I enjoyed this very early on and then it fell flat. I did listen ro it in a day. It was easy to follow and kept me curious. The premise had a lot of potential but I just didn’t grip me like I thought it would. The narrator did an excellent job.

The beginning was eerie and unexpected. I gasped and found myself looking forward to the rest of the story.

I loved the narrator. She was expressive and did well capturing the story as it was told.

However, once the book began in the present, that feeling went away. This book feels more like a lighthearted bachelorette trip for most of the book than a mystery. The focus for the first 60% was more about the characters, their friendship, and what they are doing every moment during the trip. There are pieces sprinkled in about the mystery, but not enough to keep that eerie feel about it. It had too much backstory and not enough suspense and thrill.

It also had some flashbacks that felt unnecessary. How would the character, who is investigating the murder for her podcast, know anything about what happened between the characters before they died? Someone would have to tell her for it to make sense. Also, what did the previous case that made her podcast popular have to do with the current case? There were so many details about everything else but the mystery she was investigating. When the author wrote about the mystery, it was written well. There just wasn't enough of it in the book for me.

I enjoyed this one, listened to it in a day. It was easy to follow and kept me curious. The premise had a lot of potential but I just didn’t grip me like I thought it would. The narrator did an excellent job.

The book builds good suspense early on, especially with the digital detox setting and isolated island vibe. The connection between past and present mysteries keeps the story moving, but some plot points feel a bit forced or unclear—especially around the timeline. The drama toward the end feels exaggerated and takes away from the tension rather than adding to it. While the twist involving Tessa’s backstory is compelling, other characters don’t get enough depth to make their actions believable. Overall, it’s an easy, quick read for thriller fans, but it doesn’t quite stand out in the genre.

This book was a ride. The idea of investigating a cold case in order to rejuvenate your career after scandal is a unique concept. There were times when the MFC got on my nerves, but I think that was an intentional part of her character. I really enjoyed the narration and the experience of this book. I will definitely be on the look out for other books by this author.

Generally, I'm a big fan of Swedish, female crime writers, and I was excited to give this one a go. The setting and overall feel of the mystery was great, but I had a hard time feeling a connection with the characters in both timelines. Even the satisfaction of guessing the main plot long before I was supposed to, couldn't get this book over 3 stars for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.

Okay, how are there this many thrillers called The Bachelorette Party? This is the second one I’ve read in the past year with that title—and just like the last, it had me questioning what’s really going on at all these wild pre-wedding getaways. This one combines the high-stakes drama of a bachelorette party gone wrong with the intrigue of a long-buried mystery. One of the women isn’t just trying to survive the chaos unfolding in the present—she’s also determined to uncover the truth behind an old tragedy that’s haunted her. Most people believe it was a freak boating accident, but she’s convinced something much darker happened. And as she digs deeper, the lines between past and present start to blur.

What I loved most was how it kept me on edge the entire time. I started this book and finished it all in one day—I literally couldn’t put it down. The tension ramps up so naturally that before you know it, you’re holding your breath right alongside the characters. There’s a great mix of psychological suspense, secrets, and survival, and the author does an awesome job balancing it all while keeping you guessing. This story had just the right amount of twists to keep me invested without feeling overwhelming. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author!

Camilla Sten delivers a gripping and atmospheric thriller in The Bachelorette Party. With sharp pacing and a chilling sense of isolation, the novel expertly blends psychological suspense with interpersonal drama. Sten’s vivid setting—a remote island getaway—sets the stage for secrets to unravel and tensions to erupt. The twists are clever, the characters layered, and the suspense builds to a satisfying climax. A compelling, page-turning read for fans of dark, twisty thrillers. Honestly, though, this seemed a bit different than Sten's other novels. But still quite good.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this digital e-arc.*

The Bachelorette Party is a moody, atmospheric thriller that blends true crime obsession with a classic locked-room mystery, set on a remote Swedish island. The story follows Tessa, a young true crime podcaster, who joins her old friend Annalise’s bachelorette party—conveniently held on the same island where the infamous “Nacka Four” vanished ten years earlier. For Tessa, the trip could lead to the biggest episode of her podcast—until unsettling events begin to unfold.

The novel alternates between two timelines: one from ten years ago, following the four friends who disappeared, and one set in the present day, with four new friends trying to enjoy a pre-wedding celebration. The dual structure is engaging in theory but occasionally confusing in execution. Despite each chapter beginning with a date, I found it difficult at times to keep track of which characters belonged to which timeline, especially with such a large cast.

What truly elevates the audiobook is the performance of the narrator. She is incredibly talented—bringing excellent expression, emotional range, and distinct voices for each character. Her ability to shift tones and personalities helped clarify the characters and made listening more immersive, even when the story itself became hard to follow.

While the plot had some strong suspenseful moments and a chilling setting, it didn’t fully hold my attention throughout. Still, fans of slow-burn mysteries and true crime themes may enjoy the layered storytelling.

Overall, The Bachelorette Party is a decent thriller with a haunting premise, enhanced by a standout narration. It’s worth a listen—just be prepared to occasionally backtrack to stay grounded in the story’s dual timelines.

**** Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ARC of this audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are always my own.

I feel like most of this book was trying to convince us that Tessa means well and is a good person instead of the mystery. We spent more time hearing about Tessa’s background/mistakes instead of the original murders. It was a story more about a woman trying to get redemption than solve a mystery.

