Title: Saltwater
By: Katy Hays
Pub. Date: March 25, 2025

Genre:
Fiction, Women’s

Trigger warnings:
Deceitfulness, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Murder, Sucide (mentioned)

Memorable Quotes:
“We are also the product of our mistakes. Regretting them is a waste of time. They are a part of us.”

Summary/Review:
Helen is on an excursion in Capri when her mother’s necklace is discovered. Her mother, Sara Lingate, passed away mysteriously 30 years ago. However, secrets, betrayal, and lies are at the root of these wealthy characters.

This is a rich people making things disappear is the theme for this trope! The overall plotline of the book was intriguing for me, but writing from multiple points of view and dual timelines can be tricky. I felt the transitions between characters and past vs.present were really rough. I struggled and sometimes found myself going back to see who was who and where we were again. My background knowledge lacked the character depth and timeline to do such in this novel. It wasn’t for me, however, if you enjoy a slow build you might enjoy this novel.

Thank you to Katy Hays, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine , and NetGalley for the opportunity of an Advanced Readers Copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#Saltwater
#RandomHousePublishingGroupBallatine
#reluctantreaderreads
#advancedreadercopies
#NetGalley

This book is so full of twists and turns, it will make your head spin! In 1992, Sarah Lingate was tragically found dead while on vacation with her family in Capri. The Lingates are old money, powerful and not to be messed with. in fact, they return to Capri every year on the anniversary of Sarah's death to the same villa, to prove to the world that they are not at fault.
However, all is not right in the House of Lingate. Helen Lingate, daughter of Sarah, chafing at her familial binds, has concocted a scheme with her uncle Marcus's assistant, Lorna Moreno, to extract money (and thus freedom for Helen) by blackmail. This seems simple until Lorna herself goes missing and is found dead.
Told in dueling timelines and from Helen and Lorna's POVs, along with Sarah's before her death, Saltwater will leave you dizzy and still thinking of this story days later. Unputdownable.

*Special thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine for this digital e-arc.*

Set on Capri, the landscape and environment absolutely lend character and ambiance to this one! I love a story that really feels like it inhabits the setting, and I also really enjoy the messy lives of rich people (and hopefully watching them getting taken down), so this one delivers. I appreciated the differing perspectives offered in the story between Helen and Lorna, and the occasional others that pop up and provide context. I preferred this one to the author's last book, but both of these books are really great at atmosphere.

Thirty years ago on the island of Capri a young mother who was on vacation with her family was found at the bottom of the cliffs of the rented villa. Every year the family still comes to Capri for a week to vacation. When the daughter of the victim was old enough she started attending as well. Having only been three when her mother died, Helen has few memories of her mother, and her father and the rest of the family will not talk about her. Even tho it was deemed an accident, rumors have followed the family ever since. Now Helen with the help of her friend Lorna, is determined to find out about what really happened to her mother. What Helen learns is that nothing she has been told is the truth, and no one is who they seem to be. And by the time the vacation comes to an end, there are multiple deaths, and most of the lies are exposed, but still not all.

Synopsis: The mysterious death of Sarah Lingate on Capri in 1992 still haunts her family 30 years later. During their annual family retreat to the island, Sarah’s daughter Helen searches for the truth about her mother’s death, but not before another body washes ashore.

Thoughts: The standout of this book is the gorgeous and moody atmosphere of the cliff side villa on the island of Capri. It makes for a stunning backdrop to the twisty murder mystery, which is a very, very slow burn. I will say I was blown away by the twists, though! The rich people behaving badly trope is actually done so well here, but I just don’t think it’s for me right now. I didn’t connect to any of the characters and wasn’t invested in what happened to them. TL;DR I loved the setting and premise, but the execution fell a bit flat for me.

Read this if you like:
🌊 rich people behaving badly
🌊 Capri
🌊 murder mystery
🌊 dual timeline
🌊 slow burn suspense
🌊 multi pov

"Maybe we are all ruins, enduring against the permanence of the sea, the sun, our grief."

