I was really interested in this book from the description but found it falling short for me. The characters were all really unlikeable and I struggled to immerse myself in the story.

Thank you so much for this ARC!

I went into this with such high hopes - mysterious death premise, a new disappearance, set in my favorite place in the world, ITALY. Sadly, this did not live up to the hype for me. Very slow paced with very unlikeable characters.

Saltwater by Katy Hays

Thank you @netgalley for this e-book!!

“On glittering Capri, anything can be a mirage. And no one holds a grudge like family.”

This books follows a wealthy family who vacations in Capri Italy and the tragic murders that follow their family. This is a whole who did it web for sure — some White Lotus vibes.

This was good, but I’m not sure if I loved it. This books was a little too slow for me for the first 80%. I went in and out of being into it then being bored and a little confused. This followed multiple POVs and multiple timelines so if you listen to this on the audio as well, it can be confusing if you don’t have the book with you at all times.

If you like:
🔥Slow Burn Suspense
🕸️Web of Lies
💵Rich People Behaving Badly
🤫Secrets and Betrayal
🪷White Lotus Vibes
🕰️Multiple POVs and Multiple Timelines
🍝Isolated Location

If these are your vibes, then jump on in!

I’m a firm believer that timing on when you read a book matters and I think I might have gotten this wrong. I had just come off of reading Onyx Storm and Zodiac Academy and the pace of this was just too slow for me.

#bookreview #saltwater #suspensethriller #suspensebooks #arc #arcreader #netgalley #whitelotus

Thank you Ballantine for the advance copy.

Is Saltwater a tad nonsensical? Yes but it is highly entertaining. It’s a slow burn mystery that left me questioning…with a family like this, who needs enemies?

Read if you like:
•rich people drama
•slow burn mysteries
•past and present perspectives
•multiple POVs

Thank you, Ballantine Books, for the opportunity to read and review this eARC . While I was initially intrigued by the premise, I found it extremely difficult to get into this book. The bouncing back and forth between characters/timelines of what I did read had my head spinning trying to piece the story together and find a worthy tidbit to keep my interest. I had to restart reading this so many times because I did not want to give up on the book, but after the fifth try, I just knew I could not force myself to keep going. This book might be good for other readers - it just wasn't for me.

Saltwater has an interesting premise. It's the story of a woman, Sarah Lingate, who in 1992 is found dead below the cliffs of Capri leaving behind her husband Richard (who is suspected of murdering her) and her 3 year old daughter Helen. Her death is swiftly ruled an accident and Helen is left to be raised by Richard and other members of his crazy rich family who return to Capri every year. On the 30th anniversary of Sarah's death, the family returns to their villa in Capri for their annual vacation and Helen and her friend Lorna who comes along for this trip concoct a plot to get to the bottom of what really happened to her mother all those years ago. Unfortunately, the blurb for the description of the book was much more interesting to me than the book itself.

I was about 30% in and was considering not finishing the book because it dragged so much. I decided to persevere and at about halfway through, I thought the pace picked up a bit. At about 65%, I realized that I just wanted the book to end but I felt compelled to finish just for the sake of leaving a review. I really thought this was going to be a thriller and thrillers are probably my favorite genre, but this wasn't one and the "twists" at the end were so utterly preposterous that I think I may have rolled my eyes a bit.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I would not be surprised to see this book around the pool or on the beach as we approach warmer weather!Saltwater has all of the elements of a beach read. It’s a vacation thriller that is full of rich family drama and a murder mystery. The setting is the island of Capri and gives a beautiful backdrop to ugly character behavior.

It’s out now, so you can go ahead and grab your copy for your next sunny, outdoor reading day!

This was a book of truly terrible people/characters but in the most beautiful setting of Capri Italy. Covering two timelines, both over a week in July while on vacation. We get a glimpse into what happened to Sarah Lingate all those years ago in the days before she died, and present day when the same horror threatens to repeat itself.

There was honestly not one redeemable character in this book. They were all terrible, to each other, to others, to themselves. While I liked some of the twists, it felt much longer than its 330ish pages, while reading.

So I liked it, but didn’t love it. But I was invested enough to see what happened to everyone in the family.

