3.5 ⭐️

Decent thriller set in picturesque Capri. Throughout the book I was definitely confused on the motivations of all the characters. Even once things started to come together it seemed like they were all trying a little too hard to protect secrets that weren’t worth murder.

A lot of the twists I didn’t see coming, so that helped my rating. But man, think people would learn to stay away from the edge of those cliffs..

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. It was enjoyable and think will be a popular thriller when it releases!

Wow, what a ride this novel took me on! Although it started out a bit slow, it quickly picked up and I flew through it. Secrets, lies, and more twists than I can count. The story is told from mutliple points of view as we learn the story of the Lingate family and how they would do pretty much anything to protect their family legacy.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc of this book. This book started out slow but by part 2 of the book. I was hooked and did not want to put it down. This story changes back and forth between 1992 and present time. The majority of this book is set in Capri. This book has secrets, old money, betrayals and mystery. This book has complex characters. Every time I thought I had this book figured out it took another twist and I was back in the dark. This book is a great thriller with a nice twist of mystery.

This is a haunting thriller that I truly enjoyed reading. Dating back to 1992 in Capri, hidden family secrets explode beyond my imagination. I was hooked on this twisty limoncello scary book

This is a murder mystery in reverse: you know who died but don't know the circumstances. Over the course of the plot, you find out more about the situation from various family members' points of view. Normally, I find this structure annoying but it works for this novel. By the end of the book, you aren't even certain who did what to whom. The action takes place mostly around Capri on the Italian coast in some pretty fancy digs, and the family members are all scions of wealth, or so it seems. I liked how things were tied up by the end which I can't go into more details, the characters were all fascinating studies of family dysfunction and seemed very realistically drawn. Highly recommended.

Twenty years ago, Sarah Lingate was found dead under the cliffs of Capri. The Lingate family comes to the villa every year for one week in the summer. Many people believed that Sarah's husband, Richard Lingate, was responsible for her death. Helen Lingate was 3 at the time of her mother's death. Even after this happened, the Lingates continue to return every year. There is Helen, Richard, his brother and sister-in-law- Marcus and Naomi. Marcus' personal assistant, Lorna, is also accompanying them, as well as Freddie- Helen's boyfriend. Renata is the permanent caretaker of the villa, along with her adult son Ciro. One night, Lorna disappears, and the fun begins!

The story is told in a different way. It is told through multiple POV's- Lorna, Helen, Sarah, Naomi, and Renata. Some are told from the past of 20 years ago, and some from the present. However, Lorna's is told by how many hours previous to her disappearance. Be sure to read the chapter heads, because if not for those I would not have known who was speaking at times. This story moves forward not through action, but through the observations and thoughts of the characters. It is a slow burn, until the last fourth of the book. I felt that sometimes it was a little wordy and repetitive. The descriptions of Capri were gorgeous though! And there are so many secrets to keep track of.

I'll be honest, I really did not like most of the characters. I also struggled with how controlling and weird the family was to Helen. She is 33, and doesn't have anything of her own. She still has to get permission to go places from her family. However, Helen is the one character I liked the best. And even though they were unlikable, I continued reading because I wanted to know what happened.

The conclusion! The last fourth of the book picks up fast. There are twists I did not see coming, and was surprised by the last one. I felt like I was living that old joke, "Who's on First"! You have to really suspend belief! Especially as it pertains to Sarah and her death.
I was also confused about why Lorna wanted so badly to investigate and reveal things about Sarah's death. There was no backstory really as to why she was so invested in it.

Overall, I was engaged because I was trying to figure out everyone's secrets, then piece it all together. I am thinking of reading the author's other book to see if the suspension of belief is integral to the conclusion of that book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine Books for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Saltwater is the perfect beach read. If you enjoy reading thrillers about wealthy families, you will love this.
I was on the edge of my seat until the end!

I had read this author's previous book and throughly enjoyed, This one was a little slow for me to get into but I did finish it. Family secrets kept hidden for years are revealed in the present. Am exciting thriller that will keep the reader guesing who did what and when.. The description of the islands are superb; another place on my bucket list to see.

