Wow! This one kept me guessing right up to the end! It started a little slow, but once the pace picked up, I was drawn into the world of the Lingate family. This book is set on the island of Capri and told from multiple points of view, as well as during both present day and flashbacks from the past. I was never really certain who was “good” and who was not. I can’t wait to reread once the book publishes in March!

started well, but too many twists

This Capri-based book stated well. You know that Sarah, the wife of a wealthy family died, either at her own hand, suicide, or possibly by a family member. She is at the home with her spouse, his brother, and the brother's wife. Her 3 year old daughter was back in the US while the adults were on an annual vacation.to the Capri villa. The book alternates between the time shortly before her death and the current time (plus or minus a few weeks). Sarah's daughter, Helen, came back with the adults and a few other people, looking to learn more about her mother and the death.

It dragged a little in the middle, so I skipped ahead, figuring I could always go back if I seemed to have missed anything important.

Then twists started happening. The first were good, but they came one after another. It was just too much and devalued the book for me.

I really wanted to like this book but it just wasn’t for me. It was *okay* until I got to the last few chapters and then I just could not anymore.

It’s so unbelievable even for a fiction book. But if you love books with multiple pov, dual timeline, and immense family drama, this may be for you!

Thanks to the publisher for the gifted ARC

This was interesting, I enjoyed The Cloisters by this author and I enjoyed this as well. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting based off the cover but I would recommend for my literary fiction friends.

I'm starting to understand that I don't enjoy mysteries that have rich family secrets and/or happened on a vacation.

The writing feels solid and the plot was well made. It's a respectable mystery, but I did not have a good time with it.

I requested an ARC of Saltwater after receiving a promotional email from NetGalley -- I was drawn in by the splashy marketing and equally appealing description of the book. There is something enticing about a tragic, mysterious death involving a wealthy family (hello, coverup!) with an exotic and opulent setting. Morbid, I know... That said, Katy Hays absolutely nailed the character development and arcs in Saltwater. At certain times, I didn't know who I wanted to root for, which is saying something. A must read for 2025!

Katy Hays' *Saltwater* is a captivating blend of atmospheric prose, deeply personal exploration, and an unsettling undercurrent of suspense. The novel centers around the protagonist, Ellie, who navigates the hazy boundaries of love, identity, and the pull of the unknown ocean. Set against the backdrop of a rugged coastal town, Hays weaves an evocative narrative that immerses readers in the salty air and crashing waves that permeate the story.

Ellie’s character is complex and flawed, making her journey even more compelling. As she confronts her past and delves into the mysteries surrounding her family, readers are drawn into her internal struggles. The themes of isolation, self-discovery, and the interconnectedness of humanity and nature resonate deeply, giving the novel a poignant depth.

For fans of literary fiction with a touch of gothic intrigue, *Saltwater* is a rewarding read. Katy Hays has delivered a novel that lingers in the mind like the taste of salt on your lips, offering both a meditation on personal transformation and a celebration of the wild, untamed forces of the natural world.

It's 1992, and the death of Sarah Lingate in Capri shocks the island. While her death is ruled an accident, there are suspicions that someone in the family did it. Who? Why? The answers never came.

Sarah's daughter, Helen, and the family return to Capri every year without fail. This year, they find something that sets their world on fire and threatens to destroy the Lingates from the inside out.

From past to present, the story recounts the night that Sarah died, and how each family member had a different perspective. Who is responsible and why? The more you learn, the more that will shock you...

I thought I would devour this book, but I couldn't get into it at all
setting and plot were *peak* but the characters were one dimensional and the pacing was inconsistant

Whoa this was gooood! It hooked me and had me turning the pages so fast. Amazing writing and so well developed. An engaging thriller!

Thank you NetGalley and Katy Hays!

SALTWATER by Katy Hays

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC ebook

In 1992 the wealthy Lingate family is vacationing in beautiful Capri, when playwright, Sarah Lingate, is found dead below the cliffs. Sarah leaves behind a three-year-old daughter, Helen. Many believe the Lingate family is responsible even though her death is ruled accidental. The Lingate’s continue to vacation every year in Capri and on the thirtieth anniversary of Sara’s death in Capri, Helen, who is now thirty, along with the family assistant, Lorna, hatch a plan for Helen to escape her controlling family. A necklace that Sarah was wearing the night she died, suddenly appears at the manor where all are staying. Things quickly go sideways when Lorna disappears…
What is happening? Who is Lorna really? Where is Lorna? What really happened to Sarah all these years ago? So many questions, so many secrets.

I enjoyed this sophomore book by Katy Hays, as well as, her first book, The Cloisters. I liked the writing style and all the secrets each character harbors. The story was compelling and I enjoyed the twists throughout. I look forward to what Katy Hays does next. Saltwater will be available to read on March 25, 2025.

From New York Times bestselling author Katy Hays comes an electrifying new thriller that promises to captivate readers with its blend of family drama, mystery, and Mediterranean intrigue. The story unfolds on the stunning island of Capri, where the glittering surface of wealth and privilege masks darker undercurrents. At its heart, the novel revolves around a decades-old crime that resurfaces to shatter an opulent family retreat. The narrative begins in 1992 with the death of Sarah Lingate, found beneath the cliffs of Capri, leaving behind a three-year-old daughter named Helen. Despite suspicions surrounding the old-money family, the truth remained elusive. The story is told through three perspectives, with Helen, now 33, playing a central role as she grapples with family dynamics and a desire for escape. As the past and present intertwine, the novel promises to explore the intricate web of family secrets, grudges, and the deceptive nature of appearances. Hays showcases her talent for atmospheric storytelling, with a story drenched in family drama sun on the cliffs of Capri. The novel combines elements of a classic thriller with sophisticated exploration of family dynamics, wealth, and the long shadow of past crimes. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Saltwater was a truly gripping, atmospheric book that really dives into grief and memories that tie us to the past. This was a fun twisty thriller that just when you felt like you knew where the story was going the author would reveal yet another twist that kept you guessing. The journey that it takes you on to unveil is a wild ride and felt like it progressed at a decent pace. This had everything I love in a thriller.. murder, betrayal, and plenty of secrets that didn’t want to be outed. I would say that this was more character driven more so then the actual thriller part of it.

