A dark, moody mystery with a heavy dose of family drama. The Lingates are a wealthy family with a secret. What really happened to Sarah, the talented playwright, who was trying to reestablish herself from the family she had married into that night thirty years prior on Capri? Sarah's daughter, Helen intends to find out the truth of the mystery with the help of a trusted family assistant as the family makes its annual pilgrimmage to the lush island, but now, Lorna is missing. Was Sarah's death a suicide, a tragic accident or an intentional murder? Will more people have to die to keep the Lingates' reputation intact or will the truth of that tragic night be finally be exposed? You will not be able to put it down until you know the truth!

The old money Lingate family has very rigid ideas about their reputation. Ever since the scandal surrounding the death of playwright Sarah Lingate in 1992, they’ve closed ranks even more tightly than before, presenting a strictly enforced united front against the world. Sarah’s daughter Helen finds this suffocating, even if it looks to the entire world as if she leads a charmed life of luxury and idleness:

QUOTE
Sometimes a kind of hysterical laughter bubbles up in me–as unwelcome as the hiccups and just as forceful–because the gap between the way I live and the way people think I live is so great. They think money flows through my life and with it a kind of freedom they long for, a freedom they resent. But there’s so little room in my life. Most days there’s barely enough space for me to turn around, pick up a paintbrush, lie down. Families can be like that. They infect the way you think about yourself. They refuse to make space. You mold yourself around them in ways that contort you, change you.
END QUOTE

Thirty years after her mother’s death, Helen has finally had enough. In the intervening decades, her father Richard has embraced wellness, clean living and spirituality with the enthusiasm of the born-again. Meanwhile, her Uncle Marcus oversees the business holdings while his wife Naomi quietly drinks herself into oblivion. Despite their preoccupations, all three adults have a remarkable amount of control over Helen’s life, a power they’re far too willing to exert whenever it seems that she might do anything that could stain the Lingate name, just as Sarah once had. In fact, the well-known conflict between Sarah and Richard was the main reason the Italian police looked at him as a suspect when his wife was found dead at the base of the cliffs behind their luxurious villa in Capri. Nothing had ever been proven, and the surviving Lingates always claimed that she must have fallen by accident. Helen, however, isn’t so sure.

With the help of Marcus’ assistant Lorna, Helen is finally ready to do something, not only about her mother’s death but also about her own lack of independence. When the two women accidentally intercept a family heirloom – the very necklace that disappeared during Sarah’s fall – that’s been mailed to Marcus anonymously, they decide to make a play not only for freedom, but for enough money to allow them to live comfortably for the rest of their lives.

But Lorna has secrets, and despite the firm friendship that’s grown between her and Helen, she’s careful to protect her own interests. As their plans go into motion, however, it quickly becomes clear that Helen has her own unspoken motivations, too.

Will the two women be able to escape the rest of the Lingates, and wrest what’s rightfully theirs? Will they be able to solve the mystery of what happened to Sarah in the process? Or will they find themselves as crushed as she once was by the weight of reputation and expectation?

Saltwater is a beautifully written noir novel that pits all our main characters and their hidden agendas against one another. Set on the sun-drenched island of Capri, it’s filled with numerous chilling twists as we switch between the viewpoints of both Helen and Lorna. Lorna’s point of view, as a relative outsider, is perhaps more sympathetic to the average, non-fabulously-wealthy reader, as the older generation of Lingates react badly to Helen’s defiant donning of Sarah’s necklace:

QUOTE
He’s antsy, his eyes moving from Helen’s neck to my phone. The necklace seems to have shaken Richard-the-guru, and Richard-the-suspect is peeking out–jittery and quick tempered[.]

