SPOILERS:
I was let down by Katy Hays. I loved The Cloisters and I thought Saltwater would be up there with it, but between all the changing identities and rich people problems that were boring and mundane, I just didn't feel the excitement I did for The Cloisters. Helen had all the money and power to do something with her life, instead she played puppet for her father and uncle. If Lorna hadn't been there to help Helen, Helen would have married Freddy, lost her true love, lost her whole life to living by other people's standards, and would have lost her mother for real. Lorna was the much more interesting character. Morally ambiguous and didn't play by other people's rules. She was ambitious for all the wrong reasons but she still met her goal. Helen was tiring and whiny. She wasn't as mysterious as Lorna thought she was, she was a typical girl in love with a local and didn't have the guts to be with him. And he didn't even seem to like her that much!
I loved the idea of Sarah assuming the identity of their neighbor after she was tragically pushed to her death and her lover claimed the body as Sarah's. But to have two women do that thirty years apart isn't suspicious? Richard and Marcus don't think it's suspicious their assistant goes missing the same place/time as Sarah did thirty years before and don't even seem worried about it? This book should have been shorter and longer at the same time. This is a good beach read or vacation read.
I will still ready any future Katy Hays books.

Helen Lingate’s mother, Sarah, a celebrated playwright, met a tragic and mysterious end thirty years ago when her body was found at the bottom of the cliffs on Capri. The circumstances of her death have always been clouded by speculation and gossip. Every year, the Lingate family returns to Capri to honor Sarah’s memory, but for Helen, these trips are more suffocating than sentimental. Desperate to escape her overbearing, controlling father and his equally manipulative brother, Marcus—who holds her trust fund hostage—Helen devises a plan with the help of her assistant, Lorna. All Helen wants is to break free from her toxic family, and maybe take a bit of cash along the way.

As Helen reconnects with her long-lost love, Ciro, and his mother, Renata, they begin piecing together the fragments of Sarah’s final days. The mystery deepens when the necklace Sarah was wearing the night she died reappears as a cryptic gift. As the family scrambles to understand the implications, Lorna suddenly goes missing. Perhaps it’s time for the Lingates to stop vacationing on Capri…

Told through dual timelines from both Helen’s and Sarah’s perspectives, the novel gradually unravels the dark secrets of the prominent Lingate family. When Sarah's father makes a shocking confession, the puzzle pieces are almost in place—but some still don't fit quite right.

I love getting a glimpse into the lives of the ultra-wealthy, and Katy Hays paints such a vivid picture of the luxurious Capri setting, from its stunning vistas to the turquoise sea. You can almost feel the breeze and smell the ocean air.

SALT WATER by Katy Hays was an entertaining look at how the other half lives (or not). Throw in a dead body, and I’m HOOKED.

Helen Lingate’s mother, Sarah, a playwrite met a tragic end thirty years ago when her body was found at the bottom of the cliffs on Capri. The cause of the fall was always a topic of speculation amongst the towns people. The family returns to Capri yearly to commemorate Sarah‘s life. Helen longs to escape her overbearing, unbelievably controlling father and his sly, slick brother, Marcus, who holds her trust at bay, and Marcus’s pickled wife, Naomi. Helen enlists the help of Lorna, her assistant, in escaping Capri and leaving her family behind. And a little cash wouldn’t be so bad, right?. Helen is also joined by her long lost love Ciro and his mother, Renata in her search for the truth. But will she find out what really happened to her mother and will she be able to run off into the sunset with Ciro? When the necklace that Sarah was wearing the night she died shows up as a gift, everyone is scrambling to understand where it came from. Then, just as their plan is close to fulfilment, Lorna goes missing. Maybe the Lingate family should start vacationing somewhere else.

Told in dual timelines and from Helen and Sarah‘s points of view, we find out more about the prominent Lingate family than they would ever want people to know. When Sarah‘s father makes a confession to her, the pieces of the puzzle are close, but still don’t quite fit correctly.

