I was absolutely transported by this novel. I could hear the water lapping the cliffs in Capri: the blue water, salt air, taste the cocktails…
Loved the story. It did jump a lot between timelines and povs, but I did not mind.
It’s a rich people doing bad things kind of tale and some people love it some people hate it. Overall, I thought the wrong was great and loved the story. I really wish that the play Saltwater was included in the book to read. Could have been juicy.

It is definitely salty! I have to give major kudos to the author. I read a lot of suspense/thriller books, but this one got me. I really feel like I should have seen it coming, but there were - not one - but two delicious twists that I never anticipated. Well done!

The story moves from 1992 to the present day in the life of the Lingate family on the island of Capri. They are an old-money family with brothers Richard and Marcus at the helm. Richard’s wife Sarah was found dead at the bottom of the cliffs of the island in 1992. The death was ruled an accident, but none of the locals believe that.

In the current day, Sarah’s daughter Helen has arrived on the island with the entire family and her friend, Lorna, who is her uncle’s assistant. All Helen wants is to leave the iron grip of the Lingates, and she has enlisted Lorna to help. But the entire time, the family is haunted by the past.
When Lorna disappears, old suspicions are reignited.

The book is incredibly well-written, and the transition from past tense to present is seamless. I thought the characters were very diverse and perfectly defined. Helen was an easy person to love and sympathize with. I felt immersed in the beauty of the island, her descriptions were precise without being overdone. Again, I didn’t see the ending coming and I appreciate that very much. I’ll be reading more of her work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing- Ballentine for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I just couldn't get into this one. It was hard to keep the characters straight. The writing style is great, but the storyline was just a little convoluted for me.

****8/20/24**** Finished this up on a recent trip and really liked it. You get a rich family, deep psychological drama/mystery, layer upon layer of secrets and family drama - all set in sparkling exotic Capris. I didn't see the finish coming at all. A little darker than I might have liked, but very good. 4+ stars and thank you, NetGalley!

**** 8/4/24 **** Thank you, NetGalley, for a pre-release ARC of Saltwater to read and review. This is a mystery/thriller set in beautiful Capri, Italy, that I've just dived into. Well-written with a female protagonist working for a wealthy family, but she has also secretly befriended the daughter in the family who referred her for the job. It is hard to tell who the allies are vs. foes, although clearly the girl's father and his brother look like the bad guys. But what about the daughter's boyfriend? And what really happened to the girl's mother so many years ago??? I'm only 20% in so I'll have to report back, but very good so far! Fellow netgalley reviewers - request this one - not due for publishing until 3/25/25.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

Family dynamics. Even the wealthy have difficult family dynamics. Helen Lingate was raised in the comfort of her wealthy family. The family was very close-knit, insular even. In 1992, Helen's mother, Sarah, died after falling off the cliffs near the family vacation home. The police had suspects but no one was ever convicted of the murder. On the 30th anniversary of Sarah's death, the family returns to the lovely retreat at Capri. Joining the family are Helen's boyfriend, Freddy, and Uncle Marcus's assistant, Lorna. During dinner on the first night on Capri, a box arrives addressed to Helen. Inside the box is the necklace that her mother was said to be wearing when she fell to her death. The appearance of this necklace triggers the unraveling of Helen's father, Richard, her uncle, and her aunt who were all present when her mother died. The necklace had never been recovered, its sudden re-appearance dredges up everyone's actions that fateful night.

Saltwater is a mystery and a psychological thriller. Katy Hays takes readers on a journey that will confuse and surprise them. Each member of the group on Capri has secrets and over time many of them are revealed. It is how the secrets fit together that offers surprises in this story. Needless to say, don't take anything at face value. Katy Hays shows the complicated nature of families and how secret-keeping is only one aspect of families. I did anticipate a couple of surprises in the book but the ending demonstrated Hays's ability to keep the twists and turns coming. Hays is an imaginative author who places herself firmly in the ranks of psychological thriller authors.

This book is officially one of my favorite reads I have ever consumed in my entire life. The writing style draws you in immediately. The beautiful setting where this novel takes place seems so peaceful and so stunning, while such horrible things are happening. You never know who's watching...

This novel is about Sarah Lingate's tragic death in 1992 and the annual return of her family to the scene, desperate to prove it was an accident.

