How much do I love the Nonna Maria series? The answer is A LOT! She’s everyone's idea of the perfect grandmother. She adores her children, grandchildren and her great grandchildren. She is the most loyal friend. She never forgets a favor. Did I mention she is an amateur sleuth too? And what a cook. I just loved the descriptions of the delicious foods she prepares. The setting in Ischia is idyllic. Beautiful descriptions abound and add to the quality of the read. You have murder, a planned assassination, Il Presidente, a former paid assassin, Paolo Murino, the Captain of the Carabiniere and many other colorful and interesting characters. This is my third Nonna Maria read in the series and I look forward to reading the next one. #NonnaMariaandtheCaseoftheLostTreasure, #Netgalley, #RandomHousePublishingGroup-BallantineBantam.

Nonna Maria might just be my favorite literary character. She is the grandmother everyone wishes to have had - her wisdom, cooking and friendship are her true assets. In this third installment of her adventures in Ischia, the story centers around the search for treasure (as told to a granddaughter by her grandfather on his deathbed) and of criminals after revenge seeking the death of the captain of the carabiniere in Ischia. One learns a lot about history- the castle is real as is the Torture Museum and the Cemetery of Dead Nuns. The novel is replete with characters with great descriptive names - the pirate, the magician, Il Presidente, Pepe the painter, and the Mourners.
This book is not a typical thriller but is a fun read and once started cannot be put down. It makes me want to book a trip to Ischia and become one of the disliked tourists. I thank Lorenzo Carcaterra, Bantam Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this delightful novel prior to its publication.

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Stolen Necklace by Lorenzo Carcaterra

Thanks go to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an eARC of this lyrical novel by an author who is an artist of the written word.

There are likely only a few of us who didn't experience the angst-filled innocence obscuring pain of Sleepers, almost heartbeat-by-heartbeat (especially during some of the most soul-crushing scenes) with the youths in Lorenzo Carcaterra's best-selling novel.

Perhaps you have read another Carcaterra's books, if not, this is a fine introduction to this top-quality author.

However, if you are familiar with Carcaterra's writing, this is not the writer of angst-filled soul rending drama who you have come to know and love.

Rather, Nonna Maria and the Case of the Stolen Necklace is a love-letter of a novel, in honor of a character who is a protector, a friend, a mother, and a grandmother to all who encompass the large number of individuals who Nonna Maria encompasses as her "friends". Being one of Nonna Marie's friends is a very desirable designation indeed, one that offers phenomenal cooking, warmth and a unique wisdom borne of intelligence and experience, with doses of love, honesty and ageless wisdom.

A 5 star review for a magical book, from an author who has captivated us throughout the decades.

I wasn't sure after the second book in this series, but the third won me over! I love a good cozy mystery where I get to know the town and its quirky characters. And, these are done just right. Looking forward to the next installment!

I love the Nonna Maria books! There always so much going on and so many fun characters, that I have trouble putting them down. And the descriptions of Ischia make me want to book a trip every time I read them. I'm looking forward to future adventures.

4.0 stars
DEFINITE RECOMMEND

I received a complimentary Kindle e-book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to Lorenzo Carcaterra, Bantam, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I thoroughly love this series. An Italian grandmother named Nonna Maria helps her friends which actually is solving a mystery. In this book, she helps a granddaughter find her deceased grandfather's hidden treasure. Also, a secondary plotline is an assassin trying to kill Captain Murino who is part of the carabinieri.

It was so great NOT to figure out the two plots and who the villain was. Lorenzo is very good at keeping me waiting until he reveals it in the book.

These books stand alone, but I recommend reading the other two previous books for so much pertinent background information and because they are so good!!

I love this series. This is book three but each book is written so well that you don't need to have read the others. But if you are like me you will want to. I love the way that Lorenzo Carcaterra writes. He has shorter chapters which I love because I like to finish a chapter before I set the book down and this allows me to do some work and then read a little, getting more reading time during the day. I also love how you can see what you are reading in your mind. Lorenzo's description is so real it feels like you are there. Then you have these wonderful characters who you just want to meet and become friends with. Add in a great story and you have a wonderful book.
I hope there are many more Nonna Maria adventures. Huge thank you to Netgalley, Bantam, and Lorenzo Carcaterra for the ARC. This is my honest review.

Lorenzo Carcaterra's stories paying tribute to his grandmother on the southern Italian island of Ischia are an easy sell to followers of other series.

Nonna Maria's Italian dishes paired with red and white wines leave readers salivating the same way Paola Brunetti's family meals tempt readers of Donna Leon's series set in Venice. The descriptive images of both settings leave readers hungry for a trip to Italy.

In this third book of the Nonna Maria series she calls on her old friends to protect the local police chief from Mafiosos. The friends are old but, like Richard Osman's retirees in his Thursday Murder Club series, their skills are not rusty. A retired assassin purrs like a kitten with Nonna but makes bad guys tremble.

While Agatha Christie has Jane Marple knit and sip tea as she unravels mysteries, Nonna Maria cooks and chugs espresso. Each woman has her own style and plenty of fans.

Here's to more stories starring Nonna Maria.

This is the third mystery featuring Nonna Maria and her friends on the island of Ischia. True to her character, Nonna Maria finds a way to involve herself in the death threat against the island's Carbinieri captain as well as solving a decades old mystery surrounding some missing jewels. Plenty of food, friends, and island atmosphere shine through once again. Nonna Maria is a character that isn't easy to forget and has become endeared to her readers. Her simple island wisdom and stories always teach a lesson and her love of her "doctored" coffee and dinner wine is a recurring and familiar theme throughout Carcaterra's books. Another winner in the series. Long live Nonna Maria!