Four friends gather every year to enjoy themselves at a remote island, only this year, none of them came back. Ten years later, podcaster Tessa, who was obsessed with the four friends disappearance, can't pass up the chance to finally find out what happened when her best friend, Anneliese, wants to have her bachelorette party there. What ensues is a wild, scary, suspenseful, dark ride with twists that I did not see coming. This was so good, and I will definitely read more by Sten.

4.5 Stars

There’s something so gripping about thrillers set on isolated islands, and The Bachelorette Party delivers that chilling setting perfectly. The atmosphere is thick with tension, dark, eerie, and quietly unsettling in a way that creeps under your skin and lingers.

I really appreciated how the story took its time without ever feeling slow. Every chapter added something, another layer of mystery, a little more suspicion, or a crack in someone’s mask. The dual timelines were well-balanced and made me just as invested in the past as I was in the present.

And the twist? Completely unexpected, but so satisfying. It landed at the perfect moment and gave the story that extra edge I was hoping for.

My only reason for holding back a full 5 stars is that a couple of the side characters felt a little underdeveloped, and I wanted just a bit more emotional depth in a few key moments. Still, this was a strong, addictive read from start to finish.

If you're into:
🔹 Isolated settings with dark secrets
🔹 Friendships with hidden fractures
🔹 Slow-burn tension that pays off
🔹 Stories that blur past and present

...then this one’s worth picking up. Camilla Sten is definitely an author I’ll be reading more from.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press and Camilla Sten for an advanced copy of this book set to release on June 10,2025. The following is my honest review:

This was my first time diving into Camilla Sten’s work, and from the very first chapter, I found myself completely pulled in—mostly because wow, the prose is gorgeous.

But don’t let the lyrical writing fool you—there’s a sharp contrast between the beauty of the language and the surprise violence and gruesomeness found at times. It caught me completely off guard in the best possible sense.

The novel centers around two intertwined mysteries set on the ominous Isle of Blínn, one from a decade ago involving a group of missing friends, and one in the present day involving a bachelorette party gone wrong. I really enjoyed the dual timeline structure—it moved back and forth in a way that felt seamless and kept the tension steadily building (at least in the first two-thirds of the book). The current-day storyline follows Tessa, a podcaster with a scandal in her past and a stalled career, who is hoping to revive both by solving the mystery from ten years earlier. That premise gave me Between the Waves (by Hilary Tailor) vibes, in the best way.

Tessa herself is a really compelling main character. Her true crime obsession gave me major season 3 Quinn Perkins (Scandal) energy—slightly unnerving, but weirdly relatable. I’ve been down the true crime rabbit hole too, until my anxiety begged me to stop. So yeah, I got that. And this story scratched that itch you get when wanting to solve a crime podcast you’re invested in.

There’s a moment where Tessa talks about feeling stuck in life and the judgement, pity and distaste people meet her with and that hit me right in the chest. I'm a sucker for universal hurts dressed up in poetic prose, and Camilla Sten definitely delivers that. It’s a little Taylor Swift-esque, honestly—pretty packaging for very real pain.

Another highlight: I really appreciated the thoughtful inclusion of bisexuality and the way the story explored harmful stereotypes, microaggressions, and casual disrespect through character interactions. There’s an especially cathartic moment when someone actually calls out the bad behavior and defends our bi character, and it felt so earned. Representation matters, and it was handled with care here.

Also, shoutout to the setting—I didn't realize we were in Sweden until a currency reference clued me in, and that added a subtle layer of atmosphere I really enjoyed.

A few nitpicks: I couldn’t hear the name “Annalise” without thinking of How to Get Away With Murder. That's not the book’s fault—it's mine, but still. And “Matilda”? Same thing.

Where the book lost a bit of steam for me was in the final act. (Arguably the most important part of this kinda story) The pacing, which had been so tight and compelling early on, started to drag. I found myself waiting for that satisfying moment when everything clicks into place—and while it does eventually come together, it felt slower and less impactful than I hoped. The twists were solid, but my jaw didn’t quite hit the floor, you know?

