Nonna Marie is my new hero! Nonna Marie knows everyone and has so many family members. I loved all of the characters. I enjoyed the book from beginning to end. I'm hoping this is the first of a new series as I think there can be so many more stories told from the island. The book was a fast read, but yet felt like we meandered along to find out what happened. I was totally absorbed into life on the island and the story. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride is a delightful heart-grabbing book! My hat is off to Lorenzo Carcaterra for writing this sweet mystery based on his own Nonna Maria and childhood memories of visiting Ischia, Italy, a beautiful Island located at the entrance of the Bay of Naples. 🍷

Nonna Maria is not your typical woman in her 70s. Nonna is highly energetic and loves spending time with her friends and family. She especially enjoys a good strong cup of espresso. Nonna is well respected, wise, and highly perceptive. People in Ischia often come to her to discuss life issues. Nonna Maria especially adores advising on romance and matters of the heart. 👰

Anna is engaged to a brutally mean man named Andrea Bartoli. He has a very dark shady past. Anna is terrified of Bartoli and does not know how to escape the situation without being harmed. Nonna Maria is very concerned about her young friend and arranges for Anna to hide from Bartoli. Will Andrea Bartoli find Anna? Will harm come to Nonna Maria while trying to help? Will justice prevail?

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride is a clean, refreshing mystery available on May 3rd. The writing is very descriptive. While reading, you can visually picture the characters and the beautiful island setting. Nonna Maria's story is a pure joy to experience. Her outlook on life and antics made me smile. I highly recommend this book for mystery lovers. You will get a good chuckle out of it! (5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, for the joy of reviewing this book. I secretly hope for a sequel with more of Nonna Maria's adventures. 🏝

I received an early copy of this book from Netgally, Random House Publishing Ballantine Bantam Books. This review and my comments are my opinion.
Not a busybody, Nonna Maria of Naples Italy is an old woman that is trusted for her wise counsel and trusted judgement. Who also has been known to solve a crime or two! A delightful book by Lorenzo Carcaterra, Nonna helps solve another crime on the island Ischia. Everyone should have a Nonna Maria in their life. If not to solve a mystery, but at least to have her for your trusted friend.

I was charmed by Lorenzo Carcaterra's Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride. I've seen depictions of old Italian women dressed in widow's weeds in movies and television programs for decades, and what Carcaterra has done is put a heart and soul into one such woman to bring her to life.

First of all, the setting is wonderful. I'd never heard of the island of Ischia before, and I found its history absolutely fascinating. When Carcaterra described one spot on the island in which you could stand and see Vesuvius to the left and Capri to the right, I immediately wanted to book a flight to see it for myself.

Nonna Maria is the perfect diamond to place in such a breathtaking setting. She has such strong opinions that, at first, she may be a bit intimidating, but once readers see the esteem in which she's held by fellow islanders, they should stop hesitating and let themselves melt right into her world. She may be strong, but she's also wise and compassionate. Anyone Nonna Maria doesn't know isn't worth knowing, and I loved watching her work with Captain Murino of the carabinieri, a man who has his own reasons for wanting to bring one of the cases to a resounding close.

How can one old woman be such a force on a small island, especially when she has no phone and no car? As she tells Murino, she only knows what she hears, and on an island filled with people who love to talk all she has to do is listen.

As much as I enjoyed watching Nonna Maria solve crimes, you'd think that I'd want to see this turn into a series, but you'd be wrong. Part of me wants this one book to stay a perfect snapshot of the life of a fairy godmother who has a solution for all of your problems. Read it for yourself and see what you think.

Nonna Maria has lived on Ischia, a beautiful island off the coast of Italy, her whole life. Nonna Maria is a wise, quirky grandmother. She never drinks water and only drinks coffee that she makes in her own kitchen. She knows the people that live on the island better than anyone. Whenever anyone on the island has a problem, they turn to Nonna Maria to solve it.

There are two cases Nonna Maria is involved in. The first is a recently engaged young woman that doesn’t know how she ended up engaged. The second is the drowning of a local boat tour guide. Nonna Maria uses her connections throughout the island to help her investigate both cases. With the help of her friends and the carabinieri, Nonna Maria is able to find the truth and bring justice in both cases.

By far my favorite part of the book was the character Nonna Maria. She was modeled after Lorenzo Carcaterra’s own grandmother. Nonna Maria’s character is fully developed and interesting. You can picture her being an amazing grandmother, the kind anyone would love to have as their own. While I loved Nonna Maria’s character and found the mysteries to be intriguing, the beginning of the book was a little slow for me. It took a while for the action to get interesting. As a result, I rate this book 3.5 stars. That said, I hope this is turned into a series so that I can see what Nonna Maria is up to next.

Nonna Maria is the Italian Sherlock Holmes. People in the small village of Ischia (Italy) seek out her help when they have a problem.

I ❤️ books set abroad, especially in Italy. Ischia is a real island that is fairly close to Naples and it looks stunning.

This book, however, was not. There were several cozy mysteries wrapped into one and it was all a little too cozy for me.

