This is the third book in a series, but kind of worked as a stand alone since this was my first introduction to the series and character. Nonna Maria is absolutely charming. T here are two mysteries in this book which was a nice little bonus.

What a delightful mystery. Even though it's the 3rd book, not too much of the characters depend on knowledge of the previous stories.

The story takes place on the small island on Ischia in Italy. I didn't think it was a real place, but it is. Nonna Maria reminds me of your typical Italian grandmother, always feeding everyone around her. Her talent for solving not one but two mysteries was action-packed and enjoyable.

I'm looking forward to reading the previous 2 books and can't wait for the next one.

A cozy mystery with wonderful characters. I loved the historical aspects of the story. The food sounded so good. I could easily see Nonna Maria and her friends as a TV series.

"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.

From battling foes in medieval castles to exploring the notorious caverns where smugglers hide their goods, Nonna Maria and her friends - some old, some new - embark on their most swashbuckling adventure yet."

Nonna Maria has a lot on her plate from old friends this time around.

My thanks to Net Galley, Random House, and the personal invitation I received to review this arc.

Nonna Maria is back feeding everyone and helping her family and friends on her island. There is a lost treasure and an assassin sent after her good friend the police captain.

The story was cute and an easy read but I liked the prior book better. I think the 2 mystery lines were a little flat. It was very predictable when an enthusiastic and helpful character appeared what his true intentions were. I just have to say this was only an ok.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book. Unfortunately, I couldn’t seem to get into it. This one was a did not finish for me. Maybe it was because it was part of a series that I haven’t read, but I didn’t connect with the main character at all. The setting was great, I want ego love it.

I love mysteries and I'm half Italian, so hope were high for this title. Unfortunately, the mystery side felt weak and predictable and the Italian side seemed overly focused on alcohol consumption (there is so much more to the Italian culture than this!). I could not connect with the main character as she kept coming off to me as full of herself, although she professes to really care about her family and friends. Perhaps, some of my poor experience is due the fact that I am jumping into the middle of a book series, having not read the previous titles. My experience with this one, however, has not spurred me on to continue to explore this series.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book!

This book was a very slow start. It was a did not finish for me. First book by this author. I read a large amount and felt like nothing had happened. Lost my interest

Love these books; cozy mystery with just enough danger and intrigue and a new concept. I love the setting and the characters and I get my Franny Fischer/Jessica Fletcher fix!

I love Nonna Maria and this latest story might be my favorite yet.

The threat to Captain Murino’s life, the effort of everyone to help catch the people after him, all because Nonna Maria asks is just one of the things I loved.

Everyone in Ischia is willing to help Nonna Maria and in her seeking help the reader always finds out why. Nonna Maria is the type of neighbor and friend we should all hope to be, helping anyone in anyway because she can and because they need it.

The other storyline of the hidden treasure was so entertaining. Expecting thieves to be honest! I love how that part of the story played out and wished I could have been there to check out the caves also. The way they were constructed was so fascinating.

I hope we see many more stories with Nonna Maria. This story is like a hug, getting to catch up with the regular characters and getting to meet new ones with each story.

Thank you to Random House for the copy of this book. All views are my honest opinion.

I'm so grateful to NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC of Lorenzo Carcaterra's latest installment of one of my favorite series, Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure. Nonna Maria and her trusted crew of friends from all walks of life are determined to save the life of the beloved police captain and assist in a treasure hunt in the caves of Ischia.

When a young woman comes to Nonna Maria with a treasure map left to her by her recently deceased grandfather, Nonna Maria immediately agrees to help. She enlists the assistance of the Pirate, the Magician and the Painter, and together they embark on a dangerous and often unpleasantly interrupted quest. At the same time, Nonna Maria learns that her dear friend Captain Murino is being targeted by a group of assassins who are seeking to avenge the imprisonment of one of their most important associates.

In typical Nonna Maria fashion, she employs her most creative, sometimes unorthodox and almost always comical methods to protect and defend the people of the island whom she cares about most.

This is more than your average cozy. There's lots of intrigue and danger inside this quick read. Nonna Maria is a delight. She's a shrewd, sharp, Italian grandmother, who, of course, is an exceptional cook. My mouth watered for the Italian dishes. In addition to Nonna Maria, there's a whole cast of colorful, vibrant characters. The gorgeous setting of the island of Ischia, Italy, comes alive within the pages. I was thoroughly entertained!

P.S. I will post reviews on Amazon, B&N and Goodreads. Thank you for allowing me to read and review this book!

Review of Advance Reader’s Uncorrected eBook File

Maurizio Carnale sits in an outdoor café ion the island of Ischia waiting for his double espresso. No one knows he has come to this place for the specific purpose of killing a man.

Meanwhile, Nonna Maria is enjoying her espresso in the company of two of her granddaughters. At their insistence, she tells them [yet again] a special story, the story of the creation of Ischia.

When Paolino Iacone dies, he leaves his granddaughter, Rita, with a secret map showing the location of her inheritance. She asks Nonna Maria for help finding the treasure hidden in the rocky coastal caves.

Will Nonna Maria and Rita find the hidden treasure before others are able to snatch it away? And will the assassin succeed in his murderous quest?

=========

The third of the Nonna Maria tales, the book has sufficient backstory to work as a standalone. One of the strengths of the story is the focus on loyalty and friendship.

The delightful island setting, charming main character, and intriguing mystery all work together to draw the reader into the telling of the tale from the outset. Expect ruthless treasure hunters, pirates, and criminals as the unfolding story takes readers on an exciting adventure of discovery.

