Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride by Lorenzo Carcaterra is one of the most totally enjoyable books I've read of late. It's kind of a cozy mystery: Italian cozy. Nonna Maria is the go-to person in her village on an island off Italy. She doesn't talk. She doesn't ask questions. She listens. Sometimes she calls in the police for help. Sometimes not. She is 70ish and has lived in the village her entire life. Her husband has been dead for 25 years and she misses him. She has children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She has friends aplenty and she spends her days with the, often feeding them. She is an excellent cook. Several large problems (no cases) right now: an old man, a friend of many years has died. They say he fell of his boat. No way. The other problem is a young girl who is to be married but doesn't know why and doesn't really know the man. She can't remember much about the couple of weeks following meeting him.

This book is extremely descriptive. I feel like I'm there and as I'm reading, I feel like I know these people. There are all ages. The place is beautiful and simple. Life is simple here. Few or no drugs, for example. Plenty of wine, though. Nonna Maria's life is simple, too. She just walks around and with her friends and family. People see things, often things they don't realized they've seen. And people talk while walking past houses, houses with open windows. It is full of mysteries. Some don't matter, but others do. It's home despite the fact I've never been there and have no Italian heritage. It is simply fun.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride by Bantam, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #bantam #nonnamariasandthecaseofthemissingbride #lorenzocarcaterra

Nonna Maria is a wonderful character. An older widowed woman that has lots of family and contacts on an island outside of Naples. Nonna is known to be the go to person when someone needs help. She doesn’t consider herself a sleuth but she definitely is.

Lorenzo Carcaterra has written a wonderful cozy mystery that keeps the reader engaged as you can’t help but want a Nonna Maria in your own life.

Thank you to #netgalley and #randomhousepublishing-balantine for allowing me to read the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

Nonna Maria has lived on the island of Ischia all her life and she is an institution for the villagers. If there are problems, disagreements, fights, the villagers will go to Nonna Maria to solve the issues fairly. As the story begins, a young woman asks Nonna Maria for help. She is supposed to be married in a few weeks but she is afraid of the man, she doesn't remember much about their courtship and doesn't love him. Nonna Maria helps her to disappear while the man can be investigated.

The story was so much fun! Nonna Maria has her own network of "agents" that can find out just about anything and then she has contacts on the mainland that are phenomenal.

Highly recommend for a good time read!

This is a cute, cozy mystery about Nona Maria who is like a Sherlock Holmes to her family and friends. She hears, sees and knows everything going on. She has her own unique way to solve mysteries and problems.
Nona Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride made for a sweet escape for me. She had me smiling.
Overall, just a fun book to read.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Lorenzo Carcaterra's new novel, Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride, is a compelling mystery, but it is Nonna Maria that is the core of this story. Nonna Maria is an older widow with seven children and a large extended family. She has lived her entire life on Ischia, eighteen miles off the coast of Naples. Nonna Maria is the heart of Ischia and every one turns to her for any kind of advice and help. When a young engaged girl confides her doubts about her fiance to Nonna Maria, Nonna Maria listens carefully and quickly implements a plan. It's easy to take care of people when you have Nonna Maria's connections. The novel is packed with beautiful settings and amazing characters. Hopefully Nonna Maria has more cases to solve in her future.

Thank you to Bantam Books for the ARC of this novel.

How I wish I had a friend like Nonna Maria and could spend the rest of my days on the island of Ischia and enjoy life moving at a slower pace. When those around her have troubles, instead of going to the police they turn to her. People share information with her and she respects that. When a young woman asks for her advice with her upcoming marriage to a man she hardly knows and now has doubts about, Nonna Maria has a plan. At the same time the captain of a local tour boat is murdered and she joins forces with Capt. Murino to prove it was murder and not a tragic accident.
From the beautiful descriptions of island life, the day to day life of Nonna Maria and several puzzles to untangle, this was a wonderful way to escape the stress and uncertainty of the pandemic. More than just a mystery, it's full of family, friends, relationships and I hope we get to spend some more time with Nonna Maria.
My thanks to the publisher Bantam and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Lorenzo Carcaterra is a seasoned writer but this is the first book by him that I've read. The cover and the description of Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride caught my attention. And I'm glad I got a copy of it.

