Things I loved:
– Dual timelines (2012 disappearance + 2022 yoga retreat turned murder tour)
– Locked-room island setting with serious Baltic creep factor
– Messy, complex women who are not here to make friends—and I mean that literally

This is one wild bachelorette party. Within 30 pages, you know someone’s not making it off this island. It’s dark, fast-paced, and had me guessing why (even if I had a hunch about who). True crime podcaster Tessa is here for one last chance to solve a decade-old case—but when her own friends start vanishing, it turns into a full-blown nightmare.

It gave me everything I wanted from a thriller: secrets, tension, a remote setting, and just enough female drama to keep the stakes personal. If you like stories where the island is basically a fifth character, add this to your list.

Would I attend a bachelorette party on a cursed Scandinavian island? No. Did I love reading about it? Absolutely.

This is an interesting little thriller set in Sweden. We have a story that mixes timelines. Telling the story of the "present" and mixing it with the past until we hit the big reveals and we hit the climax. Our first timeline follows a group of friends who go to a remote island for a bachelorette weekend. Tessa is a podcaster whose career imploded and she goes into investigation mode because she knows that this is the sight of an infamous disappearance of 4 women. Tessa is hoping to find out what happened all those years ago and it just so happens that the owner of the retreat is one of the missing women's sister. Our second timeline follows the 4 women as they prepare for their annual retreat to the island to have a grand time, and as we reveal more about them, we find out what happened. The similarities between now and then are suspicious, and then people start disappearing. The story is interesting and gets a little bit brutal (not overly) at the end. The mystery aspect is not a big mystery because it is glaringly obvious from the beginning. However, the author keeps the pacing at a nice jog, and then we sprint to the end. It was entertaining, but I wanted to find out more about Tessa's podcast because I felt more shocked about what happened to her career than who did all the murdering. The narrator does a good job, but the women sound a bit older than they should. I felt like our Yogi was retirement age instead of 30-40 years old. At the end of the day, the story was engaging, and it was easy to follow.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 out of 5 stars)
The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten delivers a solid locked-room thriller with an eerie backstory and plenty of secrets to unravel.

What stood out to me was the multiple POVs—each woman brought something unique to the narrative, especially with their shared history and how a long-buried mystery (involving the murder/disappearance of young girls) starts creeping back into their lives. The way everything and everyone is interconnected added tension and depth without giving too much away.

That said, the audiobook format made it a bit tricky at first to follow who was speaking. But once I got into the rhythm, it smoothed out. Overall, I didn’t see the plot twist coming, and that always earns points from me.
A good pick if you like your thrillers with layered relationships and a haunting past.

Isolated thrillers are my favorite and this one starts off with a bang. The pacing is done well throughout and the story moves quickly, with small details being revealed as you move through. I thought there would be more to do with Tessa’s podcast fallout but it really didn’t come into play much. The ending is definitely splashy and a bit gory so if that is your thing than check this one out!

Just finished listening to this book. Very good story! Liked the narrator. I suspected one of the twists part way through, but it did not lesson my enjoyment at all. Great story, loved the charecters and dual timeline that weaved together. Definitely recommend!

This was a very bingeable listen on audiobook! Thank you Macmillan audio for the advanced listening copy! I was very intrigued and couldn’t stop listening to figure out the ending which I didn’t see coming. I enjoyed the Tessa character.

I will say the end once the twist was revealed was very drawn out.

This atmospheric tale has all the Nordic noir vibes I’m learning I really enjoy! I loved the settling in the Stockholm archipelago, and the dual timeline structure was perfect. Tessa was a character I was very invested in throughout the story, and the author did a wonderful job crafting character dynamics. The narrator was wonderful, with both male and female characters.

I was so excited to dive into The Bachelorette Party, especially after loving The Lost Village. This one had a lot going for it—an eerie, remote island setting, a decades-old mystery, and a group of women with layered secrets. It’s noted as Scream meets The Guest List, and the premise hooked me immediately.

But while the atmosphere delivered and the pacing kept me turning the pages, the plot felt a little too familiar. I guessed several key reveals early on, which dulled the tension. The characters were intriguing, but I never quite connected with them the way I hoped to. Still, it was an entertaining read with just enough suspense to keep me invested.

If you’re new to Sten, this is a solid intro to her work, but The Lost Village remains her strongest (and spookiest!) in my opinion.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This thriller features a bachelorette party on a remote Swedish island, but it's no paradise—four women vanished there a decade ago. The lead character, Tessa Nilsson, a disgraced true-crime podcaster, hopes to solve the cold case, only to find herself trapped in a terrifying new nightmare alongside her "friends." Sten masterfully builds suspense, using that isolated, "locked-room" setting and a clever dual timeline to slowly reveal sinister connections and amp up the dread. While the plot is fast-paced with surprising twists that keep readers hooked, some found the numerous characters and timeline shifts a bit tricky to follow in audio format.

