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Saltwater - by Katy Hays (Hardcover)

Saltwater - by  Katy Hays (Hardcover) - 1 of 1
$18.27 sale price when purchased online
$27.00 list price
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About this item

Highlights

  • From the New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters comes a slow-burn psychological drama about an opulent family that unravels when a decades-old crime resurfaces.
  • About the Author: Katy Hays is the New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters.
  • 336 Pages
  • Fiction + Literature Genres, Thrillers

Description



About the Book



"The world was shocked by playwright Sarah Lingate's death thirty years ago at a Moorish, whitewashed villa on the island of Capri. Absolved of the crime, the Lingate family maintains that what happened that night was a tragic accident, and every July they come back to prove it's true. This time, Helen Lingate, sole heir to the family fortune, has a plan. Tightly controlled by her father, Helen enlists the help of the family assistant, Lorna Silva, to free herself from her family's grip. But behind closed doors, the legendary Lingate family unity is at a breaking point. Upon arrival to their villa in Capri, a gift is waiting for them: the necklace Sarah was wearing the night she died. In the aftermath, the paranoid, insular Lingates begin to unravel. As the investigation into her mother's death is reopened, Helen begins to lose trust in everyone around her"--



Book Synopsis



From the New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters comes a slow-burn psychological drama about an opulent family that unravels when a decades-old crime resurfaces.

"Full of chills and darkness."--Oprah Daily

"Fans of family dramas and thrillers will devour this tense, suspenseful novel."--Woman's World

In 1992, Sarah Lingate is found dead below the cliffs of Capri, Italy, 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 her 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 paranoid, insular Lingate family begins to crack, and Helen seizes the opportunity with the help of Lorna Moreno, the family assistant. But then Lorna disappears, and the investigation into Sarah's death is reopened. Everyone who was on Capri thirty years ago remains a suspect--Helen's controlling father, Richard; her rarely lucid aunt, Naomi; her 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.

Combining a glittering, dark atmosphere, morally-gray characters, and mind-bending twists, Saltwater is an exploration of the corrupting effects of generational privilege and the lengths people go to protect a legacy--and how no one can hold a grudge like family.



Review Quotes




"Engrossing and sinister, Saltwater has all the elements thriller readers love: dead bodies, deception, and betrayal. But at its core, this multilayered story delves into the concepts of familial loyalty and generational trauma, making Saltwater a must-read."--Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Flight

"Perfect for fans of White Lotus, this is a spring break murder mystery for the ages."--People

"Fans of family dramas and thrillers will devour this tense, suspenseful novel."--Woman's World

"This thriller has as many twists and turns as the actual island of Capri . . . but for all those misdirections, what Hays does best are reveals."--Writer's Digest

"Full of chills and darkness."--Oprah Daily

"A riveting, atmospheric, elegantly written, and twist-packed tale . . . brilliant!"--Ellery Lloyd, New York Times bestselling author of The Club

"A masterful, riveting, and unsettling tale of privilege, greed, and lust . . . I can't remember reading a book with as many deftly executed twists and revelations. I devoured it in what felt like seconds."--Ella Berman, author of the Reese's Book Club pick Before We Were Innocent

"The truest literary successor to HBO's Succession I've encountered, Saltwater is so gorgeously written that its twists didn't need to hit nearly so hard nor land nearly so perfectly for this to already be one of the best books of 2025, and yet they do. What a knockout."--Ashley Winstead, bestselling author of Midnight Is the Darkest Hour

"A ride as exhilarating as the ferries that transport the elites from villa to yacht . . . Sleuthing minds will cavort with acrobatic prowess, reeling from one unexpected twist to another. . . . Hitchcockian in its film-noirish malevolence, Hay's second novel also deviously channels Patricia Highsmith's cunningly and sympathetically flawed characters to deliver an absorbing read."--Booklist, starred review

"A powerful, surprise-packed study of family, wealth, and consequences . . . Hays uses the island setting to brilliantly exploit locked-room mystery tropes, and doles out jaw-dropping reveals at just the right moments. This masterful suspense story has all the momentum of a runaway train."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

"A feisty storm of Greek tragedy headlined by three very modern women."--Kirkus Reviews

"Saltwater is sultry and sophisticated, with a menacing undercurrent that keeps you thrillingly unsettled until its final spellbinding twist."--Rachel Koller Croft, author of Stone Cold Fox

"Brilliantly written in scintillating prose, Katy Hays's Saltwater is an Italian opera for the modern age. Superbly plotted and deftly executed, this searing takedown of the upper crust is one to savor."--Katherine Wood, author of Ladykiller

"A twisty, seductive thriller."--Nina Simon, New York Times bestselling author of Mother-Daughter Murder Night



About the Author



Katy Hays is the New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters. She is an art history adjunct professor and holds an MA in art history from Williams College and pursued her PhD at UC Berkeley. Having previously worked at major art institutions, including the Clark Art Institute and SFMOMA, she now lives with her husband and their dog in Olympic Valley, California.
Dimensions (Overall): 9.4 Inches (H) x 6.3 Inches (W) x 1.4 Inches (D)
Weight: 1.1 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Sub-Genre: Thrillers
Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres
Number of Pages: 336
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Theme: Psychological
Format: Hardcover
Author: Katy Hays
Language: English
Street Date: March 25, 2025
TCIN: 92642637
UPC: 9780593875551
Item Number (DPCI): 247-41-7384
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
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Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 1.4 inches length x 6.3 inches width x 9.4 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 1.1 pounds
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3.0 out of 5 stars with 1 reviews
100% would recommend
1 recommendations

Deadly Secrets

3 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
EdensKathyG - 2 months ago
3 1/2 stars!! Set in Capri, I was very excited to read this book. It fell short for me. It is a novel about the rich and how they can get away with lies. Even if those lies involve death. There was definitely a cast of characters and quite a few POV's and it did jump back & forth in time lines. It did get confusing. I felt that it could have been written smother so you could follow it better. It starts with the death of Sarah Lingate. Each year her family returns to where she was found dead and to honor her. Her daughter Helen, now in her 30's was just a toddler when her mother died and she is raised by her Dad, Richard. He has a brother Marcus, who is married to Naomi. Secrets keep this family together. Helen really wants to know what happened to her mother. She brings Lorna Morena with her and she happens to be an assistant in the family business. Together they have a plan to try to scare the family into telling the truth about her mother's death. Until Lorna is missing! There is a a great mystery here but you have to read a lot of words to get to the good stuff. The twists that I did not see coming were well worth sticking with it until the end. Thanks to #netgalley, #ballantinebooks & @heykatyhays for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
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