I was really happy with this story. The intrigue and mystery was there from the beginning - it kept me reading, needing to know what happened/happens. I think I still need to process my thoughts on the two twists at the end, but initially I think I liked them and they work well with the story. I would recommend this book to others. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. All options are my own.

Saltwater by Katy Hays takes readers on a journey following a rich family vacationing in Capri- the same place where 30 years ago one of them died.

I enjoyed the mystery in the story as well as the multiple perspectives and timeline. There was a portion in the middle that was a little slow, but the last section picked up and kept me on the edge of my seat. There were also several twists that I didn’t anticipate.

Saltwater is a dual timeline, multi POV, mystery set on the island of Capri. In 1992, Sarah Lingate is found dead at the base of the cliffs, and her death is ruled accidental despite suspicious circumstances. In the present day storyline, her daughter Helen feels trapped by her controlling ultra wealthy family, and is planning an escape.
I looooved Katy Hays' debut, The Cloisters, so I was very excited to read her next book. Unfortunately, it's a slower paced mystery/drama, and I was trying to read it during a book slump. So, I'm not sure how much that affected my opinion, but this was a too slow for me. There were a couple twists at the end that I truly didn't see coming, but also felt so unbelievable that I wasn't impressed.
If you're looking for an atmospheric, slow burn mystery set on Capri, check this out when it comes out next week!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for the ARC.
ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Saltwater by Katy Hays

Thank You NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for a complimentary copy of this novel!
The Lingate family take a yearly vacation to the isle of Capri. But one incident in 1992 has left a dark shadow. Sarah Lingate was found dead at the bottom of the cliffs. Although her death seemed to be a suicide, there were still some suspicions by the local carabinieri it could have been her husband. She also left behind a 3-year-old daughter, Helen. Every year the Lingates return to the island, but the 30th anniversary of Sarah’s death hangs in the air. Someone has other ideas and wants revenge. So, the Lingate family is there on the island, Helen is now 33 years old, and their assistant Lorna has been with them a few years as well. One night, while at dinner, a box arrives with a piece of jewelry believed to have been stolen from Sarah’s dead body the night she died. Someone knows the truth of what happened that night and the Lingates will stop at nothing to hide that truth, even murder. What happened to Sarah that fateful night in 1992? Was her death a suicide or a more nefarious act took place that night?
This novel was so good!!! The ending will leave you shocked with the secrets and twists that are revealed! Look for this novel March 25, 2025!!

So vibey with the rich beautiful people on the Italian island of Capri....except there are two murders.

🌊 Italian island
🌊 murder mystery
🌊 multiple POV
🌊 dual timeline with flashbacks
🌊 rich people doing bad things
🌊 family drama

Listen....even if you predict some things, I guarantee you won't predict all. I knew who Sarah's killer was, but still didn't foresee a few twists.

It's a slow burn, and I did feel disengaged for a bit, but then the end totally sucked me back in. I love a book with karma to the rich, a murder mystery (or two), and something unexpected, and this book had it all.

Thank you Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the
ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an early copy of this book in exchange for a review. This read like The White Lotus and was enjoyable all throughout. Your classic rich people corrupted by money kind of story. I was entertained throughout and overall found this enjoyable.

Prestige, power, secrets, keeping appearances, and control all come into play in Saltwater. The Lingate family returns to the island of Capri every year. It was there that Sarah Lingate was found dead below the cliffs. Each year they return but this year there is something waiting for them - a necklace! It's not any necklace; it is the necklace that Sarah was wearing the night she died!

This book gives a look at the Lingate family and how they take care of their own even if that means using control and manipulation. It shows, Sarah's daughter, Helen who has brough Lorna Moreno, an employee of the family. Helen wants to know what happened to her mother and hopes that Lorna can help her. When Lorna goes missing, an investigation ensues....

This book has a good mystery and lots of family drama and tension. The Lingates are not a family that I would want to spend much time with. They are not the most likeable bunch and have a bunch of secrets between them. While I did not warm up0 to the Lingate family, I did enjoy the atmosphere of this book. Capri is a wonderful setting for this mystery thriller. This is tension and drama galore as well as a few twists and revelations.

I did not see the final reveal coming and I thought the author did a great job pulling that off. I found this to be a solid read and would enjoy reading more books by this author in the future.

Saltwater is the second novel by Katy Hays, who previously published the atmospheric novel The Cloisters. It is a dark, family drama set on the gorgeous island of Capri. The story follows the Lindgate family, renowned for their old money, who vacation yearly on Capri. The family includes brothers Richard and Marcus, Marcus’ wife Naomi, and Helen, Richard’s overly controlled daughter. It’s a cast of unlikable characters behaving badly to save their image. There are 2 mysterious deaths that occur on the island 30 years apart and are tied to the family, Helen’s mother Sarah and Marcus’ assistant Lorna.

The novel was a slow burn for me, with a few surprising twists, especially at the end. The author demonstrates exquisite scene building throughout; I could nearly see and smell Capri. And I love the look of cover. Thriller fans who enjoy twisty stories of rich people behaving badly should consider this. 3/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own. Pub Date: 3/25/25

This book tries to do too many things and just doesn’t succeed. The pacing and characters are interesting, and I found myself engaging with and enjoying sizable parts of this book. Unfortunately, everything this book tries to do I have seen done better in other books. The plot is over complicated and relies on gimmicks to drive it forward. The conceit of the “missing play” feels incomplete and unnecessary. This book is overwritten and tries to force a trite statement on wealth within a plot that simply can’t support it. I could see this book being a good vacation read, but it simply doesn’t stand out amongst a sea of similar thrillers.