Thank you Ballentine Books for this eARC copy to read and review.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

This book isn't for everyone. It's for those who read book like they are sipping wine . You can't drink it in one gulp but you have to savour the taste and it will be bitter and sweet both at the same time.

This book, I'm not sure if I liked or not, it is so slow paced that it took me a long time to finish it but it was always on back of my mind. Always nagging to pick it up where I left it of. There are parts of the book which are so good like the prose, the characters although not written in much details they feel alive and real from their actions and behaviour.

The pace could have been improved, the prose was delicious. I could not read it but I could not give up either. I thought of DNFing it but the plot has hooked me. There is a draught in this book of emotions and feelings, but it serves it's purpose quite well so much that you feel nothing for any character no matter what. They are not hateful but they are not even likeable,not even Helen.

I found it dull and slow paced at so many places but yet part of me kept coming back and couldn't leave until I figured out the mystery. And although the ending was too far fetched and made no sense in real world, it was perfect in a way that this story deserved it. I'm not sure if I'm making sense but to be honest, I can't say if I loved the book or not as I'm still not able to comprehend my thoughts in a concise manner.

Those few twists at the end made the read altogether worth the effort. Although in real world it would be impossible but let's ignore that for the sake of the book and just let your mind be blown.

I will just say that mystery lovers would like it, those who read for prose would love it and for those who do not mind the pace, they would devour it slowly but steadily. And even though I would say it's not my favorite read but it still would make a memorable read in this year.

Star rating : 4 stars

Saltwater is a tense and gripping thriller full of dark family secrets and intrigue. Set in the tropical and luxurious Capri, the story of the controversial and insanely wealthy Lingate family weaves through multiple timelines and told from multiple points of view. Saltwater is great for readers who love #RichPeopleProblems and unlikable characters.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

This book was good! I liked it but didn’t love it. I definitely see potential in it and look forward to seeing what else the author does.

I tried two different formats to get through this book and neither worked. I started with the physical and didn't make it very far so I tried the audio and even with that I couldn't find anything positive about this book. The characters were flat and I just didn't care. I won't be sharing my thoughts on my Instagram.

Having been thoroughly captivated by The Cloisters, I approached Katy Hays’ sophomore novel, Saltwater, with high expectations. Though markedly different in tone and setting, Saltwater proves equally compelling—an impressive testament to Hays’ literary range and narrative command. Whereas her debut immersed readers in the cerebral world of art and academia, her latest offering unfolds as a slow-burning, atmospheric mystery that enthralls from its first pages to its haunting conclusion.

I initially picked up Saltwater on a whim, yet despite its deliberately measured pacing, I found myself wholly engrossed. Hays deftly interlaces multiple perspectives, cultivating a persistent sense of ambiguity that renders each character’s account suspect. Just as I believed I had deciphered the enigma at the novel’s core, new revelations would emerge, skillfully dismantling my theories. The narrative’s structure is meticulously crafted to heighten suspense, compelling the reader to question every detail and motive.

By the time I reached the final quarter of the novel, I was entirely absorbed—racing through the pages in an urgent bid to uncover the truth behind Sarah’s fate and the unsettling parallels with Lorna’s present. Hays delivers her twists with precision and restraint, managing to genuinely surprise—a rare feat in contemporary suspense. The final revelations are executed with such finesse that I was left eager to revisit the novel, certain that many clues had been cleverly concealed in plain sight.

Saltwater is a richly layered tale, imbued with intergenerational secrets, emotional complexity, and the evocative beauty of its Italian coastal setting. Katy Hays has once again proven herself a masterful storyteller. I recommend this novel without reservation, particularly to those who appreciated the atmospheric intrigue of The Villa.

Recommended for readers who enjoy:
• Intricate family secrets
• Immersive, evocative settings
• Multi-perspective narratives
• Slow-burn psychological suspense
• Dual timelines
• Complex mysteries rooted in the past

Rating: ★★★★☆

Set against the sun-drenched cliffs of Capri, the story kicks off with the suspicious death of Sarah Lingate in 1992, ruled an accident despite the dark cloud of suspicion hanging over her powerful family. Thirty years later, her daughter Helen returns to the island with the same twisted web of relatives—and a mysterious piece of evidence reemerges: the necklace Sarah was wearing the night she died.

