Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!

Saltwater by Katy Hays is a gripping family drama and mystery set against a stunning coastal backdrop with a hauntingly dark past. The novel introduces a set of intriguing characters, each layered with complexity, which initially pulls the reader in with its rich atmosphere and promising twists. The beginning of the book is engaging, setting the stage for a suspenseful unraveling of family secrets and intrigue.

However, as the plot progresses, the story begins to slow down. The focus shifts more toward the intricacies of family drama rather than the unfolding mystery, which may leave some readers yearning for more of the suspense and tension that marked the opening chapters. While the character dynamics remain compelling, the pace becomes heavier, and the mystery feels somewhat overshadowed by the emotional conflicts.

Overall, Salt Water offers an engaging read with a beautiful setting and well-developed characters, though its shift toward family drama may not satisfy those seeking a continuous, fast-paced mystery.

Saltwater has a great premise. While I was initially pulled in, the pacing was a little slow for my liking, and I had trouble keeping track of the multiple POVs. That, and I was never really convinced on any one character. Which is to say, some parts of this are great, but other parts fell a kinda flat.

There are definitely some fun "big reveals", but I'm not entirely sure if this worked for me.

Very grateful for the opportunity to read a copy, and hope it finds its readers.

Saltwater
Katy Hays
March 25, 2025

Each year the Lingate family spend time in Capri. Their family own a villa where the large entourage stay. Helen is just 3 years old when her mother dies due to a fall from the cliffs. Despite suspicious circumstances, her death is ruled accidental. The child remains with her father living in Bel Air. The Lingates are exceptionally wealthy. Brothers Richard and Marcus see to the business after their father grew older. Daytime for Helen spent next door with her caregiver, Renata. She spent time with her son, Ciro. He was just beyond Helenś age and they enjoyed playtime together.
Saltwater will be published on March 25, 2025 by Ballantine Books. I was able to read and review Hays latest novel via NetGalley. Her plot line followed the Lingates business and heritage. For the most part they were contentious and combative. This journey appears to be the Lingates final outing to Italy. The cause of Sarahś's death is Helen´s one desire to discover. She spent most of her life without her mother and would like to know much more about her. It was interesting reading however at times a bit extensive. It is more than a mystery, details provide family dissent with each passing day of the excursion in Capri. An excellent work of fiction.

A great premise, that unfortunately falls flat. The cardboard, one- dimensional characters made this a struggle to finish.

In 1992, Sarah Lingate is found dead. Thirty years later, her daughter Helen wants to know what really happened to her mother.

Alternately between past and present as well as several different unlikable narrators, this is a good mystery. Not a thriller necessarily, but a solid mystery with family drama. It started a little slow for me, but caught hold and kept my interest.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Available March 25, 2025.

Hays' sophomore novel takes a long time to say, ultimately, very little. The thriller follows a wealthy family vacationing on the Italian island of Capri, told in alternating POV chapters by the patriarch's assistant and carefully sequestered heiress. When a shocking tragedy strikes, long-buried secrets from a vacation nearly three decades before are unearthed.

Something I loved about The Cloisters, Hays' debut novel, was its breathtaking sense of place: I could easily picture myself in the hushed shadowed halls of the medieval museum. Despite being set among the dramatic cliffs and beaches of Capri, the setting remains disappointingly intangible. There is too much focus on the internal processing of the characters: we spend so much time in their heads that it is impossible to situate oneself in what should be a vivid environment. Typically for stories about rich people, the characters are all uniquely insufferable. For me, it is simply too difficult to sympathize with people living such an extravagant, impossible lifestyle, regardless of their personal struggles.

The twists are overall satisfying but arrive far too late. The first half of the story is an 150 page slog, overly occupied with setting up the central mystery and casting suspicion on a host of different characters. I was nearly ready to put the book down by the time answers began to surface. Though the twists are enjoyable they grow increasingly unbelievable, almost Shakespearen in their convoluted games of mistaken identity and almost comical miscommunication. The ending was especially far-fetched given the realities of criminal proceedings and modern deceptive work. Ultimately a decent thriller, but nothing that will linger in my mind.

In this summer mystery set in Italy, you get a comelling story with an interesting twist at the end. I have to say, I did find it fun and mysterious, I found the pacing a bit of a struggle, and the multiple pov's to be a little confusing, hard to follow. I had a hard time connecting to the characters at times as well. I quite enjoy the twist you get near the end of the book, though. The atmosphere was definitely there, I could practically see the places that were mentioned, and you could tell the author cared.

Set at the Italian coast, we see the multiple perspectives of the death of Sarah. Although the death has been ruled an accident, the family vacations back to the same Italian coast every year because they are not certain if the death is truly an accident. When a relic of Sarah’s turns up, the investigate is reopened to determine what really happened to Sarah? Will the death still be ruled an accident or will more information come to light to solve Sarah’s death?

