Love Nonna Maria as an amateur sleuth. So charming, calm, and wise. This was a great addition to the series.

Reading Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride by Lorenzo Carcaterra is a little like reading an Italian Miss Marple. I like the characters, setting, and plot, but found some of the backstory to be tedious. I don't mind knowing a character's past, but prefer it in drips and drabs rather than taking several pages in the middle of a chapter. Just my preference. Even with that drawback, I found the story delightful and the ending satisfactory. I will be reading future titles in this series as they come out. Thanks to Netgalley and/or the publisher for the chance to read this title in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Ballentine for allowing me to read this book and give my honest opinion. This book reminds me of a sleep town mystery of who dun it? Nonna Maria, a widow known for always wearing black, helps a recently engaged woman disappear after she confesses her fear for her fiancé, who is new to the area. Nonna Maria decides to research a murder that has gone unsolved.

I love Lorenzo Carcaterra! He presents a great storyline and Nonna is not a mystery sleuth she just helps friend and family with their problems.

This is the first book in the Nonna Maria series and it was very well done! I enjoyed reading about this elderly woman in town, who seems to know everyone, and even is friends with some dangerous characters.
Anna comes to Nonna Maria scared. She is now engaged to a man that she thought she loved, but realizes he is very dangerous, and may wish to harm her once they are married. Nonna Maria encourages Anna to disappear while she investigates what is happening.
Nonna relies on her wits and her friendships to save Anna.
Very enjoyable. Looking forward to the next book in the series!

I tired several times to read this but I could never get hooked. I never finished it. Not my cup of tea.

Absolutely charming. I loved this little cozy mystery set on an island in southern Italy. The setting was both wonderfully atmospheric and warm, like a place you’d have friends living in. You could smell the sea and taste the wine.

Each character added a little something extra to the story but of course Nonna Maria stole the show. Often in cozies I read it’s a bit strange how people open up to the often-newcomer protagonist but Nonna Maria has history here and I was sold on how she interacted with others.

Though there was a point here and there that it dragged a little bit for me, it was a delightful read and I look forward to reading more featuring Nonna Maria in the future.


Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

4 out of 5 stars - If you ask me, I'll tell you to read it.

I have to say, I absolutely LOVED Nonna Maria. Who wouldn't love a little old Italian grandma who solves mysteries and knows how to get everything done in her little island??

This was a great little mystery story with both a "stranger" to uncover and a murder in the midst. There were twists and turns that I definitely did not expect. I hope to be able to read more books featuring Nonna Maria!

A sweet, fairly predictable mystery set on the Italian island of Ischia and featuring an elderly Italian woman (Nonna Maria) who solves problems for the island residents. This time she tries to save a young girl from making a terrible mistake, solves the mystery surrounding the death of an old friend, and helps a young man get out of a sticky situation involving gambling and drugs.

This is a pleasant book, but not very challenging. The "mysteries" are easily solved, so don't expect any surprises. The real star is the island itself. The author spends an inordinate amount of pages describing the terrain, the flora, the customs, and the food. So, if you're looking for a pleasant, easy read that will take you away to a beautiful setting, this may be the book for you. If you're looking for a taut, suspenseful, surprising mystery, look elsewhere. Luckily there are all kinds of readers, so this book will likely find an audience. It wasn't really my cup of tea, but it was a nice virtual trip to Ischia.

Nonna Maria is an old woman who has lived her whole life on Ischia, an island off the coast of Italy. She has been a widow for many years and now enjoys the company of her children, many grandchildren, extended family, and numerous friends. Nonna Maria is also the one who people in her village turn to when they need advice or a friendly ear. Anna is one such person. She’s engaged to a man she barely knows and fears that it’s a trap. Nonna Maria suspects the same thing and sets out to help the young woman and her family.

Nonna Maria is somewhat of an Italian Miss Marple but in a bit gentler way. She doesn’t inject herself into situations but rather she usually tries to help only when she is asked. Lorenzo Carcaterra has written an entertaining cozy-type mystery that has the added bonus of taking the reader to a small Italian village, complete with a variety of characters and wonderful descriptions.

All in all, it was a treat to spend time with Nonna Maria and I’m looking forward to more of her adventures.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

This is a wonderful cosy mystery to read. Characters likable and I could relate. The plot kept me interested. I highly recommend.

Nonna Maria always has excellent adventures. This is fun read that requires nothing more than a relaxing spot to escape for a short time. Love all these stories.

This was a fun romp featuring an adorable lady who solves crimes thru no fault of her own. Loved the cast of characters as well as the setting and very well written!

This novel was a very short but thrilling read. I love the main character, Nonna Maria. She is not the typical female sleuth. She is older and widow. She has a very loving heart. I also liked her intelligence. The mystery is very compelling, and I found it to be a very clever case. Thus, this was a light and cozy mystery. I love all the characters. The novel is well- written and is very fast-paced. I also love the setting of Naples. Thus, I look forward to reading more!

Nonna Maria is a great-grandmother who has spent her entire life on Ischia. Everyone on the island knows to go to Maria if they have a problem. One day a young woman appears at Maria's door about to marry a man that she does not remember knowing. This is not the first time Maria has heard this story but it is the first time before the wedding has occurred so Maria is going to help this young woman. With the help of the local carabinieri, even though the other locals will not go to him, the neighborhood priest, and several locals of dubious backgrounds, Maria will stop this wedding, capture the young man trying to force the marriage, as well as solve some other happenings going on.

This is a fun novel that intertwines local culture with a great cozy mystery. It made me want to take a trip to Ischia and become one of the tourists described in the book that sustains the island during the summer months. I cannot wait for the next book in the series to come out.