This book would make a great beach read. It is set in southern Italy - a popular vacation spot along the sea. The sunny, seaside setting is vividly described so even if you aren't on the beach you will feel like you are.

Nonna Maria is a widow with a number of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She has lived her entire life in this village and is a friend to many. She loves her family and cooking. She is often sought out by the locals to help them settle issues - they go to her before they go to the local police. But she maintains that she doesn't solve crimes - she just helps out friends.

I've been reading Mario Giordano's Auntie Poldi series which is set in Sicily and I felt that Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride has a similar vibe.

I loved the characters. The characters are interesting but not as quirky as you sometimes get with a cozy mystery. I feel if I were to visit Ischia (it's a real island outside of Naples) I would see Nonna Maria sitting outside of the cathedral or Peppa the Painter in his shop. Just as Carcaterra provided rich descriptions of the island, he gave depth and fullness to his characters.

There isn't just one mystery but two. There is the mystery from the title: a young woman finds herself about to marry a man she barely knows. There have been rumors in the past that there was a drug given to unsuspecting men and women who then weeks later 'wake up' married to a stranger. Wake up is in quotes because while the drug has similar effects as ruffies, the victim isn't unconscience and it lasts a couple of weeks. There has never been any proof such a drug existed but the people of Ischia are a superstitious people. This is what the young woman believes happened to her. The man she is about to marry is recognized by the local police captain - he had been married to his sister before her death. Not that Nonna Maria needed more proof that Bertoli was a bad man but she is determined to make sure he doesn't hurt any more women.

I'll leave you to discover the other mystery.

If you are looking for an interesting, light read that isn't a romance to enjoy at the beach, pool, or on your porch, then this is the perfect book to get. There is no indication that this is the start of a series but I'm hoping there will be more books featuring Nonna Maria and the people of Ischia.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Monday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2022/05/nonna-maria-and-case-of-missing-bride.html

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride by Lorenzo Carcaterra was an interesting read. The book is a cozy mystery with the main character Nonna Maria. She is an older woman who lives on the island of Ischia who knows and listens to everyone. It is to her everyone goes to when they are in trouble and she helps them. Her presence and methodology is what makes this book so interesting. Oh and the interesting people she knows.

Nonna Maria is in the midst of handling two crises. Anna is afraid of her fiance. She is afraid he is not who he says he is and she is worried about her family. Nonna Maria agrees to help her. Then an old friend “drowned” late at night while on his tour boat. Nonna Maria has a lot of questions to ask and she has a bunch of people she asks the questions of. Even the carabiniera captain, Captain Murino seems to find her insights important.

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride by Lorenzo Carcaterra was a fast read. I enjoyed the story and enjoyed Nonna Maria as the main character. I hope another book with Nonna Maria comes out!

Seventy-something widow Nonna Maria lives on a small Italian island. She is famous for helping her friends and neighbors with their problems. In Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride, she looks into the curious case of a soon-to-be bride, who doesn’t remember how she became engaged. It seems there is an old island herbal recipe that causes people to wake up married.

While investigating the bride’s fiancé, one of Nonna Maria’s oldest friends, a boat captain, is thought to have accidental fallen off his boat while at sea. His mate had good reason to kill him. Was it really just a drunken accident? Nonna Maria must find out.

It is nice to see a non-traditional heroine in a cozy mystery. Nonna Maria is the Miss Marple of the cozy world. She sees everything around her with a clarity few of us have.

The negative in Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride was it frequently veers into travelogue territory. However, the island is beautiful so that may not be a negative for you. 4 stars!

Thanks to Bantam Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

Nonna Maria saves the day! I enjoyed reading this mystery, most of all given the famous Nonna Maria. She tells it like it is and is certainly a refreshing character. I would so love to sit with her and enjoy her famous coffee after a delicious meal. The other major delight in this read is the setting -the gorgeous island of Ischia, and the unique superstitions that abound among the residents. Loved the idea of the powder used to convince someone to marry you. That might be a hot commodity to some people.
Lorenzo Carcaterra knows how to write a page turner, even when writing about a fiction version of Nonna Maria.
Many thanks to Lorenzo Carcaterra, Bantam, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this just published book.

