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 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️