Still, this was a beautifully written, eerie, and thoughtful mystery with strong characters and an unsettling atmosphere. I’ll definitely be checking out more of Camilla Sten’s work after this!

The Bachelorette Party is a murder mystery with dual timelines. This book is full of secrets, suspicious characters, and murder-an entertaining read.

3.5/5 Stars! Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio book of The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten, narrated by Laura Jennings.

I wish I could say that I really enjoyed this book because it got me hooked in the beginning but then...it just got a little bit too much and the group of friends just sounds like a pain and people who are great at holding grudges. There were parts where I feel like it could've been left out and I had the speed of this book at 1.75. I like the idea of the plot, but it just wasn't for me. I'd like to check out another novel by this author because she had got me hooked once...I'm pretty sure she would be able to get me hooked again. haha.

Listened on audiobook and it was all I could want for an easy, twisty listen! Kept up with the characters pretty well even while only paying half attention and didn’t see the twist coming. A good quick suspenseful read!!

Tessa has always been fan of true crime and has created a career around it. However, her once popular podcast has bottomed out amid controversy. As Tessa works to reset her life, an opportunity presents itself in the form of a bachelorette party on an island where ten years ago four women mysteriously disappeared. As she goes to spend a weekend with her closest friends, she can’t help but want to discover the truth of what happened to those women. What she isn’t prepared for though is murder returning ten years later to her group of friends.

First, this was a great audiobook. The narration captured the mood of this mystery/thriller and was super easy to follow. I had no issues at 1.5x speed.

Also, this was a good mystery set in a suspenseful situation. I like how the author slowly unveiled the drama and connections in the parallel story threads (the original missing girls and the bachelorette party). The pacing was well done in that regard and kept me engaged in the suspense. This novel is perfect for a summer read. 4 stars.

Based on an Advanced Audiobook provided by Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an honest review. Thank you!

I would like to thank the author, Netgalley, and the publisher for the Audiobook Advanced Copy.

I give this book 3.75 out of 5

Let me start by saying I'm a sucker for a locked-door mystery and enjoyed reading this book. I found the setting and situation very intriguing, and I kept reading to know if I had figured out the twist before the reveal.

I found myself more interested in Tessa's back story and would have loved more on that. As someone who loves true crime podcasts, I would be interested in more of an exploration of the fallout after the scandal and the after-effects it has on everyone involved.

I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to anyone who likes a good and quick thriller.

I honestly wanted to like this book but found myself lost with all of the main characters. I think the idea was good but the execution was not strong. This book felt dull at times and wasn't able to keep my attention like some other thrillers in the past. Overall, I would give the author another chance in the future but this book did not keep my attention.

This book was fast paced and had some twists I didn't see coming. The main character Tessa was interesting, relatable, but still felt unreliable (a trait I love in my thriller protagonists). The women in the group were fleshed out and felt like some of my friends, with strengths and weaknesses, and I was able to cheer for them in turn.

Overall, I wasn't a fan of the narrator for this audiobook (some of the characters sounded like they were from Dallas as opposed to Stockholm). It was difficult to track the two different timelines and some of the investigation notes in audio as opposed to a physical book or an e-arc.

The big twist felt like it came out of nowhere and not in a way I enjoyed. It made the antagonist in the "present" feel like a cartoon villain, and detracted from their arc. The antagonist in the "past" also felt a little forced - either different perspectives or more yellow or orange flags would've made me care more about that reveal.

If someone is looking for a fast-paced thriller, I might recommend this book.

A thriller with a happy name means lots of mayhem and in this case, it is so true. Lots of twists and I never knew who to trust.

I was initially drawn in by the book’s appealing cover and intriguing description—it gave off vacation vibes. The mystery was well-paced, and the dual timelines between the Nacka Four case and the present-day bachelorette party were engaging. However, the ending felt overly dramatic and soap opera-like, and the culprits were too easy to identify early on, which reduced the suspense. The story had a strong start with an exciting prologue, then lost momentum in the middle before picking up again. I enjoyed the narration as it brought the story to life.

