Pour yourself a Negroni, iron the creases out of your nearest linen sundress, and dust off those leather sandals, because we need to solve a murder-mystery in Capri — well, on the page, anyway.

Saltwater by Katy Hays is primed to be thee book of the summer (at least I think it should be). Who doesn’t love a good ‘wealthy people doing bad things while on vacation in luxurious locales’ story? Especially one with a scandal surrounding a young, talented woman’s untimely and tragic death? It’s practically a genre in and of itself at this point. One I’ll never pass up reading, for what it’s worth. (Or watching, now that The White Lotus has returned — thank you, Mike White.)

This twisty, electrifying thriller — which hits shelves on March 25 and is also being published under the name The Vipers in the UK, for some reason? — has a true crime feel to it, opening with a newspaper clip from 1992 announcing the death of Sarah Lingate, a celebrated playwright who married into the old-money Lingate family years earlier. Her body has been found floating in the ocean below the cliffs of Capri, leaving behind her three-year-old daughter, Helen, and making a widow out of her wealthy husband, Richard. Everyone on the island (and beyond, for that matter) believes that the Lingates — Richard, his older brother Marcus, and Marcus’ wife Naomi — had something to do with it, but there isn’t enough proof to overcome the money and influence that the Lingates wield. It’s ruled an accident, and every year at the same exact time, the family returns to the same exact villa, to prove to the world that it’s true.

Flash forward 30 years, and Helen is now an adult — an extremely sheltered, friendless adult, withering under the confines of her family’s über strict rules and regulations due to being the sole heir to the Lingate fortune. She can’t get close to anyone, lest she accidentally let slip important information about her father, uncle, or aunt. She can’t travel freely, or even run errands without an escort. The bars of her gilded cage might be invisible, but she never has any doubt of their claustrophobic existence. After discovering a shocking betrayal within her family, Helen has vowed that this year’s trip to Capri will be different, especially since reformed party girl Lorna, personal assistant to Helen’s aloof uncle Marcus, has become a confidante. When they descend upon the villa for the year’s annual trip, a surprise is waiting for them: the necklace Sarah was wearing the night she died, which everyone assumed fell off in the ocean, has arrived on their doorstep from an anonymous sender.

Who sent the jewelry? Do they know something about the night of Sarah’s death that the police don’t? And could this somehow be Helen’s ticket out from under her family’s thumb? The paranoid, insular Lingates begin to unravel at the possibilities, especially once the investigation into Helen’s mother’s death is officially reopened. Try as the Lingates might, the truth of what happened is bubbling up to the surface, and once it does, there’s no guarantee they’ll make it off Capri in one piece.

Author Katy Hays weaves a compelling mystery here, complete with shocking twists that genuinely caught me by surprise. What, exactly, are the Lingates hiding? Why go to such lengths to keep their own daughter under lock and key? I devoured this book in two days, desperate for answers.

There’s a sheen of languid glamor clinging to everything in this novel: a stunning, cliffside villa with mold blooming in its corners; gorgeous blue and white tile, chipped on the edges; elaborate gold plating concealing ordinary tin; declarations of love and devotion that ring hollow. The more the elite, moneyed world the Lingates have grown accustomed to crumbles before their eyes, the more they try to freeze it all in amber: the same furniture in the house, the same vacation, the same parties. All the while, Helen is essentially kept in stasis. They’re holding on so tight to the past that they don’t realize it’s already turned to dust between their fingers.

At times the story reminded me of Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart a great deal (and of course Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley), crossed with Other People’s Clothes and a dash of The Fury. With flashback chapters giving us Sarah’s point of view scattered throughout the book, we get a complete picture of how this disastrous vacation to Capri came to be. The information we glean from her perspective is dropped like breadcrumbs, ultimately leading us to a deadly (and surprisingly bittersweet) conclusion.

I also really love how Hays writes the female characters in this book; they’re prickly, complicated, and complex. Even though Helen is our main narrator overall (despite some POV chapters from other characters here and there), I could so easily see this same story playing out entirely from Lorna’s perspective, or through Naomi’s eyes, and still be equally as compelling. They all have such interesting backstories, and have had to make devastating (and often straight-up evil) decisions over the years.