Things didn’t really happen or get moving until far into the book. And once it did it was a bit anti climatic for me. It was fairly obvious what was happening/who was the current day perpetrator.

Was shocked over the reveal to what happened to Tilly and her friends but I wish we had more flashbacks to the lead up of what happened to them. See more of how the night played out.

A deserted island no one knows about is the perfect place for four friends to meet every year to catch up on life, drink and swim. No one even knows they are there. So when all of their bodies disappear, the police rule it as a boating accident gone wrong. Ten years later, the island is now owned by the sister of one of the victims and she plans to open the island up as a resort. Before the grand opening, Anneliese and a group of her plans book a private week for her bachelorette party. Four new friends, same island. One of them disappears. Is this revenge for what happened years ago? Or is someone just messing with them? I will say I strugged through the audio version of this book (though I can't pinpoint why). I was given the opportunity to both read and listen and found I enjoyed reading this novel more. However, it was still difficult to get through and I found myself losing interest. Too many characters to keep track of and it was just really hard for me to follow. I still give it three solid stars as it was an okay read, just not my favorite. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to listen and read this one prior to release date!

This would be a fun beach read for fans of locked-room murder mysteries. It is a quick listen, very atmospheric and creepy, and has an intriguing plot. I really enjoyed the alternating timeline and thought that the connection between the past murders and the current mystery was gripping enough to pull me in to the story. Tessa's backstory was the most interesting part of this book, and when the full story was revealed I was shook! Narrator Laura Jennings dialed up the suspense at the right times and kept me on my toes. There were a lot of characters to keep track of in this story and I did find myself getting a bit lost with all of the names, and the big reveal at the end was not that surprising.

Camilla Sten's The Bachelorette Party is a chilling thriller that intertwines a seemingly innocent celebration with a decade-old mystery, all set on a remote, ominous island. Every year, four childhood best friends—Tilly, Anna, Linnea, and Evelina—escape to a secret Swedish island, a sanctuary for wild fun and intimate confessions before returning to their regular lives.

Ten years later, true-crime podcaster Tessa Nilsson is consumed by their disappearance. Despite her wildly popular podcast covering Sweden's most gruesome cases, the fate of these four women remains an unsolved enigma. Now, with her podcast in ruins, Tessa sees one last opportunity to uncover the truth.

Her best friend, Anneliese, is planning her bachelorette party at Baltic Vinyasa, a sleek yoga retreat on a small island off the coast. The location sends shivers down Tessa's spine, as its characteristics eerily mirror the site of the original tragedy. While the other guests anticipate cava and sunrise yoga, Tessa is driven by a singular, desperate mission: to finally learn what happened to the four missing women. Unbeknownst to her, this bachelorette party is also "someone else's last chance to get revenge." The Bachelorette Party promises a tense and atmospheric read where past horrors resurface, and a celebration turns into a fight for survival.

Remote island, disgraced investigator, a group of wildly different friends - this story takes on a life of its own in the most incredible way.

While I like lock room mysteries, I didn’t enjoy this work as much as others I have read. The pacing of the story was good and the intertwining of present with the past was seamless. I was unhappy with the ending as it seemed to be over the top and too dramatic to be believable. I also had trouble connecting with characters especially the protagonist. The opinions in this review are my own.

This audiobook was awesome! The narration was fantastic. This cast of characters really made this thriller so mysterious. I did not see the twist coming and the atmosphere was phenomenal!! What a great summer read!! It would also make a great book club discussion read! Five out of five stars.

*Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan audio for early copy for review*

I listened to the audiobook for this and sometimes it was hard to differentiate from the past storyline and the present.

The story felt very predictable and I didn't really understand why our main character felt so guilty for her actions in the past. It was ok, but there are better thrillers.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC.

I was initially intrigued by the premise—marketed as “Scream meets The Guest List.”

The story failed to draw me in, and I found none of the characters likable or compelling. Much of the dialogue and internal monologue felt crude and needlessly vulgar. Despite the setup suggesting suspense and thrills, it lacked both. Additionally, there was a surprising amount of negativity around pregnancy, including repeated references to unborn babies as “parasites,” which came across as both distasteful and unnecessary.

It’s rare that I can’t find at least one redeeming element in a book, but The Bachelorette Party left me disappointed on all fronts—except for the narration. Laura Jennings did a solid job with the material. While not a standout performance, her narration was consistent and well-matched to the tone of the story.

Overall, this was a miss for me.

'The Bachelorette Party' is Camilla Sten's first book written directly in English. It has a lot of suspense and atmosphere. Tessa has alterior motive for attendinding her friend's bachelorette party. She wants to incestigate the disappearance of four girls from the same island as the party. However, members of the party have their own secrets to hide. There is a dual timeline. I enjoyed the prose and imagery of the book. The narration is very good. 4 stars.

4 ⭐️

A group of old friends get together on a super secluded island for a bachelorette party. 10 years ago, on the same island, another group of 4 women mysteriously disappeared.

This was my first time reading a Camilla Sten book. I enjoyed it! I didn’t figure out the ending until late in the book, which I think is hard for a thriller to do. It kept you on your toes. I saw some people called this a slow burn but I felt the opposite - I wanted to keep going and read it super quickly.

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for the ARC!