If you're on the edge of your seat waiting for each new White Lotus episode, this is the book for you. Rich people behaving badly in luxury locations is a trope/subgenre/not sure what to call it that I thoroughly enjoy, on screen or on page. A bit of a guilty pleasure. I had loved The Cloisters and though this is very different, it has the same skilled writing and clever twists (many of them). The characters aren't really likable but I don't think they were meant to be; pretty much like most White Lotus characters, I just enjoy their outrageous, messy, dysfunctional dynamics. I will continue to watch for new releases by Katy Hays!

3.5 upped to 4
I wasn't a huge fan of the Cloister, a story full of potential but with some dubious senteces about Renaissance art like "early Renaissance not interesting" (the Italian in me was listing Botticelli/Masaccio/lippi/Piero della Francesca")
i was curious about this one. There's a lot of subplots, some parts are gripping, some seems to drag a bit.
It's not my cup of tea but I think a lot of people will appreciate it
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Lingate family are no strangers to scandal, secrets, and a mysterious death close to the family. 30 years ago on the island of Capri, Sarah Lingate was found dead, members of her family were suspects, but it was ultimately deemed a suicide. The family is back on the island but despite their close knit facade the family is in shambles. Helen Lingate has been desperate to get out, and when the necklace Sarah was wear before she died shows up she sees an opportunity, and hatches a plan to gain her independence. Family secrets are finally being revealed and truths long buried are being exposed.

This book had a lot of moving parts, it followed multiple timelines, no character was likeable in any way. This kind of gave me The White Lotus vibes which is what I loved about it. I liked the book over all, but it did feel a bit long, everything felt drawn out and I did not feel like the way the story was told work 100%. Also the ending was A LOT and felt too twisty and also convenient. So there were many parts I loved, and some parts I felt needed work but over all was a good read.

On the island of Capri in Italy, playwright Sarah Lingate goes missing. 30 years on Sarah’s daughter Helen and family arrive back in Capri where a surprise awaits. Helen hopes she can discover what really happened all those years ago.

This sounded like a very compelling read, set in a luxury location and with a striking cover that caught my eye I decided to give it a go. This was less of a thriller and more a slow burn drama. I found it hard to get into due to the slow start, however I liked the setting and the multiple points of view. Saying that, I did not connect to any of the characters. This was a well written book overall, and even though it was a bit slow for me, I can see this being a very popular read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

An essay on the many ways that money can't buy happiness. It's a twisty turny tale of a very rich family and their hangers on, as Helen holidays with her family while she plots to break free. Her uncle and father are reluctant to allow her any independence, on account of her mother's tragic death which is surrounded with suspicion. Helen forges a way to independence that is not without risk and collateral damage.

There are so many unexpected revelations as you read breathlessly through the story, nothing is quite what or who it seems and the surprises keep on coming. It is fast-paced an intelligently written and captures your imagination as the many repercussions of small and distant actions still have massive impact on this rich people's holidays. Love the descriptions of Capri and the lifestyle, great setting and satisfying read.

3 stars

The story itself was fun and interesting, but the way it was told was messy and so confusing at times that it was hard to follow. I don't like it when I have to reread the same chapter several times to understand what's happening.
I wanted to love this, but the messy writing style made me follow the plot a bit hard, which is a shame.
I still like this author's creative style and ideas, and I'm looking forward to reading more from them.

An adventure set on a beautiful island with a wealthy but dysfunctional family. The scene had been set decades earlier for this family; and woven through with lies, hate and deception.
It’s a great story and kept me riveted. How could one family have so much that was wrong with them and so many secrets - even from one another.
It had a really surprising ending too. Wasn’t expecting that little twist at all.
If you’re looking for something with a lot of content, twists, turns and surprises along the way - then this book is for you.

