A normal family might have stopped visiting Capri every year after one of them died horribly, but the Lingates are far from normal. Wealthy enough to shrug off the scandal, they have only become more insular in the thirty years since playwright Sarah “accidentally” fell off a cliff. Sarah's daughter Helen and her brother-in-law's assistant Lorna have a plan to finally drag the truth out of them and escape their suffocating grasp. But then Lorna vanishes. The narrative slowly reveals the full toxicity of the family as it alternates between the three women's POVs across the decades.

This book had me at 'set on the island of Capri', and as you sink into the lush setting you can almost imagine being there. The Lingates hold their annual summer vacation every year on the island, to commemorate the death of their mother, 30 years before. But this year, Helen, decides to find out what really happened to her mother as no one has talked about it and kept her at arms length since she was a child. She enlists her uncle's assistant to track down the truth. There were many twists and turns here and the book goes back and forth between the present and past. There's also multiple points of view, which not only gives you unique perspectives but makes you wonder who is telling the truth. All the characters are well developed and some with more to hide than others. Towards the end, I couldn't put it down, to find out what really happened. A great thriller, in a great setting, this is the author's 2nd book, so now I have to check out 'The Cloisters'!

3.5 ⭐️ rounded down for goodreads!

I felt like the story started off a little slow which I kinda felt strange because we already knew the big event that happened. The second half of the book definitely picked up pace & I liked all the twists at the end.

If you're looking for the perfect family drama mystery this spring, here it is! Saltwater takes place on the beautiful island of Capri. The Lingates visit every year during the summer, which most can't understand why as Helen's mother Sarah, mysteriously died on the cliffs off the villa when Helen was just 3 years old. No one talks about her mother and Helen decides this is the year (30 years later) she's going to find out what really happened. The Lingates are rich and powerful and have kept a very short leash on Helen her whole life, to protect the family's reputation. With the help of her Uncle's assistant, Lorna, Helen and Lorna create a plan to discover the truth and help them both start anew. Phew, this book had so many twists and turns! It started off a little slow but it also felt intentional at the same time as there are many characters and jumping back and forth timeline wise. I loved that we got 3 POV's, (Helen, Lorna, and Sarah) it really helped build suspense throughout the novel. This was my first time reading Katy Hay's work and it was so entertaining. I breezed through this in just over 24 hours, thank you cold germs I caught from my kiddos. Thank you so much Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. Pub Day is March 25th!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of Saltwater.

I read this book a little bit at a time before bed each night. When I got to the last 25% I couldn’t set it down. This book took so many twists and turns and I really didn’t see them coming. The island and home were like a character of their own and now Capri is definitely on my bucket list- just without all the murder.

Katy Hays' The Cloisters is one of my favorite books of all time, and her tight, rhythmic prose drew me right back in here.

Once I started reading, I could not put this book down! The plot follows the wealthy Lingate family, their legacy stained by the mystery surrounding Sarah Lingate's death almost 30 years ago. The present timeline brings us to Capri, where a week long family vacation brings up the mystery once more, along with a new disappearance that leads to mounting pressure and dark secrets being revealed.

This story was fantastic. I loved the use of imagery and how it truly made you, the reader, feel as if you were there. The shifting point of views were a great way to get insight into the thoughts of every character. Each character had so much depth to them, that you could understand the thought process behind why they decided to make the decisions they did. I also really enjoyed how I was kept on my toes until the very end. The shifting timeline added to the mystery and intrigue surrounding Sarah's death, further keeping us in suspense. Overall, I highly recommend. This is a thrilling read that portrays excessive wealth, a gorgeous setting, and a plot that has you realizing that no one's hands are truly clean.

Saltwater is a suspenseful, tense, and intriguing psychological drama filled with unexpected twists and surprises that keep the story engaging. While many of the characters are somewhat shallow and morally questionable, their flaws add an interesting layer to the story, fitting perfectly within the high-stakes world of the wealthy elite. The novel starts off slow but soon picks up pace, making it a quick and entertaining read. Set against the romantic backdrop of Capri, it delivers a captivating blend of suspense and drama that’s perfect for a weekend escape.

