This one was just ok . I felt it could have done with some editing as there were to many characters and that plot progress ion was clunky but I did like the setting
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review book

4.5 stars. That was crazy good, with the emphasis on crazy! Just when you are certain you know where this is going, you realize you're only half-way through and there are at least a dozen different reveals yet to come. This is a story about rich people behaving badly, but within their own familly to protect their reputations. I've often said that I don't think I'd want to be obscenely rich. All I ever wanted was to go to the store and be able to buy what I wanted/needed without having to rearrange my entire life!! I can't imagine the amount of stress having all the monies would cause with the constant worry about losing it all and having to change your entire way of life. But, I digress. This is told in several POV's, which I enjoyed as the story unfolded. If you like watching wealthy people eat their own, you will enjoy this one!!

There is nothing I love more than a mystery/thriller about a rich family. The secrets!! The betrayals!! The family drama!!! I am sat. It was a slower start but as the twists were revealed I found myself not being able to put it down!! I am so excited for it to come out. I think a lot of people will love this!!! Also lowkey want to go to Capri now…

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for trusting me when an ARC of Saltwater by Katy Hays. Saltwater is about a wealthy family determined to protect its public position while struggling with the mysterious death a wife and mother, Sarah, in 1992 in Capri. Sarah's death was investigated but never solved. The book begins in the present day as the remaining family members and an assistant, are on vacation in Capri. Sarah's adult daughter wants to know what happened to her mother. The book goes back and forth in time between 1992 and present day to tell the story of this family and what led to Sarah's death. Despite going back and forth in time and the story being told from different perspectives, the book was easy to follow. It took me a while to get into this book but, once I did, I was impressed with how the story unfolds and the ending is certainly one that you will not forget.

I gave this book four stars rather than five for two reasons, it was a little slow in the beginning and some of the things that happen to Sarah, I don't believe are realistic. Overall, a good read full of family drama and secrets revealed.

Such a good read that I enjoyed! I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

Helen grew up with her over protective family not giving her answers about the death of her mother on vacation, ruled accidental by the police. When she befriends Lorna, her uncle's assistant, she wants answers and Lorna is willing to help her but things fall apart, Lorna's disappearance mirrors her mother's leaving Helen with even more questions.

It was not a mystery in that there are no true clues to discover but it is mysterious and the ending is not what I expected but it is perhaps because I wasn't reading it as I normally read mysteries but it was enjoyable and exciting!

Saltwater, by Katy Hays, is a thriller filled with plot twists that kept me guessing until the very end. The Lingates, a storied family with skeletons in their closet, vacation on Capri every year, despite the fact that their family member Sarah died there mysteriously many years ago. Now her daughter Helen is uncovering family secrets while keeping some of her own. I really enjoyed this book, even though none of the characters were at all likable. What a riveting thriller!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC; all opinions are my own.

I have very mixed feelings about this book.

When Helen was 3 her moth died on the island of Capri. Helen is a Lingate, a prestigious old wealth family. The Lingates will go to great lengths to hide the truth.

The book was hard to get into, i was thrown into the middle of the story and struggled to keep track of characters and understand what was happening. However, the last half of the book was enthralling as the story kept unraveling at a steady but captivating pace. I found myself tied to some characters but others I did not care for. While the ending was somewhat guessable, I enjoyed it nonetheless.

On a side note, I love the facts about Capri and the islands of Italy!

This book is the perfect beach read! It hooked me from the start but then was a little slow in part 1 of the book, Once it picked up in the second half I didn't want to put it down. There were a couple twists that genuinely surprised me. The characters were complex and a bit unlikeable but the story was unique and kept me engaged. I loved how the author added a few additional points of view as the book went on to reveal what happened to Sarah Lingate.

Edited this review, because I am realizing this book stuck with me. I read a lot of books, and it is rare that I am surprised by books and the turns they take. When I have been talking to my fellow book lovers I have told them to grab this book when it is out!

The Lingate family seem to be very rich and very secretive. They have always seemed that way and when Sarah married into the family she found out just how secretive and controlling they are.

It’s 1992 and Sarah’s body is found on the rocks. No one is arrested. The family has closed ranks. Her daughter, Helen, is only three years old and has a lot of questions thirty years later as the family arrives back at the house on Capri.
That seems rather morbid.

With the help of an assistant to one of her uncles, Lorna, Helen has plans to confront her family and escape all of them.

There were so many despicable characters in this book! All acting so badly!

The story was slow and repetitive in the middle but as expected in the end.


NetGalley/ RHPG/Ballentine March 25, 2025

ARC - Received from NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group for review. To be published March 25, 2025.

Saltwater does what I feel like many books in the genre fail to do these days: truly keep you guessing and invested. Some books you can see the character intentions and reveals right away, while Saltwater takes it’s time laying out every piece without giving you everything you need to complete the puzzle before the book is done.

It stars simple enough, with the gorgeous scenery of Capri as a background: The Rich; with their family secrets and the lengths they are willing to go to protect their own, themselves. While the narrative can feel slow at times - I felt that it only helped keeping me on edge, immersed in what was happening throughout the book and I kept trying to guess what the twists would be, only for the author to completely knock down every theory I had. I truly did not expect the ending, but it did such a wonderful job that I was truly appalled when I finished the book but completely satisfied.

