I struggled to finish this book as I could not get involved in it. The story line was good but dragged and the characters did not resonate with me. The author did an excellent job of blending it all to a conclusive ending. There were some surprises that captured your attention building to a murderer reveal that was unexpected.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

A woman grows up knowing that her mother died when she was young, but never really knowing the cause of her death. Years later, she is able to find out the truth. Overall, an engaging read, though the character reveal at the end didn't make sense to me.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Katy Hays’ “Saltwater” is a mesmerizing thriller which transports readers to the sun-drenched, yet shadowy, island of Capri. This novel is a masterful blend of family drama, suspense, and the haunting echoes of past crimes, making it a compelling read from start to finish.

The story revolves around a luxurious family retreat on the picturesque island of Capri, where the opulence of the setting contrasts sharply with the dark secrets that begin to surface.

The protagonist, a 33 year-old woman who has lived under the watchful eye of her wealthy and powerful family, returns to the island for their annual summer gathering. However, the idyllic vacation is shattered when a decades-old crime resurfaces, threatening to unravel the facade of her family’s perfect life.

Hays excels at creating complex, multi-layered characters. The protagonist’s journey is particularly compelling as she navigates the treacherous waters of family loyalty and personal integrity. Each family member is meticulously crafted, with their own secrets and motivations that add depth to the narrative.

Hays’ writing is evocative and immersive, capturing the beauty and menace of Capri with equal skill. Her descriptions of the island’s glittering shores and dramatic cliffsides create a vivid backdrop for the unfolding drama. The pacing is expertly managed, with suspense building steadily as the plot twists and turns. Hays’ skillful ability to weave intricate details into the narrative enhances the overall reading experience.

“Saltwater” delves into themes of family loyalty, betrayal, and the long shadows cast by past sins. The novel explores how the weight of secrets can shape and distort relationships, and the lengths to which people will go to protect their loved ones.

“Saltwater” is a captivating and thought-provoking thriller that will appeal to fans of both psychological suspense and family dramas. Katy Hays has crafted a story that is as beautiful as it is unsettling, with richly drawn characters and a plot that keeps readers guessing.

Whether you’re looking for a gripping beach read or a novel that delves into the complexities of family dynamics, “Saltwater” is a must-read.

Many thanks to Netgalley for this arc. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.

In this book we are following the point of view of Helen and Lorna. Helen is a member of the Lingate family and her mother was killed on Capri,Italy at a house that the family goes to every year to remember her. Helen's family is very controlling and her father and uncle took measures to ensure that Helen never said one word about her mother. Lorna is her uncle's assistant and goes to Capri with the family. Once Lorna arrives she feels like she will be murdered. As their week in Capri continues Helen and Lorna come closer and closer to the truth of what happened to Helen's mother Sarah. There are multiple twist and turns throughout this novel. Helen finds out their father Richard isn't really her father and that her mother is actually alive. Luckily the Lingates finally unravel and their secrets of the night of Sarah's murder is revealed and Helen finds out who truly murdered her mother and why. This book was very interesting and kept me hooked until the very end. I am glad that everything worked out at the end of the book .

I tried to start and read this 3 times and each time I failed to get invested. Ultimately I feel like this needed a stronger opening to lay the foundation for the lot and characters. I kept getting lost in what if anything was happening or where the story was planning to go.

I was struggling to pick this up, which may have been a me thing - mysteries and thrillers are normally for me. I enjoyed the author’s previous book, which is why I tried this one. I do think the Capri setting was so real and well-told and there is heaps of intrigue, so I think this one will work for readers who are more generally into this genre. If you enjoy rich people dramas and following a messy main character (is she reliable as our narrator? I’m not sure!), give this one a try. Not for me, but I think it will be for others for sure.

Helen Lingate and her family visit the island of Capri every summer for one week. They've been visiting the island for years, and this year happens to be the 30th anniversary of her mother's death. In 1992 Sarah Lingate fell to her death on the island and despite some suspicious circumstances, the death was ruled accidental. When the Lingate family arrive this year they are stunned to discover that the necklace Sarah was wearing when she died is at the villa. . Helen and her family's assistant Lorna hatch a plan to help Helen escape the hold that her family has held on her forever. This starts a chain of events that will reopen the investigation into Sarah's death and lead to another untimely death.