3.5 rounded to 4

This had some great elements to it - I loved the Italian island setting and the mystery surrounding the privileged family and their secrets. The pacing was good and it had a satisfying ending

Katy Hays’ The Cloisters was launched with a lot of comments claiming it to be ‘the new Secret History’ – always a bit of a poisoned chalice for a new author when readers then draw comparisons for an acknowledged masterpiece. Me? I enjoyed the descriptive style of writing and slow burn of the book.
The Vipers is similarly ‘literary’ in its prose and descriptive style, as it follows the wealthy Lingate family shrouded in gossip after a decades old mysterious death on the island of Capri which still follows them on their annual return. Each family member has their own secret which, depending on how invested you become in them given the fact that they’re not exactly the most loveable of characters, added to multiple POVs and timelines will keep you guessing throughout.

A twisty tale of family drama and murder on Capri that moves back and forth in time and between narrators. Helen's mother Sarah died-was killed-on the island when she was three and her family shut down around her after. Now, in the present, Lorna, who is a bit of a grifter, has managed to wind her way into the family and into a friendship of sorts with Helen, a friendship which she exploits. What really happened to Sarah, who was once a playwright, and what's happened to Lorna will collide over time. Helen's perspective and Lorna's are a bit different to say the least but then there's also Naomi, Helen's alcohol soaked aunt. Her father Richard, her uncle Marcus don't have a voice in this but they loom over it all. It's nicely atmospheric - with tastes, smells, heat and the rest that will transport you to Capri. What is the secret of the necklace that arrives at the Capri vacation home? So many secrets, so many questions, so many twists, some of which you might see coming and others which will be a surprise. If I have a quibble it's that this goes on a bit too long but wow that end. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A very good read.

The Vipers is a masterfully crafted thriller, weaving rich descriptions and intricate character dynamics into a compelling narrative. Its atmospheric depth and suspenseful pacing make it a standout choice for discerning readers of the genre.

The Vipers is, as expected, utterly magnificent.

The novel plunges us into the world of the Lingates, as they travel to the island of Capri in both the 90s and present. As the book unravels we find ourselves learning more about the events surrounding Sarah Lingate’s death, until everything unravels in a fantastic chaos 30 years later.

Katy Hays’ first book immersed us in the gothic darkness of The Cloisters, and The Vipers immerses us just as well in the sunshine of the Mediterranean.

I loved the previous book written by this author and i was super excited to receive a copy of this one. The premise sounded excellent and up my alley, however it failed in the execution and the characters for me as i was not able to keep glued to the page. The author can write beautiful prose and dialogue, incredible description of scenery, however this did not work for me and it makes me so sad! There are positives in the way in which she writes the prose and the interesting mystery of what has happened which made it quite enjoyable in the end.
I had to give it 2.5 and rounded it up to 3.

4 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2025/03/10/review-the-vipers-by-katy-hays/
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Yes, She DId It Again

I very much enjoyed The Cloisters by Katy Hays and so when I was offered a review copy of The Vipers I was only to happy to snatch a copy with indecent haste. And, I’m glad I did because once again Hays has created a family drama/murder mystery packed with atmosphere, a delicious setting and a bunch of characters behaving badly.

The premise of The Vipers (known as Saltwater in the US) is a mystery surrounding the Lingate family. The Lingates are rich, and I do mean filthy rich, but even this much money can’t wash off some of the gossip that follows them. Thirty years ago, Sarah Lingate (wife to Richard, one of the two Lingate brothers) died mysteriously on the Island of Capri. Witnesses say she was seen arguing with her husband that evening and her body was later discovered in the waters surrounding the Island but the Lingates are found innocent of any crime and they return to the Island every year just to show the naysayers that they have nothing to hide. As the book begins they once again return to Capri but this year a surprise is awaiting their arrival, something that is about to shake them up and set in motion a series of drastic events.

What I really liked about this.

