⭐️: 3 / 5

Publication Date: March 25, 2025

I want to thank Ballantine and Net Galley for allowing me to get an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The first chapter does a great job of setting the scene and the minds of each of the characters surrounding the events which took place in Capri 30 years earlier.

Some of the coolest aspects of this story, were the article snippets that were sprinkled into the story. Adding even further context as the story developed. The setting was very romantic despite this being a mystery for 2 women’s disappearances.

As for my issues with the story, all the characters are unlikable. I didn’t really feel bad for any of these people even the victims with their rich people and party girl problems. One of the major plot points is never resolved by the time the end rolls around. Additionally, one of the big reveals at the end is heavily alluded to throughout the story which made it feel pretty obvious once it was confirmed.

Overall I think this book was okay. The unlikable characters work for a family drama story centered around an ‘old money’ family. While this is the perfect combination for some juicy drama, it took me out of the story. I recommend people give this book a try even though it didn’t work for me.

Would recommend for those who are fans of
- Nonlinear timelines
- Capri setting
- Beach-y read
- Character driven narrative

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review. This likely would have been a 4-star read but the ending was disappointing. I could have believed one dead body's mistaken identity, but not two!! Overall, Hays is a good writer and she nailed the setting and the messy, wealthy family perfectly. I just wish the ending had been handled differently.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC!

This book was exactly what I expected White Lotus to be before I realized that while it's a great show, there's just drama and not much thriller. This instead was a perfect balance. It's full on rich people drama with a ton of thriller.

The twists and turns were a lot of fun, I did have a suspicion they could happen but there were still parts I did not expect.

I really enjoyed all the POV in the book as well. We're the characters likeable? No but they weren't supposed to be.

This really is a great read for summer vacations, to dream of vacation in Italy, with maybe a few less missing people though.

I received an advance reading copy (arc) of this book from the publisher and NetGalley.com in exchange for a fair review. The Island of Capri was an ideal setting for this novel so I started reading it with high hopes, which were soon dashed. There are many reasons why I didn't care for this book even though it started off on a positive note. The timeframe jumped from chapter to chapter and character to character, which made it hard to follow--at least for me. And, believe it or not, there were just too many twists and turns until the story became not only monotonous, but unbelievable. The rich folks were not likeable or sympathetic (including Helen Lingate, the main character) while the working class folks were even less so. Murders, affairs, illegitimate children, and other such mayhem ensued. Everyone seemed to wear a mask and were not who they appeared to be. Sadly, this story was not my cup of tea.

Wow. This book is filled with murder, mystery, suspense, and set on Capri, Italy. It follows Lorna who is an assistant to Marcus Lingate, a family who is wealthy with old money. She follows the Linagtes on vacation to Italy, where they return to every year despite their family member, Sara Lingate's, tragic death. Sara's death haunts the family and still remains a mystery if she was murdered.
This book is multiple POV, Lorna, Helen, Sara, and Naomi. I personally would have liked it more if there was less of Helen's POV and more of Sara's POV, which is why I gave it 4 stars.
The plot was very well thought out, suspense filling, and kept me at the edge of my seat. I didn't want to put it down. It's a story within a story and finding out why the book is called Saltwater is genius!
I had multiple theories of how the ending could play out and who killed Sara; but the twist at the end I did not see coming. If you love a summer setting filled with murder mystery then you'll love this.
Thank you to Amy Jackson and Random House Publishing Group for providing me an eARC through NetGalley.

What do you get when you take a 30 year old murde, an island and a wealthy family with serious secrets. Well when the murder victim wants answers it all crashes together for a great read. The characters are amazing but some of the chapters felt unnecessary. But over all I loved the twist, found myself second guessing my own conclusions and floored by what was really happening.

I didn't realize until very recently that this author also wrote The Cloisters so perhaps this is my fault. I shouldn't have requested it. Just like with The Cloisters, I don't think this book is bad. But it is just not for me. Hays strength is definitely her settings. I think she does a great job with that.

This book kept me engaged with its unpredictable plot, which I really appreciated. I also enjoyed the authors writing style, and the beautiful imagery of Capri. However, I was disappointed by the way women were treated as throwaway characters, often in ways that made no real sense. The main characters lacked depth and had no redeeming qualities, making it hard to connect with or care about their journey. While the story had its strengths, these aspects made it difficult to fully enjoy.

In the world of the rich you are either taking advantage of someone or being taken advantage of. The Lingate family is no exception. ‘Saltwater’ is full of wealthy family drama, dark secrets, and tragedy. Their darkest secrets live on Capri where the family vacations every summer. 30 years ago Helen’s mother’s body was found in the water below steep cliffs. Now, in present day, Helen returns with her family (as they do every July) desperate to learn more about her mother and to find a way out of her isolated controlled life. Soon the tragedies of decades earlier seem to be repeating, putting the family back under a suspicious spotlight.

I enjoyed the multiple perspectives and dual timeline. The writing was descriptive, although drawn out and repetitive at times. I found part 2 to have more psychological depth while reading Helen’s POV. You can feel her spiraling guilt and struggle to trust those closest to her. The ending was full of twist after twist. Overall, the storyline gave me modern Shakespearean vibes and while the ending was exciting and unexpected, the mirroring of past and present to that extent felt over the top.

The cover art is gorgeous and drew me in to request this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date Mar 25 2025

I really liked THE CLOISTERS, and SALTWATER is an excellent follow-up from Katy Hays! With multiple timelines and multiple POVs, in the gorgeous setting of Capri, Italy, Hays teases apart us the inner workings of a wealthy American family on vacation, and the murder that still haunts them decades later. There are White Lotus vibes (complimentary) yet Hays has created a story and world all her own. Will definitely be recommending this to people for summer reads this year!