Where the story really pulled me in is the discovery of Sarah's necklace on the thirtieth anniversary of her death, which acts as a catalyst for the unraveling of long-buried truths, shattering the façade of the Lingates' family bond. The suspense builds as Helen, Sarah's daughter, builds a relationship with Lorna Moreno, a family assistant, in a desperate bid for freedom from her suffocating family. But as Lorna's mysterious disappearance adds a fresh layer of tension, the story plunges into a thrilling investigation that threatens to expose everyone on Capri that fateful night.

While I don’t usually like when a story jumps around from past to present, Hays skillfully interweaves both, slowly unraveling a web of intrigue that keeps the reader on edge until the very last page.

Overall, the atmospheric setting makes this novel stand out for me. The island of Capri, with its cliffs and villas, becomes almost a character, reflecting the isolation and danger permeating the Lingates' lives. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love novels with richly detailed settings.

It's a slow burn, but it is done so well.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved loved the cloisters so I knew I would want to request this book. I loved it, all the descriptions of capri and just how it sounded like heaven was amazing and then the mystery of it all was amazing.

Saltwater by Katy Hays is the story of the Lingate family, and the death that haunts them. In the early 90s, when she was just a toddler, Helen Lingate’s mother plunged off a cliff in Capri. This story is the one that comes to define the wealthy family, and they mark the anniversary yearly with a pilgrimage to Italy. Joining them this year is Lorna, an assistant of Helen’s uncle who has become friendly with her. When a box is sent anonymously to the Lingates’s that contains the necklace Helen’s mother was wearing when she died, things deteriorate quickly and new questions emerge. When Lorna disappears, Helen’s doubts about her family go into overdrive and she wonders what they are hiding about the present, and the past.

Told in alternating points of view, first from Helen and Lorna, and eventually adding in many of the POVs of the other characters, the story twists and turns, slowly chipping away at the core mysteries.

I loved this book. From the way new clues gradually unfurled to the questions that emerge with every revelation, to the glittering scenery in Capri, it was so well plotted and deftly written. I wholeheartedly recommend you pick up a copy of Saltwater and dive into the Lingate’s scandalous world.

I received this free advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

I loved Saltwater, the sophomore novel by Katy Hays, author of The Cloisters. The story is set in fabulous Capri, summer home of the rich and decadent. There are multiple timelines, primarily switching between the present and a summer years ago, when Sarah Lingate disappeared, and then her body washed up on the island’s shore. Her family, including her husband, his brother and sister-in-law, and her now-grown daughter, Helen, still vacation on Capri every summer. They are an odd bunch, even for the ultra-rich, due to their tight control over everything, especially the life of Helen. The story is told from the viewpoints of multiple narrators, capturing the various facets of the family and their associates, and how they dealt with Sarah’s death and moved on from it, when new information comes to light. I loved the way in which the tale unfolded and how each character learned what really happened. Hays has the ability to make you feel very uncomfortable about these characters and their actions—and I mean that in the best possible way. The twists are outstanding, and this book is destined to become a summer classic. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to provide an honest review.

Absolutely loved this! I started and finished it in just over 24 hours because I couldn’t put it down. I thought I had things figured out but I was wrong. Very suspenseful and well written minus a few typos here and there.

With its glitz and glamour, the island of Capri is the perfect setting for a murder mystery centered around a wealthy dysfunctional family. I really enjoyed the setting and could picture the gorgeous blue of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the steps leading up to the villas! Katy Hays is a great writer and the pacing moved along nicely, and I enjoyed the multiple POVs in the past and present. I did find myself struggling to connect with the main characters, some of whom seemed a bit flat. There were a few tiny errors in the Italian, which I am sure will be corrected in the final. (Also, I've actually never read The Cloisters and plan to check it out.)

It's a slow burn thriller that you'll think you've figured out...until you're wrong. There are characters you'll love to hate, ones you're rooting for, but no one you can trust - the best kind of mix for a great thriller. The setting plays a huge role and just like the characters, it's moneyed and unknowable with a dark underside.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this ARC before publication! All opinions are my own.

"Saltwater" was an exhilarating read that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Katy Hays masterfully intertwines themes of family loyalty, betrayal, and the haunting grip of past traumas. As the layers of deception are peeled back, I was enthralled by the complex dynamics within the Lingate family, each member seemingly harboring their own secrets and motivations.

