Nonna Maria and the Case of the Stolen Necklace

Carcaterra’s charming sequel to 2022’s Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride finds 70-year-old widow Nonna Maria, the Italian island of Ischia’s favorite amateur sleuth, dealing with two mysteries. The first is the murder of an unidentified woman, found by the side of a road leading down to the port. The second concerns an accusation of theft made against Nonna Maria’s goddaughter, Loretta, a maid at the Grand Hotel Excelsior. Eager to appease their haughty guest, the management promptly fires Loretta while the police look into the incident. Using “her wide network of contacts throughout the island and as far away as Rome (though she had never set foot in that city),” Nonna Maria conducts her own investigations, while collaborating with the captain of the carabinieri, Paolo Murino. When not solving a crime or helping a friend in need, she’s “content to drink more than her share of coffee during the day and white wine in the evening and cook large, flavorful meals for her family.” Appealing characters match the diverting plot. Carcaterra offers armchair travelers a soothing vacation from daily strife. Agent: Andrea Blatt, WME. (May)