Well, firstly, the writing. I think I mentioned that the writing in The Cloisters was beautiful and a delight to read and The Vipers is no different. The island is described to perfection, you can feel the sun sparkling off the sea, smell the figs and simply goggle at the decadent lifestyles on display. At first, I found myself meandering a little, I don’t think I was really sure where everything was going but, as soon as I got a grip on the narrator’s and the jumps back and forth I became really absorbed and pretty soon I was flipping around like a fish out of water jumping to all sorts of ridiculous conclusions as the author cast threw out her red herrings. This is one of those stories that when you eventually come to the final twist not only have you not seen it coming but it’s an absolute cracker. Well, to be fair, more than one surprise actually. I confess that I’m a bit useless at sleuthing and reading so others might have more luck at second guessing some of the outcomes but I never try too hard to figure things out because I enjoy the suspense.

Let’s discuss characters. The Lingates are, as you might imagine with a family with so much wealth, very insular, even more so since the death of Sarah and the ensuing gossip. Sarah and her husband had one child, a daughter called Helen who was only three at the time but is now in her thirties and is one of the narrators. The family itself – the brothers Richard (married to Sarah before her accident) and Marcus and his wife Naomi. There is also Helen and her companion Freddy and the hired assistant. Now the thing is, none of these characters are particularly nice people. Although, to be fair I felt for Helen and I did become attached to her as the story progresses. Basically, Helen is trapped. She is literally kept like a prisoner, a very well kept prisoner, but nonetheless she has no freedom and a gilded cage is still a cage.

The thing about all the characters is that they’re all keeping secrets. Some of this becomes obvious as you read along what with the changes in narrative voice and the jumps back in time – but even as you begin to realise that not everything is rosy in the Lingate abode it’s still difficult to pin down what’s really going on and I advise you to really pay attention to everything because looking back I could see that the author was throwing out a little trail of breadcrumbs.

The setting is, with only a few exceptions, Capri. What a glittering place for this story to take place. It really was the perfect setting and felt so natural for this particular family.

Anyway, to cut to the chase, apart from a slightly slow start, once I was pulled into the Lingate family dynamics and the whole ‘did he or didn’t he’ dilema, not to mention a whole new murder mystery – well, I was totally compelled and found myself reading the whole book in two days. I loved the twists, I didn’t second guess everything although I do congratulate myself on one aspect of the mystery – even though it turned out slightly different to that which I’d imagined. I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

“There’s nothing deadlier than a family with everything to lose...” Katy Hays returns with a twisting, dark, and brutal thriller set on the island of Capri. Historically best known for being the sordid pleasure palace of the Emperor Tiberius, Capri is once again host to the obscenely wealthy, paranoid, murderous, powerful, and secretive. Sarah Lingate died tragically at the Lingate’s holiday villa in 1992. But was it suicide or was it murder? 30 years later her daughter Helen, and Lorna - PA to Helen’s Uncle Marcus are on Capri for the summer - determined to break the grasp of her controlling family, Lorna and Helen set out to find the truth. As the family fractures, and the secrets slither out, will any of them survive the summer? I requested this like greased lightning when I saw it on @netgalley - massive thanks to @bantambooksuk for the approval - having absolutely devoured Katy’s debut The Cloisters. The Vipers is just as dark, layer, and twisting as Katy peels back the layers of her character’s exposing just how far they’re willing to go for truth, justice, and the luxury they’re so accustomed too. Helen and Lorna are brilliant, perfect contrasts in POV characters, the rich, sheltered, naive woman; and the recovering addict, with a difficult past. But both have complicated family, and enough dark secrets to fill the Mediterranean. It’s compared to The White Lotus and Succession which perfectly nail the languid setting, the brutal deaths, and the vicious manoeuvring and social games of the obscenely wealthy. Hays has crafted gripping drama full of secrets, betrayal, manipulation and shocking reveals that keep the reader gripped. Katy has cemented her position on my shelves with future books with this great second book!

Hmmm this is a 3.5 because there are definitely things I liked about this sun-drenched tale of the rich and entitled but some that I didn’t.