The atmospheric setting of Capri adds an absolutely beautiful, yet ominous, touch to the story, contrasting the breathtaking views with the dark history surrounding Sarah's death. I found myself invested in Helen's journey of self-discovery as she navigated the treacherous waters of her family's legacy and sought the truth.

With twists and turns that surprised me, "Saltwater" is not just a thriller but a profound exploration of family bonds—how love can warp into possession and how the past can shape our futures. I highly recommend this novel to fans of psychological thrillers and those who enjoy a good mystery wrapped in a rich narrative. It serves as a poignant reminder that in the most glamorous settings, darkness often lurks just beneath the surface

DNF 20% into reading Saltwater. I expected a more fast-paced, high stakes thriller, but it was more of a slower family drama. The premise sounded very intriguing, but the actual characters and plot felt very shallow and repetitive to other “rich family thrillers/dramas” that I’ve read. While I did enjoy the writing, the pacing and lack of interesting characters didn’t hook me enough to continue reading. Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine for the arc!

Review of Advance Reader’s Copy

The 1992 death of up-and-coming playwright Sarah Lingate below the cliffs of Capri was declared an accident . . . and now, every year, on the anniversary of her death, the Lingate family returns to Capri. Helen, who was three years old at the time of her mother’s death, has been controlled by the family since that night.

On the thirtieth anniversary of Sarah’s death, the family, as always, returns to Capri. But things are different this year: Helen and a family assistant, Lorna Moreno, plot their escape from the family. But everyone has secrets . . . and when Lorna disappears, the investigation into Sarah’s death is reopened.

What really happened that night? And why did Lorna disappear?

=========

Told from the points of view of three women: Helen, Lorna, and, in the past, Sarah, the unfolding story is filled with plot twist and turns, keeping readers guessing as intriguing characters and dark, long-held secrets about the powerful Lingate family are revealed.

Anchored by its strong sense of place, the narrative pulls the reader into the telling of the tale of Sarah’s death. Was it at the hand of a family member, as many suspect? Or was it truly an accident?

Readers who enjoy family drama, who like stories of the rich and influential, will find much to appreciate here in this tale of death and power that races toward a denouement that readers simply won’t see coming.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine / Ballantine Books and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#Saltwater #NetGalley

Saltwater by Katy Hays is a debut novel that explores themes of family, identity, and the search for belonging against the backdrop of the British coastline. While the story has a lot going for it, I found it took some time before I was truly captivated by the characters.

Hays’ writing is undeniably poetic, and her attention to detail brings the setting to life. However, it wasn’t until the second half of the book that I felt a real connection with the characters. Early on, the narrative felt distant, with Lucy’s introspective nature and the slow pace of the story making it difficult to fully engage with her struggles. It’s only as the plot deepens and Lucy’s relationships with the locals become more complex that the characters started to resonate with me.

While the first half of the book may feel slow, the payoff is worth it. Hays gradually peels back the layers of her characters, revealing their depth and vulnerability. By the time I reached the latter part of the story, I was fully invested in Lucy’s journey and the fates of those around her.

In conclusion, Saltwater is a thoughtfully crafted novel that rewards patience. Although it took time for the characters to draw me in, Hays’ evocative prose and the novel’s strong sense of place ultimately made for a compelling read. It’s a promising debut, particularly for readers who enjoy stories that focus on internal growth and the quiet complexities of life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

The book is an exciting thriller that switches from the past to present. It took me a while to figure out if I was in the past or present several times times, but as the book progressed, it was easier to distinguish past from present.

I really enjoyed this thrillet/mystery and recommend without hesitation.

The powerful Lingate Family of California returns each year to the island of Capri to the same villa at which Sarah Lingate, an upcoming playwright, supposedly fell to her death 30 years before. Her daughter, Helen has been controlled by the family for the last 30 years and she wants out. Helen wants a normal life away from her rich, famous and powerful family and friends. Conspiring with her uncle's assistant, Lorna, Helen plots a way for her to finally become her own woman but when Lorna is found dead, Helen must assume that one of her family members learned of their scheme and killed her. With her mother's tragic death at the base of the famous Capri cliffs once again on her mind, Helen tries to figure out which family members are telling the truth about that fateful night and who is lying to cover their tracks.
With numerous alibis, numerous motives and plenty of lies author Hays keeps readers guessing until the shocking end. Will Helen discover who killed her mother 30 years ago or will Helen end up just like her?