Nonna Maria and the Case of the Stolen Treasure is the third mystery in the Nonna Maria cozy mystery series. This is such an unique, picturesque, charming series with a quaint, but arresting Italian island setting acting as a character unto itself. A strong sense of community and friendship are themes that run throughout these stories and each mystery in this series is highly distinct.

Nonna Maria is a captivating, one-of-a-kind character who has lived a full life, knows her own mind, is characterized by her no-nonsense approach to life with all of her quirky ways, and is known for her generosity and willingness to help her friends. She is a gifted chef and loves cooking for others. She is fearless and has come to terms with her own mortality, insists on eating only her own cooking, and exclusively drinking strong coffee and wine alternately (which is mentioned quite often).

In this story, some strange men show up on the island of Ischia and pose a threat to Nonna Maria’s good friend Captain Murino, the esteemed island carabineri. He has enemies from his past police work in Naples who have found their way to his current locale many years later and they are out to settle the debt of locking their boss up, once and for all. Alongside this threat, a friend asks Nonna Maria for help decoding a map her grandfather left her before his death; a map the details a supposed treasure found in the treacherous caves of the island.

We follow these two plot lines, and though I wouldn’t call it fast-paced, it is engaging, intriguing and quite cozy, despite the suspenseful crimes. There was a section in the middle that felt a bit overly drawn out, but otherwise, I’m absolutely enamored with these stories, the writing style, the setting and the people group. The culture, customs, closeness and lifestyle are fascinating, as is the home style approach to sleuthing. I eagerly look forward to the next!

A long-lost treasure and a pack of assassins are the latest challenges for Nonna Maria and her friends. Nonna Maria has lots of little quirks, like not eating anything outside of her home, and not drinking water, only coffee and wine. These get mentioned several times in each book, and I would normally find a character like that mildly annoying, but Nonna Maria is so salt of the earth that the quirks feel right.

Nonna Maria knows who she is, and who her friends are. She denies that she is a sleuth, and I think that’s true. She’s usually on the side of Justice, but she acts from a desire to help her friends, rather than to solve crimes. Luckily, she has befriended most of the island of Ischia, so we have lots of opportunities for her to investigate. She is, in some ways, an Italian Miss Marple. She’s never left her island, and so knows everyone and almost everything. She has the respect of everyone, even the island’s crime boss.

When an old friend’s granddaughter asks for Nonna Maria’s help finding the titular lost treasure, Maria engages the help of some former pirates. Danger comes, though, from others who have heard the rumors and are determined to find the treasure themselves, and eliminate anyone in their way. Is Maria’s pirate friend really reformed, or is he in this for himself?

At the same time, Maria’s friend Captain Murino is under threat of assassination, possibly ordered by a criminal he arrested years ago. Is it one of the many new visitors to the island, or is the potential killer closer to home?

Nonna Maria uses all her wits and her many, many contacts to try to resolve both problems, but will they be enough to save her?

Why you should read this book: These books are an understated celebration of friends, family, and community. They showcase an older ‘sleuth,’ and demonstrate that everyone can contribute to a healthy society. When trouble comes calling, Nonna Maria rallies the troops, a wonderful cast of characters with rich backstories and a fierce loyalty to our heroine. Her actions make sense; there are few intuitive leaps that other detectives make. She has Marple’s shrewdness, Poirot’s orderliness, and Holmes’s observation skills, all rolled up in one petite determined elderly Italian lady.

Why you might not want to read this book: These books need to be savored, and may be slower-paced than some readers like, which is a shame, because they are wonderful.

I received an advance copy from Bantam via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam Books I was able to read an advance copy of this 3rd book in a lovely series. Nonna Maria is called on to help her friend and Captain of the caribineri when he’s faced with an assassin wanting revenge for an old grudge. At the same time a dear friend’s granddaughter needs her help unraveling the mystery of an old treasure map her grandfather gave her on his deathbed. Please, please, please read this series in order if you can, it’s been a pleasure watching the main characters and their interactions with one another grow. The books are as much about the mysteries as they are about webs of friendship, family and community. Nonna Maria needs to rely on others to help her two friends. The descriptions of mouthwatering food, and the beautiful island of Ischia make me wish I could snap my fingers and be there, assassin or no, because I’d know Nonna Maria would ultimately prevail. This was a relaxing, gentle break from the more fast paced police procedurals I frequently read, I think it would appeal to a wide range of mystery lovers as well as those who prefer family sagas, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

4.5⭐

Delightful and riveting in equal measure, Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure by Lorenzo Carcaterra is simply unputdownable! When the granddaughter of an old friend approaches Nonna Maria for her assistance in locating treasure hidden by her deceased grandfather in Ischia’s caves, Nonna Maria taps into her knowledge of the history of the island and enlists the help of two islanders who have experience navigating the dangers within the caves. Parallelly, Nonna Maria’s vast network of friends and family also helps her track the movements of a group of criminals who have ventured onto the island to assassinate her friend (with whom she frequently collaborates) Carabinieri Captain Paulo Murino for reasons which are gradually revealed.

