Saltwater by Katy Hays
#twentyeighthbookof2025 #arc #saltwater

CW: death, murder, adultery

From NetGalley: In 1992, Sarah Lingate is found dead below the cliffs of Capri, leaving behind her three-year-old daughter, Helen. Despite suspicions that the old-money Lingates are involved, Sarah’s death is ruled an accident. And every year, the family returns to prove it’s true. But on the thirtieth anniversary of Sarah’s death, the Lingates arrive at the villa to find a surprise waiting for them—the necklace Sarah was wearing the night she died. Haunted by the specter of that night, the legendary Lingate family unity is pushed to a breaking point, and Helen seizes the opportunity. Enlisting the help of Lorna Moreno, a family assistant, the two plot their escape from Helen’s paranoid, insular family. But when Lorna disappears and the investigation into Sarah’s death is reopened, Helen has to confront the fact that everyone who was on Capri thirty years ago remains a suspect—her controlling father, Richard; her rarely lucid aunt, Naomi; her distant uncle, Marcus; and their circle of friends, visitors, and staff. Even Lorna, her closest ally, may not be who she seems. As long-hidden secrets about that night boil to surface, one thing becomes clear: Not everyone will leave the island alive.

My thoughts: I enjoyed this novel a lot. It’s told mostly in dual perspectives from Lorna and Helen, though there’s a few one offs from other characters. At first I found a Lorna’s chapters more interesting but that changed as the novel progressed. I liked this book better than the author’s previous work, but they both deal with very pretentious people in dramatic situations. It’s always interesting to learn about super wealthy people via their staff. The setting might just be the best part. The descriptions of Capri are mesmerizing, and now I need to go. I enjoyed that I had no idea how the book was going to end, and the main twist was definitely not something I would have even guessed.

Thank you to @randomhouse Ballantine and @netgalley for the advance copy. (Available now, pub date was 3/25/25)

This book had so much promise, but it felt flat for me. I didn't feel any connection to the characters and the writing was not my style. Thank you, NetGalley.

A twisty murder mystery with a lot of family drama in a beautiful location. It took forever for the story to pick up and the last remaining twists were predictable. It’s a good beach read.

I received an arc from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very slow book from start to finish. I never enjoyed any part of it.

A rich family and a murder. A wife’s murder. Then you have them all in Capri along with one of the maids but she’s not working she’s a guest. Yeah right.

I didn’t like one single thing about this book. It was not thrilling in any way to me. I had zero emotions.

This takes you back and forth between people and time. To me each narrator made their pov sound the same. It was a total waste of my time to read.

Thank you to the publisher for this arc and I’m sorry I can’t think of anything nice to say. It was just not for me.

{3.5 stars}

Thanks to Random House and Ballantine Books for gifted access via NetGalley. All opinions below are my own.

The Lingate family are a wealthy socialite family that live the highlife but they have secrets. During their annual holiday on Capri, the truth will come out and it will ruin them. But that truth is not what anyone expects. 

This family reminded me of the Roy family on Succession only with a penchant for murder. It's super messy and no one is really likable but you can't turn away. This is definitely one of those thrillers where you don't know the full truth until the very last page.

This was about a woman named Helen, she grew up from the age of 3 without a mother. Her mother was found dead off the ocean cliffs while the family was vacationing in Italy. The death was ruled an accident, but everyone knew that this family rich with old money was also rich with secrets. They still go back to the same vacation home in Italy, every year since Helen's mother's death. But the family won't talk to Helen about her mother, so she decides she is going to find out more about her mother on her own. This trip while they're on vacation, a package is delivered, and inside is a note and the necklace her mother was wearing on the night she died. This was a mystery thriller with twists I didn't see coming. This story showcased how money changes people and how easily family will turn on each other for money. This was about a family who cared about money and keeping up their perfect appearance above all else. And ultimately it was their downfall. 🩷📚

Thank you to the author and to the publisher for this ARC of Saltwater, in exchange for an honest review.

Spending time in southern Italy was a special experience—there’s something about the atmosphere and the people that made it unforgettable. But what really stood out was the story I found myself immersed in. The main characters weren’t locals but a ridiculously wealthy, snobbish American family, and their dynamic was absolutely chaotic. At times, it felt unbelievable, but it was written in a way that kept me engaged. I was never bored for a second.

As the story unfolded, I started noticing that some of the predictions my friend Sharada and I had made were actually right, which was satisfying. However, certain twists felt a little too unrealistic. Still, I reminded myself—it’s a story, and sometimes you just have to suspend disbelief. Despite a few over-the-top moments, the experience was completely immersive. The setting, the characters, and the unpredictable nature of it all made it an unforgettable read.

Saltwater is a book about an upper class family who continues to summer on the island of Capri every year. The two brothers continue to return, even after (or possibly because of) the suspicious death of one of their wives decades ago. They continue to return in an effort to keep up appearances and maintain their innocence of any wrong doing bringing along the daughter, who was left behind the summer of her mother's death.

