“She’s famous for dying, Sarah Lingate. And they’re all famous for not killing her. Maybe.”

What an addicting, unbelievable, train-wreck of a family! Saltwater by Katy Hays brings us to the beautiful country of Capri – only to make us scared of the cliffs! Thirty years ago, Sarah Lingate dies mysteriously on a family vacation to Capri. Years later, her Brother-in-Law Marcus hires Lorna, who starts digging into the Lingate family – and becomes best friends with Helen, Sarah’s daughter. When the family, plus Lorna, visit Capri again, the necklace Sarah was wearing at the time of her death is delivered to the villa, the family is placed on high alert and willing to do anything to keep their secrets to themselves.

WOW! What a ride! The Lingate family will make you appreciative of your own family, for sure. Money can bring you power - but it is clear here that it can't buy you happiness (well, by the end . . . maybe it can!).

While I really enjoyed the ending, the book started slow and was dragged out in parts. There was a lot of over-the-top family drama and none of the characters were really likable (which makes it hard to get invested in their possible "happy" outcome). I also love the cover of this book, but I'm not sure the name of the novel fits with the story at all (yes, I get it is in an exotic location with seawater, and I believe the name of the necklace) but for a dark, mysterious family-angst story, Saltwater doesn't fit.

I enjoyed Hays' creativity and the twists! However, there is a lot going on here and the multiple POV gets a little much at times (and a tad unbelievable, even for this rich, crazy family). While this wasn't exactly perfection for me, I enjoyed the story and think this will be a popular summer/beach read. 3.6 stars rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

“Families . . . they try to do their best. But that doesn’t mean they’re always right. Or good.”

“It’s so much easier to get away with if you only do it once.”

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the advanced reader's copy of this novel.

If you are looking for a suspenseful on the edge of your seat, this one might be what you are looking for. The main characters will have you locked in from the first chapter. By the time the book ends, you will be invested, and then it turns in a way you will never guess. I do not want to give it away but do not put this one down.

I am sorry to report that I found this to be a slog. I loved the author’s first book, but none of that magic made it into this one. The story felt generic with not enough details about any character provided to make me care about what was going on combined with a lot of irrelevant details that made the book longer. Then the last 1/3 went off the rails- and not in a good way. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. Sadly it didn’t work for me.

I can't go with half stars so it'll be a 3 star.

Rich people behaving badly, the premise drew me in initially.
Sarah Lingate died in 1992. Her death was an accident after she fell over the cliffs and into the water on the island of Capri. She left behind her 3 year old daughter, Helen. Her family continues to return every year. The Lingate family is old-money wealthy, and there are suspicions that someone in the family is involved with her death. the 30th anniversary of her death, the necklace Sarah was wearing when died is found. This discovery reopens family wounds and rehashes secrets as well.
With all this tumultuous drama, Helen uses this opportunity to escape her overbearing and suffocating family. She gets Lorna, the assistant, to help her, but then Lorna herself disappears. This puts Sarah's death on the forefront, which will unveil a web of lies.

A big thanks to Netgalley and Random House-Ballantine books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Expected publication March 25, 2025.

✪✪✪✪: the vibes are italian and claustrophobic

I love this book. It feels cleverly constructed, the way it navigates POV and timing, and, for me, it keeps pulling you in deeper and deeper with every page, not letting you see what could be right under the surface.

Its a claustrophobic story, tense and tight, especially when we're in the POV of Helen. You can feel the way she's been controlled, kept under the thumb of her family. Her desperation oozes off the page and the lengths that she and Lorna go to feel realistic and justified.

Hays is saying a lot about the ultra rich in this book. She's saying a lot about the way money colors the perceptions of the outside world, how it is freedom and a straight jacket all at once. She expertly twists money and how it can represent freedom, with family and legacy and how those things, all at once, are an anchor, weighing you down. Its interesting, how each member of the Lingate family handles excess, has handled 30 years of guilt and grief. They shelter each other out of necessity, out of some deranged sense of loyalty. But its all in service of the money and the appearance that they must keep up. Otherwise, that money holds less currency. Its a conundrum.

WOW!!!! Twist after twist after twist after twist, I could not put Saltwater down!! Just when I thought I had the mystery figured out, another twist was added that blew my mind. I LOVED this!! I love any story where rich people behave badly but this was one step higher than most. Loved the characters, loved the way the story was told in dual timeline, loved the excellent writing of Katy Hays. This was amazing until the very explosive end! Read this NOW!

I love a rich people behaving badly thriller! Who killed Helen's mother in 1992 and how does the cover up come back to haunt them today? All taking place on Capri, Italy which made me ravenous to go to Italy this summer. Highly recommend for thriller readers even though it has quite a slow start. Part two really takes off and the reveals at the end had me shocked!

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an eARC, publication date is 3/25/2025

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Helen’s mother goes missing 30 years ago in Capri and Helen ends up back at the same location when another person goes missing. The family that she works for is treating her strangely and is trying to control her.

This book was hard to comprehend with the back and forth between past/present. It was a good read but not a favorite.

Katy Hays' Saltwater is a compelling and atmospheric novel that delves into the depths of human resilience. The author’s vivid prose creates a world that is both haunting and beautiful, while the characters’ struggles and triumphs resonate deeply with readers. With its rich emotional core and exploration of healing and renewal, this book will leave you reflecting on its themes long after the final page. Perfect for readers who enjoy a moving, thought-provoking story with a touch of mystery.