👍🏻Firstly, there is the stunning setting on the island of Capri. The descriptions make you want to grab your cossie and sunscreen and hop on a plane immediately.

👍🏻There are some interesting character dynamics and a central mystery that you want to unlock.

👍🏻It’s always fun to look behind the scenes at the lives of the obscenely wealthy and if we find out that it isn’t always as fun as it looks, that’s just a bonus! 😈

👎🏻What worked less well was that because of the multiple POV and timelines I never particularly invested in anyone.

👎🏻There were so many twists that it became too implausible for my liking and some of those twists stretched credulity too far.

👎🏻The US title for this book is Saltwater as that is the name of the property that the family rent in Capri. The similarity in name to Saltburn immediately stuck in my head, which is unfortunate because they deal with similar topics. However, Saltburn exploits the awfulness of its characters and satirises them, whereas The Vipers treats its awful cast list earnestly.

This would make a great holiday read but for me, personally, I’d cut a few of the twists and some of the less plausible events.

If you are inspired to go to Capri, don’t forget to watch out for the cliffs!

With thanks to NetGalley, Katy Hays and Bantam, Random House UK, Transworld for an arc of this book.

‘The Vipers’ is a novel told from different characters’ points of view, mostly those of Helen Lingate and her friend, her father’s personal assistant, Lorna. The novel begins as the Lingate family arrive in Capri for their annual holiday, the same location that Helen’s mother died in an apparent suicide years before. As cracks appear in her family’s wealthy, untouchable facade, Helen finally learns the truth of what happened to her mother.

I utterly adored this. It reminded me, a little, of ‘The Skeleton Key’ by Erin Kelly with the absolute laser-like focus on a family desperately trying to paper over any signs of dysfunction, headed by two quite different patriarchs, and the young people around them.

As a result of the focus on the family dynamics, I didn’t feel I got a full sense of the island of Capri. The island is used more of a status symbol, to show how wealthy the Lingate family are. Given how atmospheric the locations used in the author’s debut novel, ‘The Cloisters’, were, this is a little surprising, but as I say, the focus is very much on the characters here.

The end of the novel delivers some huge twists that I wasn’t expecting and, as long as I don’t think too deeply about them, quite enjoyed, but I do think they are a bit of a stretch. This might have meant a lower review score, but the writing and the plot leading up to this point are just so good. A juicy peach of a novel that will make an excellent summer read.

Very many thanks to the publisher for the advance copy on which this review is based.

Set on the Isalnd of Capri (which the author captured perfectly!) the super rich Lingates are taking an annual holiday. The story moves between the present day and 30 years ago when Sarah Lingate was found dead. Now her daughter Helen wants to know what happened to her mother and her discovering the truth may well bring the family down. When her friend Lorna goes missing from the Island another mystery is thrown into the mix.

Lots of mystery from the get go and though I thought it was well paced, there were possibly too many questions in the first third and I definitely got a bit frustrated waiting for answers though it does all come together at the end

A cast of pretty unlikeable characters too make it hard to root for any of them getting what they want.

All in all a decent read with layers of mystery and a definite White Lotus vibe of rich people in a gorgeous location doing bad things

Mystery thriller, superbly entertaining. I had read The Cloisters by Katy Hays, so was looking forward to reading this new book. I was not to be disappointed. There is tension from the start. Set mainly on the Island of Capri, the wealthy Lingate family have secrets to hide. A lot of secrets. Helen, young daughter, has been controlled all her life. But she’s woken up to the need to discover and expose what happened to her mother Sarah who was murdered, and to escape the family to live her own life. Plots within plots, lies within lies. Surprises to be revealed. Even the Epilogue has revelations. Thank you to Random House Uk, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine freely given.

Had I known that this was set in Capri I would have read it sooner. Katy Hays brilliantly portrays the island and the feel of the summer spent in Capri. There were the odd spots where I had to go back and read again but I think this was a problem with the formatting rather than this delightful novel. Just glad that they are not my family.