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.

Saltwater by Katy Hays
Narrators: Allyson Ryan, Cassandra Campbell, Carlotta Brentan
Rating: 3 stars
Pub date: 3/25

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for my advanced copy and to PRH for my complimentary audiobook.

This is a twisty family drama with a bit of mystery, set on the gorgeous cliffs of Capri. It follows Helen Lingate, whose mother, Sarah, died there in 1992 under suspicious circumstances. Thirty years later, Helen and her wealthy, secretive family return to the island, only to find a strange surprise—the necklace Sarah was wearing the night she died has mysteriously turned up. With the help of Lorna, the family assistant, Helen tries to escape her controlling family and uncover the truth.

The premise is intriguing, and the setting is atmospheric, but the story didn’t fully hook me. The Lingates are a cold, dysfunctional bunch, and none of the characters are particularly likable. Helen is in her thirties but still treated like a teenager, which gets frustrating. Lorna’s backstory is barely explored, making her motivations feel flimsy. And some characters, like Freddy, seem to exist without much purpose.

There are a few good twists, but the slow pace and lack of emotional connection made it hard to care about the outcome. It’s an okay read if you enjoy slow-burn mysteries with rich family drama, but it didn’t leave much of a lasting impression on me.

Twisty thriller/mystery that kept me guessing. While I didn't really connect with the main characters or particularly like them I thought the story was interesting and really enjoyed the authors description of the island Capri. The setting almost felt like another main character in the story. I liked this story and was surprised by the ending 3/3.5 stars. I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Random House, Ballantine, for the opportunity of this arc. It pains me to say I could bot finish it. Read through the first five chapters, and unfortunately, I was not hooked in. I wanted to keep trying, but I could not connect with the story.

I don’t like rating books I don’t finish, but for Netgalley purposes, I will rate 1 star.

This book has already cracked the top 5 of my 2025 reads!

The Lingate family is infamous after Sarah Lingate is murdered one night while the family is vacationing in Italy. 32 years later her all grown up daughter Helen hair wants to know: what happened? And what was her mothers like?

This story has EVERYTHING! Family drama, greed, jealousy, love, angst, and so many twists. I really thought I knew where this book was headed and I still would have enjoyed it. However, the last 25% had my mouth on the floor.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Random House Publishing for this E-Arc!

⭐️: 3 / 5

Publication Date: March 25, 2025

I want to thank Ballantine and Net Galley for allowing me to get an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The first chapter does a great job of setting the scene and the minds of each of the characters surrounding the events which took place in Capri 30 years earlier.

Some of the coolest aspects of this story, were the article snippets that were sprinkled into the story. Adding even further context as the story developed. The setting was very romantic despite this being a mystery for 2 women’s disappearances.

As for my issues with the story, all the characters are unlikable. I didn’t really feel bad for any of these people even the victims with their rich people and party girl problems. One of the major plot points is never resolved by the time the end rolls around. Additionally, one of the big reveals at the end is heavily alluded to throughout the story which made it feel pretty obvious once it was confirmed.

Overall I think this book was okay. The unlikable characters work for a family drama story centered around an ‘old money’ family. While this is the perfect combination for some juicy drama, it took me out of the story. I recommend people give this book a try even though it didn’t work for me.

Would recommend for those who are fans of
- Nonlinear timelines
- Capri setting
- Beach-y read
- Character driven narrative

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review. This likely would have been a 4-star read but the ending was disappointing. I could have believed one dead body's mistaken identity, but not two!! Overall, Hays is a good writer and she nailed the setting and the messy, wealthy family perfectly. I just wish the ending had been handled differently.