Saltwater is a juicy book about old money family relationships and MURDER! The premise hooked me right off the bat when the author introduces the Lingate family and the death of Sarah Lingate. The reader gets a glimpse into the lifestyles of the family where all the glitters is definitely not gold. I appreciated the different timelines (1992 when Sarah died & the 2022 current timeline) and thought the author weaved those well together. A solid 4 star for me, I would read more by Katy Hays.

Gosh, I don't know where to begin....... Amazing story! I loved this book!! The ending was so perfect that I will never like another ending in another book ever!! I was entertained throughout the whole book and finished it in 1 night, because there wasn't a place in the story that I felt I could stop and pick up at another time. I had to finish it.
The main character, Helen has been raised by her father after the death of her mother. The death is ruled an accident, but because they are a wealthy family everyone questions this ruling. Helen has lived in the shadow of her mother's questionable death her whole life and hasn't been allowed to live a life of freedom. Her father and uncle protect everything she does or says. Helen hatches a plan to get out of under their thumb. This triggers a bunch of events that changes the lives of many people.
If you are a fan of murder, family drama and reading about the lives of rich people this is the book for you.

Thanks to Random House for providing this ARC. This is a super early review since the publication date is next spring, but I wanted to do it while it was still fresh in my mind. This definitely could be the summer book of 2025, as hyped by the publisher. Rich people, Mediterranean setting. Unresolved old death. It checks all the boxes for sure and I found the plot pretty propulsive. Great ending(s) to a few of the characters’ stories. Highly recommend this so put it on your list for next year.

My apologies, but I thought this was an audiobook which is the only thing I have time for these days. When you release it on audiobook, I would love to read it and review it. Many thanks.

Slow to start, but eventually picked up. It still could have used a little more suspense. But overall, a very entertaining, perfect beach read!

In multiple timelines and multiple pics, this novel tells the story of Sarah’s death on Capri, and her daughter trying to figure out what happened decades later. The whole thing is obscured by the wealth of the family. I don’t generally live books about super wealthy people, but this book had so many twists and turns and was so well plotted that it made up for it.

4.5 ⭐️
This is the perfect summer murder mystery. i thoroughly enjoyed this book and it had so many twists I didn't see coming.

plot: when the wife of a rich family turns up dead on a vacation in italy all eyes are on the husband. but with no actual proof the years pass. when the family is vacationing there again and their assistant turns up missing . what secrets is the family hiding and what lengths will they go to to keep them secret?

thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC!

While this book had all the twisty turns of a good psychological thriller, it didn't have much pull. I wasn't sucked into the story but I also wasn't entirely bored either. It just felt like it was too long. Characters were okay but lacked something that would make readers want to root for any of them.

This reads as pretty disjointed, though the second half is a bit cleaner than the first. The main problem is that you don't really want anyone to succeed. At anything. Ever.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for this advance copy.
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The descriptions of Capri and twisty, page turning plot make Saltwater a perfect binge worthy summer read. This is a slow burn, thriller-esque rich people behaving badly family drama. All my favorite bookish buzz words. The reader is dropped into the story with multiple POVs and it took some time to orient in the beginning. There are lots of secrets, and you aren’t sure who knows what and where loyalties lie. But that all just upped the suspense and intrigue for me. I could not put this down! An impressive sophomore novel from the author of the Read with Jenna pick, The Cloisters. There were still several little errors and typos in the arc, but I trust those will be fixed before the final version. This book deserves all the praise it will receive!

This novel kept me guessing the whole time amid all the twists and turns. I’m not usually into thrillers, but this one drew me in! The picturesque Italian setting, the family drama, the greed, the secrets, the lies, the two crimes years apart - it’s all enthralling.

Oh, so fun! Dateline meets The Real Housewives of Italy in this deliciously witty tale of family and wealth. I dove in not sure what to expect, just knowing that I loved Katy Hays last book, The Cloisters. She does not disappoint! Although, this is a totally different vibe from the art museum mystery of her last novel— Think more along the lines of White Lotus!

Saltwater is masterfully written to the point that it both convinces you to want visit Capri, Italy while also spooks you enough not to go anywhere near it! Twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end!

So freakin’ fun. And beautiful cover!