This atmospheric thriller takes us to the stunning cliffs of Capri, where the Lingate family's annual vacation is starts to unravel when Sarah's necklace—missing since her fatal fall 30 years ago—mysteriously reappears.
The quote above perfectly captures the book's blend of stunning setting and emotional weight as the Lingate family confronts their buried past. While the gorgeous Capri setting creates a perfect backdrop for this family drama filled with secrets and tension, the execution doesn't quite live up to its potential. The multiple timelines and perspectives, which should have enhanced the mystery, often felt disjointed, leaving me flipping back to figure out which character was narrating. The pacing dragged in places, with some chapters feeling like unnecessary filler that could have been trimmed for a tighter story.
The Lingates themselves are not particularly likeable—a wealthy family harboring dark secrets—but this actually works in the book's favor, creating an unsettling dynamic that fuels the mystery. What truly shines is the final reveal, which I didn't see coming and thought was masterfully executed.
Despite its flaws, the atmospheric setting, family drama, and surprising conclusion make this a solid beach read. I'd definitely try another book by this author, though I wish this one had been about 10% shorter and more carefully structured.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review - 3.5 stars rounded to 4

Saltwater by Katy Hays was a solid read! It kept me on my toes throughout, and the ending was satisfying. A well-paced, engaging story that kept me hooked.

I was invited to read this book on Net Gallery a few months back. I thought it sounded right up my alley; a mystery/ suspense set in Capri? Yes, please. I held off on accepting it until I was sure I'd have time to read it before publication (I may have requested too many March/ April releases 😅)

This was definitely slow moving. I had a little bit of difficulty getting into the flow of it till the story and characters settled. You have Lorna's POV timestamped leading up to her disappearance, Helen's POV in the present time, and Sarah's (Helen's mom) POV timestamped in the past and leading up to her death. It's clear that Lorna has some secrets and suspicious reasons for working with the Lingates, and Helen... Poor Helen. For living a life of luxury, she's been so isolated and basically imprisoned by her family. At times, I had to keep reminding myself that Helen was in her 30's because it felt like she was merely a young adult with her family. The Lingates' suffocation was equally palpable in Sarah's storyline.

As the storylines all start to merge in a way, I could feel my adrenaline increase for answers. Was Sarah's death an accident or murder? Did something happen to Lorna, or did she disappear of her own volition? Could Helen find a way to finally make it out from under her family's clutches? Part 2 provided those answers as well as some new POV's and twists, but the storyline and my interest just seemed to dwindle again. All in all, this was an ok (but not great) read for me, and the setting was my favorite part. May be more of a hit for others though!

Saltwater by Katy Hays ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The writing and setting were everything in this one. I was pulled into this slow-burn mystery and enjoyed the slow pace until the very end.

This one embodied the ‘rich people behaving badly’ trope. Don’t expect to love the characters because they were all horrible in their own way. Don’t expect a quick, twisty thriller. This one was slow and clever, letting readers marinate in the Italian atmosphere filled with dark secrets and paranoia.

This read is perfect for readers looking for a summertime, leisurely read by the pool, fans of slow burn, atmospheric reads, and fans of rich people behaving badly.

Thank you NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC.

Saltwater is the title of the never-published play by playwright Sarah Lingate. Wife to well-known “old money”, Richard Lingate, she dies on a trip to Capri under questionable circumstances. Filed an accidental death or suicide, 30 years go by before her story re-emerges during her surviving families yearly trip to the same villa.

My summary from above couldn’t be farther from what I got out of this novel. While this was the premise, the storyline took many different turns. Using multiple POVs and past/present/future timelines, it was easy to get lost in the monotony of “setting the stage” and filling in of all character aspects. The twist(s) were amazing and unexpected (and a little unbelievable), but you really have to push through the first 85% of the book to make it there. Overall, I think people will enjoy the book, but it wasn’t my cup of cappuccino.

This was a gripping thriller that masterfully blends suspense, mystery, and the stunning allure of Italy. Set against the stunning backdrop of Capri, the novel follows the unexpected journey of a young woman who is trying to figure out the real background of her mothers's death. But what begins as a routine investigation quickly spirals into a maze of secrets, lies, and chilling revelations.

The author's vivid and warm descriptions of Italy make the setting a character in its own right, with the "salt water" and the beautiful background creating an eerie contrast to the tension and danger lurking beneath the surface. The story takes full advantage of Italy's rich history, blending old-world charm with modern-day intrigue.

The plot is filled with twists and turns surprising you around all the corners. Just when you think you’ve figured out where things are heading, a new twist completely upends the narrative, making it impossible to put the book down. Whether it's the enigmatic locals with their own dark pasts or the sudden appearance of unexpected story turns, this book kept me on my toes!

One of the standout elements of the book is its fast-paced, unpredictable structure. Every chapter leaves you with more questions than answers, and the tension builds to a thrilling crescendo. The final twist is utterly satisfying, tying together seemingly disparate threads into an interesting conclusion that is both surprising and thought-provoking.

