4.5 out of 5 stars.

A story of how wealth doesn’t buy you happiness and the twists and turns of navigating family, greed, and jealousy.

The beautiful descriptions of Capri made me feel like I was there again. Making the book feel plausible, and not just a work of fiction.

If you like suspense, murder mysteries, cold cases, and travel - specifically Capri - this is for you!

Was it murder on the idyllic island of Capri all those years ago? Sarah Lingate, married into the fabulously wealthy Lingate dynasty, is found dead at the bottom of the cliffs of Capri in 1992. She left behind a three year old daughter, Helen. This arrogant family returns every year but, on the thirtieth anniversary of Sarah’s tragic and untimely death, a surprise is waiting for them. A surprise that will open a Pandora’s Box of lies, sinister secrets, and betrayals.

This is a juicy family saga with dark secrets to unravel. If you love rich people behaving badly and need a vicarious vacation to beautiful Capri, then add this one to your TBR!

Thank you Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on March 25, 2025

This book was just okay for me. I’ve come to realize that I don’t love mystery/thriller books about rich people so this wasn’t a great book for me but I do think it was intriguing and mostly fast paced with a lot of drama so I think people who like books like this will love this one! It just didn’t work for me but I know who I would recommend this to!

Drama, intrigue, mystery, and murder. This rich family has it all going on. It started off slow for me put I loved the different points of view. In the end it made this a real page turner.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this title. The premise of this book was pretty outlandish, and at first the character switches made the story hard to follow. That said, it was a solid thriller with some twists and surprises along the way. I also enjoyed reading about a beautiful and very foreign setting.

Oh my goodness! This novel was jam packed with buried information, twists and turns and surprises. Just when I thought I had it figured out, things would shift and I would realize how wrong I was...

Helen is the daughter of an old money California family whose life has been over-shadowed by her mother's tragic death in Capri thirty years ago. Helen's life is small - her family does not allow her much freedom and she is anxious to get out. Lorna, her uncle's assistant, provides her with a possible escape and it is on the annual trip to Capri that everything falls apart...or falls together?

Read this pretty much straight through over two days - a great suspense novel to escape in!

What a page turner! The jump between character’s point of view really creates the suspense and intensity throughout the story. At some points I thought I had it all figured out only to realize I really didn’t. 5/5 stars! Can’t wait to recommend to others once it comes out. Thank you for letting me read an advanced copy!

I am between 3.5 and 4 stars on this one.

I loved the setting of Capri, especially currently being in the freezing Northeast. I know this was the advanced copy, but the format of the ebook made it really hard to get into. Since I could not go back to the beginning of the POV it took me a while to get into the characters and to figure out who was who. Towards the end, I got sucked it and could not put it down.

This book reminded me how much I like books about rich people behaving badly! Set in beautiful Capri, I enjoyed this story! The family drama, and the mystery of Sarah's death were throughout the book so that it kept me wanting to read more! I didn't know who to trust and I loved the variety of viewpoints. Thank you Random House Publishing-Ballentine and Netgalley for an early copy of this book! It will be out March 25th and would make a great spring break or summer pool side read!

The best way I can sum up Katy Hays’ latest book is Succession meets The White Lotus. If you are a fan of either of those streaming sensations or just love a good rich people behaving badly thriller, you will want to throw Saltwater in your suitcase for your next vacation, or in your beach bag for your next trip to the pool or oceanside.

I went into this book mostly blind. Truth be told, I am hard-pressed to pass up any title with the word salt in it. I took one look at the title and the alluring cover, and I was in. Saltwater did not disappoint this thriller-loving reader. I decided to read this on a flight to Puerto Rico, where my husband and I were going to be vacationing for a few days. When flying, I need a propulsive read and this book satisfied that requirement. Since I was leaving the frigid temperatures of the Northeast U.S. behind for a few days, I wanted a story that would blend well with the warm and sultry climate I was entering. Capri is not Puerto Rico, but the vibes in Saltwater suited perfectly for my weekend getaway.

