Opinion: Calling all thriller readers: you’re going to love this one.As the days get darker, you can definitely turn to this thrill ride set in Capri. You’ll almost want to be there but definitely not with this family. It gives sunny beaches, luxurious people and rich eat the rich vibes. It’s a fast read simply because you will want to know how it ends.

Summary: 30 years ago Sarah Lingate was found dead at the bottom of a cliff in Capri. Sarah came from a wealthy family and left behind a three year old daughter, Helen.

The Lingate’s return to the island for their annual vacation. However, things are not as they seem and soon they will all learn the truth about what really happened to Sarah. Thank you @netgalley for THE ARC! Pub date: March 25, 2025. Put a reminder on your calendars for this one 🏖️

Beautiful setting on the island of Capri ✅
Mysterious death ✅
Lots of secrets✅
Shocking twists ✅
Rich people family drama ✅✅✅

This book takes place on the island of Capri following an excessively secretive family. The story plays out through multiple timelines and POVs. We have the mysterious death of Sarah, the wife of Richard Lingate from an “old money” family, in the 90s and her daughter, Helen in current day. The writing quality is great. The descriptions of Capri made me want to jump on a plane and go immediately. Secrets are slowly revealed throughout the book keeping me wanting more. Some were very predictable BUT I was not ready for that twist at the end. Very good.

My only negative is the way the timeline of the story is presented is confusing at times. Timelines change back forth from chapter to chapter and there’s flashbacks within the current day chapters. I would have preferred one or the other.

If you like the rich people family drama trope with unlikable characters, I think this book is a winner for you.

I didn't get terribly far - the beginning was so confusing. I finally had to write down the names of the characters and their relationships to each other. But even that didn't help move the story along. I know Hays put a lot of time into this novel and I had to be a negative reviewer - but it just wasn't for me. I think other people will find the complete opposite true.

This was a bit of a slow and confusing start with just some tidbits thrown at us before the story really begins to unravel. But when it does, it's like a runaway train.
I had a lot of thoughts about what the heck was going on and then by the end, my flabber was gasted. This was a great read.

Hays has developed their voice significantly. Masterfully examining the outsider in a new world, this differs from _The Cloisters_ in a good way. The drama is still there but the mystery just works better overall.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC

This story was intriguing, but slow reading. The beginning was what brought down my review. It starts off very vague, and a bit confusing, with lots of characters and dribs and drabs of information. For some, this will be the hook that gets them into the story. For me, it made it slow. But, it did pick up and I enjoyed the mystery. Plus the island of Capri sounds gorgeous! I didn't love all the characters, but I suppose I wasn't meant to!
Overall, an interesting thriller with some nice twists.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

End at 15%. I’m bummed!! It sounded so good, the reviews are great! But I just couldn’t get hooked. It’s a very dry writing style that my brain just cannot latch onto. I didn’t find any character particularly interesting, I was looking for any reason to keep going and I just couldn’t find one.

I downloaded this and realized I already read it. Since I read it months ago my review will be from memory. I did note I gave it 3.5 stars on my StoryGraph account. I remember being intrigued by the mystery but the story got bogged down at points.

Wow this story! I loved it. Such intriguing characters with so many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. I haven’t read this author before but I want to read more!

In summer 1992, playwright Sarah Lingate falls to her death from a cliff on the island of Capri. Her family insists it was an accident, but they have been clouded in suspicion ever since. Thirty years later, after returning to the same villa every summer, her brother-in-law's assistant Lorna goes missing late one night. Sarah's daughter, Helen, is determined to find out what really happened to her mother and, now, Lorna. It read like a decent first draft that needed to be reined in and polished. It starts very slowly with a lot of vague details, which I imagine is meant to draw you in, but there wasn't enough information shared to really hook you. The main characters are various shades of terrible and lack depth. A couple of the twists are decent, but one is basically duplicated and seems totally implausible.

Who doesn't love a good mystery thriller read that happens on the beach? While I didn't read it during the summertime, I think this is a book that can be read at any time. The synopsis says who will leave the island alive or not alive and I hung onto that line for the duration of the book!
A great read I hope readers pick up in March.

3.5 stars

Saltwater had a great sense of atmosphere to it, being set on Capri and surrounded by the ancient Roman ruins. The story fills one of my favorite tropes - rich people behaving badly - and those two things are what made this most compelling for me. The mystery itself is a little unbelievable in the end, going more for shock value than reality.

just wasn't for me and was not a book I personally enjoyed. I know there will be other readers out there that this will fit their style a lot better.

This was a really fun read. Admittedly, the ending didn't quite work for me, but it was fast paced and I couldn't put it down for much of the book. Katy Hays is definitely an author I'll keep coming back to.

WHYYY did I wait so long to pick this up?! Holy cow this was great! There were so many twists and turns and I kept thinking “oh, I’ve got this figured out…” but nope. This was phenomenal. Not just a great mystery but also a great comment on family, wealth, marriage. Some real pivotal points in here. 10/10 would recommend. Can’t wait to buy for my friends!

Dark and twisted. Convoluted family drama mixed with some beach vibes. Kept my attention and kept me guessing until the very end

Beautifully written book about family and how far would you go to protect it. While I did see one of the twists coming, there were definitely more that caused my jaw to drop. The imagery was vivid and the plotlines well-woven. Definitely one of my top of the year.

I really wanted to love this book, but found myself struggling with the second half. The setting was beautiful and character development was strong. However, the twists were too much for me and just didn't seem believable. I would still recommend this book, especially if you're a fan of Bravo or tales of old money. I could see this being a fantastic beach read!

I love a whodunit novel. This one had so many interesting turns at first but the more turns that came up, the more confusing the book became. I didn't expect the ending, but I also don't understand how the ending worked at ALL. I sat there like "HUH?" Overall, a solid read.

Secrets, betrayals. Murder. A thriller set on the Island of Capri about the wealthy family, The Lingates who have come for a family retreat which is about to be shattered when the past and those secrets resurface. This book is a wonderful ride, fast paced told from multiple POV's and timelines which kept me page turning. I love a thriller that takes me to a setting where I would love to be, and an author that is able to transport you there and keep you engaged with the story and characters. So, if you also enjoy a good thriller, I highly recommend this one. I thoroughly enjoy this author and will now look to read anything she writes!
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine books for the opportunity to enjoy this book!