Lorna has just arrived in beautiful Capri. She is traveling with the Lingate family, who she works for, however on this trip she is along for vacation. Helen Lingate is Lorna's friend, and the daughter of Sarah, who tragically died on the island thirty years ago. One of Sarah's necklaces turns up not long after the family arrives and all of their paranoia and dirty laundry comes out! I realize any of the family members could leave their vacation at any time, but the Lingate story reminded me very much of a locked room mystery. The book is told from mulitple POVs, in both the past and the present. I admit it was a bit to keep track of as I started the book, but I was quickly enthralled by the family dynamic and I had no problems keeping everyone straight as I just had to know what happened! The tropical Capri setting creates a striking backdrop for the very bad family behavior. I could feel the heat from the sun, taste the saltwater, and I loved the golden hours. Perhaps I was too engrossed in the setting details because I was completely floored by one of the twists in this book. Bravo to Katy Hays!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the DRC in exchange for my honest review.

Saltwater by Katy Hays is a brooding mystery steeped in family secrets and set against the glittering cliffs of Capri. At its heart is the wealthy Lingate family, who make their annual return to the island where Sarah Lingate once met a mysterious end. When a lost necklace—last seen the night Sarah died—reappears, and someone else vanishes, long-buried secrets begin to stir.

The novel unfolds through multiple timelines and perspectives, a structure that aims for complexity but may come across as disjointed. What should have added intrigue sometimes leads to confusion, making it tough for some readers to stay fully engaged. The pacing also received mixed reactions; while the premise hints at explosive twists and tightly wound drama, the execution includes slower stretches that sap some of the story's momentum.

I had mixed feelings about the characters, particularly Helen—Sarah’s daughter. Her quest to uncover the truth holds promise, but sometimes felt like she and the rest of the Lingate family lacked emotional resonance. The family’s manipulative, secretive dynamic does add a layer of intrigue, though their overall coldness made it hard for me to fully connect.

What consistently shines, however, is the setting. Capri is vividly drawn and oozes atmosphere, enhancing the novel’s sense of tension and isolation. There are a few solid twists along the way, and readers who appreciate slow-burning mysteries with layered family drama may find this a compelling read. But if you’re after a fast-paced, twist-heavy thriller, Saltwater might feel more like a picturesque pause than a thrilling plunge.

Here is the synopsis:

In 1992 Sarah Lingate is found dead below the cliffs of Capri, leaving behind her three-year-old daughter, Helen. Despite suspicions that the old-money Lingates are involved, Sarah’s death is ruled an accident, and every year the family returns to prove it’s true. But on the thirtieth anniversary of Sarah’s death, the Lingates arrive at the villa to find a surprise waiting for them—the necklace Sarah was wearing the night she died.

This is really all you need to know so as not to spoil any of the story as the author tells it. Pay attention as the story goes back in time and back to the present often. It does make it challenging to listen to the audio only. I read along with the audio which helped. But I did feel the story felt longer than it's 336 pages. But the ending made it worth the read!!

My thanks to Net Galley and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of this e-book.

Saltwater by Katy Hays tells a story of a family divided by wealth and secrecy. This book toggles between two time periods, the present day and thirty years ago when a shocking loss catapulted the family into the eyes of the public. Eventually all secrets surface and reading this book will show the reader exactly what happened on that mysterious night. This book is set in Capri and the beautiful writing describing the setting only adds to the story.

Saltwater has a great cover and centers around the Lingate family, who are brimming with wealth and secrets. Sarah Lingate died in Capri in 1992 and her death was ruled an accident. The family returns to the island each year and Sarah’s daughter, Helen, now an adult, is determined to find out really happened to her mom years ago.

The setting of Capri was atmospheric and I was interested in the mystery at the center of the story, but the pace was somewhat slow, and I didn’t always enjoy when the alternating POVs were switching throughout the book. I didn’t see all of the plot elements coming, which I appreciated. Saltwater has an eye-catching cover, and an intriguing mystery, but it didn’t quite deliver the level of enjoyment I’d hoped for.

A beautifully immersive novel that blends lyrical prose with emotional depth. The story explores complexities of identity, family and belonging. It explores the bonds we inherit and the ones we forge. The mystery is great with steady pacing and kept me engaged throughout.
Many thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ah a good old fashioned con job within a con job. There were a lot of turns and twists in this one but it was a solid novel. I think the setting definitely added to the vibe of it as well. If it had been set in LA, it just wouldn’t have worked.

A mysterious decades old death, a well to do family beginning to fracture, secrets upon secrets - all set on an Italian island? Should be a great formula for a thriller. There was enough in this book to hold my interest, but not enough to wow me. I do think it would be a great novel to stick in a beach bag and not have to give too much thought to, but I'm not sure it's one that will stick with you. Multiple timelines and perspectives and interesting female characters may keep readers engaged.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books.