Thank you NetGalley for the Arc!

Thank you to @netgalley and @ballantinebooks for providing this eARC for my review!!

⭐️: 4/5

When I read the synopsis of this one, I knew I had to read it, because who doesn’t love a rich people behaving badly thriller in a glamorous locale. At the beginning though, I found it hard to get into the plot and the mystery, since the hook was kind of a slow burn, so for a while, there was nothing that really had me coming back.

Obviously rich people are fun to read about, and what would a book about rich people be without a poor interloper there to provide context, but in the first half of the book, the whole dynamic read a little tired, since it didn’t really say anything new that other similar books haven’t beaten to death.

I did love all the POVs and the time jumps that take us to the past, but also a more recent past. It breaks up the narrative nicely, but kind of makes the “plan” that Helen and Lorna keep talking about a little hard to follow, and a little too vague to be too interesting. It was kind of like, we get it, you have secrets you aren’t telling each other, but the constant references to them without telling the reader what they were got tiresome eventually.

Once I got to past halfway though, it definitely got more scandalous and entertaining. It took me a while to get through the first half, but I flew through the second half. There were so many twists to keep me entertained and on the edge of my seat, and I’m glad I pushed through, because it was definitely worth finishing.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

I enjoyed Hays' slow burn in her first novel, The Cloisters, and felt the same vibes in this one. I would say the beginning pacing is a bit slow and I wish the editing had been tighter -- the last third of the book really amped up and I enjoyed the action and confessions that it brought. Helen comes from a wealthy family but her mother died on the Italian island of Capri under mysterious circumstances. When the family makes their annual pilgrimage to Capri, everyone makes choices that finally bring the truth to light. Read this if you like an interesting setting, rich people playing naughty, and slow character building.

Messy family entanglements, a missing person and a secret that refuses to stay buried, no matter how much money you throw at it are all makings of a compelling story set against the gorgeous backdrop of Capri.

A wealthy family with a mysterious death in their pasts; a setting on an Italian island; people after money and reckoning… this one had major White Lotus vibes going in. And a lot of this does feel like satire, but without the humor you’d expect. Think absurd ways to die, crazy coincidences, stereotypes (the incompetent carabinieri; the jealous nouveau riche determined to bring down the old money, etc). The faux-cliffhanger chapter endings also felt like the author was winking at the reader, or else those were meant to increase the tension, but if so, they didn’t land for me. I felt pretty distanced from all the characters, and maybe that was intentional, a way to keep them all opaque until the mysteries are revealed.

This book is a good choice for someone who is hungry for a multi-POV mystery set in a classic Italian vacation spot (Capri). The steep cliffs, Ferragamo shoes, endless drinking and parties, along with the question of what really happened to Sarah Lingate, will definitely appeal to some readers.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for the Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for my honest review.

Saltwater by Katy Hays is a gripping thriller that masterfully intertwines family secrets, suspense, and the haunting beauty of Capri. The novel opens with the mysterious death of Sarah Lingate in 1992, whose body is discovered beneath the island's cliffs, leaving behind her three-year-old daughter, Helen. Despite lingering suspicions about the influential Lingate family, Sarah's death is officially deemed an accident.

Fast forward thirty years, and the Lingates return to their villa, only to be confronted by the reappearance of Sarah's necklace—the very one she wore the night she died. This unsettling discovery reopens old wounds and ignites fresh tensions within the family. Helen, now an adult, sees this as an opportunity to break free from her family's oppressive grip. She enlists the help of Lorna Moreno, a trusted family assistant, to uncover the truth behind her mother's death and to plan her escape from the family's insular world.

Hays employs a multi-perspective narrative, allowing readers to delve into the minds of key characters, including Helen, Lorna, and Sarah herself. This approach adds depth to the story, revealing the complex dynamics and hidden motives that permeate the Lingate family. As the plot unfolds, long-buried secrets emerge, and the line between ally and adversary blurs, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

The novel's setting is richly atmospheric; Hays paints Capri with vivid strokes, capturing both its idyllic allure and its capacity for concealment. The island becomes a character in its own right, its beauty juxtaposed against the dark undercurrents of the Lingate family's history.

While the pacing is generally well-maintained, there are moments where the narrative slows, potentially testing the reader's patience. Additionally, some plot twists, though surprising, may stretch believability. However, these minor issues do little to detract from the overall impact of the story.

In conclusion, Saltwater is a compelling read that combines suspense, intricate character studies, and a vividly rendered setting. It's a testament to Hays's storytelling prowess and is sure to resonate with fans of atmospheric thrillers.

I knew as soon as I saw this book mentioned that I wanted to read it. Mainly because I fell in love with Katy Hays' writing in The Cloisters, but also because I love a suspenseful "rich people behaving badly" storyline. Saltwater ended up being both what I wanted and NOT what I wanted, so let's talk about what worked for me and what didn't.