Aside from the treasure hunt, the tension and suspense of the hired assassin stalking Captain Murino keeps the pages turning as fast as possible.

Readers who enjoy adventure, mystery, and strong friendships will find much to appreciate here.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#NonnaMariaandtheCaseoftheLostTreasure #NetGalley

This was my first introduction to Nonna Maria, good lady of Ischia, and the first book I have read featuring this location. In my travels I have not had the privilege to visit this island but it is well described in this book that features the caves and "lost" treasure that many are attempting to find. There is a good bit about crime and attitudes toward carabinieri, but the focus is on a solid foundation of loyal friends and how they approach life.
Thanks to this introduction I plan to backtrack to the first books of this series as the characters have admirable traits.

Love Nonna Maria - a no nonsense widow who treasures family and friends, always willing to lend
a hand. She is asked to help a young woman whose grandfather left behind a map where a treasure
is hidden. Nonna is also concerned about her friend Captain Paulo Murino who has not been forgotten
by the crime boss he put away. With the help of friends, Nonna must find the treasure before others do
and also find a way to keep the Captain safe from the men sent to kill him.
Interesting characters, different backgrounds and interests. A highly entertaining read - looking forward
to Nonna's next adventure.
#NonnaMariaandtheCaseoftheLostTreasure #NetGalley

This is the third clever mystery about Nonna Maria on the island of Ischia off the coast of Naples Italy. Nonna Maria is a grandmother with many friends, children, and grandchildren and still in pretty good condition for her age. Police Captain Paolo Murino put a crime boss in prison on the mainland many years ago. Now Murino and Nonna Maria hear the man is sending men to Ischia to kill Murino. Meanwhile, Nonna Maria's friend Rita's grandfather has recently died and left her a map showing where he has hidden the treasures he had collected. The map of the rocky caves on the coast from her grandfather will help her to find her inheritance. Nonna Maria, and her friends the Pirate and the Magician are ready to help Rita. However, the caves are very dangerous, and other treasure seekers are coming to Ischia.

The book becomes very exciting as the friends try to protect Murino and his fiance and other friends to beat the treasure hunters in the caves. Nonna Maria is in trouble when some of the bad men capture her during the Feast of St. Anne. Will her friends find her in time? Can they save Murino? And will Rita get her inheritance.

I thank Ballantine Books and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC to read before publication.

What is not to love about this series? Great characters, enchanting setting, and delicious food! (Wish it came with recipes!)
This latest book in the series has Nonna Maria helping the granddaughter of a friend, and at the same time helping her friend, the chief of police. Both are on a mission that will require help to accomplish. One is in seek of a family treasurer, the other is trying to survive from his past. As always Nonna to the rescue in more ways than one.
This series, and this latest book, is such fun to read. Filled with people the reader would love to know. A must read for all those cozy mystery lovers out there.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure by Lorenzo Carcaterra is third in a mystery series following Nonna Maria, an older widow living on the island of Ischia who is set in her ways and fiercely protects her friends. In this installment, she helps an old family friend find a lost treasure along with helping her carabinieri captain friend against a hit man.

I’ll preface this by saying I haven’t read the first two yet, but I didn’t feel like I needed it. I was able to get a good introduction to the myriad characters without having done so. I also felt like I got to know the island of Ischia well as the story was deeply rooted in it and its history.

I found the writing itself to be subpar. The author spent a lot of time telling things (for example, when the carabinieri captain POV says that the carabinieri is like “our FBI.” Or Nonna Maria explains the history of the Widows to two of the group members. But once I got past that, it was a cute story and I enjoyed the characters and how the story unfolded through all their POVs.

I actually ordered the first two books before I finished, because it was a light, easy read (despite the heavy nature of what was happening) and I did enjoy it. I look forward to seeing more.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for allowing me to read this book as an ARC so I could give an honest review.

My favorite Greek Island grandma looks after her friends and family. She’s a powerful force when she sets her mind to something. Her life brings to mind simpler times when word of mouth was how you kept up socially. She lives where history goes back thousands of years, where locals trace ancestry by generations. You could certainly read as a standalone but all in the series are very good. The lovely setting encompasses a feeling of community, family, food, friends and neighbors. It relates a sense of heritage and the importance of where we came from and who we’ve loved along the way. Reading about Nonna is a twofer, I’m transported to a place I’d love to visit and a mystery to solve. This case has the local Captain Murino facing off against criminals from his past position. While Nonna enjoys her own cup of excellent espresso or glass of wine (never water!). An old friend leaves his granddaughter a secret map to unravel. If it’s to be believed, there’s a hidden treasure. There will be caves, pirates, castles and criminals to navigate in order to get answers. Another fantastic adventure with Nonna!
An uncorrected advanced reader’s copy of “Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure” Nonna Maria #3, by Lorenzo Carcaterra, publishers Random House, Ballentine, was provided by NetGalley. Expected publication date 05/07/2024. These are always all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Nonna Maria is at it again! As an older widow who has grown up in Ischia, she knows about everybody and everything that is happening in her part of the world. She relies on her background, extensive family and friends, and, most of all, her intelligence to help solve crimes and bring her precious island peace. The local caribineri trust her judgment and often rely on her innate abilities.

In the current volume, Nonna Maria’s good friend Captain Murino is threatened by a man he put in jail many years earlier. Murino and his fiancée are in grave danger. At the same time, on another part of the island, there is supposedly hidden treasure waiting to be found. Do the good guys get there first?