Saltwater A Novel

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