"But like all secrets, it gets bigger the longer you keep it."

Thriller? Family Drama? You get both with the Lingates. I loved the past/present telling of the story and watching each and every one of the characters get what they deserved in this book. A quick read!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC!

This book starts out slow and is hard to get into at first. Then, when Lorna disappears it gets a little more exciting. A series of unpredictable twists and turns keeps things interesting.

However, none of the characters are really all that likable. They are all pretty selfish making it hard to root for any of them. Plus, the ending is ruined because even though the book has not one but two central mysteries both of them involve the exact same plot twist. The first time it is an exciting revelation, but the second time it just seems like lazy writing and takes away from the overall enjoyment of the book.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free ebook ARC of this title in exchange for my review.

Rich folks in elaborate vacation places, secrets and a mystery - that's a hit or miss for me. I can't seem to stop reading - or watching them - but sometimes they just don't work well as a thriller. Sadly, this was on that didn't work. There are 2 timelines for this book, back in the 1990's with a woman's death, and now, 30 years later with her daughter returning to the area. Cue the drama - will they all make it out? I don't' remember. :( The writing style didn't work for me, and the book was not suspenseful, very little character development and by the time we got to the big reveal, I think I was asleep. :( I doubt I would recommend this to any of my friends.

3 stars

Wow I enjoyed this! The multiple POV narration style really had me hooked, and I was dying (ha) to know what happened with every twist and turn. I will say I was surprised by some of the twists, which doesn't happen to me very often, and was therefore a pleasant surprise. This was a fun, compulsive read, perfect for fans of White Lotus.

This was soo good!! I loved the atmosphere, the layers, and the twists! I do feel as if you stay on the surface of most of these characters, and that that’s intentional, due to the suspense and the potential of unreliable narrators, but I wish I knew more about certain characters at the end. I absolutely dove into this book and couldn’t stop until I knew what had happened…it was such a a statisfying mystery!

Thanks to NetGalley, Ballentine Books, and author Katy Hays for advanced copy for honest review

Happy Pub Day to this very anticipated thriller! I've seen this book, Saltwater, everywhere! A must read for book clubs,
4 stars, recommend!

Thank you for the advanced copy of Saltwater! This book was full of family drama; lies, infidelity, and mystery. I loved the setting of Capri with the description of the sights and smells. I was guessing throughout the entire book about what was going on and who betrayed who. The plot twist at the end was unexpected! Definitely will recommend this book.

This book wasn't for me, unfortunately. The cover is super cute, and the premise seemed interesting, but the writing style made me quickly lose interest in the story.

The jumping from past to present came off as confusing, and the characters got a bit jumbled for me. I found it hard to follow and I felt like there could have been more suspense to make it more interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really like Katy Hays’ style of writing. She weaves a thriller in such a twisty way that your theories have theories. I particularly enjoyed the non-linear and multiple perspectives of Saltwater. The island setting and the family drama also really added to the overall story. This did have a slightly slow start but picked up quickly and had me hooked hard for that last half of the book. 4 stars!

I want to travel to Capri immediately...
And be rich...
And not work...
And travel nonstop...

But I can't, so that's neither here nor there, unfortunately. As a consolation, though, I feel as though Katy Hays transported me to the Italian Island of Capri with her book. "Saltwater" baths you in luxury (and linen), hands you an aperitif, and invites you into the hottest and most vibrant beaches, clubs, and restaurants—through the pages, of course.

From page one, I was ready to stab an umbrella in the sand, plop down on my blue and white striped towel, and take in the vibes. Immediately, we meet the Lingates, a wealthy yet private family, steeped in old money and yearly trips to Aspen, Cannes, Majorca, the Maldives, wherever rich folks go. In 1992, on one such trip to Capri, Sarah Lingate's body is discovered below the famous cliffs of the island, unleashing suspicion and notoriety upon the Lingate name. Thirty years later, buried secrets resurface, blurring the lines between past and present.

"Saltwater" is an opulent whodunnit that will keep you guessing until the bitter end. I was mesmerized by the island of Capri and the abundance of evil surrounded by so much beauty. Like a car crash, I couldn't look away from the soulless actions of the lingates, motivated by greed and preservation. I found myself craving a come down for these damaged aristocrats and fall they will. You can't outrun the past forever. No spoilers! All I'm saying is there's an embarrassment of riches...literally riches...and motives.

"Saltwater" examines the meaning of family and begs the question: Is wealth, privilege, and reputation worth more than a human life? Some folks seem to think so.

I couldn't put this novel down, and I hope you have the same experience. It's escapism at it's finest. And remember, you're not supposed to like everyone. A little Schadenfreude never killed anyone...

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books, & Katy Hays for the ARC in exchange for my authentic review.

This feels like a perfect summer beach read for thriller lovers.
First thoughts. That cover is BEAUTIFUL. So many thriller covers are dark and spooky. I love how bright this one is. I think I might need a physical copy for my thriller shelves to brighten things up.

Synopsis: When Sarah Lingate dies on an Italian family vacation, her daughter tries to solve the case 32 years later.

The family drama was so entertaining and so were the plot twists. I am usually pretty good at figuring out a twist but I can honestly say there were a few that got me in this one.

Anyone wanting a summery thriller, this might be for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.