Nonna Maria is an elderly widow living on the island of Ischia, off the coast of Italy. This is the third book in the series. Nonna decides to help a young girl find some hidden treasure hidden in a cave. Her grandfather mentioned the treasure before his death.
Nonna Maria relies n her friends to help her solve the mystery. This book shows us that you don't have to be young to save the day. I’m looking forward to seeing what Nonna Maria is up to next! Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

The descriptions of Nonna Maria's recipes are mouth-watering. I'm not sure I will continue with further titles in this series, but I enjoyed this one as a cozy mystery to read while traveling in Italy.

2.5 stars

This book is an odd combination of the amateur sleuth and police procedural genres.

Nonna Maria could be a very captivating character, but the story has so many moving parts and so much cliche that she doesn’t get a chance to develop and shine.

The writing is a bit pedestrian.

Lorenzo Carcaterra’s Nonna Maria books are a vibe more than a mystery. The mysteries are really beside the point. At the center of each is Nonna Maria (lovingly based on the author’s own Nonna), and the Italian island of Ischia itself, filled with sinners and saints all bound together by love and friendship.

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure is no exception. The third of the Nonna Maria books, this novel is more action-packed than its predecessor as it contains two mysteries. The first involves finding out who has been sent to the island to kill Captain Murino — the head of the carabinieri in Ischia, and a dear friend of Nonna Maria. The second involves a granddaughter of a good friend of Nonna Maria and her husband, whose grandfather left her a treasure map on his deathbed. This leads to very interesting discussions of how the caves below Ischia historically have been used by smugglers.

Even if the mysteries are not particularly complicated, the novel was a delight, and it was a pleasure to spend some hours with Nonna Maria and her family and friends. 4.0 out of 5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book.

Dnf @ 28%

It may be because it’s book 3 of the series and I haven’t read the first two, but I just didn’t feel connected to the characters. Also 28% into a cozy mystery and no crime has happened??? Illegal.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review

I love the character of Nonna Maria. She is a simple woman, living on the island of Ischia in Italy, doing things in the old ways. She will do anything to help her friends and they will do the same to help her. When she hears of an assassination plot to kill her friend Capt. Murino, she is anxious to do all she can to help. She also has been asked to help in another matter. One of her old friends has given his granddaughter a map for a treasure while on his deathbed. The granddaughter cannot decipher the map and turns to Nonna Maria for help. This could be a very dangerous investigation as there have been legends of treasure in the secret caverns in Ischia. When you meet Nonna Maria you will be captivated by her and the mysteries she unravels!

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

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure is the third cozy mystery featuring the wonderful, wise, and practical octogenarian Nonna Maria alongside a whimsical cast of secondary characters and featuring another cleverly constructed puzzle by Lorenzo Carcaterra. Released 7th May 2024 by Penguin Random House on their Bantam imprint, it's 288 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out from the same publisher in first quarter 2025. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This was such a relaxing and enjoyable read. It's redolent of the setting, with the local cuisine and lifestyle pace and rhythms of the island of Ischia off the coast of Naples and the charming and intelligent chief protagonist, Nonna Maria. Everyone knows her and she knows everyone and their extended family histories and interrelationships, so she's naturally sought out for advice and help when the locals don't need or want to go to the official police.

In some ways this reminded me of the pacing and atmosphere of the Bruno, Chief of Police, novels or Guido Brunetti, or even Bannalec's excellent Georges Dupin novels. The pacing is similar, the storytelling unhurried, but it's not at all derivative. The mysteries small and large entwine closer to a satisfyingly constructed climax and denouement.

Nonna Maria herself, though age and craftiness comparisons will surely be made to Miss Marple, strikes me as tough, resilient, and resourceful and more compassionate than Christie's inimitable sleuth who could be cold as ice and brilliantly calculating. Nonna Maria is thoroughly likeable and wonderfully warm and it's just an engaging and enjoyable read.

Readers who enjoy intelligent, well plotted cozies would be wise to have this author on their radar. It would make a nice choice for public library acquisition as well as for home use and mystery book club or buddy read.

