I love a book that has twists and turns that keep you guessing. Just when you think you know what's happening, there is another twist. This would be a great beach read. Great for anyone who like mysteries.

This story was so well done and I really enjoyed it. I enjoy reading from this author and I'm looking forward to the next book. The plot was really well explored and I enjoyed the overall story. The characters were great and I was able to dive myself into this book. It was well done and I highly recommend. This book was so good.

This book was pretty slow=paced. It felt like nothing really happened until the end which made it hard for me to get invested in the story. But it could make a good beach read!

I try really hard not to write a bad review. But y’all, I hated this book. I dislike the characters. There was no connection to them at all. I did like the setting, but that is about it. This book was just boring.

Sometimes a family drama / mystery when none of the characters are likable are the very best kind of books. Anyone of them could be the culprit and that's ok by me. When Helen was three, her mother disappeared in Capri. Thirty years later, she's trying to find some answers.

I enjoyed the dual timeline of 1992 and 2022. The island of Capri is a gorgeous setting in contrast to all the sinister actions, lies and coverups that take place. This book kept me guessing with the unexpected twists.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. #Saltwater #NetGalley

Thank you to Net Galley and Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I enjoyed this one as it was a page turner (could be a summer read). It takes place on the island of Capri where the very wealthy Lingate family owns a summer place, a mansion, and are well known among the community as well as the other wealthy vacationers. Sarah Lingate, a well-known writer who has married into the family, was found dead at the bottom of cliff. It was ruled a suicide but there was always speculation that her husband, Richard, had pushed off the ledge. Yet, Richard's brother Marcus has always been the one more in charge and his wife Naomi has always been by his side. We see most of the story through the eyes of Sarah and Richard's daughter Helen and Lorna, Marcus' assistant who also happens to be Helen's friend. Someone has sent the necklace that disappeared the night of Sarah's death to Helen which starts a series of events that starts unraveling the many secrets that the Lingates (and others) have been keeping for years. 3.5 stars.

You never really know other people, even those closest to you. Helen grew up ultra wealthy in a family that would do anything to protect the family. She has grown suspicious of her family members and wants to know the truth behind her mother's death years ago. This year Helen has brought a friend with her on her family's annual trip to Capri. Will Helen be able to enjoy her trip and possibly learn more about what happened on the island so many years ago?

I really liked this story. There were all sorts of unexpected twists and turns right up until the end.

Saltwater by Katy Hays is a haunting and atmospheric novel full of deep-rooted family secrets. The story centers around Helen Lingate, whose mother was found dead in Capri in 1992. The death was ruled an accident -- although there were countless reasons to suspect otherwise. Every year since then, her family returns to vacation on the island, until one year, the necklace her mother was wearing when she died is mysteriously delivered.

The writing is lyrical and immersive, pulling you into a world that feels both dreamy and unsettling. The characters are complex and often mysterious. It’s a slow burn, but the tension builds in a satisfying way - so stick with it, and you won't be disappointed!

I was not quite expecting what this book ended up being, though, I wouldn't say it was necessarily a bad thing. I absolutely loved the setting of Capri, and I was totally drawn into the mystery and intrigue of the storyline. However, the characters were very hard for me to like or even to relate to, so I found it hard to connect with them. Instead, I just became more disturbed at their choices and the tangled web of lies that emanated from the Lingate family and everyone they interacted with. 3.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Complex characters with messy family dynamics is always going work. It will work to varying degrees but it's always going to work. And the opulence and summer setting is perfect for a quick read as the weather warms up. You probably won't like any of the characters but would won't be able to stop reading - you need to know all year secrets and judge them for it. Addicting.

I really enjoyed this summer beach thriller set on Capri. It’s twisty, dark, and the people are rich and morally bankrupt - a perfect combo for a thriller. It kept me guessing right up until the end!

I loved The Cloisters. Katy Hays can propel you through a story and just when you think you’ve figured it out - you have, but you haven’t! Excellent summer read.

for me this was good but not great! a bit too slow of a burn and the twists seemed a bit out there / happened a bit too late.

good news is there were a TON of twists in this one… like so many and in the backhalf they just kept coming to the last page! i think the pacing of the twists were a bit off tho—if one of those twists happened earlier, it woulda catapulted the story better for my thriller taste. i was personally not prepared for the slow burn and character arcs and wanted a bit more of a fast moving book for my beach read, so take that with a grain of salt and to help expectations going in.

the setting tho >>>> the island in Capri was a vibe and so easy to immerse yourself in. and i looove a good messy family drama. especially when it’s about a rich family ;) i swear people w money have so much drama and i’m here for it! think THE WHITE LOTUS vibes at times.

and i low key loved the savagery of some of the characters at the end of this 👀👀👀 not saying more bc of spoilers but if you know, you know!

i love this author’s writing but definitely prefer THE CLOISTERS over this one.

