Saltwater by Katy Hays is a debut novel that explores themes of family, identity, and the search for belonging against the backdrop of the British coastline. While the story has a lot going for it, I found it took some time before I was truly captivated by the characters.

Hays’ writing is undeniably poetic, and her attention to detail brings the setting to life. However, it wasn’t until the second half of the book that I felt a real connection with the characters. Early on, the narrative felt distant, with Lucy’s introspective nature and the slow pace of the story making it difficult to fully engage with her struggles. It’s only as the plot deepens and Lucy’s relationships with the locals become more complex that the characters started to resonate with me.

While the first half of the book may feel slow, the payoff is worth it. Hays gradually peels back the layers of her characters, revealing their depth and vulnerability. By the time I reached the latter part of the story, I was fully invested in Lucy’s journey and the fates of those around her.

In conclusion, Saltwater is a thoughtfully crafted novel that rewards patience. Although it took time for the characters to draw me in, Hays’ evocative prose and the novel’s strong sense of place ultimately made for a compelling read. It’s a promising debut, particularly for readers who enjoy stories that focus on internal growth and the quiet complexities of life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

The book is an exciting thriller that switches from the past to present. It took me a while to figure out if I was in the past or present several times times, but as the book progressed, it was easier to distinguish past from present.

I really enjoyed this thrillet/mystery and recommend without hesitation.

The powerful Lingate Family of California returns each year to the island of Capri to the same villa at which Sarah Lingate, an upcoming playwright, supposedly fell to her death 30 years before. Her daughter, Helen has been controlled by the family for the last 30 years and she wants out. Helen wants a normal life away from her rich, famous and powerful family and friends. Conspiring with her uncle's assistant, Lorna, Helen plots a way for her to finally become her own woman but when Lorna is found dead, Helen must assume that one of her family members learned of their scheme and killed her. With her mother's tragic death at the base of the famous Capri cliffs once again on her mind, Helen tries to figure out which family members are telling the truth about that fateful night and who is lying to cover their tracks.
With numerous alibis, numerous motives and plenty of lies author Hays keeps readers guessing until the shocking end. Will Helen discover who killed her mother 30 years ago or will Helen end up just like her?

Wow - so many twists in this story - it was fascinating. The Lingates - old money for sure. The family is very private and very closed off, until Sarah Lingate is found dead on the island of Capri, after being found bruised and battered at the bottom of a cliff. The Lingates are suspect, but nothing comes of it and they return the island each year - now bringing Helen, Sarah's daughter with them. This year, thirty years after Sarah's dealth, they are accompanied by Lorna, Helen's uncle Marcus' assistant and Helen's closest friend. Helen and Lorna are plotting to escape the Lingates until Lorna winds up dead. What should be expected is never what is real and this book drew me in from the first page to the surprise ending. A must read. Thank you so much to NetGalley, Katy Hays and Ballentine Books for the opportunity to read the ARC of this book. I hope the movie will soon follow.

First of all, thank you Netgalley and the publishing company for allowing me to read and review this ARC.

All I can say about this book is that being dead never felt more alive.

If you love a good scandalous family, money problems and endless amount of love triangles… well the Lingate Family could be your new focus.

Daddy Uncle, a lover, a mysterious woman all play a huge role in this family thriller.

Saltwater is full of mystery, murder, and dark family secrets, all the makings of an excellent read. For me, I found the depth of the characters to be slightly lackluster. While their lives and stories are clearly intertwined, their seems to be a disconnect that never allowed me to fully develop a vested interest in either of them. However, the many twists and turns the mystery took compelled me enough to keep reading to the end.

Saltwater was a nice slow burn I didn't know I needed! Told from the alternating perspective of 3 women, from 1992 and present day, Helen Lingate is filthy rich and ready to spread her wings. After the death of her mother in 1992, Helen lived with her father and assorted nannies, out of the public eye. On their annual trip to Capri, the place of her mother's death, Helen is motivated to get out of the smothering nature of her close-knit family and solve her mother's murder at the same time. With unlikely accomplices, this novel had me guessing to the end!

The past and present collide in this vacation thriller when the prolific Lingate family is linked once again to another dead body.
Helen is 33 and has never experienced a life that wasn’t under complete control of her father Richard, or her Uncle Marcus and his wife Naomi. No one discusses the death or life of her mom Sarah who tragically fell off a cliff in Capri when she was three-years-old.
Helen has grown up with strangers telling her that her father is a murderer and she is unsure who to believe.
When Helen meets Lorna, her uncle’s assistant, they develop the closest thing to a friendship that Helen has ever been allowed to have.
But on a return trip to Capri, Lorna is met with the same fate as her mother.
Helen is convinced that her family not only killed her mom, but Lorna, to keep her quiet.
This story had a lot of twists that I didn’t see coming and while I’m not sure how realistic it would be, I still enjoyed the ride.
Katy Hays has a great knack for character building and description that easily puts the reader right into setting, taking in the details that make up this gorgeous island.
I look forward to reading more from Katy in the future.

I have been on an Italy reading kick this summer as my niece is there for school and it reminds me of when I lived there as a teenager. Katy Hay’s’ writing brought me right back there with this suspense story and I was able to imagine being in the story. Saltwater is a must read and will keep you entertained from start to finish.