Helen is wearing it, I know, because they hate it. It’s a reminder of her. But they can’t say that, not with me and Freddy here, not if they want to maintain the fiction that it was an accident, a tragic mistake. I can’t help but admire it, how smoothly they pretend. It’s the only thing about them I understand: the pretending. There’s a special kind of theater to it. Only I know it will slip. It already has in the set of Marcus’s jaw, Naomi’s blown pupils, Richard’s fluttering hands.
END QUOTE

While this was one of the few novels where I genuinely had trouble sympathizing with almost everyone’s choices, I could appreciate the characters for being the pack of sociopaths playing awful, murderous games that they were. As cold and bracing as the saltwater off Capri, the book’s ruthless narrative is offset beautifully by its elegant prose and even more lushly depicted setting.

I'm giving this book 2 stars because I did finish it. I almost DNF. This was like a daytime soap except less well done. The melodrama and weird plot turns were silly.

3.5 stars
A wealthy dysfunctional family with murder and secrets at its core--sounds intriguing but Saltwater fell a little flat for me. I didn't like any of the characters and the storyline was confusing. The various plot twists were fun but it felt like this book was trying too hard to be unique and quirky but in doing so, it left the reader confused at times.

This was okay - a bit difficult to follow at parts so it kind of lost me, but I also wanted to know how it ended so that's good. I was expecting the rich people theme to pull me in because I do like stories of cutthroat rich people in mysteries/thrillers, but it was just kind of meh. I also kept getting people confused so that didn't help. The father & the uncle seemed interchangeable to me (and apparently so to other characters in the story) so I was losing my way a bit there. The story itself was fine and I liked hearing how it wrapped so l up so it was a middle of the road book.

If you are a fan of White Lotus, you'll love this thriller! Super twisty with love-to-hate flawed characters, a stunning Capri setting, and the kind of wealth that is fun to root against. Even if you guess some of the twists, they are well-written enough to be enjoyable and you probably won't guess all of the details. I recommend it!

altwater by Katy Hays is a solid thriller with a slow but tense plot that kept me interested throughout. The story itself is compelling, and there are some genuinely unsettling moments that land well. The topsy-turvy ending made it all worth it.

That said, the multiple POVs didn’t quite work for me. The characters felt underdeveloped, and their voices weren’t distinct enough to make each perspective stand apart. It’s an enjoyable read, but I wish the pacing and character work had been tighter.

Helen’s mother died when she was young, leaving Helen wishing she knew more about her. Helen’s life is very controlled by her wealthy family, a family that is suspected of being involved in Sarah’s death. The Lingate family returns to the villa where Helen’s mom died 30 years later, and soon things begin to unravel.

I really enjoyed this novel and all its twists and turns. The first third of the story moved a little slow for me, but the last 50-60% flew by. I did find some aspects of the conclusion a bit far-fetched, but since it is fiction, I will give it a pass. It felt like something you would see on a movie, and the way things played out left me with a few surprises.

I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of thrillers and family dramas. I would definitely read more from this author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Beautifully Written, But Didn’t Fully Connect

Saltwater has a dreamy, atmospheric quality that drew me in at first. Katy Hays writes with a poetic style that made certain passages really stand out, and the setting had a haunting, almost hypnotic vibe that I appreciated.

However, while the writing was lovely, the story itself didn’t fully grab me. The pacing felt slow at times, and I found it hard to connect with the characters on a deeper level. I kept waiting for something big to happen or for the emotional payoff to hit, but it never quite landed.

That said, it’s not a bad book—it just wasn’t the right fit for me. I think readers who enjoy introspective, character-driven stories with a literary tone might appreciate it more. For me, it was a mixed experience: gorgeous prose, but a storyline that fell a little flat.

This book was a fantastic mystery/thriller about a rich family and secrets. The author wrote so wonderfully about the setting in Italy that I could see it. Anyone that loves Italy and a good fiction book should definitely read this one. It’s one that I wanted to read over as soon as I finished! Sarah Lingate died mysteriously on a trip to Italy years ago leaving a three year old daughter. Fast forward and the daughter is now on the Lingate family trip to Italy. Figuring out who was good and who wasn’t was part of the fun and it had great twists. It started out a little slow to set it all up but once it gets going it doesn’t let you go. Very satisfying ending and I was sorry that it was over when I finished it.
Highly recommend for book clubs.