This was an amazing read and I cannot wait to discover what else Katy Hays has to offer, truly one of my favorite authors now.

5 stars for this absolute gem! So much to love about "Saltwater" by Katy Hays. Thriller, family saga, lavish vacations on the Isle of Capri and a deep dive into the depravity of an uber wealthy, old money family that you will love to hate. Very "Succession" like characters.

The Lingate family, who returns to the island of Capri every summer because of or in spite of the fact that one of the daughter's in law fell to her death from the cliffs 30 years prior, leaving behind her husband and 3 year old daughter Helen. Adult Helen is determined to untangle herself from her family but their grip on her is tight. She is monitored 24/7 and while coming from a very wealthy clan is controlled by the short leash and allowance they give her. For this year's pilgrimage back to Capri she enlists a confidant (Lorna) who also happens to be her uncle's assistant in the family "business" and they hatch a plan to escape the family with enough money to secure their freedom.

Let's just say things don't go the way they were planned and Helen gets a lesson in just how far her family will go to protect themselves and their reputations. Twists and turns abound and I hope you'll be as shocked by the ending as I was. Just perfect I every way.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

2 1/2 stars. The wealthy Lingate family vacations on Capri every summer, even though Sarah, one of the sisters-in-law, died in a tragic accident 32 years prior. I'm not sure why I didn't like the book more than I did. It's the kind of story I like - a family drama, where everyone has secrets. The description sounded good enough, but the author made the story too mysterious at the beginning. I felt like I'd been dropped into the middle of a story, rather than the beginning of one - the author mentioned too many provocative situations, and there was too much to keep track of at first. I figured something big would happen, and it did, around 85% into the story, but by then I didn't care much for any of the characters. Many thanks to NetGalley, Ms. Hays, and Ballantine Books for the ARC of this title.

The book wasn’t poorly written, but at times I had a hard time staying with it. It was very slow, somewhat flat, and wandered off at times; that’s when I had a hard time knowing what was going on. The storyline was dark and very complex, but it was not a page-turner. I did not really connect with any of the characters, and that’s probably why I couldn’t keep them straight. The ending was very contrived, and I wasn’t crazy about it. I do, however, appreciate that the author put solid research into the setting.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Saltwater.

I liked this book. I love the different point of views and the only thing I wasn’t really a fan of was the extreme slow burn. It was very intriguing and you had enough of the right information to put things together.

I really loved this book.

The Story is intriguing and gives just enough information to help the reader put together all of the pieces. The pace is just right and I enjoyed every minute reading this book.

I also love the time hops from 1992 to present to a few hours before. It really adds dimension to the story.

This book follows the Lingate family, specifically Helen. She is part of a family with a lot of money and a lot of secrets, especially after the unsolved murder of her mother on the island of Capri in '92.

This book reads like a mystery-thriller slash who-done-it but with more depth. Every one is out to protect themselves and it culminates in drama and surprise. Every single character will have his/her life turned upside-down, the only question is, who will make it out alive?

This is a great summer read and I recommend it!


Thanks Random House-Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a very slow burn. This thriller/mystery focuses a lot more on family dynamics, money, and interpersonal relationships. I liked the multiple POV / time frames, which helped keep the story interesting since it did take a bit to pick up. The ending was a ridiculous for me, and you definitely need to suspend your belief, but it was very entertaining nonetheless. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for the eARC!

Richard and Marcus are the two brothers at the helm of the Lingate family. Marcus is married to Naomi, and Richard is a widow, previously married to Sarah, with a daughter - Helen. The Lingates come from old money, and have never known what it’s like to be without it or the lack of power you have, without it.

Years ago (1992), while on a family vacation to the island of Capri, an accident befalls the Lingate family. Sarah is found, washed up on the rocks of the island - dead. Helen, a young child (who’s with not much memory of her mother), is left with only her father, Richard, to rely on. The Italian police spend many months doing an inquiry in the death and -surprise to no one- the Lingate’s are free of any wrongdoing.

Fast forward, and the family is vacationing on Capri. These yearly vacations together are often heartened toward remembrance of Sarah. This year, however, Marcus invites his long-term assistant, Lorna - not because he’s romantically interested in her - but because he wants to show her the power of old money.

There are a lot of mysteries when you dig into families like the Lingates. Mysteries they’d rather pay to stay hidden. Who killed Sarah? Is Lorna on Capri to try to uncover the mystery of Sarah’s death or to just be an obedient employee? What other family secrets have been left/kept on the island of Capri over the years and what avalanche of horror starts to be uncovered as the veil unravels?

This captivating novel serves up a deliciously complex cocktail of old money, family intrigue, and twisted mystery, set against the breathtaking backdrop of Capri's picturesque landscape. As the story unfolds, dark secrets, lies, and betrayals abound, weaving a tangled web of deceit that will keep you on the edge of your seat. With its lush island setting and scandalous undertones, this book embodies the essence of a sultry summer escape, perfect for fans of juicy family dramas and gripping mysteries. But be prepared for a slow-burning, character-driven mystery that focuses on the intricate web of family relationships and secrets.

Started and finished this book in one day! Great thriller to snuggle up with on the beach! Definitely will recommend to friends!