Despite some letdowns, it's still a fast-paced, entertaining thriller. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a creepy, quick read.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for the ARC.

I’ve enjoyed Stan’s previous books but sadly I can’t say the same for THE BACHELORETTE PARTY. It was a cluster of chaos trying to decipher who was who with so many characters. None of them were developed enough so I struggled with which friend group and timeline we were in. I thought the motive and plot so far-fetched and elaborate. Had there been less characters or at least each were more flushed out, I may have enjoyed it more.

The Bachelorette Party is a tense and atmospheric thriller that draws you in right from the start. The story follows a group of women on a remote island for a bachelorette weekend — a setting that quickly turns from picturesque to ominous. As secrets surface and strange things begin to happen, the tension steadily builds.

The pacing is solid, with chapters that make you want to keep reading “just one more.” The alternating timelines are handled well, giving just enough information to keep you guessing without overwhelming the story. The characters feel real, with complicated relationships, believable dialogue, and just the right amount of emotional friction.

Tessa, the main character, is layered and driven, but not always likable — which actually works in her favor. Her personal connection to the island’s past adds an emotional depth to the mystery.

The only downside for me was that a couple of moments felt slightly predictable, and the middle slowed down a bit. But overall, the ending delivered, and the eerie mood lingered long after I finished.

A solid, suspenseful read with a unique setting and plenty of twists. Would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys character-driven thrillers with an edge of psychological mystery.

This is a thriller/mystery novel told across dual timelines. The first timeline follows Tilly & her preparation for her girls weekend with her childhood friends on a secret island. Flash forward 10 years and the story begins to follows Tessa as her life is falling apart after her podcast crashes and burns. She joins her sister and a group of friends on a yoga retreat at the new Baltic Vinyasa on a remote island.

Unfortunately I was able to guess the culprit very early on in the novel (~40%) and I found the pace of this novel to be slower than I would have liked. There wasn't as much tension and deception as I was hoping for. Also I felt like there weren't enough characters in the present day to make the story believable.

I think it is important to choose the right narrator for a thriller or else the book comes across as too awkward to be suspenseful. Perfect choice of voice actor. I was engaged throughout and enjoyed all the twists and turns. Solid experience and I will be recommending this title..

This was a solid, entertaining thriller that kept me interested . A group of friends heads to a remote island for a bachelorette weekend but things quickly take a dark turn. The audiobook was especially enjoyable, with great narration that brought the chaos to life. The women in this story are all delightfully unhinged, and watching the drama unfold across a dual timeline added an extra layer of suspense. A fun, twisty ride with a dark edge.

✨Thanks to NetGalley, The Author, & Macmillan Audio Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review✨ (

The book wasn’t a favorite of mine. I figured out this twist early on. I wasn’t a fan of the main character. I found the book a bit boring but I know that every one has different taste.

This was an interesting thriller that had me guessing (all wrong) as I read. It was a fun one to read right before summer vacation.

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Trigger warning: gun violence

I like reading psychological thrillers every once in a while, like Lucy Foley or Alex Finlay. So, I try other authors and sometimes I find a winner and sometimes I find a turkey. The Bachelorette Party is somewhere inbetween.

The remote island isolation and dark revenge plot were okay, but at times it sounded more like a horror novel, which I outgrew long ago. I did like that this is a character-driven thriller that focuses on interpersonal group dynamics. And I really liked the mysteries that were interlayered throughout the book.

The dual timeline that I love to read worked for the most part. I’ve read a number of recent thrillers that use a podcast as a plot device, but to me, that’s too easy and made me feel meh. This is the kind of book you take with you to the beach and enjoy but won’t remember a year from now. Laura Jennings was the narrator and does a fine job with the material she has. This locked room mystery was just good, not great.