Saltwater contains many characters you probably won’t like, but as with Succession, you might find yourself rooting for some of them nevertheless, or maybe not. This story revolves around one uber-wealthy family, the Lingates, and a past scandal that continues to haunt them 30 years later. While the Lingates vacation on the island of Capri, what often seems crisp and sparkling in the light of day, becomes murkier as evening approaches, and even less clear under the haze of alcohol, clubs, and all-night partying. I am the type of reader who tries to figure out the puzzles as I read, and this one seemed pretty straightforward, being the seasoned thriller/mystery reader I am. But even I found my gasping out loud at some of the twists, turns and reveals as this story unfolded.

Saltwater by Katy Hays releases on March 25, 2025, just in time for summer in some parts of the world. If you enjoy thrillers set in summery, sultry settings, with a cast of characters that behave in appalling ways, and are looking for a perfect beach bag book, definitely give Saltwater a try.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for the ARC of Saltwater by Katy Hays. I am voluntarily reviewing this book, and all opinions are my own.

I received a digital review copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not sure where to begin with this review, as providing a full synopsis might reveal too much. This story is set in Capri and follows the Lingate family, an old-money household, through multiple timelines and points of view. Sarah Lingate was found dead on the cliffs of Capri in 1992, and there are lingering suspicions surrounding her death. In the present day, her daughter, Helen, seizes the opportunity to gather information about Sarah's death when her missing necklace is delivered to the family villa. The family assistant, Lorna, helps Helen try to escape from her family but then goes missing herself. As a result, the case surrounding Sarah's death is reopened, and Lingate family secrets begin to emerge.

I genuinely loved this book. I typically don't enjoy creepy thrillers, but this one was perfect for me. The story is filled with constant twists and turns; just when you think you've figured it all out, a new secret comes to light. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and highly recommend this book.

This book had me questioning everything! I really enjoyed the multi POV, especially over a long time frame and I think this was done very well. I loved the setting of the book as well, a family on vacation that goes horribly wrong.

The book was a little slow and did feel a bit repetitive as time went on, but I think the ending was executed really well. The characters were well developed and felt like people you would meet in real life. I loved the perspective of this book also.

I really enjoyed this book. I definitely got a White Lotus vibe (so I you liked that.. you will like this book). I also liked the different timelines with different POV's.

Book takes place in Capri. You have wealthy people doing horrible things.. murder and mystery..

I love a story with a strong sense of place, and this mystery set on the island of Capri fully immersed me in the idyllic setting. With both past and present day mysteries and told thru multiple points of view, the story started off as a slow burn beach read but switched gears the final quarter with twists and turns that came fast and furious.

The atmosphere, setting, intrigue, and twisted relationships made this book a perfect escape from the winter blues. 

Thank you Ballantine Books and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy to read and review.

This was such an interesting book. It feels like if White Lotus was a book - rich people behaving badly, tropical location, a little murder, a little suspense, and a lot of not really knowing what’s going on.

I enjoyed the story, the dual timeline, and the twists and turns, but I do wish it moved a bit faster, or was shorter.

A perfect beach and/or summer read. This started slow but picked up as it went along. It was quite the crazy ride. This had so much family drama

The concept of this book was fascinating. The author is good at creating atmosphere, because it came across as stuffy and pretentious just like the characters universe. Unfortunately, the characters also felt too caricaturish and failed to connect. The book also got somewhat tedious in between. The commentary angle falls flat since the rich people seem to inhabit a different dimension altogether.

I saw another review that mentioned "rich people behaving badly is always entertaining" and I could not agree more. Saltwater by Katy Hays is a collection of wealthy characters that lacked any redeeming qualities - but they sure did know how to create a mysterious storyline.

The setting of the book is Capri, and honestly, the island is the star of the show. The scenery was lush and I felt instantly transported to a Mediterranean hideaway that was just full of rich people behaving badly. The story drug a little bit for me in the first part but started to pick up by the second half of the book. By the end, I felt that it all wrapped up nicely and I was satisfied with the conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a mystery set on the lovely Isle of Capri. I loved the setting and the way the story took me to a place I have never been. It is the story of the very wealthy Lingate family who visit the Island each year for a week. The narrative is slow and has too many leading characters. I must admit I got lost in all the unsolved murders and unlikeable characters and I just could not get involved in the story. Katy Hays is a good author but this story just has too much to believe.

I wish to thank Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed this advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A twisty, turn-y mystery with a duel timeline happening. A fun beach read, but you still need to pay closer attention to keep things straight as it goes along. Some plot elements a bit over the top, but entertaining.