If you’re looking for a summer thriller, add this one to your list! Set on the island of Capri, the author did a great job at creating a vivid and atmospheric backdrop for this story. Told in multiple POVs, and a nonlinear timeline where you learn more about what leads up to Sarah’s death, and what’s going on in the current storyline. This book has family secrets, and devious rich people that prove old money and family appearances matter above all else. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened, and that ending!!! It was so good and I never would have predicted those twists.

“We dont always know people as well as we think.”

“we are Always two people.”

Read if you enjoy:
✔️Nonlinear timeline
✔️Multiple POVs
✔️Devious rich people
✔️Summer thriller
✔️Family secrets

Thank you Randome House and NetGalley for my copy!

Very enjoyable thriller, mystery. Lots of who dun its and twists to read thru. Murder and the chance to find the killer- or was it truly an accident? Money can make people do terrible things.

Saltwater by Katy Hayes perfectly mixes a literary thriller with the ultimate summer beach read. Full of suspense, Hays reveals just enough at every twist and turn to keep you guessing. I found myself saying "one more chapter" over and over again. The dual timeline was done so well and the snippets of newspaper clippings were a great addition to the transitions. The island of Capri really comes alive as a vital element, almost its own character. Saltwater is so atmospheric that, at times, I could almost feel the sun, salt and sea on my skin. This is a book I can see myself recommending over and over again.

*Saltwater* by Katy Hays is moody, mysterious, and totally absorbing. It has that slow-burn tension I love, with a setting that almost feels like a character itself. The writing is sharp and atmospheric, and the story pulls you in little by little until you’re fully hooked. Perfect if you're into introspective reads with a hint of darkness and edge.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC! Saltwater by Katy Hays is a gorgeously atmospheric thriller set on Capri that unravels a wealthy family’s dark secrets over decades. Rich in tension and layered with psychological depth, it blends Gothic vibes with a slow-burning suspense that builds to a shocking, well-earned climax. A smart, moody page-turner with a twist that lingers.

Evocative, emotional voyage - Saltwater by Katy Hays immerses you in raw grief, familial bonds, and quiet resilience. Hays’s lyrical prose and nuanced characters linger long after the final chapter.

To be honest this story was just okay for me. I had some trouble following at times because the times didn’t always make sense to me. I loved white lotus and this cover made me think of that show and I was excited to read. It’s an intriguing story, but it fell a bit short for me. I encourage you to give it a read because it may be your next favorite.

First of all, the cover of this book is beautiful. That is what first captured my attention. This book was captivating...a perfect slow burn mystery on a secluded island. I loved the setting, the dual storylines (which really worked for me), and I defintley liked the rich people behaving badly theme. I also liked how the author included newspaper clipping throughout the book to create a more immersive reading experience. I rated this a 4 star book on my Goodreads. This is going to be such a popular book, especially since it gives off White Lotus vibes.

Evocative and brimming with tension, this book pulled me in with its coastal setting and slow-burning mystery. Some plot threads felt unresolved, but the psychological nuance kept me engaged. A thoughtful, moody read for fans of character-driven suspense.

There was a lot going on - especially at the very end. I can respect was Hays was attempting to do, but I can't say it was done flawlessly.

The multiple POVs and timeline jumping was off - it didn't feel like hearing from all the folks added anything to the story - if anything, it felt like it detracted and made you distracted. The ~suspense and mystery~ was also super short-lived and while I was like "huh no shit" it didn't elicit a gasp (idk if that makes sense in terms of the different volumes of a shocked reaction lol but iykyk).

Overall an ok read. I wouldn't say it's something you have to go out of your way to read, but if you come across it on Libby in the "Available now" (and not the "Skip the line" section) consider checking it out.