This book is about a rich family's drama and murder. It's multiple viewpoints and timelines and set in Capri. Sarah was killed 30 years ago in Capri and her family has always been suspected of killing her. Helen, her daughter, is stuck living in her families expectations and has limited access to freedom. Lorna, the family assistant, is going to help her gain her freedom in Capri.

Saltwater by Katy Hays. SO GOOD. This is the best, most twisty and surprising thriller I have read this year. I immensely enjoyed this one and really did not see some of the twists coming. This book will keep you hooked until the last page. The secrets, the money, the one percenters, the glittering locale of Capri. WOW. What a wild ride. It won’t be published until March 2025, but definitely put it on your list.

I read and enjoyed the author's first book, The Cloisters, and there's been so much buzz about Saltwater before it's close to being published. Initially, I was having difficulty following all the characters. It wasn't until 30% in when we are given more information about Sarah and Richard's relationship in NYC vs LA that I started connecting with the characters. I was much more invested in Part 2 of the book. Helen and Naomi shopping at Ferragamo and Hermes was my favorite part of the book. The author does a wonderful job describing Capri. I encourage readers of family dramas to push past the first half of the book.

I really enjoyed the author's first book The Cloisters, and it's summer time--the perfect time for a thriller in a vacation setting. As one character expresses, "it's amazing how easy it is to untether yourself from solid ground," truly one of the joys of a good thriller.

But the other component of a successful thriller is having a protagonist to care for, to follow through the twists of the untethering. That's where this book falls short for me. The author's incessant, bordering on tedious, plot-twists took away the most interesting character, and then with the severe action slow-down slump of the middle, I no longer cared.

This genre teaches us not to trust anything going on or the reliability of any point of view. I'm glad I stuck with it to the end, even as it felt like work instead of vacation. But stay tuned, this one promises a cinematic comeback.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book, Netgalley!

4.5 stars. I enjoyed the storyline . I appreciate a well- written story with a female protagonist. This story takes place in Capri, which is the perfect location. I felt as though I was in Capri sitting by the water. I also enjoyed switching up my regular reading- this read more like a family drama than a true thriller, but it was exactly what I was looking for!

My only negative with the book was some of the characters. They were stuck up and snotty. I didn’t feel like it was a true representation of people who share similar fortune. Overall, a great read!

Told in different POV and flashing back and forth in time, this story tells of a controlling family, the women who marry into it, and what some people will do for reputation and money.
When Helen was 3, her mother, Sarah, is found washed up on the cliffs of Capri. Every year since, the family returns to spend a week on the island. Now, 30 years later, secrets are revealed, Sarah's case is reopened, and another death occurs. Who is responsible?

An enchanting but sinister look into how the 1% live. At first glance, all seems to be quite enviable, filled with exotic trips, famous people and every need and desire met with the click of your heel. As you look deeper, the cracks start to show. Maybe the money isn't what it once was, maybe the tightly controlled family dynamic is more focused on control than on safety.

The book switches to several different characters, Helen mainly, the daughter of the famous Lingate family. After tragically losing her mother at a young age, she has been tightly encased inside the family with little exposure to the outdoor world. After meeting a friend, Lorna, she starts to see things for what they really are and focuses on getting out.

So many dramatic twists and turns, enough to keep you up until you finish the very last page! Fantastic and captivating novel by Katy Hays, highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own.

4.5 Stars! Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of Salt Water.

This book takes place with the beautiful backdrop of the Mediterranean and the island of Capri. If they made this into a movie what a beautiful setting it would be!

I read this book so fast even though the second half kind of dragged. There were times where the plot was a bit confusing although I think that was intentional for the “mystery” vibe. I was never sure who knew who previously or knew certain secrets etc.. so it got a bit muddy in the middle.

I enjoy a good “who done it” every once in a while, although it’s not my typical read. Overall this one was worth it and I enjoyed the characters it focused on, flaws and all. I was able to figure out one of the reveals, but not the other. Although the “big” one felt very unlikely and also a little messed up but I don’t want to spoil anything. Overall, worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I think I found this to be a bit drab. I skimmed the pages to find out what happened. I didn't particularly like any of the characters. The twists did take me by surprise, especially with Renata. I did enjoy the twists, but other than that, I didn't really enjoy reading the book. I was bored.

I loved THE CLOISTERS, so I didn’t want to have overly high hopes for Hays’ second novel but I LOVED this book. I think I even like it better. Things aren’t overly surprising regarding the truth around the mysterious death from the 1990s, and I did suspect one big “twist” from the jump — but I audibly gasped at the other. It seems obvious now, but Hays did such a great job hiding the truth in plain sight. I also really appreciated the various red herrings and the gorgeous scenery. Manipulation in the best way and scandalously fun.

I received an email from the publisher with a suggestion that I read and review this book through NetGalley and as I love mysteries decided to give it a try. The writing was a little more sensationalized than I usually prefer, but I did enjoy the shifting narrator and the shifts in time. The multiple perspectives were conveyed convincingly without becoming confusing or overdramatic. There were multiple mysteries to solve and there was a twist which can completely out of nowhere for me.

I thought the very wealthy family seemed a little bit like a caricature and some of that dialogue and those relationships felt forced and unrealistic. But the mystery itself was well done with multiple levels of clues, deception, and discoveries.

Rounding up from 3.5 stars as it was a compelling read.