So, would I go on vacation with the Lingates IRL? Well, no. Obviously not. But I would read another 100 pages about these characters’ deliciously devious and underhanded exploits around Capri.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5 stars

The perfect summer read honestly. It was very flowery in its descriptions which made it super immersive but I think at times it stretched too far. Like it was almost trying to be super insightful and then go back to being more of a summer read. I wish it sticked to one or the other instead of muddling things together. I agree with a lot of people that it was too many POVs with little flow between them. I felt like I was reading one of my mothers soap operas where it cuts to a new POV every 3 minutes and then we have a commercial and we don't get anywhere.

If you're looking for a lightish read that is very atmospheric this is for you!

Even though I loved the setting of the book I felt like it should have had more twists. I thought the ending was great but I wish those types of moments were through out the book to keep it going. Also I do wish the twist was a bit more original.

Coming March 2025! Saltwater is a very picturesque novel taking place in Capri filled with lots of old-money family drama. Usually I do love rich people problems, especially when a big scandal is involved, but this one was a bit slow moving for me. Lots of POVs going on here: sometimes I would have to go back and check whose chapter I was reading. Overall, it was a fine read but definitely didn’t hit the mark when it came to overall thrill.

This was a fun and interesting read. A totally different storyline, well told in elegant language. I love the twists and turns, and the final ending. Completely unexpected.

I wanted to love this more based on the synopsis and cover, but I just didn’t love the characters. Everyone was hard to like and I couldn’t get on anyone’s side!

This was such a fun story! It was so messed up and twisty but I had an amazing time. I feel like it was really well written and the setting really stood out but at times felt confusing. I feel like it didn’t feel like a thriller at times (a little slow) but I love a story about families!

Enjoyed this thriller. The writing is attention demanding and the dual timeline keeps you guessing. I didn’t expect the twist at the end. This could easily be a movie. Italy , beautiful people, luxury life and lies and deceit . Sign me up.

Not for me. DNFed. Not for me. DNFed. Not for me. DNFed. Not for me. DNFed. Not for me. DNFed. Not for me. DNFed. Not for me. DNFed.

I loved the setting of this book, it was interesting how it was so luxurious but also so foreboding. Great use of the environment to move the story along. I felt some of the characters could use a little more fleshing out - Stan for example. An enjoyable suspense novel.

I was so excited to be approved for this Arc, as I really enjoyed The Cloisters by Katy Hays. This would be a good beach read for the summer. I was really into the first half of the book and midway, I got a bit bored with the book. The reveals at the end were a little unrealistic. I enjoyed the setting of Capri and the look into the lives of the ultra-rich.

40/100 or 2.0 stars

Nah, this was not it. I am not really able to say why I did not like this without spoiling everything. The last 20% of this was not it, and I honestly thought about DNFing this about 50%, but I wanted to give the book a fair shot, since I was enjoying the writing style. The writing style is the only reason for the two star rating opposed to a one star rating. The last third of this story made me feel like I wasted my time with this book. Disappointing.

I am sure there are readers who will love this and will love the "twists,' but I am so over those kind of twists, and wish authors would stop doing it.

Saltwater is a captivating psychological thriller set on the island of Capri. The story revolves around the mysterious death of Sarah Lingate in 1992, which was ruled an accident despite lingering suspicions about her wealthy family’s involvement. Thirty years later, Sarah’s daughter, Helen, returns to Capri with her family, only to find new evidence that reignites the investigation into her mother’s death.

Hays weaves together dual timelines and multiple perspectives, creating a tense and twisty narrative filled with family secrets and unexpected twists. The atmospheric setting of Capri adds depth to the story, making it a compelling read for people who like thrillers and mysteries.

Overall, This is a gripping novel that explores themes of wealth, privilege, and the haunting shadows of the past. It’s a must-read for anyone who enjoys a well-crafted psychological thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the advanced copy. I can't wait to recommend it to friends and family.

I don't read a ton of mystery/thrillers, but to me it seems like this is more of a family drama than a thriller. I am a sucker for anything that is "rich people behaving badly" lol - and Saltwater delivers! I found myself engaged in the story, and I loved the authors writing style. That being said, I didn't really love the ending and it wasn't necessarily a story that was super memorable to me. Again, maybe I'm not the right audience, but it was still a decent read!

