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jacquelynjoan's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Great! Enjoyed this very much, looking forward to the next one. My family is from Campania, not far from Ischia and I love reading books that take place in the region.
rmarcin's review against another edition
4.0
This was more complicated than book 1 in my opinion, as it followed not only a case of the stolen necklace, but a long ago wrong that was done to one of Nonna Maria's friends.
When a necklace is allegedly stolen from a hotel room, and one of Nonna Maria's relatives is accused, Nonna steps in to help the police. Nonna questions whether a necklace ever existed. Additionally, a body is found in the roadway, but it isn't a car crash that killed the woman, but something worse. Nonna investigates this, as well, and uncovers some ugly secrets that the powerful in the town sought to conceal.
I hope there is a book 3, because the ending is a bit of a teaser!
When a necklace is allegedly stolen from a hotel room, and one of Nonna Maria's relatives is accused, Nonna steps in to help the police. Nonna questions whether a necklace ever existed. Additionally, a body is found in the roadway, but it isn't a car crash that killed the woman, but something worse. Nonna investigates this, as well, and uncovers some ugly secrets that the powerful in the town sought to conceal.
I hope there is a book 3, because the ending is a bit of a teaser!
pallavi_sharma87's review against another edition
3.0
3 star
Nonna Maria is drawn into a murder mystery and a theft case. She is a 70-year-old woman who is wise, lots of connections and a spark of life. She does not deter from taking risks or doing what needs to be done.
This was a just ok read. It did finish fast but did not hold my interest. Both characters and the plot were a bit hollow for me.
Happy Reading!!
Nonna Maria is drawn into a murder mystery and a theft case. She is a 70-year-old woman who is wise, lots of connections and a spark of life. She does not deter from taking risks or doing what needs to be done.
This was a just ok read. It did finish fast but did not hold my interest. Both characters and the plot were a bit hollow for me.
Happy Reading!!
saammdavis's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
rebeccasreadingrambles's review against another edition
4.0
This was a super cozy mystery that I enjoyed so much. Something about Nonna Maria's style just felt so calm and relaxed, even though some dark issues were included and heartbreaking occurrences. I love how Nonna knows everyone and can piece together any events just by knowing how humans work. And the way she is always plying friends and family with food had me hungry the entire time and yearning for a trip to Italy. A really enjoyable story and I look forward to more!
thereadingraccoon's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Book Review: Nonna Maria and the Case of the Stolen Necklace by Lorenzo Carcaterra
Nonna Maria and the Case of the Stolen Necklace is the second book in the Nonna Maria mystery series starring a plucky Italian elderly lady who solves crimes on her beloved island home.
Nonna Maria is back and this time her goddaughter (Loretta) has been accused of stealing a necklace from a wealthy tourist at the hotel where she works and Nonna is immediately suspicious. This isn’t in Loretta’s character AND no one has seen the woman actually wearing the necklace. During the same time period a woman is found strangled to death on the side of the road and Nonna Maria suspects she knows both the victim and the killer. Nonna Maria will need to clear both Loretta’s name and prove the identity of the dead woman by using her friends, family and contacts on Ischia (and beyond) to solve each crime.
Carcaterra shows his softer side with this second installment in the Nonna Maria series and the tone is downright cozy. He also paints a beautiful portrait of the island, the inhabitants and their way of live. I recommend it to any reader that wants a mystery with a non-typical amateur detective that solves crimes that involve the people she cares about.
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
joanna77_'s review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
literally all I want is a Nonna Maria in my life
tealmango's review against another edition
4.0
*Note: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
srivalli's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
4 Stars
One Liner: Entertaining and fast-paced
Nonna Maria has to deal with not one but two cases in this book. First, her goddaughter is accused of stealing an expensive necklace by a guest in the hotel she works. Second, the dead body of an unknown woman is found in the corner of a road.
Since Nonna Maria’s young friend thinks he killed her by mistake, she is set to find out who the woman was and what she was doing in Ischia. Though the little island is overflowing with tourists, this woman sure isn’t one of them.
It’s up to Nonna Maria to solve both cases and help the local carabinieri, Captain Paolo Murino.
The story comes in the third person POV.
My Thoughts:
I’m always happy to try a cozy mystery, and this one turned out to be quite satisfying (despite a few minor issues).
Though this is the second book in the series, I didn’t feel as if I missed much. It works very well as a standalone.
The writing is simple and easy to read. I could finish the book in 1.5 days (which is always a plus). The plot has two threads, and both move at a good pace.
Nonna Maria is the Italian and sterner version of Miss Marple. She is quick-witted, independent, and has a fixed approach to things. She is very matter-of-fact in her dealings but is also a loving woman who helps others however she can.
The cases, as such, are a little too easily solved. Some of it seems to stretch things a bit. This can be an issue for some readers. I know it would bother me, too, but I feel it fits the setting.
I love the island and its old-world charm. Despite the changing times, the island seems to have not completely adapted. This applies to the good and bad things. My favorite parts are about the thought process of the islanders (which isn’t that different from the rest of the world), the hypocrisy and gender bias, and yet the affection they have for each other.
Another plus point is that Captain Muniro respects Nonna Maria. He follows the rules of his job but also works with the old lady to solve the cases. No unwanted animosity here.
Since the book is set in Italy (my second cozy series from the country!), it has to have mentions of delicious food. I’m tempted to try Nonna Maria’s coffee recipe (though I’ll have to exclude one ingredient, lol). All those episodes of David Rocco’s Dolce Vita made it easier to know the dishes.
Our septuagenarian sleuth seems almost invincible at times. I don’t know how she gets so much cooking done (I love to cook but not as much as she does) and has the energy to solve cases. But yeah, they don’t make people like that anymore, so it kinda feels realistic too.
The book ends with a lead to the next book, and I am totally excited to read it. Book three sounds like it will up the danger levels. What else does a reader want? ;)
To summarize, Nonna Maria and the Case of the Stolen Necklace is a delightful cozy mystery with a beautiful setting and intriguing characters. Pick it up when you want something light and breezy but with some food for thought.
Thank you, NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Bantam, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NonnaMariaandtheCaseoftheStolenNecklace #NetGalley
***
P.S.: I’m not sure why I was worried this would be a slow read. It’s faster than most cozy mysteries I’ve read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Violence, Car accident, and Murder
tessa_talks_books's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25