What follows is a tense unraveling of long-buried secrets and simmering resentment, as Helen, aided by the enigmatic assistant Lorna, seeks the truth. But in a house full of liars, no one is safe—and no one is innocent.

The story's biggest influence is how unflinchingly it presents its characters. They’re all awful—conniving, shallow, and manipulative—and yet you can’t look away. Hays crafts a cast so untrustworthy it's almost entertaining in its absurdity. You hate them all, and that’s kind of the point. There’s something deliciously voyeuristic about watching this gilded group spiral into chaos.

Even if you usually cringe at "rich people drama," Saltwater stands apart by leaning into the darkness. With the added intrigue of a murder mystery, it becomes less about wealth and more about legacy, control, and unraveling the lies we tell to protect ourselves—or destroy others.

If you enjoy books where the vibes are immaculate, the setting is seductive, and every character is a walking red flag, Saltwater will absolutely hit the spot.

I'd totally recommend Saltwater! Thank you @netgalley for eARC. It was a fun one!

This was a great slow burn mystery with rich people behaving badly. I loved the setting - most of the novel takes place on Capri, with its luscious scenery, vibrant party scene, and money. I loved the dual timeline mysteries - one murder 30 years past and a missing person in the present timeline. I would recommend this book for people who enjoy smart mysteries but for those not expecting a fast-paced thriller. If you go into this expecting something fast-paced, you will be disappointed. If you want a story that has a gorgeous setting and where you hate characters and are rooting for their demise, you will love this one!

I requested Saltwater by Katy Hays thinking that a page-turner about the troubles of rich people would be a good beach read. Unfortunately, the pacing of this book wasn't my favorite, and there really weren't characters that I cared about. This may be a case of the wrong book at the wrong time for me and others may well really like it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of Saltwater in exchange for an honest review.

I was a big fan of The Cloisters, so I was really excited to be approved for this one. While I didn't love it as much as I loved The Cloisters, Saltwater was still a solid 4 star read for me.

First of all, I'm a sucker for stories about the fabulously wealthy behaving badly. This had that in spades, plus Capri in the '90s, a mysterious death, and several compelling characters. Hays is a phenomenal writer; this novel was as lush and cinematic as anything I've read this year. The mystery was delicious, and that ending? I truly didn't see at least two of those twists coming.

I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

I wasn't in the mood to read this before it came out (classic mood reader), but I checked out a physical and audiobook copy after its official release, and this one is just not hitting for me. I DNF'd at 43%, but I found I didn't have the patience or interest in reading about #richpeopleproblems. I found the pacing a little too slow for my taste and it was difficult to keep track of everyone's storylines since there are multiple POVs and time jumps. I'm giving this 3 stars because even though it wasn't a hit for me, I know it has an audience who will enjoy it and the writing was still well-done.

<i>Saltwater</i> is a very messy tale about a rich family who fits the mold of thinking and living like they are exempt from the rules. In other words, they are well versed in behaving badly. They travel back each year for one week to their villa in Capri, which otherwise remains empty for the remaing of the year, even though someone died their 30 years ago and the case still hasn't been solved. But this year, someone new dies while secretly trying to solve the murder and trying to set up their own payday.
The story is told in multiple points of view along multiple timelines. At points, this style of writing was hard to follow and part of where the messiness comes into play. The characters also liked to jump back and forth between love interests. Because I occassionaly struggled with whose story I was following and when, I lost track of information and didn't bother trying to figure it out.
While I think this had great potential, especially with how Hays decided to end it, I wasn't crazy about the set up and the first half of the book.

I was SO EXCITED to get my hands on Saltwater. Rich, scheming people in a tropical locale? SIGN ME UP. And the cover - gorgeous! I could not wait to dive in. Unfortunately, this one didn't quite hit the mark. I thought this would be a book that kept me up all night reading because I just couldn't put it down. Spoiler alert - it was not. The pacing was SO SLOW and I had to force myself to keep picking this one back up to keep going. It has all the right elements, but just fell short.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.