This would have been a DNF, but for Nonna Maria, who I found lovely enough to finish the book. It turns out Nonna Maria is based upon a real person, so this makes sense.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for the e-ARC.

Nonna Maria lives on a small island off the coast of Italy. It’s beautiful and the island has become a tourist mecca helping the financial situation of the natives. Nonna Maria is a widow with a large extended family and the respect of most of the island. When someone has a problem they go to Nonna Maria first not the police. There’s an interesting puzzle to be solved and several side mysteries. I enjoyed this box and the wonderful characters.

I received an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed this story. The main character is enchanting, and the location description is excellent. It kept me guessing until the end.

What a gem! I would give 'Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride' 10 stars if I could. I was transported to another place so expertly that I had trouble adjusting to my reality during reading breaks. The picture painted by Lorenzo Carcaterra of Ischia were delightful. But most importantly the mind of Nonna Maria, and the sharing of her thoughts, feelings and reasoning was so wonderful. I want to know her, and because of Mr. Carcaterra I feel as if I do. I highly, highly recommend this book and HOPE there will be more with Nonna Maria.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Nonna Maria has her finger on the pulse of the beautiful community of Ischia, a city on a small island off the coast of Italy. Nothing happens without Nonna Maria knowing about it. A tearful bride comes to her with a tale of woe regarding her upcoming nuptials. It is all very mysterious so Nonna Maria puts her sleuthing skills to work to find out what is really going on. With the help of her many connections throughout the city, Nonna Maria endeavors to solve the mystery while the reader learns of the beauty of the island and connection of the community in the close relationships of family and friends. The story also brings awareness of how the tourist industry can affect communities in good and not so good ways.

*3-3.5 stars

Meet Italy's Sherlock Holmes: Nonna Maria. She has lived on the island of Ischia all her life. All the old-time residents know her well, respect her wisdom, and call on her with their problems. In this first book in what I expect will be a series, a bride-to-be comes to Nonna Maria, hoping to find a way out of her upcoming marriage to a man she barely knows. In another case, Nonna Maria looks into the drowning death of one of her friends, an elderly tour boat captain.

This is a cute, warm-hearted mystery. Although I really enjoyed meeting Nonna Maria and spending time with her on the island of Ischia, I found quite a bit of the descriptions of both of those to be repetitive.

I received an arc of this new mystery from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity.

Elderly widow, Nonna Maria is loved by everyone on the island…until she investigates them. This mystery is well written, with a great plot and well developed characters. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next one. I received a complimentary copy of this book and chose to write a voluntary, unbiased review.

This quiet mystery is really about a wise old Italian woman, Nonna Maria, related to everyone in her small village either by blood or by decades of entangled friendships and relationships. People come to her with problems, and Nonna has a way of just simply reminding everyone of the truth and the right thing to do.

Two problems are occupying her in this novel. The boating death of her old friend who allegedly fell overboard while drunk on his tourist/fishing boat troubles her. Although he most likely was intoxicated, he had spent a lifetime piloting his boat and was considered to be an expert seaman, drunk or sober. His crew stood to inherit the boat, and it was discovered he was heavily in debt due to gambling to some bad men.

The other trouble was a young woman who was engaged against her wishes to a man with a troubling history of being around women who died. She believed that he had drugged her and somehow forced the engagement. And when she tried to back out, he threatened.

Nonna relies on her quiet strength and the help of many friends and relatives to help her untangle the mysteries. She is a good friend to the local carabinieri and sort of steers them to solutions. The plot isn't entirely believable but the depiction of the Italian village and the affectionate portrait of Nonna will capture some readers. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book from the first page. The beautiful island that is Nonna Maria's home is described in such wonderful detail that it makes you long to go there. And Nonna Maria is what I envision a true grandmother figure should be. She is the widow of her only true love, surrounded by a large loving family, a friend to everyone on the island and very wise. Everyone on the island knows that they can come to her with any problem, even the local police. She has helped the police solve some tricky cases even though she is known as the amateur sleuth.

This cozy mystery will capture your attention, draw you in, surprise you with some of the intriguing elements that surface as Nonna Marie helps out a friend in need as well as solve a murder!

The protagonist in this story is a name I recognized, from the authors Memoir, Three Dreamers, which I loved.
The story takes place on the Island of Ischia, off the coast of Naples, Italy. Nonna Maria is an older woman, widowed and with a lot of family and contacts on the Island.
People she knows come to Nonna Maria with their problems, before seeking out anyone else, and she is always there to help a friend, with her good advise, wisdom of age, and the advantage of her many contacts, which allow her to know what is going on in town.
This is not your normal murder mystery, but one that draws you in through the wonderful characters and a laid-back pace that bring whatever she is investigating to a slow boil, and a satisfying ending.

I was so drawn to the cover of the book, what a beautiful Image.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for a copy of this book.

Nonna Maria has lived her entire life on the island of Ischia. She is familiar to all for her kindness, generosity, local knowledge, and ability to solve problems, particularly if they involve crimes. She is better at solving them than the carabinieri. To her, though, it is not solving crimes, it is helping friends.

There are two cases in which she is involved; the overboard drowning of a local tour guide and a recently engaged young woman who doesn’t know how she ended up betrothed.