The news articles included throughout were an absolute pro for me. I always find that to be an element that adds great context, and I think it worked well here. The various perspectives also built up the story well and gave some much-needed insight into the characters at hand. This worked well to improve the distinction between the large cast. The twists were nicely done ((except for one that annoyed the absolute hell out of me, but maybe that was just a me problem)) and I really enjoyed the messiness of the conflicts.

Where I struggled was mostly with the pacing. I typically love a slow burn, but I didn't feel invested in any of the characters or in the book itself until about 30% in, and I didnt start to truly enjoy the book until close to the 50% mark. Now, I do not have the ability to DNF, so I stuck it out, and I am glad I did, BUT I do feel that frequent DNF-ers may not hang in there and could end up missing out on what ends up coming together.

Even though I struggled initially, the writing itself is still excellent throughout the book, and I would still encourage fans of suspense and mystery to check it out. I'm glad I did!

((While the viewpoints shared are my own, I want to thank NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and Katy Hays for this complimentary copy.))

Unexplained deaths, secrets, dysfunctional family, an intriguing mystery, and plenty of twists and turns make this a fascinating read. At the heart of the book was the mystery of what happened to Helen's mother and the socially uneven friendship between Helen and Lorna. I was captured by the story from the start with all its twists and turns and didn't want to put it down. Even though I guessed the biggest twist, I wasn't sure until the very end of the book.This is the first book that I have read by this author, but it won't be my last. I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntarily given review.

For thirty years the Lingate family has been returning to the same villa on the isle of Capri. After all, it is all about their image. You see the Lingate name represents old money and all the perks and special treatment that comes with it. No matter the cost they will do anything to maintain their elite status and preserve their privilege. ANYTHING.
Wow! This is one screwed up family and a real page turner. So many unexpected twists in this thriller. Superbly plotted and excellent descriptions of the island and the lifestyle of the super rich. The author absolutely nailed it in every way. 5 stars

Katy Hays’ Saltwater is a compelling psychological thriller that transports readers to the sun-drenched island of Capri, where the Lingate family masks secrets and betrayals. The narrative weaves dual timelines and multiple perspectives, crafting a suspenseful tale that delves into the dark undercurrents of wealth and privilege.

In 1992, celebrated playwright Sarah Lingate is found dead beneath the cliffs of Capri, leaving behind her three-year-old daughter, Helen. Despite swirling suspicions implicating the influential Lingate family, Sarah’s death is officially deemed an accident. Each year, the family returns to Capri, perhaps in an attempt to uphold this narrative. However, on the 30th anniversary of Sarah’s death, the discovery of the necklace she wore that fateful night reignites questions and tensions within the family.

Helen, now an adult, finds herself ensnared in the lingering shadows of her mother’s mysterious demise. Teaming up with Lorna Moreno, a resourceful family assistant, Helen devises a plan to liberate herself from her family’s suffocating grasp. But when Lorna vanishes and the investigation into Sarah’s death is reopened, Helen is confronted with the unsettling possibility that those closest to her—including her father, Richard; her uncle, Marcus; and her aunt, Naomi—may harbor sinister secrets.

The book captures the allure of Capri’s landscape. The novel’s structure, alternating between past and present, allows for a gradual unveiling of the Lingate family’s complexities, keeping readers engrossed as they piece together the truth. The characters are well developed, each harboring motives that blur the lines between victim and perpetrator.

Saltwater is a thriller that delves into the corrosive effects of long-held secrets within a powerful family. With its evocative setting and complex characters, Hays delivers a narrative that is both unsettling and mesmerizing.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of Saltwater! #NetGalley #Saltwater #KatyHays

If nothing else, hold on to being rich.
That’s really the only thing that matters to a Lingate.
Helen Lingate’s mother, Sarah, tragically dies in 1992 on the Isle of Capri when Helen was just a baby. Brought up by her father, uncle and aunt and because she was a Lingate, the tether they have around her is always taunt. At thirty-three Helen is desperate to learn more about her mother. She is also desperate to get away from her family. She has a plan and this is the year she will get away.
Every year on the anniversary of Sarah’s death the family returns to the Villa where she died. Is it a morbid sense of nothing bothers a Lingate? Or is it satisfaction that Sarah is dead?
For some in the family, it is both.
This book is rife with betrayals, secrets and a past not really forgotten.
Thank you Netgalley and Ballentine Books for this engaging book with it’s haunting mystery and climatic ending. This review is my personal opinion.

DNF--I did not enjoy the author's writing style and the plot was too slow. I should have paid closer attention because The Cloisters did not work for me either. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

This smartly written tale of an old money family still suffering the aftereffects of a tragedy 30 years ago moves slowly at times and has few characters to root for, but it will please readers who revel in stories of rich people behaving badly and mysteries with exotic settings. Take this one to the beach.