The premise sounds like other books I've read in this genre, but the book felt fresh. The way it is written gives the past a sense of urgency. Even the flashbacks, which can sometimes feel stale, felt like they were a part of the current narrative. The story was intriguing and kept me guessing until the end.

The book was a very enjoyable read and the setting of Capri made this a perfect beach read or a book to grab when you wish it were summer. Thank you to Katy Hays and Ballantine Books for this advanced copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own. I also want to thank PRH Audio for the ALC!

Oh my gosh, I think I am obsessed with this book. When I saw the cover, I knew I had to get my hands on this book.

I know it is early to tell, but I think this book may possibly be one of my favorite books of 2025.

How much did I love this book? Well, I read this book twice before the pub date. Once as an arc, and a second time as an ALC (from PRH Audio)...that should tell you something!

I finished this book in under. a day. Saying this book is juicy is almost an understatement. I literally couldn't put this book down. Katy Hays knows how to write a deliciously addictive novel.

The audiobook is narrated by Cassandra Campbell, Allyson Ryan, and Carlotta Brentan. All three ladies did a fantastic job and I definitely recommend checking out the audiobook as well!

Overall, I highly recommend this book!


Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book (alc/arc) in exchange for my honest review.

I just cannot get into this one at all, it’s slow slow slow, rich people behaving badly and a woman who wants to be accepted by the family, feels like a tale as old as time

I had to DNF 51% into the book. The book was way too slow and is feeding us crumbs here and there and I was suffocating from the mystery intensifying while not being given anything. What also didn't help was that not a single character was appealing. And I have zero interest in the island of Capri; at times, it felt like a promotional travel guide.

Im a fan of multiple perspectives and “messy” timelines so I loved this. I have some students in mind who will like it as well!

This was a very dull thriller, in my opinion. It started off very slowly and meandered through to the end. The premise was typical and not interesting to me. I finished this book only because of Netgalley and offering an honest review. The characters were spoiled and unrelatable. This is a typical murder mystery set on the island of Capri. Helen, whose mother died when she was a child, is somewhat sympathetic because her rich family cordoned her off so thoroughly from reality, yet she doesn’t really rebel. Her friend, Lorna, was hired as an administrative assistant and had a rough upbringing, so she generates a bit of sympathy as well. Mostly, this is simply because rich people are behaving poorly.

I felt like there was little to differentiate all the female characters. Their voices were so similar that I had to look at the chapter title to figure out which character was telling the story. It was not fun and not well written, in my opinion. The timeframe bounced around, and I felt disjointed throughout the entire book. The plot twists were quick and too many and not fun for me. I wouldn’t recommend this book. I gave it 2.75 stars.

I was hooked from the beginning!!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

Unfortunately, this book was a DNF for me. I could not stay interested in the story. Thanks to the author, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

A beautiful Italian island is the backdrop for this murder mystery that takes the reader back 30 years in tandem with multiple character’s perspectives in present day to weave the tale of Sarah Lingate and what happened to her that fateful night. Her daughter, Helen, is hoping to find the truth and be freed from the stronghold of her family.

This book had longer chapters and was a bit of a slow burn for the first half but then I was hooked and it took me on a rollercoaster of “who done it?” with a twist of an ending that I did NOT see coming. In the beginning of this book with it’s seemingly pretentious & initially unlikable characters, I did not think that I was going to like it but I was pleasantly surprised as it progressed and thanks to the character development, I was invested and eventually captivated by this book. I definitely recommend it!

Thank you Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A twisted family drama that takes decades to unwind. Old money, power, secrets, murder, death, lies, people behaving so very badly, a lot of twists and turns and a necklace. I love a story told from multiple perspectives. Helps me to keep an open mind and at times wondering and yet this felt more than a bit discombobulated. There were a few times I had to backtrack and that rarely happens. These are not good people and who always use their money to manipulate any and everything to get what they want. When everyone gathers again in Capri things come to light in some twisted creepy ways. An interesting convoluted story. What I amledt most with is the desire to go to Capri!


I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review.

3.5 stars! Few graphics moments. Good pacing for most of it. The end had a ton of twists but some of them felt unbelievable and left me with too many questions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read this ARC

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a readers copy of this book. My reviews never contain spoilers and are freely given.
The story centers on a wealthy family named the Lingates. Their annual family vacation is on the island of Capri. It moves between two time periods, current day and 30 years in the past when the wife of one of the Lingates died. Now her daughter is looking to break the strict hold that the family has kept on her for 33 years. Her mother’s death was ruled an accident or suicide, but was it? To complicate matters further an assistant to the family who accompanied them to Capri has now disappeared.
The author creates a convincing picture of the storied lives of the super wealthy, how they cover scandal and close ranks to protect the family at any cost. Definitely a good read for anyone who enjoys a good mystery.

This was a miss for me. All of the characters felt one dimensional and under developed so it was hard to care about their stories. There was no real back story or personality to any of them which made the story fall flat. There were lots of twists and some I saw coming while others felt a bit ridiculous. Overall, this one didn’t work for me.