely thought I had to be wrong—it couldn’t actually be that obvious.

What kept me engaged was wanting to know what Tessa did to get essentially “cancelled.” When we finally learn the reason, I was honestly confused about how it destroyed her relationships. I get that it stirred up trouble, but I wish we’d gotten more depth there.

This also wasn’t your typical “locked-room whodunit” where people get picked off one by one. We actually get more than that, including a little backstory on the first four girls who disappeared.

Now, about the narration: I listened to the audiobook, and while the narrator was fine, I don’t think she was the best fit. She had an American accent, which felt off considering the setting and characters, especially when different accents and locations were specifically mentioned. The story jumps between timelines, and although I liked getting more of the girls’ stories trickled in, it got a little confusing—names and timelines blurred. Dual narration or more vocal range might have helped.

The ending? A bit over-the-top for me. I had trouble believing that person could pull it off.
But I did appreciate the bit of aftermath we got. Usually these kinds of thrillers cut off as soon as the danger ends, but here we actually get to hear how things played out for the characters afterward.

Overall, I liked that it strayed from the typical “who’s next?” formula, but I think that’s also what made the ending feel a bit far-fetched.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen early.

Audiobook Review: The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten
Narrated by Laura Jennings

I received this audiobook from NetGalley and truly appreciate the opportunity to discover new authors and share my thoughts.

This was my first book by Camilla Sten, and while it started off a bit slow for my taste, I'm glad I stuck with it. The story centers around Tessa Nilsson, a former true crime podcaster whose career has recently collapsed. When her best friend Anneliese invites her to a bachelorette party at a secluded yoga retreat on a remote Swedish island, Tessa sees an opportunity to investigate the mysterious disappearance of four women—known as the "Nacka Four"—who vanished from the same island a decade earlier. The narrative alternates between the events of 2012 and the present day, gradually revealing the chilling connections between the two timelines.

Initially, I found the pacing to be a bit sluggish, and I considered putting it aside. However, around the 60% mark, the tension escalated, and the plot became increasingly engaging. The dual timelines added depth to the mystery, and the isolated island setting contributed to the eerie atmosphere.

Laura Jennings did a commendable job as the sole narrator. Her clear enunciation and varied inflections helped distinguish the characters and conveyed the suspense effectively. Her performance enhanced the overall listening experience, especially during the more intense moments of the story.

While the book leans more towards psychological suspense than outright horror, it offers a compelling narrative that fans of locked-room mysteries and true crime stories will likely appreciate. The themes of friendship, secrets, and the consequences of past actions are explored thoughtfully.

Thank you again to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. I'm interested in exploring more of Camilla Sten's work in the future.

I’ve never read this author before, and I was drawn in by the beautiful cover! I really enjoy a locked room mystery, so the plot of this book was intriguing. I enjoyed the remote island, bachelorette party setting. The pacing worked really well.
I usually enjoy multiple timelines, but struggled a bit with this one due to the amount of characters.
I thought this was a pretty standard thriller that’s worth the read.
The audiobook was done well. I was happy with the narrator’s execution.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing this audiobook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Sadly, I had higher hopes for this book. I listened to the audiobook and struggled to get through it. The only intriguing aspect was Tessa's publicized podcast scandal; otherwise, I didn't find the book's actual mystery interesting. I also found it difficult to follow the numerous characters, but that could just be me.

I love secluded location setting, especially one in a very cool place like this. I also really enjoyed the other two books I've read by this author. That being said, I feel like this one just didn't use the setting at all. I never really got the creepy, isolated vibes I loved so much in The Lost Village. I still thought the writing was good and the plot was fine, had some good twists, I just struggled to get into it. Listening to the audiobook the narration helped keep the pace and help the characters sound a little more distinctive, but I still just missed the creepy vibes of the other book.

This was… good. I was very confused for the first like 3rd of the book. I had to restart it twice and was still a little bit confused and idk if I’m stupid or what. But then ending was good. I called it for sure but that’s fine. I like how it wrapped up. It wasn’t my favorite thriller but since it’s not normally my genre.. it was good. I would probably closer rate it to a 3.25 or 3.5 rather than 3 but overall it was good.

This fast-paced thriller had me hooked from the opening chapter. I flew through the pages, eager to uncover the secrets hidden on a secluded island off Sweden’s coast. The story seamlessly blends present-day tension with an eerie mystery from the past, and the remote island setting adds a layer of isolation that keeps the suspense simmering.

I especially enjoyed Tessa as the main character. Her background in podcasting brought a modern, investigative edge to the story, and I appreciated how the author gradually revealed her career shift—it added depth to her character and kept me intrigued. While the person responsible became a bit obvious partway through, it didn’t take away from the enjoyment. The build-up, atmosphere, and emotional stakes were strong enough to carry the reveal.