A beguiling older woman who is known not only for her wiles in figuring out problems, but also for serving wine, her special coffee, and delicious homemade food, many of the ingredients coming from her garden.

Read this book not so much for the mysteries, which are interesting, but to savor island life and appreciate the special charm of Nonna Maria’s character.

As an aside, while I was reading this, I thought how Nonna Maria reminded me of an Italian Precious Ramotswe, of Alexander McCall’s No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, with her wisdom, knowledge of all the local goings on, and ability to solve a mystery. I would love her secret for her unparalleled coffee, of which there is much mention in the book.

As a cozy mystery, I give this five stars. I hope there will be more books featuring Nonna Maria.

Thanks to #Netgalley and #randomhouse for the DRC

I really enjoy the way Lorenzo Carcaterra tells a story. He has a magnificent ability to create fully three-dimensional characters that are tough and endearing and quirky and to then place them in story settings that are engaging and entertaining - even when there isn't a lot going on. I really enjoyed the way this one was a mix of vignettes about the people living in Ischia as well as two larger mysteries that developed throughout the course of the book. It was almost like a southern Italian Miss Marple, with short stories and anecdotes about the town's history and residents blended in with the larger tale. It sounds like it should be disjointed but it somehow worked for me - and I think that is due to Carcaterra's storytelling style. Everyone needs a Nonna Maria looking out for them!

A lively trip to the island of Ischia, Italy where Nonna Maria, a 70-something widow fixes things. And solves mysteries. She's approached by Anna, who isn't certain she's made the right decision in agreeing to marry Andrea as there's something odd about him. At the same time Captain Murino is investigating the drowning of a tour boat captain. There's something odd about that too. Luckily, Nonna Maria, Captain Murino, and Don Marco, as well as others on the island, work together well, Don't expect fireworks- this is gentle and engaging. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Nonna Marie has always lived on the beautiful island of Ischia, off the coast of Naples. People come to her for help instead of going to the local police (carabinieri). A young woman, Anna, seeks Nonna Maria's help because she is supposed to marry a man who is a stranger to the island that she hardly knows. Nonna investigates, and finds out many unsettling things about the prospective groom. Then a beloved boat captain dies, and it's unclear whether it was really an accident. Even though Ischia has become a tourist mecca, the locals know they can count on one of their own, Nonna Maria, when there is a problem. Nonna reminds me of Precious Ramotswe, of The #1 Ladies Detective Agency, a wise woman who solves problems for friends in Botswana. Readers who enjoy these books might enjoy reading about Nonna Maria. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

By some of my standard measures, this could have been a book that just didn't "grab" me (that the heroine is a meddling old lady living on an island off the coast of Naples, Italy, rang more of a warning bell than a come-and-get-it). On the other hand, I've read and absolutely loved several books by this wonderful author, so I forged ahead. And guess what? I didn't stop until I'd polished it off in a single day (well, I stayed up an extra half-hour at bedtime, but hey...)

When it came to summing it all up, though, I was at first at a loss for words. So I started by doing something I never do - reading comments by other authors (mostly because I always suspect they're nothing more than reciprocal "fluff" than real observations made after actually reading the book). That is, until I read an assessment by another favorite author - Tess Gerritsen - and the lightbulb went on. "Utterly delightful," she said. "One of the most charming amateur sleuths ever created," she continued.

"I couldn't have said it better, so I'm stealing her words," I said.

Now on to the story in my words: The title character (and she truly IS a character) is Nonna Maria, a 25-year widow in her 70s whose love of cooking for anyone who walks through her door is exceeded only by her love of helping her family, friends and neighbors when something goes wrong. She's got all the inside scoops, gossip-wise, so nothing gets past her; everyone on the island of Ischia knows where to go first when they have a problem. At the very least, they'll leave with full stomachs - everything washed down by Nonna Maria's special coffee (she personally won't drink anyone else's) or, more likely, a few glasses of wine.

As the story begins, she gets a visit by Anna, a young woman who claims to have been somehow coerced into agreeing to marry a man she really doesn't love; she suspects he may have ulterior motives. Recalling legends of similar incidents in years past, Nonna Maria has suspicions of her own - and agrees to help. First, though, she contacts her carabinieri friend Captain Murino, who has long "put up with" Nonna Maria's interferences simply because her heart is in the right place (and the fact that she's almost always right).

Another case rears a possible ugly head when an elderly tour boat captain appears to have drunk himself into a stupor, fallen overboard and drowned. Murino is investigating and on the verge of declaring it an accident, but Nonna Maria is certain it was no accident; no matter how inebriated he was, she insists, he never, ever would have drowned. And as she shares with him her opinions as well as details of Anna's situation, it appears the good Captain just have have a good reason to investigate her fiance as well.

Their interaction is professional, but the charisma between the two is downright charming - prompting me to turn the pages as fast as I could just to get to what happens next. In between the action are enticing, intricate descriptions of the island, its rich history and not-so-wealthy people. Everything works out in the end, of course, but you'll just have to read the book to get the details. Please do - I don't think you'll be sorry. Meantime, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review another book by a favorite author. Grazie di cuore!