Family drama with a family with old money, coming in hot. Welcome to the Lingates. Lots of things happening in this book. Was told from a POV from 1992 incident as well as now.

I found the ending of this book to be amazing, but the middle was a bit slower. There was a lot going on throughout most of the book, and some things were a bit hard to keep track of actually. I was struggling a bit to place how all of the characters were related initially. Some of the things that happened in the book were a bit hard to believe but I guess thats why its a book!

Richard & Sarah
Child: Helen & boyfriend Freddie
Marcus & Naomi
Lorna - The assistant of Marcus

Family secrets, lots of family secrets. Revenge. Motivation by money. Betrayal. Murder. Mystery.

I was left with a lot of questions sadly. I feel that the Lorna/Helen plan could have been elaborated on further in the book to have a bit more build up there.

While overall, this novel was okay, it felt very flat to me.
Initially, I struggled to connect with any of the characters, as we moved quickly from one point of view to another and to different points in time without a grounding in who anyone was, how they were connected, or what they wanted. Once I sorted out the characters, they still felt flat to me, with little development.
This is a mystery/thriller with many turns and reveals as the story progresses. With the exception of one twist, none of the reveals felt surprising to me as a reader. The twist toward the end that did surprise me did not surprise in a good way. Instead, it felt completely unbelievable in both reality and the story world.

Saltwater is family drama at its finest, with twists that you won’t see coming.

Alternating between 1992 and present day, the Lingates repeatedly prove to the readers how dysfunctional their family behaves behind closed doors. Michael and Richard Lingate come from money and learned their controlling behavior from their father. The two brothers are obsessed with appearances.

Richard, against the wishes of his family marries Sarah, an aspiring playwright outside of their social circle. As their marriage progresses, she slowly realizes that she doesn’t quite fit in with the Lingates. Her creativity is stifled living with Richard’s domineering behavior, and maintaining the façade of a Lingate, she realizes her freedom is disappearing too. She makes the decision to leave Richard while on vacation on the isle of Capri, and her news is not well received.

Thirty years later Sarah’s daughter Helen feels the same suffocation and finds her current existence untenable. Her father and uncle Marcus’ controlling behavior only intensifies as she tries to gain more freedom as a young adult. In her desperation she hatches a plan to get out from under their thumb while on their annual Capri vacation.

The contrast between the idyllic setting of Capri and the toxic, controlling nature of the Lingate family adds an interesting layer to the story. The cyclical nature of the family’s control over both Sarah and Helen is fascinating—it's like history repeating itself, but each woman is determined to break free.
Behind all the glamour on the island lurks many individuals with an agenda. Everyone is looking out for themselves, and readers will be shocked to find out who really gets want they want and who gets what they deserve.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballatine Books, and of course the author Katy Hays for the advanced copy of the book. Saltwater is out on March 25th. All opinions are my own.

“More money more problems”, this bonkers family was entertaining to read about with characters you’ll love to hate, cutthroat and entitled to the very last page. My new requirement for a four star rating is that I need to be engaged with and dedicated to a book from start to finish. While the ending of this book blew my mind, I took lots of breaks in my reading journey (months) and felt like the middle was lacking. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Don't you just love looking into the lives of the top 1%?

This novel opens up with a newspaper article from 1992 that chronicles the search for Sarah Lingate. WHAT HAPPENED TO HER? Well, sit down cause we're gonna find out together. Helen Lingate (Sarah's 3 year old daughter at the time of her disappearance) returns to the island in her 30s with a single mission on her mind -find out what happened to her mother the day she disappeared. Was it foul play or an accident?

Katy Hays did an exceptional job in this mystery thriller. There are multiple POVs and two different timelines that we jump between. It kept me intrigued until the end.

I will say that there were questions that were left unanswered, but it was an enjoyable read nonetheless.

I recommend this to anyone that wants a sneak peek into rich family dynamics, family secrecy, and a good ol' murder mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for allowing me to read the eARC ahead of its publication for my review.

I was not expecting the ending. There were two twists at the end. One of the twists I figured out and the other one I didn’t. I really enjoyed reading the book even though it started out slow.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.