First time reading a book written by this author. I will be looking into reading what else she has written. I loved the setting of this mysterious family drama taking place on the beautiful island of Capri. I liked the back and forth between past and present and the different character's point of views. There were some good twists at the end to keep me guessing and wondering how it would finish. I would recommend this if you enjoy a thrilling family drama set in a beautiful destination.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

Saltwater by Katy Hays is a gripping, atmospheric thriller that unfolds on the beautiful yet sinister cliffs of Capri. The story begins with the mysterious death of Sarah Lingate in 1992, whose tragic fall left her three-year-old daughter, Helen, to grow up with the haunting uncertainty surrounding her mother’s death. Despite suspicions that the old-money Lingate family might be involved, the case was closed as an accident, but the Lingates return to their villa every year to mark the anniversary and reinforce that truth.

However, on the thirtieth anniversary, a shocking discovery is made—the necklace Sarah was wearing the night she died is found, reopening old wounds and secrets. As tension builds within the family, Helen sees an opportunity to escape the suffocating grip of her overbearing relatives. She enlists Lorna, a trusted assistant, to help her escape, but when Lorna disappears and an investigation into Sarah's death is reignited, Helen finds herself facing a complex web of lies, betrayal, and long-buried truths.

Hays masterfully weaves suspense and mystery with compelling characters, all while setting the stage for a high-stakes drama where no one is who they seem. As the family’s facade crumbles, Saltwater explores themes of trust, power, and the dark forces that can haunt families. The story builds to an explosive and unpredictable climax, leaving readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. A must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and family dramas!

I was so excited to get an approval from the publisher for Saltwater, but unfortunately, it's just not for me. I've been trying to read it for a month and can barely get past 25%. For all of its promise - mystery, drama, rich family, beautiful setting on Capri - the characters are unlikeable and the story moves at a glacial pace. Hopefully the finished version is better than this galley. I have given it my bet shot but it's time to move onto something more readable.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine for the eARC!
I’ll be honest, and say I spent a good majority of this novel prettyyyyy confused. It wasn’t until about 80% of the way in that things started to make sense and come together. I enjoyed it, thought it was a bit slow. It was kinda one of those “trust no one” deals, which I liked because it gave you the aspect of trying to build cases against each character and figure out who did it without being told outright until the end.
Despite being a bit confusing, it was a good read, and I would recommend to others.

I’d really give this book a 3.5 if it was an option. I really enjoyed all the twists and turns in the last 10%, but it felt like such a long, slow burn to get there. I found none of the characters likable, maybe with a little more development, but in the end I really didn’t care about any of them. The plot was fairly entertaining, and as mentioned earlier, the twists were pretty twisty…. I did not see hardly any coming, and believe me, there were many. If you’re looking for a book to keep you entertained and leave you guessing, this one should do

The twists were entertaining and the build-up kept me guessing and needing to know what was going to happen. This was an interesting thriller that I fans of suspense would enjoy.

More of a family drama with mysterious elements than a thriller, <i>Saltwater</i>, read flat for the most part. I found myself struggling to stay interested. The writing style saved the experience along with a few intriguing twists. I honestly think I would've enjoyed the writing under different circumstances. Hence the three star rating.

The characters are a stereotypical wealthy family who act only to protect their reputation and money with zero regard for the well-being of those outside the family. I don't have an issue with unlikable characters, some of my favorite literary characters of all time are unlikable in the extreme. My issue is that these characters read like cardboard stand ins. There was a genuine lack of substance and development. The plot read like a million other novels out there. There wasn't an element that provided a unique spin to set it apart. I usually enjoy dual timelines, but here it reminded me of riding in a car with someone who's learning to shift gears. The changes felt jarring and had a negative impact on the momentum. The ending comes together in a manner that screams convenient.

I am probably an outlier so I would encourage checking out other reviews as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine for providing an Advance Reading Copy for review. All opinions are my own.

This was not for me. I did not get along with the writing style or plot. I found it difficult to get into.

Entirely unbelievable but that was part of what spurred the story forward.
Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book publishes March 25

The Lingate family returns to the island of Capri every year for their holiday, even though thirty years ago Sarah Lingate was found dead in the water below the cliffs. Helen Lingate was only three when her mother died and she has struggled to break free of her controlling family. Helen and Lorna, who is her Uncle Marcus’s assistant, have become friends and believe they have come up with a way for Helen to get away from the family. The necklace Sarah was wearing when she dies is sent to the villa where the Lingates are staying - this puts everyone on edge and begins setting th “escape plan” in motion. But then Lorna goes missing. I don’t want to give away what happens but I’ll say it is an interesting read for the most part. This dysfunctional family all have their flaws and secrets and Helen tries desperately to figure out the truth. I enjoyed the suspense of finding out the truth but I was a bit disappointed with the ending. Some things just didn’t sit right with me. The writing moved the plot along and went between chapters in the present to ones thirty years ago. I give the book 3.5 stars out of 5 so I’ll round up to 4.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published March 25, 2025.

Lies, Lingates, Lorna, Oh My!

A family drama set on Capri, where the lush descriptions of the landscape mirror the lavish lifestyle our leading family lives.

Take aspects of knives out (a killer mystery) and saltburn (unreliable narrators) and mix them together with a Taylor Jenkins Reid novel and you’ll have something that looks an awful lot like Saltwater!

A true trip from beginning to end. Multiple parts made my jaw drop and let out a ‘HUH?’ to my darkened apartment as I devoured this on my kindle. Surprisingly, it had taken me months to get to 40% as I hopped between books on my TBR. The last 60% took a matter of hours. Because I had caught the saltwater bug, and I needed to know how Sarah, Helen, and Lorna’s stories all ended.

I settled on a 4 star and the reasons it wasn’t at a 5 for me are very surface level. Predictability in some aspects, but more so some things done for plot convenience. It didn’t take away from my experience at all, though.

Suspend your disbelief and enjoy the 330-some pages of jaw dropping rich people drama that deserve a place on your TBR this coming March.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this early copy in exchange for a review :)