3.5 rounded up to 4

Salt Water is set in magnificent Italy, on the isle of Capri. The setting drew this reviewer to the book, since I have wonderful memories of my visit to Capri decades ago. The tiny island, the Amalfi Coast, and the breathtaking views are impossible to forget. I enjoyed the novel's sweeping descriptions like a return visit. The characters in Salt Water have a history in Capri and return each year on the anniversary of the death of their matriarch, Sarah Lingate.

Salt Water is a multi-layered novel with several characters to know and a complex writing style. The story is told in dual timelines and multiple points of view. The pacing is a slow burn, though the story twists and turns keep the plotlines interesting, especially in the second half of the book. Readers who like mysteries set in faraway places might enjoy this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for providing an advance copy of the book to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews.com at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

This thriller is a gripping page-turner! The setting in the luxurious yet mysterious Capri villa creates an atmospheric backdrop for the story. The resurfacing of Sarah Lingate’s necklace on the thirtieth anniversary of her death adds a tantalizing twist that reignites old suspicions. As Helen and her ally Lorna try to escape the shadows of the past, the tension ramps up with every revelation. The mix of family secrets, paranoia, and danger keeps you on the edge of your seat. The twists and turns make it a thrilling read that’s hard to put down.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley. This is a perfect summer murder mystery book. Honestly perfect for the hot florida degree weather we are still having. So many twists that I did not see coming. I also liked the newspaper clippings, made it feel more real. It did go back and forth from current time and the past, which could be a bit confusing but I enjoyed it!

I seriously loved this book! I want to book a trip to Capri ASAP...without all the family drama and murders of course!

I really hate it when I have a book hangover but that is exactly what I had after this book. It was that good. It lived up to the hype. It surpassed the hype if I’m being 100% honest. Where has Katy Hays been all my reading life? My mood reading, not easily satisfied self NEEDED this book and trust me YOU DO TOO!

Who needs enemies when you have family? That was one thought of many I had while reading this book. The Lingate family clearly had many secrets, none of which you as the reader are privy to. Things unraveled in a slow and most immersive way.

I couldn’t understand Helen’s fear of her family, or what their motivation was for controlling everything she did. I mean she had a driver just to ensure she only went to school and home. Cameras. What were they so afraid of??

I think I got about 40-50% in and said my (first) oh snap (more colorful of course). Fast forward to 70% and it was a massive holy shhhh….. And then still…. That last chapter…. Just when I thought Katy was fresh out of twists. Nope. She got me again. Read this book.

-immersive storytelling
--b e a u t i f u l writing
-dual timeline
-multiple POV
-twists you won’t see compelling

I had a lot of fun reading Saltwater. Not only was it an engaging story, but it was nice to have a thriller told fully from the female narrative. I really enjoyed it. Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for gifting me an ARC of this book! Can’t wait to give it to friends next year as a fun summer read!

The author of The Cloisters is back with her second book, a murder mystery set in gorgeous Capri with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the very end.

Lorna, a personal assistant for the wealthy Lingate family, turns up missing one morning after joining the family for their annual summer retreat to Capri. Has she run away? Is she even still alive? The story is slowly revealed through flashbacks to the past few days and even earlier in the timeline, when Sarah Lingate, famously found dead on the island 30 years ago, was still alive.

The pacing is slow to start, but builds throughout the book as the story develops. The newspaper clippings related to Sarah’s death give you just enough to want to keep reading.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

Lord save us from emotionally stunted boyfriends who have been so sheltered by generational wealth that they don’t realize that putting together an elaborate proposal scheme the day after your uncle/biological father was tragically murdered by the man you thought was your father but is actually your uncle. Freddy was so dim, and most of the characters were pretty unlikeable. I was never sure if I could trust Helen, or if she would turn out to be another unreliable narrator. But I enjoyed how much I was kept guessing!!

Saltwater was a haunting and atmospheric read that stayed with me long after I finished it. The story follows a young woman's journey of self-discovery and healing as she grapples with the complexities of her past and the pull of the ocean. Hays' writing is both lyrical and raw, capturing the protagonist's emotional turmoil with vivid imagery and haunting prose.