Capri is lovely but you discover it has it's dark side as well.
    We are introduced to a family of wealth that visits every summer in spite of a tragedy that happened many years ago. They aren't haunted by the disappearance of Sarah, a famous playwright, wife and mother. Life goes on for them but her daughter, Helen, has begun to ask questions and searches for answers to the disappearance. 
  The family is self centered and only concerned about the next party, meal, or what you can do for them. The author makes it  easy to dislike them on so many levels. 
   We meet various key characters as the time line reverts back to then and now and how their relationship evolved with the family.
    The author's portrait of island life of the rich and infamous added to the enjoyment of this thriller.   It's a tease as it doles out the twists in small bursts to keep the reader engaged.

I think maybe “rich people doing bad things” might not be for me. I always think the premise sounds soooo good and then I start and it’s such a slog to get through. The writing was repetitive and I thought I was almost done and realized I was only 50%. I didn’t care who killed Sarah or where Lorna was I just wanted it to end. I finally decided to put myself out of my misery and skip to the end. I was unsurprised to see it ended exactly as suspected with Lorna being the bad guy but also not because I guess eat the rich? Not a single character was likable, no one had growth in the 50% I read. They were all flat. I couldn’t even find it in me to care about Helen because she was written in a way to care. The timeline is hard to track because it flips midway during the POV between “now” and “past” but also Lorna is past but Helen is now and Sarah is past past but in reverse. It was all over the place. And I’m someone that love a nonlinear timeline! Did appreciate the setting, Capri was fleshed out and I could vividly picture where they were.

I loved Katy Hays' "The Cloisters" and was so excited to see her newest coming out! Hays is so good at slow burn thrillers, and this one was no different! Her writing brings the environment to life. This novel features family drama and a murder - you just don't know who is good and who is bad, which I love. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for the eARC of this book.

requested after receiving an email saying i was pre-approved. interesting premise - reminded me of white lotus, which was really engaging to watch. unfortunately, this one did not capture my attention as i'd hoped.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Saltwater by Katy Hays. This novel is a slow-burning, atmospheric read that immerses you in its moody, coastal setting. Hays’ writing is lyrical and evocative, making the seaside environment feel like a character of its own—wild, unpredictable, and deeply tied to the protagonist’s journey. The story unfolds with a quiet tension, gradually revealing layers of mystery and personal reckoning. While the prose is beautiful, the pacing lags in places, and some plot points feel a bit underdeveloped, leaving certain threads unresolved. Despite this, Saltwater is a compelling, introspective novel that will appeal to readers who enjoy character-driven literary fiction with a haunting edge.

Thirty years ago, a famous playwright fell to her death on the island of Capri. Her ultra rich family returns to the island every year to prove that they don’t feel the sting of accusations that they had something to do with her death. Her young daughter, Helen, never knew her mother, and now, with the help of her uncle’s assistant is finally determined to learn the truth of what happened that fateful night years ago. But will the truth set her free or will it trap her further into her controlling family’s web?

This story is told through multiple timelines and many points of view. I did not have trouble keeping track of what was happening, though. Everything was well labeled.

This book was incredible. I just need to start out by saying that.

There’s so much intrigue and drama going on, I felt like I was watching Italian version of some kind of reality show, but with the stakes so much higher. You know, as in life and death - oh and tens of millions of dollars. Plus, the Capri setting in the Mediterranean was just amazing, I felt like I was on vacation too while I was reading this.

The author really plays the long game in this one, revealing just enough at various points to let you think you know what’s going on, and then the rug is pulled out from under you with another twist or revelation that changes the course of the story. It’s really incredibly exciting and makes you feel like anything can happen around the corner. I like books like that that keep you on your toes.

Plus, what’s great about these insular family dramas is that you don’t know who you can truly trust because everyone can be a suspect and everyone can turn on people at any time. So it was really down to the wire trying to figure out who was “good“ and who was “bad.” That also adds to the mystery in the drama because you can go an entire book thinking that someone feels one way only to realize that they’re on a completely separate plane. But I’m not going to spoil anything here.