Septuagenarian Nonna Maria lives in the Gulf of Naples, Italy, on a little island called Ischia. She has lived in Ischia her whole life, having never had the desire to leave, and knows everyone (for at least a couple of generations). There she met and married the love of her life, Gabriel, and for the past twenty-five years has been a widow who dresses all in black. Everyone knows Nonna Maria, who listens to the residents of Ischia who love to talk about other people and events on the Island. The locals run to her with their troubles about instead of the carabinieri (Italian police); she, in turn, always assists those who seek her help. She regularly keeps Police Captain Murino in the loop of what she “hears” or discovers; he lovingly refers to her as “honorary carabinieri.” In this novel, Nonna Maria is helping a young woman who believes she was drugged when she agreed to marry a very charming man—too charming. The prospective groom, Andrea Bertoli, is a dangerous man, who has married and inherited large sums of money, be it his new wife’s savings or insurance, after she “passes away.” Nonna Maria involves many of her friends to help the young woman break free from him. Murino also finds him suspicious, believing he may have killed his sister to inherit her insurance money, but has no proof because her death was ruled an accident. He is also investigating the death of Nonna Maria’s dear friend, boat captain Pasquale, whom Nonna Maria believes was murdered and did not accidentally drown. No one knew the boat or waters better than he. She assists in both cases in the only way she knows how—involving her friends (in high and low places), family, and the carabinieri, enlisting their help, and putting herself in harm’s way to do whatever needs to be done.

This is one of the most delightful mysteries I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Nonna Maria may be in her seventies, but she has no fear, an iron will, and the kind of gumption that makes her incredibly effective at helping her loved ones. She is so endearing! I didn’t know until the end of the story that there is a real Nonna Maria, who reminds me of my own Italian grandmothers, and it made me love her even more. Having grown up in an Italian-American family, I have treasured ties to Italy, and am blessed to have visited on a few occasions. Everything I know and love about my culture is embodied in Nonna Maria and her friends. I can smell the espresso in her kitchen, I know the joy of a family feast cooked only the way an Italian Nonna could, I can taste her cool white wine, and I imagine walking the island with her. It is such a beautiful backdrop for me, and I enjoyed every page thoroughly as I followed her thought process and actions involving each mystery and her myriad of connections. It was a wonderful book, well-written, twisty, and Nonna Maria was a fabulous tribute to strong women everywhere. When you have the chance, pick up the book and enjoy. I’m looking forward to reading more of Lorenzo Carcaterra’s work, and enthusiastically recommend him as a author.

I’d like to thank NetGalley, Lorenzo Carcaterra, and Bantam Books for the ability to read and review this ARC.

I received a free electronic copy of this intriguing book from Netgalley and Lorenzo Carcaterra. Thank you for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this first of a series of novels of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am happy to recommend to friends and family. This is a series I will want to pursue.

Set in idyllic Ischia, a small island in the Gulf of Naples, this is an excellent who-done-it. Nonna Maria is every man's Grandmother - keeper of the long view and the master of common sense. The island is a major part of this tale and is now on my bucket list. Italian manners and mores are well expressed as are matters of the heart though this is not a romance novel. I loved it.

A fun mystery with a great setting (the Italian island of Ischia). All the characters on this small island rely on Nonna Maria to help them solve their problems, and each character is enjoyable as well. I really enjoyed this cozy mystery.

Book Review: Nonna Maria and the Case of the Case of the Missing Bride by Lorenzo Carcaterra

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride is a cozy mystery that takes place on the small island of Ischia off the coast of Italy. The main character Nonna Maria is an unlikely sleuth and friend to the island residents.

Nonna Maria is an elderly widow who has gained the trust of many people on the island of Ischia and they often come to her for help instead of the local police (carabinieri). In this novel, a young woman finds herself engaged to a man she barely knows after a night out where her memories get blurry. She needs Nonna Maria’s help getting out of the engagement and fears that she was a victim of “La Fattura” an herb that is rumored to make someone easily susceptible to a hasty engagement. One of Nonna Maria’s own children was almost a victim and she’s very aware of the trap so she readily agrees to help. While Nonna Marie works with a local police captain on Anna’s situation the news comes in that a friend and local tour boat operator (Pasquale) was found drowned after apparently falling off his boat drunk. Nonna Maria knows that he is way too good of a boat captain to go out like this and starts her own investigation. The reader follows along as Nonna Maria gathers up sources, leads and help from friends and family all over the island to solve both Anna’s predicament and Pasquale’s death. Even though she has no training in detective work she uses her knowledge of human behavior and a keen understanding of the people of Ischia to get to the bottom of both.

The whole time I was reading this I just wanted Nonna Maria to be my grandma, mentor or neighbor. She is wise and funny and only a stupid criminal would underestimate her. I loved reading the beautiful descriptions of the island, food, wine and espresso. You can clearly tell that the author is very familiar with the island and the culture. I also enjoyed the side characters and how Nonna Maria was able to help all of them without it feeling like charity (but also setting up a future where she might need to ask for her own favor).
I was happy to see that this is just the start of a series and I can’t wait to see what she gets wrapped up into next.

I highly recommend this for readers that enjoy mysteries with amateur detectives and crime fiction without a lot of violence or gore.
Four stars

Momma Maria is everyone’s dream of a doting, loving adult who teaches you the important things in life which you realize will after the fact. This second book featuring Nonna Maria by Lorenzo Carcattera is every bit as enjoyable as the first and #nonnamariaandthemissingbride gives us more insight into the whole setting of Ischia and the way of life there. Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher I was able to read this ahead of publication and this review is my own.