I was particularly drawn to the exploration of the mother-daughter relationship, which was both tender and fraught with tension. The vivid descriptions of the coastal setting and the sense of isolation and longing resonated deeply. However, the nonlinear narrative and the fragmented storytelling took a bit of getting used to, and I occasionally found myself yearning for a more straightforward plot.

Overall, Saltwater is a beautifully written and emotionally resonant novel that explores themes of identity, belonging, and the healing power of nature.

Saltwater lulls you into a sense of complacency by making you think it's just another "whodunit," (admittedly a very good one!) but morphs into a debate on the affects of "nature vs nurture" in shaping who we become. There is a dead body, and the central mystery of Saltwater is if Sarah Lingate fell or was pushed (and if so by whom) off a cliff near her Capri, Italy vacation home thirty years ago. In the present day Sarah's daughter Helen is vacationing at the same villa with her extended Lingate family when another suspicious death occurs. The plot builds brick by brick with precision and increasing intensity. Along the way multiple suspects emerge, and every character could be behind one or both tragedies. Don't bother trying to separate the innocent from the guilty-the ending of Saltwater seems to come out of nowhere but is really the culmination of a finely tuned and very clever narrative. Brilliant!

I received this ARC from Netgalley and Random House publishing group - Ballantine for a honest review.

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ family drama/thriller

I absolutely devoured this book! It follows the story of three women. Sarah Lingate, the mother of Helen Lingate, who ends up dead at the bottom on the cliffs in Capri. Was she unalived? Or did she take her own life? Then you have Helen, who is trying to figure out what lead up to her mothers death and what actually happened, her family has told her what happen but is that really true? Lastly is Lorna, who is Helen’s uncle’s assistant. Lorna is friends with Helen and together they try to unravel the truth. But the Lingate’s have old money, and that wealth and status means a lot to them so can Lorna really trust anyone? Is Helen truly her friend or is she just using Lorna to get what she wants?

In this thriller there is so much family drama that’s going on and it sucks you right away in the beginning. Who can and can’t be trusted. Can you believe the stories and lies everyone is telling? The author does an amazing job describing Capri, an island that the family goes to visit every year after the death of Helen’s mother Sarah. I truly felt like I could visualize everything and she did an amazing job putting the pieces together of this family. The ending was nothing but twist and turns and I love every minute of this! This book will be released March 25, 2025. So make sure you add to your tbr so you don’t miss out!

Saltwater is an absolutely PERFECT vacation read and I devoured this one by the ocean in Belize. Every time I thought I had things figured out with this disturbing family - they found a way to shock me even more.

I absolutely love alternating time lines and POVs - especially when they are done this well and each character has a distinctive tone. Hays has written a page-turner here and I can’t get over how well paced this novel was! The ending absolutely shocked me and I loved every second of it!

I can’t wait to check out more from this author - I just saw that she has another book coming out in March of 2025 and I am so excited. Check Saltwater out if you love thrillers, family drama, alternating timelines, and the ocean!

**Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC of this twisty title!**

This is a high four star read from me. Kudos to the author, who was new for me in my reading journey. The story takes places mostly on the isle of capri following the sophisticated life of the Lingates. POVs change throughout the story, but are not overly sporadic which I appreciated. Helens mother tragic death is detailed right off the bat and the rest of the book has readers trying to piece together whether it was a true accident or a cover for murder. Add in a new character who quickly becomes ensconced in the family and the plot continues to tangle. As newcomer Lorna suddenly goes missing, history seems to be repeating itself in real time. This was a really great summer read and had me hooked through each twist. I read it on an e reader and my one complaint is that some of the new article inserts were nearly impossible to read. Overall a great book!

This book is categorized as a thriller but I think it is more accurately a family story about all that can go wrong when family secrets are protected above all else.

On a vacation thirty years earlier, Sarah Lingate was found dead below the cliffs of Capri. The Lingate family is comprised of Sarah's husband Richard, his brother Marcus and wife, Nicole, and Helen, Richard and Sarah’s thirty something daughter. Also, as part of the entourage is personal assistant, Lorna, and Helen’s boyfriend, Freddy.