I love to see how the 1%’s live. While I’ll never be on the island of Capri, Katy Hays paints a vivid portrait of the beautiful vistas and turquoise seas. I could feel the breeze blowing through the air. While this is my first Katie Hayes novel, it will certainly not be my last as she is an author I plan to follow closely.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

The book was well written and researched as someone who grew up in Italy. My only critique is the repetitive narrative. I read the book quickly as it was written in a concise manner.

I gotta say this turned out to be quite a surprise to me.
I enjoyed the characters, the setting, the ambience, the atmosphere and the mystery. Also, I gotta admit: I tend to like stories set in Italy. lol
Also, family drama and grudge-holders are a nice treat to me.
I did struggle a little bit with the author's writing in the 20% (this was my first time reading a book by Katy Hays), but once I go used to it, I let it flow.
I'm pretty sure this book will please mystery readers who enjoy stunning settings and a lot of family drama.

Thank you, Netgalley and Ballantine, for providing me with a free eARC of this novel.

Three decades ago, Sarah Wingate fell to her death in Capri. Since then, the family has moved on—continued to build their empire and image and cultivate status. They do not let a little thing like death stop them. This year, Sarah's daughter Helen is back in Capri with her father and uncle. But this year, things will be change.

It's clear early on that this will not be a pretty story. The family has brought their employee Lorna along—officially as a vacation for her too, but it is clear as day to Lorna that in this family, she will never not be working, never be able to relax—and Lorna clocks the things that the wealthy don't: the secrets simmering under the surface, how little the family cares about people who are not in their circle, in their family. "My family always liked that he had a secret of his own, a weakness. It gave him something to lose." (loc. 1236*)

Those secrets will come to a saltwater boil this summer. Lorna is sure of it.

"But no one knows girls[...] like me. We are an afterimage, a shadow, a disposable body. Girls like us, we are all the same. We are substitutes." (loc. 4905)

I don't want to say too much here, because layer upon layer is exposed as the book goes on, and that's part of the fun. It's a good summer read, and a meaty one. Don't pick this up when you're in the mood for a lighthearted beach romance; save it for a rainy afternoon when you want to dive in and not come up for air for a while.

Thanks to the author and publisher for inviting me to read a review copy through NetGalley.

*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.

Hays follows up her successful debut, The Cloisters, with another atmospheric murder mystery full of morally gray characters. I loved how the story wove Lorna’s, Helen’s, and Sarah’s perspectives together and seamlessly blended the events from 1992 with the present day. The pacing started off slow, but once I hit the halfway mark I was shocked by the sheer number of twists in the story. Even before the climax, the writing and mystery pulled me in - I had to know what happened to Sarah, what happened to Lorna, and whether Helen was victim or accomplice. And even with all the other reveals, I did not see that ending coming! If you love slow burn mysteries and secretive families, this story is for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Wealthy people and people pretending to be wealthy cover up the murders of women they may or may not have killed. The Lingate family is claustrophobic in its insularity. This book has narrative from 1992 and from current day told from various points of view. The voice of all the characters was the same so it was easy to get mix what timeline or character you were reading. These are definitely all people you love to hate.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for this DRC.
#Saltwater #NetGalley

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced reader copy.

Sure, there are some small things I could quibble with, but this book kept me locked in from the beginning. All of the twists felt well earned and both surprising and inevitable. A great sophomore effort.

No one holds a grudge like family. And no one can close ranks around a secret like family. This twisty thriller about the suspicious death of a disillusioned wife, will keep readers guessing until the final reveal. Highly recommended. #Saltwater #NetGalley #SaltMarshAuthorSeries

Started a little rough, lots of characters and just overall a rocky beginning for me...
Finished strong! Great storyline. Fantastic scenery. Provocative ending.

Will recommend.

Saltwater by Katy Hays is a tense thriller featuring family secrets and the affluent behaving ever so badly. Hays transports the reader into the widely unknown world of the top 1%'s vacation on the island of Capri. The story follows the Lingate family and their nosy assistant who is searching to find out what really happened to her boss's late wife.