This novel features legendary wealth, rich people misbehaving, and a murder investigation in a gorgeous vacation setting after a young woman drowns. This incident is a stark reminder of another tragedy that took place back in 1992, Years ago, a member of the Lingate family, was found dead under suspicious circumstances below the cliffs of Capri. This young mother's death still haunts her brood both in the press and in private. Helen, still mourning the loss of her mother, wants to shake off the restrictive shackles that come from being in a clan with a position of prominence. Her plan to get away is now undergoing an autopsy.

I have never envied the rich or famous . . . being on display and ogled by the public doesn’t seem appealing at all. It’s one thing to be born into a situation, but I can’t imagine walking into oppression eyes open. Is maintaining a life of luxury worth losing your entire sense of self?

Get ready for some unlikable characters, a few twists and turns in the plot, shocking family secrets, and a poor little rich girl.

I recommend this book for fans of opulent lifestyles, celebrity gossip, and family drama,

I thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of Saltwater for my unbiased evaluation.  3.5 stars

I enjoyed Katy Hays’ debut novel, The Cloisters, so I was curious to read her sophomore effort. Saltwater was a different sort of book - a family drama with a touch of murder mystery. It took me a while to become engaged with the story. The plot focuses on how the wealthy can get away with things the rest of us can’t. And how they also close ranks against the world, even when they hate each other. It felt soap opera-ish. Think Dallas or Dynasty. Do these people drink anything other than champagne?
It’s got a beautiful setting - the island of Capri where the family comes every summer to vacation. But why do they keep coming back? Because thirty years ago, one of them died on the island.
But slowly, the characters, especially Helen, drew me in. Helen feels trapped by the family, unable to live her own life. She concocts a plan with her uncle’s assistant to steal enough money so that both of them can escape their lives.
The story flips between multiple POVs and between the past and present.
The story focuses on envy, anger and hurt. Hays does best when she focuses on the commonality of us all. “Marriages gather a momentum of their own, they tumble forward over obstacles and past off-ramps with an alarming speed, until suddenly, years later, all the exits were behind you.”
What starts as a slow burn picks up speed in the middle and I really enjoyed this part of the book. Hays throws a lot of plot twists into the ending. And I was enjoying each and every one of them. Right up until the next to last one which was just too unbelievable and unnecessary and the last one which was just unbelievable, if necessary to tie up a loose end. Now, some may be ok with these implausible plot twists. But I think the mark of a good writer is to come up with twists that the reader can actually envision happening.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House - Ballantine for an advance copy of this book.

Salt Water is a gripping thriller drenched in dark family drama. Set against the stunning backdrop of Capri, Italy, the story begins in 1992 with the tragic death of Sarah Lingate, found below the cliffs. Her death, though ruled an accident, leaves behind a cloud of suspicion and a three-year-old daughter, Helen. Fast forward thirty years and the family continues to return to Capri. This time, they receive an unexpected package containing the necklace Sarah wore on the night she died. Over the years, Helen has been kept under the family's strict control, with little to no freedom. In the present, she seeks the help of Lorna Moreno to break free from her family's oppressive grip.

The family is depicted as controlling and entitled, adding layers of tension to the narrative. The descriptions of Capri are beautiful, making it hard not to be captivated by the book's romantic setting. The story alternates between past and present, revealing twists and turns that kept me guessing about who I could trust.

Salt Water is a compelling read that expertly intertwines mystery and family dynamics, all set against a picturesque yet haunting landscape.
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

A classic mystery, an Italian setting, various POV. This was a good read. I enjoyed the pacing and the various timelines I didn’t find it hard to follow.

Katy Hays has delivered a fun mystery set during a week in July on sun-drenched Capri. Full of mostly unlikable characters all out for themselves, just when you think you have figured out "who dun it," more murders and secrets come to the forefront to keep you guessing. With solid writing and a beautiful setting, Hays has another hot on her hands. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine for the proteinuria to read this twisty eArc! 3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was my first Kat Hays novel. The story follows past and present of the wealthy Lingate family as they are on their annual trip to Capri. Helen 's mother's death from 30 years ago remains unsolved. She starts to dig into the past with a friend who happens to work for her uncle. She wants to know more about her mother since Helen was 3 at the time of her death.. The family's history seems to be a tangled mess and no one will talk. I found the story line very unpredictable. and captivated me from start to finish. Thank you #Netgalley and #penguinrandomhouse for an advanced copy of #Saltwater in exchange for a honest review..

Rich people are just so fun to read about, they’re larger than life in the best way.

The book was super twisty and the ending was a little insane but at the same time it felt a little boring. I didn’t particularly enjoy the writing style itself, it felt a bit disjointed.

The plot was so much fun and I would highly recommend reading this book in the summer, especially if you’re on vacation. The vibes were on point and would be perfect for July.

So if Saltwater sounds interesting to you I would recommend waiting till the summer to read it. (It’s releasing March 25th)