I had a very difficult time getting into this book and I can't pinpoint why. None of the characters were likable, even the ones that I felt were supposed to be. There were too many characters to keep track of and I had a hard time bouncing back and forth between the years and the characters. The twist at the end was a good one, but at that point I wasn't very invested.

What would you do if you felt trapped by your father’s family wealth and made to feel as if you owed them your silence? What if you also suspected they murdered your mother and set out on a plan to crumble their empire only to find out that everyone is lying?????
This book had so many turns and points of view that if you’re not paying attention you will miss the perfectly laid clues of who really knows the truth.

I’m not sure how to quite describe my feelings on this one! It’s very reminiscent of The Fury by Alex Michaelides. At times the back and forth timelines and POVs were confusing. And it took well into the second half of the book to feel like it picked up some. But the last 25% or so was EXCELLENT. The ending was perfect and almost made up for how slow the first half of this book felt. I’m glad I stuck with it!

Read this as an ARC and loved the second half of the book. It took me some time to really get into the first half, but I’m glad I stuck with it.

Salt Water by Katy Hays effectively transports you to the island of Capri, with its vivid and evocative descriptions that bring the setting to life. The story centers around a dramatic family saga filled with secrets, death, wealth, and tangled histories. Though none of the characters are particularly sympathetic, the well-constructed plot keeps the reader engaged. There are well-placed hints that lead to a conclusion that’s both satisfying and unexpected. Just when it seemed all the revelations were done, there were still more twists to enjoy. It was an entertaining read, though not a standout for me overall.

Thank you once again, to NetGalley

alk about a TWIST. I still don’t know how I didn’t see it coming. This book was such a good escape, even if I’ll never be an old money family vacationing in Capri.

This book could have easily been a flop - I mean talk about unrelatable. But I was fully bought in.

I also need more of Lorna, I want more of the after.

SPOILERS:
I was let down by Katy Hays. I loved The Cloisters and I thought Saltwater would be up there with it, but between all the changing identities and rich people problems that were boring and mundane, I just didn't feel the excitement I did for The Cloisters. Helen had all the money and power to do something with her life, instead she played puppet for her father and uncle. If Lorna hadn't been there to help Helen, Helen would have married Freddy, lost her true love, lost her whole life to living by other people's standards, and would have lost her mother for real. Lorna was the much more interesting character. Morally ambiguous and didn't play by other people's rules. She was ambitious for all the wrong reasons but she still met her goal. Helen was tiring and whiny. She wasn't as mysterious as Lorna thought she was, she was a typical girl in love with a local and didn't have the guts to be with him. And he didn't even seem to like her that much!
I loved the idea of Sarah assuming the identity of their neighbor after she was tragically pushed to her death and her lover claimed the body as Sarah's. But to have two women do that thirty years apart isn't suspicious? Richard and Marcus don't think it's suspicious their assistant goes missing the same place/time as Sarah did thirty years before and don't even seem worried about it? This book should have been shorter and longer at the same time. This is a good beach read or vacation read.
I will still ready any future Katy Hays books.

Helen Lingate’s mother, Sarah, a celebrated playwright, met a tragic and mysterious end thirty years ago when her body was found at the bottom of the cliffs on Capri. The circumstances of her death have always been clouded by speculation and gossip. Every year, the Lingate family returns to Capri to honor Sarah’s memory, but for Helen, these trips are more suffocating than sentimental. Desperate to escape her overbearing, controlling father and his equally manipulative brother, Marcus—who holds her trust fund hostage—Helen devises a plan with the help of her assistant, Lorna. All Helen wants is to break free from her toxic family, and maybe take a bit of cash along the way.

As Helen reconnects with her long-lost love, Ciro, and his mother, Renata, they begin piecing together the fragments of Sarah’s final days. The mystery deepens when the necklace Sarah was wearing the night she died reappears as a cryptic gift. As the family scrambles to understand the implications, Lorna suddenly goes missing. Perhaps it’s time for the Lingates to stop vacationing on Capri…

Told through dual timelines from both Helen’s and Sarah’s perspectives, the novel gradually unravels the dark secrets of the prominent Lingate family. When Sarah's father makes a shocking confession, the puzzle pieces are almost in place—but some still don't fit quite right.

I love getting a glimpse into the lives of the ultra-wealthy, and Katy Hays paints such a vivid picture of the luxurious Capri setting, from its stunning vistas to the turquoise sea. You can almost feel the breeze and smell the ocean air.

SALT WATER by Katy Hays was an entertaining look at how the other half lives (or not). Throw in a dead body, and I’m HOOKED.