This book was such a wild ride! Right at the beginning you’re introduced to one of the big events behind the book: Sarah’s death (or murder maybe?). From that point on you get to experience the Lingate family and slowly delve into their secrets. The first half of the book was a little slow to me, but the second half picked up the speed and the shocks. The ways things escalated, anything could’ve happened. I thought I knew how everything would come together but I was definitely wrong. The last few chapters had my jaw dropping! Definitely recommend if you love books with crazy twists, rich families with dark secrets, and unreliable narratives.

This was rich people behaving badly, but from the point of view of an outsider and the a family member starting to see sense. I enjoyed the stop and start way this story was told, keeping me on the edge of my seat until the end.

On the island of Capri, one week a year, the Lingate family returns to their villa. Thirty years ago, Sarah Lingate died on this island. It was ruled an accident, but she left behind her young daughter, Helen, and a whole lot of questions surrounding her death.

What makes this vacation so different for the Lingates? The arrival of the necklace that Sarah was wearing the night that she died. It has everyone in the family on edge. It isn't until a Lingate staff member/assistant/Helen's friend Lorna goes missing that things really start to heat up. Sarah's case is reopened and the Lingate's are squirming. Scandal is something to avoid at all costs.

Each person has their own secrets and motives, giving us this twisty, sun soaked mystery that was so much fun unraveling.

In 1992, Sarah Lingate’s death at the cliffs of Capri was ruled an accident—but the whispers of suspicion never truly faded. Thirty years later, her daughter Helen returns to the family’s villa, only to find Sarah’s long-lost necklace waiting for them. As the past collides with the present, old secrets resurface, and the truth about that fateful night becomes impossible to ignore.

My thoughts:
🌊Can we take a moment for this stunning cover?! It practically screams grab your bestie and book a beach trip immediately!

💰When I first read the description on NetGalley, I was 100% on board for the rich people drama and buried family secrets. But as I dug deeper, the alternating timelines and dual POVs pulled me in even more, adding depth to the mystery and unraveling years of lies, betrayals, and grudges.

🎭Everyone in this book was hiding something and just when I thought I cracked a secret, another twist pulled me deeper into the Lingate family’s web of lies!

⚖️While the setting and family drama were fun to read, I would have loved some more suspense. This felt more like a slow-burning family mystery than a high-intensity thriller.

If you love twisty mysteries packed with family drama, betrayal, and a gorgeous island setting, this one’s worth adding to your TBR. A perfect beach read thriller to grab this summer☀️

Kate’s rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Each year the Lingate family returns to Capri where Sarah Lingate was found dead beneath the cliffs. Questions
still remain as to whether it was an accident or not. As the story progresses more is learned about the family
and their secrets. Surprising revelations lead to more questions.
#Saltwater #RandomHouse #Ballantine #NetGalley

Thanks to Ballantine and Netgalley for this advanced copy!

I love a good mystery with twists and turns and Saltwater certainly provided a plethora of both! You think you are in one murder mystery but no, you are in two, or are you? I loved how the author sets up this family and balances the two timelines to show what really happened in 1992 compared to what we think might be happening in the present day. The island of Capri is a background character for the lives of the Lingates as truths are revealed and choices are made. This definitely had me guessing.

First, the pros of the book: The author successfully created an atmospheric novel, and I think she did an excellent job with the setting. The plot itself is interesting, as well. It makes the reader wonder what happened and what will happen next.

Unfortunately, the way the story was narrated didn't work for me. The multiple perspectives and different timelines worked against the entertainment value. What really made it worse was that the characters needed more unique voices. Using the first-person narration style requires a unique voice or else it will feel confusing.

I often went back to confirm whose perspective I was reading. The jumps in the timelines don’t allow the reader to fully connect with the characters or remain fully engaged with the story. Salt Water had the potential to be a compelling mystery thriller and a favorite read, if not for the drawbacks I mentioned. If you can disregard these shortcomings, you might enjoy the book a lot.

I had such high hopes for Saltwater. The cover is and description caught my attention, but unfortunately, the story couldn’t keep my attention. I found myself having to re-read sections because it was so boring and repetitive. The first part of the book was confusing, and the hints given by the two main characters didn’t help…seemed like they were dangling carrots with the hope the reader would continue reading just to figure out what in the world was going on. The story picked up for the last quarter of the book, but by then, it was too late.

honesty, I'm happy to say this book is over... it truly felt like it was never going to end. I don't think I really liked the story until about 70% into the book and until that point I was pushing myself to get to that point.

slow SLOW burn... I can't say I connected with ANY of the characters and it felt repetitive at times. I couldn't find enough interest into the twists and only felt a breath of relief once it was over.

if you're one to love slow burns with detailed writing, then this is perfect for you

I was really looking forward to picking this one up, but in the end it was just very meh. I loved the setting on Capri, and the author did a nice job of creating a scenic backdrop to the story. But.....for a thriller, this book was just not very exciting. The book was very slow moving (and not in a slow burn way), and I was not overly motivated to keep picking this one up. The ending was weak and messy and not worth wading through the rest of the book for.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for allowing me to review this fun mystery for my honest review. I really enjoyed this twisty book. It’s filled with twists and turns and plenty of rich people drama. I also loved the setting of Capri. The author did a great job describing this beautiful setting. Thank you again for allowing me to review this book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys twisty mystery/thrillers.