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!

This book takes place on Ischia, an island in the Gulf of Naples Italy. Nonna Maria is an elderly widow who is a grandmother who helps anyone who is in the need of her help. She is based on the author's Italian grandmother, and is a great character. Her first task in the book is when a young woman, Anna, comes to Nonna Maria because she is about to marry a man, Andrea Bartolli, with whom she is not comfortable and has only known for 4 weeks. She met him in a garden and he invited her for an gelato. She has been in a blur ever since. Nonna Maria tells her that she needs to disappear for awhile. Nonna Maria talks to Captain Murino and asks him to look into Bartolli. He tells her that Bartolli married his younger sister, who died in a car accident three months after the wedding. He's sure Bartolli was the cause of her death, but he was out of town not accused and got away with the insurance money.

Meanwhile, her friend Pasquale Favorine who drives a tourist boat with his young first mate Buonopana has fallen off the boat in the middle of the night and drowned. Murino is now investigating that incident, and Nonna Maria is sure that Pasquale would not have fallen off the boat accidentally. She immediately adopts his dog Pippi. At first the First Mate who inherits the boat is a suspect, but Nonna Maria doesn't think he would hurt Pasquale. She finally talks with him and finds out he has gambling debts and bad men are after him, and she wants to help him as well

Nonna Maria has lots of friends who always seem to help her when she is detecting. They range from her family members, Captain Murino, and the local priest, to Il Presidente, a feared man who helps to protect Anna while she is hiding, and the head of the Camorra, head of the Crime organization in Naples.

In spite of some nasty things going on, Nonna Maria is loving and helpful and other than the drowning of Pasquale, there are no horrible scenes of men fighting or shooting each other. I really hope this is the first book of a series, because I can't wait to see what Nonna does next.

I thank Netgalley and Ballantine for sending me a ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book. The opinions expressed are my own.
I really liked this book. Nonna Maria is an elderly widow turned amateur sleuth. When things go wrong on the island where she lives, people do not contact the police. They contact Nonna Maria. When a young bride thinks her groom is not who he seems to be, she comes to Nonna Maria for help. I enjoyed reading about how Nonna Maria figures out what is REALLY going on. Highly recommend!

This was a cool book set on an Italian island. So rich in describing the setting and in character development. This amateur sleuth is also great fun as well as she is the town advice giver and knows everyone !!! She is so much fun!!!

A warm mystery set in a small Italian village on an island just off the mainland. Although the main focus is the bride to be, who wants to escape marriage, the reader soon finds themselves involved in an old murder, a new murder, fraud, and drug smuggling. You will soon find that you have become enthralled in the life of a widowed grandmother in a small village. She knows everyone from the mafia honcho to the local police chief. She keeps all the secrets while at the same time securing justice for the injured parties. A very readable book that will keep your attention.

This book presents a different viewpoint on life and what is important. I have rated this book 4 stars.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.

It was fun getting to know Nonna Maria and the other characters. The setting and descriptions really brought me to Italy and Ischia. Nonna Maria and her cooking reminded me of my own grandmother and our family getting together and having feasts.

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride is a good mystery with interesting characters and solid writing. A few times, it felt like the story was lagging and taking longer to get to the conclusion, but overall, it was a solid read and mystery.

#NonnaMariaandtheCaseoftheMissingBride #NetGalley @randomhouse

I read Three Dreamers and I am so glad Nona is back! She is a delightful, honest character and a kind of Columbia/Sherlock Holmes combination as well.
The Case of the Missing Bride is another fine example of Lorenzo Carcaterra And his fine writing skills. Once again we learn more about Ischia and the terrific people that live there. All hard working and kind. Family is all.
And the bad things that do occasionally happen are often solved by Nona and her friends. This one involves the case of an reluctant bride and a murdered ship captain. As always , Nona solves it in her own way
Simply a delight to read!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author and publisher for allowing me this ARC in exchange for my unbiased opinion.
Highly recommend

Enjoyed the setting and the character Nonna Maria's determination to help others. I could picture her cooking, drinking her expresso and wine. But the story itself was hard to grasp.

A cute mystery about an elderly Italian woman on a barrier island near Sicily. The townspeople turn to Nonna Maria in times of trouble, and she uses her connections and smarts to assist them alongside the carbinieri. A pleasant, quick read.