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

While I found it a bit rough to start - lots of POV and timeframes to adjust to at the start - I did end up really enjoying the entertainment value it offered!

Lorna has joined a very rich family on a vacation. She's gone from friends with the daughter to the uncle's assistant. But the family is not an ordinary family. They go back to this same island, year after year, to try to prove to everyone that years ago - when the wife of one of the brothers fell to her death - that the family had nothing to do with it.

But this trip is different. Helen, the daughter, and Lorna, the assistant - they have some surprises for the family. I found the beginning to be a bit slow as you are introduced to many POV and the two timelines. I did appreciate the little bits of articles and information and I loved when they shed new light on the story and not just a re-telling of what we already knew.

I did find the twists in the end to be entertaining even if I struggled to find them believable. Sometimes the fun is in the sheer shock and awe - the twists were fun and the ending had a great pace and conclusion.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Loved from start to finish! I am in awe by the writing and the prose, and the story. I am so obbsessed with all of the characters, and the main character despite everything has redeeming and enduring qualities.

Saltwater by Katy Hays was just not enough for me to enjoy. I did love the descriptions of Capri, it sounds like a beautiful place but I would not enjoy being there with such obnoxious people. The writing was great but I just couldn’t enjoy the book. I felt like so much detail made things more confusing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Saltwater is a mystery thriller set on the island of Capri featuring rich people behaving badly, a dysfunction and lots of secrets. I enjoyed the atmospheric setting, but found the story to be lacking. I never really connected to any of the main characters and was bored by this book. It did have two great twists at the very end, but it wasn’t near enough to bump up my rating! ⁣

Three stars!
⁣⁣
⁣Thanks to @Netgalley and the publisher for an ACR of Saltwater. This one publishes on March 25, 2025.

This was like the perfect summer mystery and it had so many plot twists I genuinely did not see coming. I throughly enjoyed this book. If you love slow burn mysteries you should definitely pick this book up, it was fun.

Who doesn’t love reading about rich family mystery and drama. Intriguing from the very first page. This family drama keeps unfolding and the twists and turns keep coming. I was shocked the whole last quarter of the book but loved the outcome.

Saltwater is an interesting thriller full of family drama. I thought that the setting of Italy and how the author described it was wonderful. But overall the book was a little too slow paced for me. I did enjoy all of the twists at the end of the book though!
Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC!

This atmospheric book went well with my beach trip this week. My location looked a little different than the beautiful Mediterranean. This intense cat and mouse thriller is told through several POVs. In 1992, Sarah Lingate was found dead below the cliffs of their vacation home in Capri. Ruled an accident, the town's people and some close acquaintances beg to differ, but no one goes against the Lingates. Richard Lingate was left to take care of his 3 year old daughter Helen. He had been seen arguing with Sarah at a dinner party over her playwrights she loves to write. With him and his brother Marcus's power, they can manipulate the truth. Their greed and deceit changes a situation to benefit them. The controlling entitlement of this family 30 years after Sarah's death, still rings loud in the ears of many even their daughter. Helen is guarded and protected from the outside and unable to speak with anyone about her mother's death.
The Lingates return yearly to Capri for Sarah's death anniversary. Helen is able to spend time with Lorna, uncle Marcus's assistant. Lorna's efforts to retrieve information about Sarah's death for Helen is suspicious. The necklace Sarah was wearing when she died appears in a box gifted to the Lingates from an anonymous person. Will this information prove to be deadly when Helen and Lorna plot a multi-million plan for them to get away? When Lorna goes missing, you know not to trust anyone.
Outstanding job by this author. I loved the tension, characterization and setting as I visualized each.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

-Rich people behaving badly and using privilege as both shield and sword? Check.
-Complicated family dynamics (including a decades-old unsolved murder)? Check.
-Sunny Capri setting that makes you want to don a pair of Audrey Hepburn sunglasses and charter a yacht? Check.
-Slow-burn suspense with dual timelines and multiple POVs? Check.

I loved Katy Hays’ debut, THE CLOISTERS, and was so excited to get an ARC of her sophomore novel. While I liked it, I didn’t love it - I had a difficult time with the cast of unlikeable characters, the slowness of the mystery, and the dual timeline was a little confusing.

I still think this will be a hot book of the summer and that there will be plenty of love for it - definitely give it a chance if you like family drama, gorgeous seaside settings, and slower-paced mysteries.

Pub Date: 3/25/25
Review Published: 3/23/25
eARC provided at no cost by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.