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.
I did like the narrator. It was read well and her voice made sense with the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and @MacMillanAudio for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.
This audiobook had me fully hooked! Part remote island thriller, part twisted friendship drama, and all around addictive. The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten is a chilling, slow-burn mystery that expertly blends true crime obsession with eerie Nordic atmosphere. Think: yoga retreat meets cold case podcast meets creeping dread.
Tessa is the kind of character I love in these kinds of stories sharp, a little obsessive, but deeply human. Her desperation to find out what happened to the four missing women from a decade ago adds a steady undercurrent of tension to what starts as a fun girls' weekend. You can feel something is going to go wrong... and when it does, it's good and unsettling. Sten has a talent for building unease out of simple things the isolation, the fog, a whispered word. I got serious Yellowjackets meets The Retreat vibes.
What really elevated this for me, though, was the narrator.
Absolutely nailed the tone haunting and urgent in all the right places, but with enough emotional depth to keep me invested in both timelines. I usually multitask while listening, but with this one, I just... stopped what I was doing and let myself get lost in it.
If you like layered thrillers with a creeping sense of dread, secret-keeping women, and isolated settings that feel like characters themselves, this one's worth the listen. Just maybe don't play it while you're alone in the woods.
4.25 Stars!
#NetGalley, #MacMillanAudio, #TheBacheloretteParty, #CamillaSten

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.
I listened to the audio version of the book and the narrator gave as good a performance as could be expected given the multiple characters, drama and twists.
Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

Camilla Sten’s The Bachelorette Party is the psychological thriller equivalent of a champagne bottle popped at midnight—sparkling, a bit dangerous, and more potent than expected. Set against the backdrop of a secluded island weekend, this Swedish suspense tale serves up all the usual trappings of a party gone wrong—old friends, old secrets, and a gathering that spirals from festive to fatal.

Sten is a master of tension, and it shows. Nearly every chapter ends with a revelation, a whiplash turn, or the slow unfurling of dread. For readers who love being kept off balance, this book delivers. Secrets are peeled back with surgical precision, and just when you think you've figured it all out... bam, another layer unravels.

But here’s where the four-star reviewers split the champagne bottle: sometimes it’s just too much. There are twists within twists, and while that might thrill some, others might feel like they’re trapped in a narrative funhouse with one too many mirrors. A few reveals stretch plausibility, even for genre fans used to suspending disbelief like it’s an Olympic sport.

The setting is remote, mist-draped, and vaguely threatening and does much of the heavy lifting, and Sten leans into it with evocative descriptions that give you chills even when nothing is happening. There’s a strong sense of claustrophobia and the creeping fear of not being able to trust anyone, including yourself.

The central women are well-drawn, though not all equally so. Some feel like archetypes—the anxious one, the overachiever, the rebel—but their interactions, particularly the underlying tensions and betrayals, carry emotional weight. The exploration of friendship turning toxic over time is particularly effective.

The Bachelorette Party is a tense, twisty thriller with just the right amount of scandal, psychological warfare, and isolated mayhem. The storytelling occasionally sacrifices credibility for shock value, but if you're here for the drama and the thrill of the unexpected, this party's worth the RSVP. Just don’t expect to leave without a headache...and possibly some trust issues.

I love a good locked room mystery. The pacing was good and the plot gripped like a baby onto candy. I also loved the use of past and present. I can’t wait to see how sten tops this one

I did not see the twist coming, so I thoroughly enjoyed that. It did feel a little long and animal references were noted quite a bit. I do also wish we got more of a story of what happened with her podcast.

I was not a huge fan of the audio narrator, as sometimes in the beginning it was hard to distinguish "who was talking." But it didn't take away from the story delivery.

Audiobook/Book Review 📖🎧💐
thank you so much partner @minotaur_books @macmillan.audio for the gifted ARC & audiobook!

The Bachelorette Party
A Novel
by Camilla Sten
Narrated by Laura Jennings

About the book 👇🏽

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, but could never find the answers behind what happened to these women who disappeared.

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. 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

💐 My thoughts:

This was definitely a fun read and listen! My favorite summer thrillers are on remote islands. What’s scarier than being stuck on an island while everyone gets murdered and there’s no way to get home?! This was a hybrid read & listen and both had me on the edge of my seat. The atmosphere and stabby vibes were enough to make me binge it! I loved the dramatics and secrets that were just waiting to be uncovered. I can happily report I did not guess the ending and it was one hell of a good time! The Bachelorette Party is out NOW! Happy publication week!


Happy reading 📖💐🎧

The twist was great!

Description
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.

Thanks to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book!

The Bachelorette Party
Pub Date Jun 10 2025
by Camilla Sten
Narrated by Laura Jennings
Publisher: Macmillan Audio

The Bachelorette Party is a fun beach read when you’re in the mood for a healthy dose of suspense. I breezed right through this one. The characters aren’t terribly well developed but it’s still an entertaining way to spend an afternoon.

Laura Jennings did a nice job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Camilla Sten, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

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.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC!

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!

The narrator was great!