Saltwater

Katy Hays

2025 • 336 pages

Ratings3

Average rating4.7

On glittering Capri, anything can be a mirage. And no one holds a grudge like family.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters comes an electrifying thriller about an opulent family retreat to Italy that’s shattered by the resurfacing of a decades-old crime.

In 1992 Sarah Lingate is found dead below the cliffs of Capri, leaving behind her three-year-old daughter, Helen. Despite suspicions that the old-money Lingates are involved, Sarah’s death is ruled an accident. And every year, the family returns to prove it’s true. But on the thirtieth anniversary of Sarah’s death, the Lingates arrive at the villa to find a surprise waiting for them—the necklace Sarah was wearing the night she died.

Haunted by the specter of that night, the legendary Lingate family unity is pushed to a breaking point, and Helen seizes the opportunity. Enlisting the help of Lorna Moreno, a family assistant, the two plot their escape from Helen’s paranoid, insular family. But when Lorna disappears and the investigation into Sarah’s death is reopened, Helen has to confront the fact that everyone who was on Capri thirty years ago remains a suspect—her controlling father Richard, rarely-lucid aunt Naomi, distant uncle Marcus, and their circle of friends, visitors, and staff. Even Lorna, her closest ally, may not be who she seems.

As long-hidden secrets about that night boil to surface, one thing becomes clear: not everyone will leave the island alive.

Genre

Fiction

Mood

mysterious

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Popular Reviews

Reviews with the most likes.

Jeff SextonSupporter

Beautiful Setting. Atrocious People. Maybe Someone Will See The Light. This is one of those tales where there aren't really too many "good" people - even the people you ostensibly want to root for are doing some very *bad* things! But the imagery of the beautiful Italian islands is absolutely stunning and well done... and even make it a point to play into the endgame, which is always appreciated.

While the book *does* start rather slow, stick with it. It is no Great Gatsby where the first x amount of it is an utter snooze fest that is more apt to put you to sleep rather than keep you up all night... but it *does* get to the "keep you up all night" level. Eventually. And then it keeps you there until damn near the last word of the tale.

Overall a fun book of its type, one with enough to keep you invested and take you to somewhere not where you are. (Unless you happen to be on said Italian islands. Then... maybe read something else if you want to be transported somewhere else? :D) Actually a rather good beach/ cruise read due to the setting at minimum.

Very much recommended.

Originally posted at bookanon.com.

March 25, 2025

Heather

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC!

This book was exactly what I expected White Lotus to be before I realized that while it's a great show, there's just drama and not much thriller. This instead was a perfect balance. It's full on rich people drama with a ton of thriller.

The twists and turns were a lot of fun, I did have a suspicion they could happen but there were still parts I did not expect.

I really enjoyed all the POV in the book as well. We're the characters likeable? No but they weren't supposed to be.

This really is a great read for summer vacations, to dream of vacation in Italy, with maybe a few less missing people though.

March 17, 2025