If you are a fan of the TV show WHITE LOTUS then you are in for a huge treat - this book reminded me of White Lotus mixed with Succession.

The story telling is gripping as we follow multiple POVs trying to figure out this complex murder mystery …

The wealthy Lingate family is going on their annual vacation to Capri, Italy and their assistant Lorna is tagging along. A few decades ago, Helen’s mother Sarah was murdered on the family vacation while Helen was back in LA with a nanny at age 3…this has haunted her for her entire life. Helen has been sheltered and controlled by her powerful family - she needs answers about the murder, she needs freedom & she is craving to learn more about her mother.

This CRAZY story is full of twists ON TOP OF TWISTS and will keep you on your toes. It’s an unsettling feeling that keeps you turning the page to find out what the heck TRUE?! This high profile family has been keeping many secrets from each other and from the public — it was only a matter of time before it all fell apart, and it’s so satisfying when we finally do learn the truths. This book is full of so many characters that you just can’t stand - jealous & selfish rich people who are out of touch with reality: who only care about keeping up appearances. I was hanging onto every word and didn’t predict most of the twists…. the ending was a total mindfuck !!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I look forward to reading more from Katy Hays & highly recommend this thriller!

I always love a good "rich people are terrible" story, and this one proves pretty interesting. We bounce between timelines and characters to build the story of Sarah Lingate dies, all of which tells a somewhat tragic tale of a series of bad decisions people must make and stick to.

I will admit that this was a bit too soap opera-y for me, especially how everything was resolved, but I did find it an interesting read. I also did not guess several of the twists, which is always exciting. I think Lorna is too much of a cypher given how much of the book is told from her mindset, and I enjoyed that we got to know Helen a bit more as the book went on. I have some questions about the titular Saltwater play, and in general on how everything was resolved, but overall this was an entertaining romp.

A wonderful story about secrets and the ways in which those secrets come to define our lives. The characters felt incredibly real and the plot moved forward with propulsive energy.

This book was on the slow side for me and the writing style wasn’t my favorite. The ending wrapped up two mysteries in the book, but the outcomes felt too similar to me.

Two timelines are followed and of course end up connecting in the present. They were confusing to follow at times.

Thank you to NetGalley, Katy Hays, and Ballantine Books for this ARC!

This starts out slow and mysterious. It has the same vibe as every psychological thriller you've read set on an Italian coast (or, in this case, island) - most notably The Talented Mr. Ripley. There's oblivious rich people and crafty friends/employees. Comparisons to The White Lotus can be shallow (code for "there are wealthy people!"), but this captured the same *tone* as the show. Also the sense that the plot is about to get crazy. You want to know what is going to happen, but also maybe you want to turn the TV off because who cares about these people, anyway?

To get to the good plot twists you're going to need to push through at least half of the book, but once they start coming they just. don't. stop. I found myself glued to the pages and reading well past my bedtime. The most satisfying part is that you get explicit answers to everything. No vague ending.

Written by the author of The Cloisters, Katy Hays, takes us through a family’s darkest secrets in this slow burn novel. The novel has a dreamy quality to it that winds itself through the book as it slowly drops bits and pieces of the Lingate family story. This is a well-written book with an ending that you didn’t see coming.

I'm just not feeling this one, I can't get into it the vibe or the writing style - probably a case of wrong time wrong book.

This thrilling drama draws you into the Lingate family and the secrets they have guarded across generations. The Lingates are the uber-rich, influential, elite Americans who descend upon Capri annually amongst speculation, envy and resentment. Lorna Moreno has been drawn into the secrets of the family as well. Intentionally insinuating herself into the life of Helen Lingate so she can find out what happened in 1992 when Helen’s mother, Sarah Lingate, was found drowned at the bottom of the cliffs of Capri. Now Lorna finds herself traveling to Capri and plotting with Helen to force confessions. Will this trip finally help Helen find out what really happened? The secrets begin to unwind but at the cost of another young life.

Intriguing and thrilling. A page turner that is worth reading.

You had me at Capri! :) This was a slow start for me, but when it picked up I could not put it down. This book follows the Lingate family (rich, yet quite the mess with a murder involved and a sketchy past) and told from the perspective for 3 different women. I loved the setting, the twists and characters. Really great book!

Excellent book with lots of twists. Highly recommend reading it. At first it did not hold my interest but it as I continued reading it was really good.

“Don’t you ever wonder,” Stan Markowitz said to me, “what really happened on that island?”