The plot centers around a chilling disappearance from a decade ago: four childhood friends—Tilly, Anna, Linnea, and Evelina—used to reunite every year on a hidden island only they knew about, escaping adult life with dancing, drinking, and secrets. But during one visit, they vanished without a trace.

Years later, true crime podcaster Tessa Nilsson can’t let go of their story. Her obsession has fueled her career, but after a professional setback, she’s left searching for both answers and redemption. When her best friend Anneliese chooses a yoga retreat for her bachelorette getaway—on an island that bears uncanny resemblance to the one from the old case—Tessa sees a final opportunity to uncover the truth.

The blend of psychological suspense, immersive setting, and personal stakes made this a compelling read. Perfect for fans of dark mysteries with a modern twist.

This was my first book by Camilla Sten, The audio recording was good, and I felt the narrator was well matched for the story. I did have trouble keeping track of the characters and the flashbacks etc., but overall the audio was good. I felt the story was ok, and a few of the characters just really got on my nerves. Yet, this is a fast paced thriller, that fans will love. Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillian audio for the ARC.

4.25⭐️
ALC
Because I liked this book so much when I read the eARC I got the audio ALC as well and enjoyed it even more the second time around!

The narrator Laura Jennings did a fabulous job with her recitation and all the voices she had to represent. She spoke at a good natural 1x pace and her vocals were not affected by speeding it up to 1.25x which is how I listened to it.

I also enjoyed the crisp production of it and the opening music did a good job of setting the scene. I really thought the audio enhanced the reading experience with the dual POV and duel time line.

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from Macmillan Audio through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

eARC review
I’ll admit I was a bit hesitant about this book going in as the last time I read a book with the same title that I was really disappointed in despite loving the description.

Well I’m so happy that this one not only lived up to the description but surpassed it. I am so thankful to have gotten an eARC for free from St Martins Press/ Minotaur Books through NetGalley to enjoy which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave this review.

I have been really liking the “locked room” trope in thrillers, particularly the “locked island” variation as opposed to enjoy seeing how the author tackles the characters being cut off from the world in this day and age. Camilla Sten did a great job with this without making it ridiculously obvious.

I enjoyed the duel timeline POV which were nicely labeled with the date and time. I am interested to see the final draft of interior layout as I expect it will be cleaner since this was an uncorrected Digital Galley.

All the twists and turns are there to take you on a ride while having sub plots that pull you in along the way! It has a lot more depth than some other popular thrillers right now which I appreciate.

This book comes out June 10, 2025 so get it on your TBR now as you won’t want to miss it!

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Fairly decent thriller. A lot of back and forth with the two timelines which was a bit confusing sometimes. Also some character overlap as well. I loved the setting on a remote island. You can’t get much better than that. Most of the book kind of drug until about 75% in, so I would say it’s definitely a bit of a slow burn. I found the ending unexpected and surprising.
Narration was good. Decent book all around.

Moving from past to present, the past tragedy of four friends gone missing during an annual friend’s trip overshadows a trip 10 years later by a group of girls celebrating a bachelorette party. One of the bachelorette party guests, Tessa, is heavily invested of the story of the four missing women. She has had a terrible experience with her true crime podcast, losing her producer (and maybe lover?) in the process and is trying to find the positive when feeling like the constant failure of the friend group.

The bachelorette party has some strict rules like no phones, no outside contact, and relying on one boat for transport back to the main island- what could go wrong ?? Tessa sees this bachelorette party as a chance to have a good time, and also uncover the truth about what really happened on the island. She befriends Irene, one of the missing girls sisters, and sees this as a chance to finally get her break. Then things start to get weird, people go missing, their boat drifts off and it feels eerily similar to the past tragedy.

I will say that there were a lot of character names, I struggled to keep it straight between past and present and felt there was not enough development and individualization of each character to keep them apart. The narration was great and I enjoyed reading while following along with the audiobook.

Fast paced, popcorn thriller but it just fell short of five stars for me.

Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC/ALC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 6/10/25.

Definitely a quick read that had me racing to the end to figure out what happened to the 4. Gotta say awesome domestic thriller and did a great job going from past and present and giving you little kernels of the past to keep you intrigued on to what could connect everything. I also loved how it shows what the passive of time can do to friendships that felt real and kinda what happens in some cases. Definitely an ending I didn’t see coming and loved getting to guess what happened to the original missing girls. If you like a nail bitter type atmosphere this book is for you! Thanks NetGalley and Minotaur books for giving me a chance to read this early!