Four stars. Very well done.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Nonna Maria is everyone's favorite grandmother, living on an island off Italy, feeding everyone and drinking espresso with chocolate and liquor during the day and wine by night. But there's more to her than just what's on the surface. She is completely loyal to her friends, and is also an amateur slueth. When her good friend Captain Murino's life is threatened, Nonna Maria gathers her friends to try and protect her captain and solve who is behind these murder threats. Throw in a search for lost treasure, and it's a fun read that keeps you turning the pages. If you're a fan of cozy mysteries, you'll like this one. This is the 3rd in the series, but I haven't read the first two, and I followed the story without any issues.

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure was a delightful mystery that I really enjoyed.
The characters and the setting were well written and described.

The mystery kept me guessing.

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure is a fun mystery set in Italy. Nonna Maria is a grandmotherly figure that is beloved my almost everyone in town. In this book, she helps solve two mysteries, enlisting the help of other colorful characters on the island: one, helping a young woman search for the treasure her grandfather left her in a secret cave before anyone else finds it, and two, helping Captain Murano solve the mystery of who is trying to kill him. Will they solve the mysteries in time?

This was a fun mystery. I loved all of the interesting characters in the book and felt they were well written. I was lost over a few details in the beginning but picked them up as I read; I wonder if I would have understood the characters earlier had I read earlier books in the series. I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy fun capers.

Thank you Net Galley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I love Nonna Maria. She is a friend, and everyone loves her. When someone has a problem, they come to Nonna Maria. If she can't help, she always knows someone who can. When a young woman comes to Nonna Maria with a map that her grandfather left her, Nonna Maria knows just the people who can help her find the hidden treasure. When some men come after Nonna Maria's friend, Captain Murino, she knows just the people to help him. But who will protect Nonna Maria? Someone has plans to use Nonna Maria for leverage and will do anything to get to Captain Murino. There are also pirates who have come to find the treasure as well and wouldn't hesitate to use an old woman if they thought she knew where it was. I love how she says that she just buys the groceries, the stove does all the work when someone compliments her cooking. Good mystery.

NONNA MARIA AND THE CASE OF THE LOST TREASURE
Lorenzo Carcaterra

All I did was read a Lorenzo Carcaterra novel to feel like I’ve traveled the world.

We’re armchair traveling and visiting the beautiful island of Ischia, Italy with Nonna in NONNA MARIA AND THE CASE OF THE LOST TREASURE. It has been requested that she help a long-time friend and peer, Captain Moreno, on a case. This case is unlike anything Nonna or The Captain have faced before. They’ll need every ounce of bravery and every pound of knowledge to solve the case.

Luckily, it seems they have enough of both.

Nonna must solve the case of the lost treasure, dispel a dose of old Italian wisdom, and keep everyone around her safe. Will she do it or will this case be the one that ends Nonna’s solving streak?

Only Lorenzo Carcaterra and NONNA MARIA will tell.

When I want to travel sometimes, I read a book. When I want to travel to Italy specifically, get a dose of grandmotherly advice, catch up with the locals, and enjoy a triple espresso and a bite of tiramisu, I reach for the latest book in the NONNA MARIA series.

Recently it was NONNA MARIA AND THE CASE OF THE LOST TREASURE and just like last time I had a fantastic reading experience. This time Nonna is on the case again. This time at the request of Captain Moreno, a long-time friend and peer.

I love Nonna and The Captain is a close second. They are what makes the series and I always enjoy spending time with them.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam for the advanced copy!

NONNA MARIA AND THE CASE OF THE LOST TREASURE…⭐⭐⭐

As Nonna Maria’s longtime pal and sometimes colleague, Captain Murino, in charge of the local carabinieri, never wanted to see harm brought to the doorstep of everyone’s favorite espresso-brewing, counsel-giving amateur sleuth. But when you live a long life, you’re bound to make a few enemies. And when those enemies come calling, you have to rely on friends. Faced with an assassin seeking revenge for a decades-old grudge, Captain Murino has no choice but to turn to Maria, who must use all her neighborly resources, clever faculties, and web of connections to save him from his perilous predicament. On the other side of the island, a second mystery begins to unfold at the deathbed of another of Maria’s old friends, as he hands his granddaughter a yellowed map and tells her of a treasure to be found in one of Ischia’s secret caverns. However, there are traps and pitfalls. There will be others with sinister motives who will do all they can to make the treasure their own. But this map is a guide—the only gift he has to give. When the granddaughter needs help cracking the code, she turns to her grandfather’s most trusted friend: Nonna Maria.I have not read any of the other books in the series but I will now. Such a fun story with lots of fun characters and a stunning locale.

