The beginning/middle was slow and hard for me to get into, but the last 25% was quite twisty. Some twists definitely predictable, and then the main twist was quite unbelievable. Actually I have a really hard time believing the person got away with it (keeping it spoiler free, but also confused why none of the other reviews I've seen have a problem with the ending😅). I also had a hard time keeping track of who was who and who was narrating each chapter, but once I got that straight, it did help the story become more interesting. Very classic rich people doing terrible things and getting away with it, but the setting was fun and makes me want to Capri.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

The Lingates are the kind of family you might see on the TV show White Lotus: rich, beautiful, a happy family from the outside. In Saltwater, you learn what is rotting them from the inside.
In 1992, Helen’s mother, Sarah Lingate, was found dead below the cliffs of Capri. Helen was only three. Sarah’s death was ruled an accident, but the whole island believes that Helen’s father, Marcus, killed his own wife. The family continue to visit Capri, and on the 30th anniversary of Sarah’s death, they bring along Lorna, Marcus’ assistant, and Helen’s friend. And Helen needs a friend because once they arrive, the family receives a present: the necklace Sarah was wearing the night she died.
Katy Hays creates a twisted family, and each time you think you have a handle on them, you learn something new that changes your whole perception of the family. Hays gives voice to three women, allowing them to tell their tales while interlocked into the family’s charade. The first is Helen. The glass-entombed child, the only heir to the Lingate money, wants nothing but to have friends, go where she wants to, and have a job. Then there is Lorna. She works for Marcus and is Helen’s friend, but she absolutely has an ulterior motive. Then, like icing on a cake, we get the perspective of Sarah herself, and readers get to see the heart of it all.
In Lorna’s first appearance, Hays is upfront with the character’s disappearance with an hourly count down with each chapter. This technique builds such tension, I could feel the hum in my legs. I held each chapter with Lorna closer to me looking for clues to what happens to her. But this is what Hays wants you to do because you are so focused, you aren’t necessarily paying attention to other things she is telling you. The story twists and turns, and I was never quite sure where the family would land. I called one twist and was so focused on it that I didn’t question the other big twist that made way less sense.
In Saltwater, Katy Hays is a master of misdirection. You never know where to look. Except for the picture of the Capri cliff at the beginning of the book. That would truly hurt to be thrown down.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sarah Lingate accidentally dies off the cliffs on Capri in 1992. Despite her death, the wealthy Lingate family continues their yearly vacation to the island but on the 30th anniversary of Sarah's death, the necklace she was wearing the night she died is found in their villa.

This is a fast paced, domestic drama with the rich behaving badly and no really likable characters. The secrets that come pouring out are salacious. The scenery is breathtaking! While I did enjoy this story, I found I had to suspend reality to really buy into the plot. Its still a good story and recommend it!

This book had a nice twist at the end that I just did not see coming or think of it as an option to happen. So it was refreshing to read that. It definitely kept my interest throughout with all the secrets going on. I did have a little trouble trying to keep some of the characters and timeline straight as it bounced from past to present and had multiple people to keep track of. But once you start to have that down with who is who then it is good.

This book. was. phenomenal!! I enjoyed every part of it!

If you like The White Lotus, you will like this book! They’re similar in that on the surface it’s a murder mystery but when you dig deeper, it’s actually about wealth and relationships and secrets. It’s also slow paced like the show, but definitely not boring, and it keeps you engaged!

I thought the writing was fantastic, as well as all of the characters. I love a book that makes you look up what words mean & has characters that are complicated and messy!
I also loved the setting of the imposing Italian villa, the yachts, the ocean, the restaurants.. all of it! Again, major White Lotus vibes!

If you love murder mysteries, rich people problems/secrets, and addictive writing, I highly recommend Saltwater!! It’s out now!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy! ✨

The synopsis and cover led me to request this book on NetGalley, and I'm so glad I did!

I absolutely loved the setting (Capri) and how it almost felt like a character itself. The actual characters were on point as well. The book focuses on power, money, and how far people will go to achieve those things. I'm a big fan of 'rich people problems' type of books and this hit the mark.

Some parts dragged on a bit; I would say this is more of a slow burn thriller than a fast-paced thriller (not a bad thing!). Pacing really picked up around the 60% mark and that's when I felt 'pulled in' like I do with thrillers.

Thank you to Ballantine Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

It took me a bit to really get into it, maybe halfway. But once I got there, it was a wild ride! Twisted rich people and family drama at it's max! Loved it and did not see the ending coming AT ALL. 4 stars! Thanks to Netgalley and Randomhouse Ballantine for the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

I'm very torn about this one: I really enjoyed the plot and the cast of characters. It's a large cast but Hays did an excellent job of making everyone distinguishable and believable as the mystery progressed. The island of Capri became it's own character, the setting for some crazy twists and turns. The worldbuilding was great.

However, it's so incredibly repetitive. The book isn't that long to be that repetitive. It's one thing to hear about the same events from multiple POVs - that wasn't much of an issue, because each POV revealed some new clue or context - but the inner monologue of the characters was frustrating. Helen in particular, who complains that she's always one step behind everyone else, is overwhelmingly repetitive with her constant questioning of herself and complaining about her injustices (which were very much warranted but didn't really need to be harped on so much).

Overall I enjoyed the mystery but wish the overall book was streamlined a bit more.

Thank you to NetGalley, Katy Hays, and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Out now!

I was interested with this book by its cover but it was really slow. I had a really hard time getting into this book.

SALTWATER is going to be the perfect beach read. I think this book is a case of "right book, wrong time." I just wasn't in the proper headspace for this type of book and I think that led to me not fully loving it.

I really want to pick this back up at a better time because on paper it is 100% something I'd enjoy! There were just too many moving parts for me to keep track of and I want to make sure I get the best reading experience.