There is a lot to unpack in this novel, but the narrative is engaging and at no point do you feel overwhelmed or find the plot(s) difficult to follow. I should mention that this installment is relatively more intense than the preceding books and the author strikes a perfect balance between the parallel storylines. The writing is descriptive, but I enjoyed revisiting Ischia and getting to know more about the characters (old and new) and the history and mythology of the island. Descriptions of the delectable cuisine will make your mouth water. What I wouldn’t do for a peek into Nonna Maria’s black tote! Witty and wise, with a heart of gold, Nonna Maria is a fascinating character! It was a joy to follow this spirited septuagenarian on her latest adventures.

Though the books in this series can be read as standalone, I’d definitely recommend reading all of them! I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

So many interesting characters. And who doesn't love Nonna Maria. She's such a perfect character to be an amateur sleuth. The story builds up the suspense as each chapter progresses. The story is told from multiple character's points of view. The networking that Nonna Maria does is astounding, but seems completely believable when reading the story. I enjoy putting all the pieces together. I look forward to more stories in this series. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Nonna Maria and the Lost Treasure by Lorenzo Cacaterra takes us to the beautiful Italian island of Ischia. Nonna Maria is an amateur sleuth. This is her 3rd adventure and we’re looking for a lost treasure. A very easy and descriptive read which makes you want to visit Italy or at least have some Italian food! Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam books for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Nonna Maria is an interesting and fascinating character created by Lorenzo Carcaterra. Everything she says and does is a life lesson. She is also a great amateur sleuth and in this novel she helps solve two cases. Nonna Maria lives on the beautiful Italian island of Ischia. She has staunchly loyal to her many friends and her huge family. This huge network is at her disposal for any help she needs and she repays their favors with food and friendship. Nonna Maria must protect her dear friend Captain Murino. Murino heads the local police force and someone from his past is trying to kill him. Maria is also busy trying to help a granddaughter find the hidden treasure that her grandfather told her about on his deathbed. This is Carcaterra"s third novel dedicated to Nonna Maria and I look forward to reading many more.

Nonna Maria returns with an intertwining tale of two mysteries. A search for a possible stash of stolen jewels in the caves and a group of assassins after the head carabiniere of Ischia. Nonna Maria is an older sleuth who doesn’t solve mysteries, she just helps her friends. Another charming tale.

Nonna Maria is back along with a cast of friends and neighbors who feel like family. This time she is helping a friend find a treasure hinted at by her grandfather and protecting the carbineri captain, Paulo, as someone is out to get him. These two stories don’t mix except for locations but they are both intriguing in their own way. Everytime I read a book in the series I’m enticed into wanting to move to a small island where everyone becomes family.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

This is the third book in this series and I haven’t had the chance to read the other two but I think this could definitely be a standalone book.
Nonna Maria is a super sleuth and she is always willing to help anyone. When her long time friend Captain Marino has an assassin out to get him he asks Maria to help him out. She definitely knows no strangers. I loved how she made sure no one went hungry definitely has grandma traits. And, how can you go wrong when the setting is in Italy.

I received this ARC from Netgalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Ultimately, I think this book was just too cozy for me personally, but I can see an audience for it. The highlight of the book is Nonna Maria and her quirks as well as the small town feel of the island. In terms of the actual mysteries, I just found myself not invested in the outcomes. It is nice that there is more than one mystery to solve. I could see how this would be a great beach or cruise read for those that don’t read romance, even if it wasn’t the ideal read for me.

An Italian Grandmother that evryone wishes were on their team. Nona Maria soaks up the wisdom....and clues....while she serves her customers some excellent food and drink, then uses her skills to solve crimes. A great read that everyone I know has loved so far.

I have really enjoyed this series and especially this third book.

Nonna Maria, a widowed grandmother living on the Italian island of Ischia, lives to help her friends. And she has many friends. In this book, Captain Marino of the Caribineri realized that men from the north, assassins, are headed to the island to kill him. In his earlier life, he was in the force in Naples, and broke up a ring of mobsters. When he put the head of the crime syndicate away in prison for life, he was warned that there would be revenge, and it appears that the time has come.

At the same time, Nonna Maria is asked to help the granddaughter, Rita, of another good friend, who on his deathbed has given Rita a map, and a clue that there is treasure for her. He died before he could share any more details.

