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!

This was a solid mystery read, wasn’t predictable but at the same time dragged on a little bit. The narrator did a good job at keeping the suspense high and the plot twist was good but I wasn’t a fan of the back and forth timeline. Overall though I enjoyed this.

Told through a dual timeline, a group of ladies head out to a seclude island resort for a weekend of relaxation, yoga and vegan food. The same island that years earlier is location where four best friends went missing. The getaway bachelorette weekend is also a digital detox, all the ladies surrender their devices.  The first part of the book is a slowburn, the ending ramps it up several notches. A very creepy, atmospheric thriller.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio / Minotaur Books / St Martin's Press for the ALC. The narrator was great, delivering a very impassioned narration.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I enjoy a mystery thriller sometimes and this sort where a party on an island gets cut off and then the bodies start dropping is a standard. But the circumstances and characters make it all new. The Bachelorette Party is a group of women in a bridal party going to a retreat on an island. The owner and the chef are just starting up the resort with yoga and vegan food and other wellness type activities.

Tessa has just lost her job and relationship, and may be getting sued. Her older sister is on this trip also. The women are all from Sweden. Tessa has done podcasts for years and one story she has always followed was a group of four women who went on a retreat every year until they didn't come back one year. That year was on this island and was 10 years ago. The new owner of the island is the older sister of one of the victims and she hopes to interview her.

Tessa has a bad feeling from the start. She thinks the chef looks scary. The owner Irene on the other hand is calm and competent, and it turns out is somewhat willing to discuss her sister. Then things go badly fast.

The story was interesting and relatively easy to read. There were sections for the present 2022 and the previous retreat with 4 girls in 2012, which meant a lot of characters initially. So we know their thoughts and jealousies, their fears and hopes. The original 4 were best friends over most of their lives from childhood to twenties. The new group is a bridal party which is generally younger but still from the same social class as the original group.

I liked the story and Tessa, even with all her troubles. She makes a difference, being observant and aware enough to realize more options than most people. I was on the edge and worried for them throughout, as well as the original 4 girls. We do get closure on them which I always appreciate.

Narration:
Laura Jennings is a new narrator to me, but she has narrated many audiobooks. I appreciated the emotional tones she brought to the characters. The primary voice and thoughts were Tessa. None of the voices pulled me out of the story, but they were distinct and felt comfortable. I listened at my newer 1.75x speed.

This is a dual-timeline story, with one timeline taking place ten years prior, when 4 best friends who meet yearly on an island, the location secret to everyone but them, disappeared. Now, Tessa Nilsson who is a true crime podcaster obsessed with the case, is going to a bachelorette party for her best friend. The party is planned for 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. This may be the chance for her to revive her career and find out what happened to the women once and for all.

Normally I love locked island mysteries, but I just could not get into this one. I kept forgetting which timeline each person belonged to. Also, Also, the story was a slow burn for the entire book,, and none of the characters were especially likeable. The narrator did a good job with narration. Overall I give this a 2.5 rounded up to a 3.

The Bachelorette Party is a gripping psychological thriller that blends mystery, suspense, and a touch of horror. Set on a secluded island, the novel follows a group of friends gathering for a bachelorette party at a luxurious yoga retreat. But beneath the picturesque setting lies a dark history—ten years ago, four women vanished from the same island, leaving behind only chilling clues.

Tessa, a true-crime podcaster whose career has recently taken a hit, sees this trip as her last chance to uncover the truth behind the disappearances. As the weekend unfolds, tensions rise, secrets emerge, and the past refuses to stay buried.

With its fast-paced narrative and compelling characters, The Bachelorette Party is a must-read for fans of thrillers. If you love stories that keep you guessing until the final page, this one is for you!

#BookReview #TheBacheloretteParty #CamillaSten #Thriller #NetGalley #ALC #MacmillanAudio

Thank you NetGalley, Camilla Sten, and Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book.

Read if you love:
- friend groups - and all their drama
- sisterly bonds - and the lengths sisters go to
- "locked room" mysteries set on remote islands
- screaming "OH MY GOD" to your audiobook

The Bachelorette Party was such a fun, quick read for me - I finished the audiobook within 24 hours (and if I didn't need to get up for work the next day, I would've completed it in one sitting!) Almost a decade ago, four girls - friends since childhood - go missing, and their disappearance is never solved. Present day - a new yoga retreat opens on an exclusive island, and a group of friends go to celebrate their bride to be. But revenge is in the air, and they're stuck on the island with someone ready to take it.

This is your standard, locked room mystery, and if you're a fan of the genre you're going to love this one. It was a solid four stars for me - there wasn't anything super ground breaking about it, and while I thoroughly enjoyed it, I felt like there could've been an alternate ending that would've put it over the top. I really liked the complexity of each character - they're all flawed and that is always really fun to read. I liked the way the story unfolded via time hops, local news updates, etc. - the hopping between helped give you enough red herrings and false narratives to keep you on your toes.

The audio narrator is super easy to listen to - I was able to get up to 2.5 speed and still follow along. Their delivery is perfect, I found they really performed to the character and I don't think I would have liked the main character as much without the inflections and tones the narrator brought to the story. Overall - looking forward to the next one by Camilla Sten!

I'm starting to enjoy thriller audible books more and more. This book was very easy to listen to. The narrator did a great job with all the different characters (there was quite a few) and the story was fast paced and entertaining.

Having the past and present POVs and two different mysteries, made this "trapped on an island" read stand out from others I've read.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Camilla Sten, with the audio wonderfully narrated by Laura Jennings. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Ten years ago, four friends meet every year on a secret remote island off the coast of Sweden. One year, they disappeared. Tessa has been consumed by the story of the missing four and even though she had a true crime podcast, could never figure out what happened to them. Tessa's best friend, Anneliese, is getting married and they decide to have a bachelorette party on the island. Tessa is determined to find out what happened to the women.

I love a locked room mystery and this book had two! Told through dual timelines and multiple POV, this is a suspenseful read with plenty of twists and turns. The remote island setting and lack of cellphones ramped up the tension until the very end. None of the characters are extremely likable and they were almost interchangeable, but that didn't take away from the entertaining ride. I did feel bad for Tessa and was rooting for her to solve the mystery of the missing women. The audio narration was great and added to the enjoyment!