Sarah’s death was determined to be an accident but most people in Capri think the Lingates were involved and their wealth is shielding them. For some reason, the family still vacations in the same villa each summer. Helen, eager to release herself from the constraints of her family, solicits Lorna's help to blackmail the family. Lorna is a more than willing accomplice. The two hatch a plan that will give them freedom and wealth. It seems possible until it doesn't and Lorna goes missing. Helen really doesn't know who she can trust now.

The book is an extremely slow, repetitive read. The characters, both major and minor, were all unlikable and more importantly one note. We understood their flaws and motivations and didn’t need keep returning to it.

It does pick up with lightning speed toward the end taking the reader to unexpected places.

At times, it was hard to keep all the characters straight. For me, the highlight of the story were the descriptions of Capri. The scenery, the dangers of that beautiful locale, and the depiction of wealth was well done.

Many thanks to Random House and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this advanced review copy and provide an honest review.

I enjoyed this book!
So many twists and turns. So much family dynamics


Once you start to book, you will be immediately emerged into the story and the family
This is my first book by this author , but it will definitely not be my last

"Saltwater" is an exceptional novel that unfolds a captivating mystery over the course of three decades. The story follows Helen, who, alongside her friend Lorna, seeks to uncover the truth behind her mother Sarah's death. The Lingate family, known for their wealth, is shrouded in intrigue surrounding this tragic event. The plot thickens when Lorna suddenly vanishes, adding another layer of suspense. Set against the stunning and exotic backdrop of Capri, this book is a must-read that I wholeheartedly recommend.

Thank you to Net Galley and Ballantine Books for the ARC to read and review.

Lorna works for a wealthy family but has befriended the youngest Lingate, Helen, who feels trapped by her family’s wealth and infamy after her mother’s (Sarah) tragic death. But when the family returns to the site of Sarah’s death on the 30 anniversary, a plot unfolds that threatens the family’s story and shows just how far people will go for wealth.

I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I’ve read similar stories about terrible wealthy people that showed them being terrible in such obvious ways, there was no subtlety. In this case, the author unfolds the story using multiple perspectives in a way that leaves a reader guessing, yet also slowly reveals how each character’s viewpoint of each other and life changes. Even when I started making guesses, the author still unfolds the story in a way that made me enjoy the journey to the reveal.

I received an advance copy of this book for a review. Trigger warning for those who care: there is some language, although it isn’t excessive.

This mystery was set in the Isle of Capri, Italy, which was the reason I was interested in trying it. I was not disappointed. If you love a good thriller, you will definitely enjoy this one. Highly recommend!

Come along on a trip to the most beautiful island, you're the assistant to one of the worlds most powerful families, and best friends with the heir, but will you make it to the end of the vaction alive? Such a great summer read, filled with White Lotus energy with the most delicous and dark family secrets.

My overall feelings: claustrophobic, anxious, curious.

“We are always both people,” Ciro says. He runs a finger down my back, like the idea is painful. “The person who loves and the person who does terrible things.” We are always both people.”

Told in before / after style, we learn about the Lingate family and its chaotic, complicated, messy family dynamics. We meet Lorna, friend of Helen and family assistant, who mysteriously goes missing on vacation with the Lingates. This book gave me major HBO’s White Lotus vibes and I was loving every minute of it. I could see every scene playing out like a movie in my mind, Katy did a fantastic job with this one! Thank you NetGalley and Katy Hays for this ARC! Out on March 25, 2025!

Thank you Net Gally and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC of this book in exchange for my review.

Firstly, the cover is beautiful. It was rather a slow burn from start to finish for me and I found myself having to look back
because I was getting confused about who was who. However, I was determined to get through it.
It's a typical rich person story, with all the arrogances and deceit that seems to come from families with old money.
There's always something in the past that everyone is trying to figure out or hide. It took til the end to finally get interesting,
but by then I was already ready to begin another book. By the end I was just glad it was done and there was a little surprise to
finish it off. I wasn't disapponted, but also wasn't on the edge of my seat for the finale.