For a thriller, this book struggled to thrill me. I couldn’t get into it. I’m also not in the right headspace for rich people politics and drama right now.

That said, I liked the narration style— although I wish we could have heard more from Sarah.

The author left a lot of vague hints throughout, dropping breadcrumbs for us to come back to later but in real time, I hated it. They reeked of “I know something you don’t know!” And because I kept setting the book down, i missed a lot.


Many people will enjoy this one but it’s not really for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing an early copy for review!

Saltwater by Katy Hays is such a juicy and atmospheric read—it’s got everything: a mysterious death, old-money drama, and a setting on the gorgeous Isle of Capri that’s just chef’s kiss. The story hooks you right away with Helen Lingate returning to her family’s villa, where her mother died years ago under shady circumstances, and things only spiral from there. The twists kept me guessing, and the rich descriptions made me feel like I was right there, sipping cocktails while the drama unfolded.

Some parts got a little confusing with the back-and-forth timelines, but honestly, I didn’t care because the suspense and secrets had me flipping pages like crazy. If you’re into glamorous thrillers with dysfunctional families and dark secrets, this one’s a must-read! Can’t wait for more from Katy Hays! 👏 Rating: 4 stars.

I won't say Saltwater is the next greatest murder mystery in the publishing world but it's definitely a fun ride!

The characters are stereotypical rich people and if you like reading about rich people getting their day in court, like I do, you will greatly appreciate the twists and turns of this book.

I think there are quite a lot of good takeaways in reference to money, power and being a human but overall, If you are looking for an easy read with somewhat surprising twists throughout then I would definitely recommend picking this novel up!

This was a compelling mystery. I found the twists twisty and the characters - interesting, if not sympathetic. I really wanted to keep reading to find out what happened next and felt I needed to keep reading. If you'd like a mystery with many twists and turns, this would be a good choice.

Rich people behaving badly, on an island. An old, unsolved murder and a young woman trapped in a family intent on optics over everything else. This novel is slow and deliberate in laying everything out step by step. It was fun to get lost in its pages. Thank you to #NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for my honest opinion.

The Lingates are a prominent, wealthy family that had tragedy strike thirty years ago in Italy. Sarah Lingate was found dead at the bottom of the cliffs of Capri. She left behind a young daughter, Helen, who is now thirty years older and curious as to what really happened to her mother. She brings along her friend/assistant, Lorna, to investigate what happened to her mother so long ago.

Coincidentally, another tragedy occurs and Lorna goes missing. Helen is now on her own when trying to break through the thick secret blanket that covers her rich, privileged family. She is sick of the performance the rich put on to show the world their status. She knows money talks and she is determined to get to the bottom of the secrets of this opulent family. Something just isn’t right. Slowly, secret by secret, she learns more and more, and the zigzagging plot continues to give!

Finishing up with a great, surprising conclusion, it is very satisfying. Great book; well written and thought out. The characters were well built but not likable although, they really aren’t supposed to be! So that being said, they are great characters but horrible, entitled human beings. I will definitely recommend this book to others and look forward to Katy Hay’s next book.

The concept was interesting, but I just feel like I have read so many thrillers about rich people on fancy islands. The storyline intrigued me, but once I began reading, it almost felt too disjointed. I wanted to find out how the story ended but I also found myself just wanting to skip to the end, because it is similar to other thrillers.

I really enjoyed the story of this one. I will say it jumps from past to present; which usually doesn’t bother me but the way that it was done is this book made the story a little confusing and hard to follow at times. It was a slower read; I wasn’t on my toes the whole book which made me less interested. It definitely could have used more suspense.

3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 stars.

I liked this, but it seemed to drag on a bit. I thought the Capri setting really added to the story, and it was described well and felt intimate. I wouldn't necessarily term it a mystery or a thriller, but there were certainly elements of both present. All the characters were flawed, real, and unlikable. I didn't have anyone to root for, not that that's necessary, but it certainly helps with my enjoyment of a story. There were a couple of twists I didn't see coming, and they were appreciated.

This felt like a Netflix series to come, and surprisingly, I'd watch it.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

4⭐️ for this mystery thriller that takes place in the gorgeous setting of Capri with plenty of family angst

I am giving this book 3 stars. At first, I was kind of confused at how Sarah and Lorna’s storylines were related. As I read, it became more entertaining and suspenseful.

This was my first time reading anything by Katy Hays, and I really liked her writing style. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery, European vacations, or the show Outer Banks on Netflix.