Katy Hays does not disappoint with her new twisty thriller. This is going to be great for your beach reading list this summer.

The Lingate family returns to Capri year after year for vacation. They are returning to the place where one of their family members lost their life. I was so baffled that they would continue to go back. This book is full of great twists and turns.

I thought this thriller would be for me with its captivating Capri setting and twisty plot points. However, I thought this one got too convoluted and could’ve been condensed for a more enjoyable reading experience. There were a lot of storylines and some of the characters seemed to be lacking discernible characteristics that left me confused as to who was who and their motivations. The ending is so twisty that I’ve since forgotten who did what.

I was so excited about this, but ultimately felt let down by the execution. The premise was incredibly appealing-- mystery in Capri, a little bit of suspense with the necklace waiting for them. I really had high hopes. But on the whole, I couldn't really get that "knot in the stomach" investment that I would like from books with a mystery/suspense element. I expected to feel a bit of a chill when they necklace was revealed at the beginning, but even that I felt lacked in the drama that I required to draw me into the story. Further I know the whole cast is horrible people-- and normally that doesn't prevent me from liking a story-- but a likeable character might have helped draw me in. To lack both the suspenseful feeling and a likeable character meant I was just waiting for the plot to pick up the whole time and I was ultimately left disappointed and I ended up not even able to finish the novel before it's publishing date (I was actively avoiding picking up my kindle, which is very unlike me).

This might be right for someone who desires an INCREDIBLY slow burn.

I really appreciate the opportunity to review the ARC and read it ahead. I will not request ARCs from this author in the future.

I wasn't a huge fan of this one unfortunately. I was intrigued by the cover of "Saltwater," but the summery cover was my favorite thing about the book. The plot of the story was slow moving, and I had a hard time getting interested in the plot because all of the characters were pretty dull.

Saltwater by Kathy Hays is a twisty, atmospheric read that had me second-guessing every character’s intentions from start to finish. With dual timelines and multiple points of view, the story weaves a complex web of secrets, lies, and hidden agendas — all set against the stunning backdrop of Capri. Though the characters are far from likable, they make for a fascinating cast that kept me hooked.

The premise itself is intriguing: imagine your boss offering you a trip to Capri — sounds like a dream, right? But what if you’re tagging along on a family’s yearly pilgrimage to honor a loved one who passed away… or was it murder? From the very beginning, the story teases out questions that make you want to read to the very last page.

Hays’ writing transports you straight to the Italian coast. The descriptions are so vivid I felt like I could taste the sea salt in the air and feel the Mediterranean sun on my skin. The dual timelines and multiple POVs add to the suspense, though they do require some focus to keep track of each thread. Just when I thought I had things figured out, another twist threw me off balance, making the mystery even more addictive.

This book is perfect for readers who enjoy slow-burn suspense with hidden clues scattered throughout the narrative. It’s a story where you’ll question everyone and trust no one.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Thank you so much to the author, Kathy Hays, Random House Publishing Group Ballantine, and NetGalley for the eARC of Saltwater!

This was more of a slow burn family drama, but once the twists start they don’t stop coming! Every time I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong. There was one person I was right about the entire time BUT I can’t say more than that without spoiling. The setting of this was sooo beautiful, and the author did a great job at making you feel like you were really there! The rich family arrogance and toxicity was on point and pretty much every character is unlikable and cannot be trusted. There is multiple timelines which really helped to move the story along, and everyone intertwines in one way or another. I think this would be a great book club book!

Thank you to Random House Publishing group and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for my review!

My favorite books are ones that make you feel the setting in such a way that you almost think you are actually there with the characters in the book. It is the highest compliment to say that Saltwater made me feel like I was there on the island of Capri along with the Lingates in the oppressive summer heat.
Saltwater is a twisty atmospheric story of a super wealthy family that seems to get away with everything. It is told mainly through the eyes of Helen, the 30 something daughter, and Lorna, the personal assistant, sometimes showing us the perspective of Sarah, Helen׳s mother, who died on the island 30 years before. I found the story very gripping and propulsive, though some of the reveals are the end seemed pretty outlandish. If you are looking for an atmospheric, rich people behaving (very) badly story then this may be the book for you.
Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of this book.

Perfect length read with dual tinelines and multiple points of view. Lots of twists and turns. Well written - I felt transported to Capri. Very unlikeable characters, but fun to read.

If your boss were paying for a trip to Capri for you, doesn’t it sound like a dream come true? But what if you were tagging along on a yearly family trip…because they like to visit to honor a family member that passed away…or were they killed?

There are so many questions that need to be answered and even just in the first bit, you just get a taste to make you want to continue to completion.

There are multiple POVs with a non-linear timelines; sometimes it can make you slow down to make sure you’re paying proper attention to each storyline.

Descriptions are very clear and easy to picture and feel like you’re there. I’ve never been to Capri, but I feel like I have a good feeling of what it would be like there.

Thank you so much to the author, Katy Hays, Random House Publishing Group Ballantine, and NetGalley for the eARC of Saltwater!

Saltwater is an atmospheric and incredibly slow-burn mystery with family drama.

Though the last few chapters had me on my edge of my seat, and pleasantly surprised by the unpredictable twists, I’m not sure it was worth the long build-up. It was really hard not to skim through most of the book- it was a struggle to stay immersed, especially with the format of the story, which jumped back and forth between timelines and unlikeable characters. There wasn’t a great distinction in the different characters’ voices, either, which made it difficult at times to differentiate between them.

Despite all of that, I’d be interested in giving this author another chance. While this story fell flat, I could definitely see the author’s potential, especially in the last few chapters.

Thank you to Ballantine Books for a NetGalley copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.