Saltwater by Katy Hays is set in the picturesque Italian island of Capri, a place that exudes beauty and enchantment. The descriptions paint a vivid picture of a vacation destination that beckons readers to embark on a journey. The story begins with the tragic death of Sarah Lingate in 1992, when her body is discovered at the bottom of the cliffs. Despite the seemingly impossible circumstances, Sarah’s family insists that it was a tragic accident. Thirty years later on an annual summer visit, her daughter Helen travels to Capri and receives the necklace that her mother was wearing the night of her death. This pivotal moment sets the stage for a darker and more intricate narrative, as the story unfolds through multiple timelines and perspectives. While I found the story captivating, I struggled to connect with the characters. The mystery itself was a slow-burning process with a lot of twists and turns. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

This was just meh for me. I never really became engaged with the story or the characters. I never wanted to pick it up after the half way point. There was nothing engaging and it just meandered.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for a honest opinion. 3⭐️

I actually started this book twice. You have to be in the mood for a book that has a whole cast of unlovable characters when you give this book a read.
The second time I picked it up I flew through the story. A wealthy family vacationing in Capri, multiple timelines and narrators. Narrators who are in fact super unreliable. It gets four stars as I didn’t see several of the twists coming and as an avid thriller reader that always earns an extra star from me.
Definitely a perfect summer beach read!!
I received an ARC of this title, all opinions are my own.

Saltwater is a twisty drama about a super-rich, toxic family.

Lots of characters and you never quite know if you like the protagonist or not. She is wishy washy and entitled. However, compared to the rest of her family she is an angel.

I ended up listening to the audiobook version of this since I didn't get a chance to read my kindle copy before the pub date, and while I liked the different narrators in the audiobook, overall I really didn't enjoy this book. I felt like it was way too dragged out and slow, I couldn't connect or root for any of the characters and was just kind of bored for a lot of it. I did think the ending was unexpected, but still didn't really redeem it as a whole for me.

I’m a Katy Hays fan and I enjoyed this book a lot. I thought the setting in Capri was great and I wanted to hang out there. I loved the family dynamic and the mystery was very good. I liked the way everyone was connected and overall it was a very good book.

Thank you so much to @netgalley @ballantinebooks @penguinrandomhouse for the E-ARC!

Saltwater is a fiction thriller centering a rich family and a 30 year old murder that was never resolved. We get multiple points of views and timelines as we slowly unravel the dark secrets the Lingate family hold, and there is certainly more than one.

The death of Sarah Lingate in Capri was ruled an accident and the Lingate family return to Capri every summer just to prove it. But when her daughter Helen finds the necklace her mother was wearing that night things begin to unravel.


I definitely enjoyed my time with this one and thought it was a really well written thriller. While I think more seasoned thriller readers might be able to figure out how the “murder” actually went down, I think the story is developed strongly and keeps your interest enough keep you guessing.

I definitely found myself empathizing with Helen and Sarah and Laura as characters, all providing different perspectives into this old money family. The setting was absolutely gorgeous and vivid! I felt like I was actually on this gorgeous island the entire time. All the characters felt very distinct and nuanced to me and all brought specific motive and characteristics. Overall I really enjoyed this one and definitely recommend if you want a fun thriller set on a gorgeous island!

While Hays' THE CLOISTERS was not my favorite, I wanted to give her a second chance and the cover alone sold me on this one. I am glad I did because this was much more my style. The Capri setting was fantastic and acted as its own character, brought to life by Hays' descriptive writing. The Lingates felt like a real family and I could envision them perfectly. The multiple POVs worked well and helped to keep the plot moving. Read this next to a pool/beach for the best vibes.

Saltwater was a surprisingly enjoyable mystery of family secrets and regrets. I loved the twists and turns until the final page. Was most certainly not a conclusion that I was able to predict. I would recommend this book for a quick engrossing story on a picturesque Italian escape. Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the advanced reader copy.

I love books about rich people behaving badly and this one is all about that. Unfortunately, it took me forever to finish the book because I found it rather boring at times and I feel the author had too many reveals in the last part of the book.

Tropes: unraveling woman, dark academia-adjacent, seaside isolation, social stratification
Vibes: slow descent into chaos, slippery truths, stormy with a chance of judgmental rich people

I had high hopes going into this — The Cloisters absolutely owned me — so I was ready for more razor-sharp prose, secret societies, and feminine unraveling. And while the writing was just as beautiful and unsettling, this one didn’t fully hit the same way for me.

The pacing felt a little too meandering for most of the book, and the main character's voice didn't quite grip me like I wanted. But the last 25 pages? Hello, drama. The tension snapped into place and suddenly I was devouring it like it owed me something.

I did predict one of the major twists early on, but there were two or three others that took me by surprise — and I really appreciated how layered and complex the ending turned out to be. It left me with that delicious unsettled feeling I was craving all along.

What Worked:
🌊 Moody, immersive setting
🌀 Complex, layered reveals
📖 Beautifully written with literary bite
💣 That final act snapped

What Didn’t Work (for me):
🐌 Slow middle with not enough tension
🪞A bit emotionally distant at times
💭 Didn’t quite match the energy I loved in The Cloisters

Final thoughts:
While not fully my vibe, this was still a smart, twisty, well-written read that snuck up on me in the end. If you like slow burns with layered secrets and a sharp turn into chaos, it’s definitely worth picking up.

This mystery is set in the picturesque isle of Capri. The Lingate family is full of dark and twisted secrets. Sarah Lingate was murdered 30 years ago and every year the family returns to Capri as a remembrance. This year a surprise is waiting for them, the necklace she was wearing the night she was murdered. Her daughter Helen was three at the time of her mother’s murder. On this trip Helen discovers the manuscript of the play her mother was writing called Salt Water. All the family secrets will soon be discovered. Wow I was not expecting that ending!!!


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