An Enchanting Island with a Grandmotherly Sleuth

Nona Maria, a widow of twenty-five-years, is well known and loved on the Island of Ischai where she is a confident to many and sometimes solves crimes. She always has a pot of spaghetti, wine or coffee, and a listening ear for guests. Anna comes to Nona Maria because she is engaged to a man she doesn’t love and thinks something may be amiss.

Nona Maria makes arrangements for Anna to disappear for awhile while she tries to find out what is happening. But that’s not the only crime on the island. When she visits Captain Murino, the local carbiniere, she learns that an elderly tour boat captain drank too much, fell overboard, and drowned. Murino thinks it’s probably an accident, but Nona Maria has known the man for years and is convinced that no matter how much wine he had consumed he wouldn’t fall overboard. To his credit, Murino, respects Nona Maria’s judgment. With her extensive network of family and friends on the island and off she can be a valuable resource in solving crimes.

This is a lovely book filled with characters you’d like to know and magnificent views of the island. Nona Maria is a strong woman. She has decided opinions, but she also knows how to listen and to put what she learns together to understand what is happening. The pace of the book is leisurely as fits the setting and the charming grandmother sleuth. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and recommend it highly.

I received this book from Random House for this review.

I am completely captivated by Nonna Maria. She is from the island of Ischia in the gulf of Naples. She is an elderly widow, always dressed in black as is the old tradition. She has never ventured far from the island and hasn’t even gone to the beach a few blocks from her home. Nonna Maria is known to all on the island and is a trusted confidant of her neighbors, friends and family. The police are not particularly trusted by the island residents. She is a very wise woman and many come to her for help. A recently engaged woman comes to her, worried that something is going on with pressure from her fiancé for a quick wedding. Nonna Maria helps her disappear so she can check this man out. In the meantime, a close friend of hers is found dead, supposedly by drowning as he fell off his boat while drinking heavily. As Nonna Maria knows all the islanders quite well, she is well equipped to investigate both situations. Her fortitude and knowledge have her well equipped to find solutions to these issues. Seemingly fearless, this fascinating woman had me reading this book straight through! I hope this is the beginning of a series because I’d like to read more about her.

Also reviewed on B&N under 1IrishEyes430 and Kobo under IrishEyes430

I love Nonna Maria. I want to be her when I grow up. Everybody on the island knows Nonna Maria and knows that if you have a problem, she will do everything she can to help you. When a young woman comes to her and tells her that can't marry the man she is engaged to, Nonna Maria jumps in to help her. He proves to be a dangerous man and Nonna Maria has to be creative to help her. When one of Nonna Maria's friends dies, she is not so sure it was an accident. She deals with underworld people to get to the bottom of that mystery. It seems everyone owes Nonna Maria a debt, even some pretty shady characters. But they don't hesitate to help her. Loved the story and the characters. Makes me want to go to Ischia.

I read Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride after seeing the author, Lorenzo Carcaterra, interviewed for his book Three Dreamers. You can’t help but like the author. He is funny, humble and loved, respected and honored the women in his life. Nonna Maria, based upon his grandmother, is a beloved member of her community, trusted more than the police. Nonna is thrust into two murder mysteries. The mysteries are more cozy than complicated, but I found them to be a nice change of pace and an enjoyable read. Loved the setting too.

Nonna Maria is the wise, espresso-loving old lady who dispenses advice, candy, and delicious food to young and old on her native Italian island of Ischia. People seek her help with their problems, knowing that she has seen it all and knows everything and everyone in the town. Of course she always lends a hand, and while she’s at it, she manages to out-investigate the police by virtue of knowing everyone and being trusted by people from all walks of life. If she sounds like a superhero, well, she basically is. Her superpower, and the biggest advantage she has over the local carabinieri, might best be described as extreme networking. Because she knows everybody and has a connection in every possible area (legal or not), she can strategically deploy some of her gourmet home cooking in just the right direction to get the information that will help. With her kindness and deep empathy, she is trusted and beloved by all.

My favorite thing about Nonna Maria is that, while she is a senior citizen doing investigative work in a cozy mystery, she is confident and unapologetic about her skills. This is not some “whoops, I keep running across crimes and happening to solve them” little old lady. While she prefers to view her efforts as just helping her friends rather than real investigating, she nevertheless owns her competence and knows she can get things done where others cannot.

In addition to the appealing heroine, this book offers a terrific sense of place, featuring the pleasures of life on Ischia on every page. The ending ties everything up neatly and lets us look forward to future adventures with Nonna Maria.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House-Ballantine for a digital advance review copy.