Secrets. Betrayals. Old money. Murder. All on intoxicated summer nights on the idyllic island of Capri Hays sophomore novel is sure to keep you entertained.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and Netgalley for the eARC

Really enjoyed this twisty family drama with mystery/ murder thrown it.
I especially enjoyed the setting of Capri , the beauty of the place and seedy side of rich people who live there.
Helen is our heroine whose mother died when she was very young. The event was labeled an accident. Helen has a most controlling and overbearing family. She and a family assistant delve into the death of her mother Sarah with an eye to liberating Helen financially and emotionally.
The ending was spectacular and unexpected.
My only difficulty with the book was the multiple timelines that were at times confusing. Would need to turn back to the chapter beginning to orient to what was going on and with whom.
Overall I found this a real page turner with a wonderful settings that I think readers will enjoy!
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for ARC. Expected publication date is 3/25/2025. 4.5

This novel blends a family saga with a mystery, set against the backdrop of Capri. Helen’s summers, haunted by her mother’s mysterious death, take a turn when Lorna, her uncle’s assistant, arrives. Told from both Helen’s and Lorna’s perspectives, secrets unravel as the island’s glamour hides dark truths, ending with a series of twists.

The pacing felt slow and didn’t hook me right away, with several twists stacked at the end were shocking!

Overall, outstanding!

Thank you NetGalley, Publisher and Author for sending over an arc in exchange for honest review!

Outstanding! I really enjoyed this family drama set in Capri. The characters were realistic, the action was taut and I would keep reading if it was longer. I was completely enthralled with the premise and its execution and will look for other books by Katy Hays to read.

Thank you to #netgalley, #ballantinebooks and the author for this arc ebook to read. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 3.25 stars/review contains spoilers
***Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

The premise is interesting--Helen's mother, Sarah is ruled an accident in 1992 while on vacation in Capri, Italy. Every year her family, The Lingates' return to prove they have nothing to hide. On the anniversary of her death, the family shows up for the annual vacation and Sarah's necklace is the catalyst for everything unravelling.

The pacing was very slow and really didn't grab my attention immediately. Also, several twists happen at the end back to back (maybe the last 90 % or so). The parallel "deaths" of Sarah and Lorena (faked, to escape the family) just felt a little pointless with how the delivery. It just seemed like everything was suddenly a little too neat and easily wrapped up.

This story line reminded of Bad Summer People, where you don't have much sympathy for any of the characters and they are all a bit ruthless/rich people on vacation doing shady things.

This gripping novel masterfully weaves a complex family saga with an intriguing mystery, maintaining suspense throughout. Helen's summers on Capri, where her mother's tragic death remains shrouded in uncertainty, take a surprising turn with the arrival of her uncle's enigmatic assistant, Lorna. Alternating between Helen's and Lorna's perspectives, the story unfolds against the island's stunning backdrop, where wealth and lavish parties conceal secrets and shocking revelations, culminating in an unexpected twist that redefines the narrative.

I really enjoyed this novel.

Storyline started out a little slow but I did love there element of the story being in different points of view.

Most of the characters were a little shady for my taste but eventual some leveled off to where you started wanting to cheer for them, The books could get a little wordy but not enough for me to give it a negative review. (it could have been my anxiety, LOL)

I will definitely ready more from this author. Her writing style was different than most authors I read, but again I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance ecopy of this title. The Lingate family is extremely wealthy and extremely private. They are still reeling from the death of Sarah Lingate in Capri 30 years ago. Sarah's daughter, Helen, has led a sheltered life due to this event, but wants to break away from her stifling family. She enlists her uncle's assistant to help her to do this. While the family is (again) visiting Capri, this assistant turns up dead. In the aftermath, Helen unravels the story of her mother's death, and proves she has been a Lingate through and through all along. A riveting story.

This book was well written with a lot of rich people behaving badly (one of my favorite tropes), but unfortunately it didn’t work for me. I think it was the pacing that just felt off.