Helen Lingate’s mother, Sarah, a playwrite met a tragic end thirty years ago when her body was found at the bottom of the cliffs on Capri. The cause of the fall was always a topic of speculation amongst the towns people. The family returns to Capri yearly to commemorate Sarah‘s life. Helen longs to escape her overbearing, unbelievably controlling father and his sly, slick brother, Marcus, who holds her trust at bay, and Marcus’s pickled wife, Naomi. Helen enlists the help of Lorna, her assistant, in escaping Capri and leaving her family behind. And a little cash wouldn’t be so bad, right?. Helen is also joined by her long lost love Ciro and his mother, Renata in her search for the truth. But will she find out what really happened to her mother and will she be able to run off into the sunset with Ciro? When the necklace that Sarah was wearing the night she died shows up as a gift, everyone is scrambling to understand where it came from. Then, just as their plan is close to fulfilment, Lorna goes missing. Maybe the Lingate family should start vacationing somewhere else.

Told in dual timelines and from Helen and Sarah‘s points of view, we find out more about the prominent Lingate family than they would ever want people to know. When Sarah‘s father makes a confession to her, the pieces of the puzzle are close, but still don’t quite fit correctly.

I love to see how the 1%’s live. While I’ll never be on the island of Capri, Katy Hays paints a vivid portrait of the beautiful vistas and turquoise seas. I could feel the breeze blowing through the air. While this is my first Katie Hayes novel, it will certainly not be my last as she is an author I plan to follow closely.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

The book was well written and researched as someone who grew up in Italy. My only critique is the repetitive narrative. I read the book quickly as it was written in a concise manner.

I gotta say this turned out to be quite a surprise to me.
I enjoyed the characters, the setting, the ambience, the atmosphere and the mystery. Also, I gotta admit: I tend to like stories set in Italy. lol
Also, family drama and grudge-holders are a nice treat to me.
I did struggle a little bit with the author's writing in the 20% (this was my first time reading a book by Katy Hays), but once I go used to it, I let it flow.
I'm pretty sure this book will please mystery readers who enjoy stunning settings and a lot of family drama.

Thank you, Netgalley and Ballantine, for providing me with a free eARC of this novel.

Three decades ago, Sarah Wingate fell to her death in Capri. Since then, the family has moved on—continued to build their empire and image and cultivate status. They do not let a little thing like death stop them. This year, Sarah's daughter Helen is back in Capri with her father and uncle. But this year, things will be change.

It's clear early on that this will not be a pretty story. The family has brought their employee Lorna along—officially as a vacation for her too, but it is clear as day to Lorna that in this family, she will never not be working, never be able to relax—and Lorna clocks the things that the wealthy don't: the secrets simmering under the surface, how little the family cares about people who are not in their circle, in their family. "My family always liked that he had a secret of his own, a weakness. It gave him something to lose." (loc. 1236*)

Those secrets will come to a saltwater boil this summer. Lorna is sure of it.

"But no one knows girls[...] like me. We are an afterimage, a shadow, a disposable body. Girls like us, we are all the same. We are substitutes." (loc. 4905)

I don't want to say too much here, because layer upon layer is exposed as the book goes on, and that's part of the fun. It's a good summer read, and a meaty one. Don't pick this up when you're in the mood for a lighthearted beach romance; save it for a rainy afternoon when you want to dive in and not come up for air for a while.

Thanks to the author and publisher for inviting me to read a review copy through NetGalley.

*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.

Hays follows up her successful debut, The Cloisters, with another atmospheric murder mystery full of morally gray characters. I loved how the story wove Lorna’s, Helen’s, and Sarah’s perspectives together and seamlessly blended the events from 1992 with the present day. The pacing started off slow, but once I hit the halfway mark I was shocked by the sheer number of twists in the story. Even before the climax, the writing and mystery pulled me in - I had to know what happened to Sarah, what happened to Lorna, and whether Helen was victim or accomplice. And even with all the other reveals, I did not see that ending coming! If you love slow burn mysteries and secretive families, this story is for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Wealthy people and people pretending to be wealthy cover up the murders of women they may or may not have killed. The Lingate family is claustrophobic in its insularity. This book has narrative from 1992 and from current day told from various points of view. The voice of all the characters was the same so it was easy to get mix what timeline or character you were reading. These are definitely all people you love to hate.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for this DRC.
#Saltwater #NetGalley