If you are looking for an atmospheric thriller, that will transport you somewhere else entirely, this is it. The events of Saltwater take place on the beautiful island of Capri, and the setting is so vividly described that you will feel like you are there. I could practically see the waves lapping against the cliffs along the Amalfi coast, could taste the negronis and the aperitifs on the cliffside patios, could feel the buttery Italian leather trimming the expensive sailboats and yachts…

”The place looks idyllic, but might be hell…”

Juxtaposed amidst all of that beauty and opulence, however, is the seedy underbelly of wealth: a family of millionaires who will do anything to keep their dark secrets; a long-dead mother whose death remains shrouded in mystery; and now a missing young woman.

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

The story was one twist after another, and there were so many possible suspects and lingering questions that kept me interested. It was an enjoyable book, with the way the double-mysteries slowly unfolded, but the final murder, and then the final twist (and then the epilogue, with the final-final twist) took things a bridge too far.

”It was always going to be one of us—all of us—that killed her.”

I found myself yelling out loud, “Are you KIDDING me?! You have GOT to be kidding me!” as the final chapters unfolded. A book that started out with the most lushly realistic setting ever, turned into one of the most ludicrous, not-at-all-believable endings I’ve ever read. So… go in expecting fiction. Other than that, it’s a fun read!

——

A huge thank you to Katy Hays, Ballantine, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I found this book to be ok. I thought the plot seemed interesting. I also enjoyed the flip between past and present. I just felt like the story lacked any thrills or suspense. All the twists came at the end, but they felt out of nowhere.

This book was a decent read for me- a little slow in the beginning but then it picked up and I was eager to keep reading. I loved the ending!!

In "Saltwater," the plot centers on the enigmatic demise of Sarah Lingate, whose lifeless body was discovered at the base of the cliffs of Capri in 1992, leaving her three-year-old daughter, Helen, behind. Although there were suspicions regarding the affluent Lingate family, the circumstances surrounding Sarah's death were deemed accidental, resulting in years of family holidays at the same villa to perpetuate this narrative. On the thirtieth anniversary of her passing, the family stumbles upon the necklace Sarah was adorned with on the night of her death, which rekindles old conflicts and compels Helen to uncover the truth about her mother's fate. As she devises a plan to escape alongside Lorna, a family aide, the situation intensifies when Lorna mysteriously vanishes, compelling Helen to confront her family’s hidden truths and the unsettling realization that every individual present during Sarah's death may be implicated.

The novel skillfully intertwines familial drama with gripping suspense, portraying the Lingate family as affluent yet dysfunctional, ensnared in a labyrinth of deceit and betrayal. Hays vividly depicts the enchanting scenery of Capri, amplifying the narrative’s mood and tension. As Helen struggles with her burdensome familial connections, the intricate storyline unveils startling revelations that maintains the intrigue. The nuanced character interactions and the examination of themes such as affluence and trust contribute significant depth to this enthralling mystery thriller, rendering it an engrossing read for those in pursuit of suspense and drama amid the breathtaking landscape of the Italian island.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was so good! I love Italy so it was quite a treat to read a gripping and intriguing book set place in that beautiful country. The very last twist also was completely unexpected and caught me off guard. I loved this book!

I loved this extremely atmospheric story that includes unexplained deaths, family secrets, and rich people behaving very badly.
This is set on the island of Capri and it feels like you are there. The descriptions are so lush and beautiful. This is told from three different perspectives of women who are either part of the Lingate family or work for the family. I loved the multiple perspectives and layered narrative. We get different versions of how things happened and by the end, my jaw was hanging open. The twists and turn here were so well done that I never guessed them and that is my very favorite type of story.
I think this is going to be a very popular summer book in 2025 and I hope Hays continues to write these awesome books!

This one didn't pan out like I hoped and left me feeling a bit bored overall.
I think I wanted a faster paced. And while the twists and turns were interesting, I never really bought into the premise or the characters truly to care.
Eh...rich people behaving badly? Been there, done that. This book doesn't really add/say much we haven't read in the past but still a solid effort.

I really enjoyed this book, the settings, the well developed characters, the peek into the lifestyles of the old monied people, and how they live!! The twists and turns, in the kept me guessing! I was really shocked by the ending. This was a first time read for me with this Author, I am looking forward to reading more books her!

Katy Hays intriguing mystery set in fabulous Capri, had me guessing from the first page. I was so satisfied with all the twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. Great characters, intricate details, perfectly evoked scenery , all result in a compelling read. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had a hard time getting into this book, was hoping for more suspense and a faster pace. I also have a hard time with the back and forth in time POVs. Would recommend to someone who loves a great mystery.