Saltwater: A Novel [Kietas viršelis]

"From New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters comes an electrifying thriller about an opulent family and their mysterious assistant whose annual retreat to Italy is shattered by the resurfacing of a decades-old murder. The world was shocked byplaywright 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'strue. 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 hermother's death is reopened, Helen begins to lose trust in everyone around her: her controlling father Richard, drug-addled aunt Naomi, aloof uncle Marcus, and even Lorna, whose past she realizes is frustratingly opaque. And as they fracture, the long-hidden truth about that night and the secrets they've kept from one another boil to the surface-and they might not leave the island alive. On glittering Capri, anything can be a mirage. And one thing is true: no one holds a grudge like family"--

Thirty years after Sarah Lingate’s mysterious death on Capri, her daughter Helen returns with the family for their annual retreat, only to uncover a buried necklace, renewed suspicions, and dangerous secrets, as betrayal and paranoia threaten to rupture the family and claim more lives.

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.