3.5/5 stars

Tropes:
Cozy mystery
Italian culture
Diverse characters
Found family
Multiple POVs

This isn't my usual type of mystery that I gravitate towards, so it took me a while to get in the mood. But once I got into it, I was immersed in the coziness and the characters. Who wouldn't love an elderly widow who "helps her friends" by solving mysteries? I was charmed by Nonna Maria and everything she did for her friends. I didn't know this was part of a series before starting, but this read well as a standalone. Also, did anyone else get hungry for Italian food while reading this? Because I certainly did. Overall, it was a fun, cozy read that I would recommend to all audiences.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure is the third book in the cozy mystery series by Lorenzo Carcaterra. In this latest installment, Nonna Maria helps a young lady whose grandfather left her a “treasure map” on his deathbed and tries to keep her friend and local carabinieri Captain Murino from getting assassinated by an organized crime syndicate.

When former mob hitman Il Presidente spots a man in his old line of work on Ischia, he makes sure the man knows that if he does anything to hurt Nonna Maria or the people she cares about, there will be trouble. But Captain Murino of the local carabinieri crossed an organized syndicate when he worked in Naples, and they are out for revenge. While Nonna Maria calls on her friends to help Murino, she is also approached by the granddaughter of an old friend trying to understand a treasure map he left her. Nonna Maria reaches out to her old friend the Pirate and a mysterious figure known as The Magician to help her navigate the beach caves around Ischia to find the treasure.

Like the other books in the Nonna Maria series, this is a low-stress mystery where a widow beloved by her island is able to help her friends using her connections and calling in favors. I loved the details about the Castello Aragonese, its torture museum, and the Cemetery of Dead Nuns, which were deliciously gruesome. I always look forward to the Nonna Maria books because I know I’ll get some sleuthing on a beautiful Italian island.

This is the third book in the Nonna Maria series. But it can be read as a standalone. I loved this book so much! It was perfect cozy mystery to get me out of my mystery book slump!

This book follows Captain Murino of the Ischian caribineri. He is forced to ask his longtime friend Maria for help when an assassin comes seeking revenge.

It also follows another mystery of a secret cavern brought by the granddaughter of Maria’s old friend.

Despite the fact that this book has two mysteries, I think it was done well! This book was very heartwarming!

I highly recommend picking up this cozy mystery, you won’t regret it!

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure is charming read with two mysteries going on at the same time. A hunt for hidden treasure and a search for an assassin. The author paints a beautiful setting and the characters are unique and intriguing, from Nonna Maria to the retired thief to the local Carabinieri, Captain Murino.

Definitely a fun and enjoyable read, and I look forward to the next installment.

I received this advance review copy from NetGalley & the publisher for my honest review.

An Italian grandmother named Nonna Maria helps those she loved in solving a mystery. In this book, she helps a granddaughter find her deceased grandfather's hidden treasure. There is also an assassin trying to kill Captain Murino who is part of the carabinieri. The two stories come together and bring everything to light!

This is the 3rd book in the series but it is not necessary to read the first books but recommended. Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for my ARC!

I was offered an Advanced Review Copy by #NetGalley and saw that the author had written for Law and Order. This book has a similar sort of you know how it will end but there is something soothing about that vibe. The characters are great. I thought this was a "first in the series" and remember thinking at points in the book that I'd read another book for the characters more than the plot. Turns out this is the third in the series. The setting is charming and would lend itself to beach-reading.

This is the third book in a cozy mystery series, starring Nonna Maria, an elderly widow living in Ischia, an island near Italy. In this books, she is trying to help a friend's granddaughter find the treasure he left her in one of the smuggling caves along the coast. She's also trying to prevent her friend, the Captain of the island's carabinieri (basically their FBI), from being assassinated.

I really loved the character of Nonna Maria. Bad ass female protagonists are forever and always my jam. She has a steong morale compass and is a little excentric. At one point, she says she only fears a day without coffee and a night without wine.

There were a few things I wasn't a huge fan of though. One of the main men, who it seems we're supposed to root for, used his position of authority to woo a woman and joked about using it to control her (whether for her protection or not). It also felt more like a thriller than a mystery, with the assassin being revealed much earlier than I expected.

The ending also seemed pretty convuluted. I don't want to give too much away, but why are professionals bringing fists to a gun fight?

That being said, I did find myself compelled to keep reading and I thought there were some really sweet moments.