Despite being warned by her children, Captain Marino, and several other friends that she should not be getting involved with such dangerous men, Nonna Marie can’t stay away. When additional friends get involved to help keep the Captain safe, and to try and find the treasure, there are a lot of moving parts to this plot. The author does a wonderful job of keeping all those parts moving, and the characters all in the right place at the right time. It’s a testament to his skill that I was able to keep a large cast all straight in my head, to be able to follow along as the multiple plot lines came together.

I really like Nonna Maria as a character, and the descriptions of the places, the food and the activities are all delightful. I felt as I was there in the heat of the night as the story reached its conclusion.

I hope there are many more Nonna Maria books to come.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

Unfortunately I just can not get into this book. I feel like this is a very different kind of story compared to the first Nonna Maria. The first was a Miss Marple-esque type story set in Italy, which I very much enjoyed. This book is an Italian mob story filled with hitmen and vendettas. And I have yet to hear about any treasure so I'm not sure how that even figures into the story of old mob grudges against the Italian police, even after getting the backstory. Nonna Maria seems to be a peripheral character with seemingly inconsequential ties to the mobsters and the cop they want to murder. I don't like it and I don't plan on finishing it. I probably won't read anymore of this series either.

Nonna María and the Case of the Lost Treasure by Lorenzo Carcaterra

Ischia, a quiet little island off the coast of Italy, is where Nonna Maria is well known for her delicious meals and hospitality. As the elderly widow cannot pass up a chance to help a friend or two, Nonna is once again in the center of a complex situation.

There are chase scenes and threats, good guys and bad guys, food and drink. Nonna calls in some favors when Rita wants to find a hidden treasure left to her by her grandfather. Going on at the same time, police detective Paolo Murino is in danger.

Not as engaging as the last Nonna Maria tale I read, this is still a charming story starring everyone’s bestie on this small island. Can Nonna Maria keep up? Will she get lost in the secret tunnels of this island? Can she help find the secret treasure and save her friend? All will be revealed by the end of this four star story published by Random House.

I am a sucker for cozy mysteries that feature armchair travel or senior sleuths. This book has both! Nonna Maria is a very well-connected woman who has lived on the Italian island of Ischia her whole life and has an extensive network of family, friends, and acquaintances. Little do the bad guys know what they are up against! There are two crimes in this story. An assassin is out to settle a score, and then a rumored treasure may be found at long last.

The setting and world-building are excellent. I haven't visited Ischia yet, but these books make me want to pack my bags. In addition to the vividly depicted sun-drenched beauty of the island, Carcaterra delves into the history, traditions, food, and culture of the place, from medieval castles to smugglers' caves to pizza, wine, and coffee. Ischia comes alive in these pages and is a beloved character in itself.

Nonna Maria is a well-developed, warm, and wonderful character. She has quirks and quick wits, will only eat/drink in her own kitchen, and she's always a few steps ahead of the bad guys. There are a number of people who would do anything for her, and the depths of Nonna Maria's connections are fun to find out about, as they are occasionally surprising and often charming. Her techniques are different from the typical cozy mystery sleuth, and she is clever and fun to spend time with. Carcaterra's writing has a unique style and cadence, but this is a quick read, a bit edgy, and rather delightful. The Dedication and Author's Note are as heartwarming as the story, and this works as a standalone. If you're looking for a fresh take on the cozy mystery genre, you'll want to check out this series!


Thank you to Random House Publishing Ballentine for the free book!

Entertaining and easy read. I loved the Nonna Maria character and her role in the story. There are two separate story lines going with her involved which I thought would connect but didn’t. Great message at the end even though this is a mystery.

The third in this mystery series is a little predictable but still makes for a good story. This can be a standalone but readers will probably want to read more about the island of Ischia and Nonna. New characters with evil intent are introduced but nothing gets by Nonna.

I had never heard of this author , the island of Ischia, or about this series before I received an advanced copy from the publisher and Netgalley. I now, of course must read the first two.
There are 2 simultaneous stories, both involving Nonna Maria (who is based on the authors grandmother and stories he was told).
Nonna Maria is quite the character with more quirks than your usual amateur sleuth. She doesn't drink water, only 14 espressos with chocolate and liquor during the day, and wine at night. She only eats her own food, and the descriptions of the food she cooks for her large family and friends are mouthwatering.
One of the stories is about an assassin who plans to murder the local police captain, and the other is a treasure hunt. There is a Pirate who only wears a red speedo, a shirt and a bandana at all times, IL Presidente, a retired assassin, other mafia characters, and many more quirky people. This is really a fun story.
This is my honest review, and I recommend starting with the first book,Nonna Maria and the missing bride.

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure by Lorenzo Carcaterra is an engaging cozy mystery!
I enjoyed this mystery with its cozy vibes and descriptions.
This series is extremely well written. The characters are very well developed and the plots are well thought out.
This enchanting story is without a doubt, a new favorite of mine and I eagerly look forward to reading more in this series.

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!