I’ll also just say the ending was really fascinating, although you have to suspend belief a little bit. But I didn’t really mind that.

Overall, I highly recommend taking a trip to Italy with this book. You won’t be disappointed!

📖 Saltwater 📖 by Kathy Hays

📢 To be released March 25, 2025

My first review of the year! Here's to hoping I don't fall behind in 2025 🤞

In 1992, Sarah Lingate was found dead under the cliffs of Capri while on vacation with her old-money worshipping family. Cleared from any wrong-doing, the family returns to Capri each year on the anniversary of her death as proof they are blameless. On the thirtieth anniversary, their visit to the island takes a twist when a necklace Sarah was wearing on the night of her death is mysteriously delivered to the house. Where did it come from? Who sent it? Is it a clue to what happened that night long ago?

I don't usually choose mystery thrillers when looking for a new read. It's not my go-to genre. However, I do appreciate mixing it up every now and then to expand my horizons 😉 I was happy to receive an eARC of Saltwater from @randomhouse and #NetGalley for review.

This story has the background essence of Ernest Hemingway's, The Sun Also rises, but make it more modern and on an island. Now take that and mix in a mystery. Did that set the vibe for you? 😁 I could feel the island heat and smell the salty air when reading this book. It was written in such a vividly descriptive way.

The plot unfolds slowly, and at first, I was a little lost. However, about a fourth of the way in, I got my bearings. The plot jumps back and forth in time, and it took me just a bit to get used to the fact that the plot was meant to leave out details that get filled in later.

Overall, this was a good read. I couldn't guess the ending of this book no matter how hard I tried. There were numerous plot twists and revelations that I didn't see coming. It was a bit crazy at the end, too. These characters kept you guessing the whole time!

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶🌶
Language: 🤬🤬🤬

I picked up this book because one of the editorial reviews described it as a “true literary successor to HBO’s Succession” and on that front, I was let down. If you came to this book expecting reprehensible, morally grey (but most importantly) three-dimensional characters locked in a battle for corporate dominance where ambition and greed steamroll over any remaining whispers of relatable humanity in our ultra-wealthy protagonists…Well, it’s not that kind of book. For better or for worse, unlike Succession, the novel does not delve into the nitty-gritty of the Lindgates’ business dealings and make board meetings feel like they could be the be-all, end-all of the family empire. Without the constant drumbeat of ‘profit above all’, the two works have very different approaches on the topic of wealth.

However, what this book does brilliantly is escapism. If you’re looking to travel to Capri without having to leave your couch—than look no further. Katy Hays does an excellent job of capturing atmosphere and location. She highlights just enough detail to evoke a specific mental image, without going overboard and losing the flow of the plot. The richest parts of her prose are when she’s describing beautiful places and items, and in some ways, reading the book is a lot like fifth-wheeling along on a very tense vacation to a gorgeous seaside town.

As for the plot itself, if you approach the novel as a thriller/murder mystery…you won’t be let down. It’s a quick read with a lush, seductive setting. It strikes me as being more plot-driven than character-driven, so as long as you don't go in expecting the emotional stakes of Succession, you’ll have a good time.

Another hit from Katy Hays! I was such a fan of THE CLOISTERS, and SALTWATER not only lives up to but exceeds my expectations for her sophomore effort. Great characters and interpersonal dynamics, and a lush vivid setting.

The Lingate family has immense wealth and privilege. When the body of Sarah Lingate is found near the cliffs of their Capri vacation home, her death is ruled an accident and almost forgotten. Thirty years later, Sarah’s daughter Helen is fed up with her controlling and oppressive family, and she is desperately trying to break free. When the Lingates arrive in Capri for this year’s annual vacation, they’re met with a mysterious package that unearths questions about Sarah’s death. No one is innocent in this entitled family, but that makes this thriller all the more enticing. This is a perfect pick to escape the gloom of winter.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

A mysterious death? A beautiful setting? A wacky family?
Yes please! These 3 elements let me know this was the book for me! I love thrillers that involve so many elements that help the plot to keep going.