TYSM to Random House for the gifted copy! the cover of this is stunning

Gonna do a mini review of SALTWATER since I don’t have too much to say. Overall it was ok — it’s your classic rich people vacation thriller. It’s very White Lotus — without the resort side of that, since they are staying in a fancy villa in Capri.

I was slightly disappointed with the writing. The story is slow at first then really ramps up at the end with twists that gave me whiplash.

Wealthy playwright Sarah Linsgate is found dead beneath the cliffs, her body floating in the sea. Married into one of the island’s wealthiest families, her mysterious death has haunted Capri for years. She left behind her husband, a three-year-old daughter, and a script that seems to expose secrets within the Linsgate family.

Now grown, her daughter Helen returns to Capri with her family for their annual visit—only to find her mother’s necklace, the same one she wore when she died, waiting for them at the villa. As tensions rise and the carefully maintained facade begins to crack, Helen starts plotting her escape, enlisting her uncle’s assistant, Lorna, for help. But when Lorna vanishes, Helen begins to suspect that her family may be hiding far darker secrets than she ever imagined.

I wanted to love this one—Capri as a setting is always a draw (honestly, who doesn’t love a moody Mediterranean mystery?). But for me, the story dragged, and I couldn’t connect with any of the characters. Everyone felt one-note and unlikable, with wealth as the only defining trait of their personalities. I’ve read a few books recently where being rich seems to equal being awful, with no other complexity, and it’s a plot device that’s wearing thin for me. The ending did pick up and was the strongest part of the novel, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to redeem the slow and often frustrating build-up. I know many others have enjoyed this one—which is why I picked it up—but it just didn’t work for me.

I'm not traditionally a fan of thrillers, but wowzas! This one was so good! Strong "White Lotus" vibes with a blend of luxury and simmering dread. The story is set on the island of Capri and follows the Lingate family through power struggles, generational trauma, and numerous buried secrets. This story effortless weaves through multiple timelines and perspective, which adds to the tension and suspense. I was on the egde of my seat the whole time!

Sincere thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, & Ballantine for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Saltwater
By: Katy Hays
Publisher: Random House Group- Ballantine
Pub Date: 3/25/25

Set in the beautiful island of Capri where the Lingate family battles with making sure their secrets are kept at all cost. The story flips back and forth between Sarah Lingate in 1992 and her daughter Helen Lingate in present day. From would be suicides to right now murder nothing is as it seems including the family.
There were a lot of characters to keep track of in this one but they had their role!
#katyhays
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I absolutely adored Katy Hays's first novel, The Cloisters, so I was thrilled to dig into her sophomore thriller. Saltwater is the story of the Langan family told in two timelines, both on vacation in Capri. In 1992, the playwright Sarah Langan falls to her death. Was it a suicide, an accident, or murder? Questions remain. In the modern timeline, her daughter, who was three when she died, struggles under the control and rules of her father and uncle. Saltwater is a twisty thriller. It took me awhile to get into it, but once I did, I couldn't stop reading. While it is a twisty thriller, it's also a compelling family saga, with well-developed characters that make the tragedies feel tragic because the characters are so real and human. The ending didn't quite land for me, but I loved the time I spent reading it and imagining being in Capri.

Thank you to the author, publisher and @netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Honestly, after all the hype and excitement in the lead up to this book, I was left wanting.

Maybe I’ve read too many of these because I was able to predict just about every twist and turn without much effort and was honestly bored. It felt like the switching timelines and lots of characters should have added to the drama but I was more stuck in the doldrums.

If you like a slow mystery and a lot of famous people family dynamics where they just keep doing questionable things, then pick this up. Otherwise, let it lie 🤷‍♀️

I had high expectations for this and maybe it's my current mood read state but I really had a hard time pushing through with this book. I was just not invested at all in this story. Twisty ending but this one had no pull on me.