This was a very fun book. Everyone should have a Nonna Maria in their life. I would strongly recommend this book.

DNF @ 40%

I read this author's memoir "Three Dreamers: A Memoir of Family" months ago about the three most important women in his life- his mother, wife, and grandmother in Italy....Nonna Maria. I really enjoyed the book- not surprising since my favorite genre is biography/memoir. However, this book is categorized as a mystery/thriller- a genre I stay away from (not interested). The only reason I gave it a chance was because I loved the author's memoir and the character of Nonna Maria was based directly on his grandmother. I loved reading about her the most in "Three Dreamers: A Memoir of Family".

I tend to be a realist so I found some of the content unbelievable. While I enjoyed reading about Nonna Maria's penchant for cooking, drinking espresso and wine, and generously giving these edible gifts of love to friends and neighbors (also as sort of bribes to get information while sleuthing to solve local mysteries), that was the only part of the book I enjoyed. At the 40% mark I determined that this book just wasn't my cup of tea, and cut my losses. I'm sure this book will do well as I've already seen great reviews, but it just wasn't my niche.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Random House Publishing – Ballantine/Bantam, in return for an honest review. What a delightful first book in this series, set on the island of Ischia of the Italian city of Naples. Nonna Maria is in her 70s and hasn’t left the island. She sees no need as all she wants or needs is provided in her beloved island. This is a wonderful story about a woman with a sense of pride, place and purpose. Her purpose is to help those on her island. The book includes wonderful, clearly written characters, a glorious setting and enough truth in humanity to build a solid story hinging on the mystery and possible death of an old friend of Nonna Maria. Oh, and if you’re like me, you’ll want a strong coffee and pastry in the morning and great Italian food at dinner. There are two storylines. The first is a young woman seeking Nonna Maria’s help about her upcoming marriage. Is the groom, from off-island, too good to be true after a whirlwind courtship? The second is whether her old friend, an octogenarian boat captain, fell overboard and died or was murdered after his night’s fishing.
You’re introduced to Nonna Maria’s extended family, her friends, the Carabinieri (Italian police) Captain and many other people on the island. Some are friends; some are less so. Almost everyone helps, as happens in a small community where all are known to each other. The blessings and curses of touristic discovery also play minor roles in the storylines – when is enough or too much to keep a community from dying or changing beyond all recognition?
The author truly has a deft hand in the story telling, as well as weaving all the character’s voices in a clear and satisfying whole. This is one of the best mysteries I’ve read this year and I hope for many more to come.

Seventy-something Nonna Maria is the unofficial godmother of Ischia. As a native islander, she has seen it all in her little town, where practically nothing escapes her notice. This is why others come to her for help, like the young woman who seeks help escaping a devious marriage trap. As Nonna Maria plies her wily skills to this problem, another matter catches her attention, resulting in some serious sleuthing to expose a murderer. Wise, unflappable Nonna Maria is delightful. There seems to be no end to her clever ways and useful connections. The fact she’s in her seventies, with white hair in a bun, and doesn’t own phone, only adds to her brilliant disguise as a harmless little old lady. She is anything but that! What a great, inventive character and a fast-paced, fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Lorenzo Carcaterra's latest nivek, Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride. This is the best feel-good mystery that I've read this year, and Nonna Maria is a true gem of a character.

When Anna approaches Nonna Maria and tells her that she is being coerced into marriage by a manipulative con man, she immediately makes a promise to protect Anna from this disastrous fate. Nonna Maria then enlists the help of all of her family and friends on her beautiful Italian island, and what a colorful cast of characters we meet! It's impossible not to fall in love with everything about this story, from the descriptions of Ischia, Italy to the strength and humor of its unforgettable protagonist.

Delightful! It’s so refreshing to read about a strong smart woman protagonist who has age and wisdom on her side. Nona Maria doesn’t run five miles a day, or exorcise her demons by rowing a racing scull. Instead, she uses her knowledge of human character and the community in which she lives to assist her neighbors and even solve crime. A great read, and a great tribute to wise grandmothers everywhere.

Reading the book you feel as if you really are in italy. The atmosphere is great. An old woman helps the neighbours with their problems.