2.5/5 ⭐️
I wanted to love this book so much but it failed to keep me engaged altogether. Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

A gorgeous, glorious thriller that may be a slow burn but is a very satisfying one. A cross between Saltburn and Succession, so lovers of wealthy families behaving badly, rejoice! Thank you to the publisher for this review copy.

Enjoyable and a good read. There was a lot of great details about Capri which was nice to set the scene.

•In 1992, Sarah Lingate fell to her death on the cliffs of Capri. For the last thirty years, there’s been suspicion surrounding the family. When the family visits Capri this year, they arrive to a surprise— Sarah’s necklace from the night she died.
Sarah’s daughter, Helen, is determined to figure out what happened to her mother all those years ago.

•While I enjoyed this book, I felt disconnected from most of the characters. I felt like the middle of the book was a little longer than necessary, but the ending was spectacular. There were multiple twists at the end I didn’t see coming.

•Saltwater will become available on March 25, 2025. Thank you to Random House Publishing, Ballantine Books, Katy Hays, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Wow, wow, wow! I cant say enough good things about this book! The writing is spectacular. The story is amazing. Its a lot of twists and turns. This story will keep you guessing until the end! Five stars!

Saltwater
Sarah Lingate was the wife of one of the brothers in a wealthy family. She and her husband, Richard had been having marital problems. Then one day in 1992 Sarah’s dead body was found under a cliff in Capri. The death was ruled an accident but it was believed that someone in the family had murdered her.
Sarah’s 3 year old daughter, Helen, was left motherless. The Lingate family kept her guarded for the rest of her life. Helen met Lorna, another young woman who started working as a personal assistant to Helen’s uncle. Eventually the girls became close friends and planned a way to extort money from the family and escape from the villa in Capri. This all changed when Lorna’s dead body was found in the water near the villa.
This story has many surprising twists and turns and the causes of both deaths are not revealed till the end. The story is told from the points of view of Sarah, Helen and Lorna.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Saltwater
Author: Katy Hays
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine/Bantam
Genre: Family Drama, Women’s Fiction
Pub Date: March 25, 2025
My Rating: 3.4 Stars
Pages 336

Story is promoted as a summer read in beautiful Capri Sorrento, Naples about rich people behaving badly.

In 1992 Sarah Lingate is found dead leaving behind her three-year-old daughter, Helen and her husband.
Sarah’s death is ruled an accident even though most people think her in-laws the Lingates and perhaps her husband were involved.

Now thirty years later the Lingates arrive back at the same villa in Capri for their annual vacation. When they arrive they find a package containing the necklace Sarah was wearing on the night she died.
Helen decides perhaps this is a way to escape from the hostile treatment from the family.
She finds an opportunity to talk to Lorna Moreno who has worked many years for the Lingates. …….
Now she is missing!
Where is she and what happened to Sarah? It is the thirtieth anniversary of Sarah’s death, the Lingates find the necklace Sarah was wearing the night she died.

Have to admit the story was more a slow-burn family drama than I expected.
I am a big thriller fan so was curious. Yes the ended was a surprise.

Want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group ~ Ballantine Bantam for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 25, 2025.

<b> “It’s not about the money… That’s what everyone gets wrong. It’s never really about the money.”</b>

Genuinely better than I expected! The book gives me white lotus vibes, which I loved. And can fully see this doing well as a movie tbh.

The early book POV and timeline swaps made it a little hard for me to connect immediately with who was who and when we were in the story. I’ve also been sick this week so it could be I’m just operating with less brain power. So take that as you will.

There were also bits where I don’t necessarily think the words on the page were advancing the plot and I tend to get antsy in instances like that. But at no point was I not excited to see the story play out. <b>Katy Hays did a great job at keeping me invested even when some of the overall mystery felt <i>predictable.</b></i> I’d fully come to terms with how I expected the storylines to wrap up.

What I wasn’t expecting, however, was the end. And without spoilers, if you come back and read this review post you reading the story, I mean the last chapter before the epilogue.

<b>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review! </b>

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to review this!
I loved the Cloisters and I felt like this had a lot of the same vibes: lingering murder mystery, lots of open ended questions, sex/money/familial stressors: you name it, its here. This goes back and forth between past and present as it investigates the murder of Helen Lingate's mother on a trip to Capri and the current disappearance of Lorna, Helen's friend. This tackles bigger topics like wealth, culture, and dedication to family in a way that really works, and while the predominance of the story is from Helen/Lorna's point of view, we also get to see voices from the original murder scene.
There are a few times in this the narrator is unreliable (not my favorite) and in the end the twists take a good amount of suspended belief, but I genuinely enjoyed it. I also think Capri serves are such a character itself, and the imagery is really well done!