At heart, “Nonna Maria” is a love letter to Ischia, it's people, it's food and it’s scenery. Wrapped around the story of a beloved island are a clutch of whodunnits that are solved by an elderly lady at the center of Ischia’s social life. With her bone-deep knowledge of the people of her community and their habits, and the experience of many years of life, Nonna Maria is able to help the friends who trust her to solve their problems with tact and discretion.

This is a lovely early summer read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Nonna Maria has lived on the island of Ischia her whole life. In fact, she’s never traveled anywhere else. She knows everyone on the island quite well (and is probably related to half the people there), and they know and trust her. They come to her with their problems before they’ll go to the law because of their long-standing relationships with her. And Nonna Maria helps. She says she doesn’t investigate, she helps friends.

There are two threads to follow here. First, we have Anna, our “missing bride,” who comes to Nonna Maria in tears as the book opens. She has agreed to marry a man, a stranger to Ischia, and now doubts that he is who he claims to be. Then we have Pasquale, a sailor born if ever there was one, who has fallen overboard to his death in the ocean that he loved. The police have very little to go on with Pasquale’s death, and can’t really do anything with Anna’s fiance, but Nonna Maria can and does sort things out.

This is not a fast-paced, action-packed book. If that’s what you’re looking for, you might not enjoy it. Me, I loved it! I’m not as young as I used to be myself, and it’s always a treat for a book to feature a more seasoned sleuth. Nonna Maria is precisely that, and in addition, she’s an independent woman who definitely knows her own mind. She only drinks the coffee she makes (and she makes it strong!), and she sees no point in water, but will indulge in a glass of wine. I think she’s my new favorite main character.

And true to her assertion, Nonna Maria doesn’t really investigate. She has no phone, no car, no television. She doesn’t get on the internet to dig up public records or old news articles. She talks to people, one friend to another, to learn the things she needs to know. Her circle of friends is broad, ranging from the parish priest at the local church (you know, the one she doesn’t attend) to a man who keeps to the shadows but whose reputation still carries weight, to a crime lord from Naples to the local mechanic. It is her many connections and relationships that allow her to get to the heart of just about any matter.

She doesn’t go it alone, either. The whole island looks out for their Nonna. She is on good terms with Captain Murino of the carabinieri as well. He may not be local to Ischia, but he would no more let harm come to Nonna Maria than any of her friends or family would. He’s got a personal stake in one of the two mysteries, and he hopes she can ferret out information that he might never have access to in his official capacity.

I loved the slower pace of this book. I want to visit Ischia now, to hear Aldo Poli play piano at the Bar Calise while I enjoy a cool beverage. It sounds like a lovely place to spend some time, and I hope the author takes us back there in future books!

If pulse-pounding thrillers are more your speed, don’t pick up this book. But if, like me, you enjoy a well-crafted mystery set in a jewel of a place, with a protagonist who’s sharp as a tack and who looks out for her friends, you need to read this. It’s a hit with me.

This book was so good! It's a fun heartwarming mystery that was a joy to read. I loved reading this book and hope it's part of a series.
I received a complimentary copy from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for providing an advance reader copy of this book. It wasn't what I expected but it was an enjoyable read. It wasn't as much of a mystery as I expected, but I liked Nonna Maria and the story of her helping her friends is interesting. The pace was slow but even and the book was well-written. 

I think fans of Alexander McCall Smith's #1 Ladies Detective agency would enjoy this book. Both are light on the investigation, but have a strong, likable main character who helps people in an interesting setting.  3.5/4 stars

Visiting Nonna Maria on the Island of Ischia off the coast of Naples was a pleasure while reading of her exploits. Nonna Maria's visual and character descriptions gave me a mind-picture that had me smiling throughout the book. Her "standing" on the Island as a woman who could help people kept the story going with her quick mind and knowledge of the people and activities of her home. A very enjoyable read that takes us with Nonna Maria as she helps to save a young girl from a disasterous marrriage and solve multiple crimes along the way. I loved the descriptive ways the author helps us to see the characters, their surroundings, and the way that even the unsavory characters are respectful of Nonna Maria. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. ##NonnaMariaandtheCaseoftheMissingBride #NetGalley.