Best known for his #1 New York Times bestseller Sleepers (one million copies sold) Carcaterra’s career as a writer has spanned over three decades. Last spring his poignant memoir Three Dreamers, which People magazine called, “a fierce, moving tribute to the ties that bind,” captured the incredible lives of the three women who shaped and influenced him.

In NONNA MARIA , Carcaterra transports readers to the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean Sea to solve a mystery. Inspired by Carcaterra’s own grandmother, the real Nonna Maria who lived out her life on Ischia and was known for two things: the strength of her coffee and standing up to Nazis, this novel is a heartwarming tale about the importance of community, family, and love.

With the help of an infamous crime boss, old friends, and some crisp Italian wine, Nonna Maria is a force to be reckoned with. Drawing on his own frequent visits, Carcaterra paints a luscious portrait of the island of Ischia while spinning a tale filled with lighthearted sleuthing and scheming.

Ischia is at the heart of this cozy mystery & Lorenzo is an expert on the island. I hope you’ll consider including NONNA MARIA in any upcoming coverage you may be planning.

When a crime on a beautiful Italian island stumps the police, locals turn to the trusted, elderly widow Nonna Maria in this transporting mystery from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lorenzo Carcaterra, "one of the all-time greats" (Jeffery Deaver)

Nonna Maria has lived in Ischia, an island in the Gulf of Naples, her entire life. Recognizable by the widow’s black she’s worn every day for decades, she always has pasta on the stove and espresso in the pot for the neighbors who stop by to ask her advice on life and love. On Ischia, nothing gets past the eyes or ears of Nonna Maria—everyone knows her, and she knows everyone’s business. So, if something goes wrong, islanders look to her, and not the local carabinieri, to find the solution.

When a recently engaged woman confesses that she’s afraid her fiancé might not be who he seems, Nonna Maria helps her disappear while she investigates the true nature of her betrothed, a stranger to Ischia with a murky past. The stranger has also raised the suspicions of Captain Murino of the carabinieri, but he’s occupied investigating the death of a tour boat captain who drowned in the early hours of the morning. Captain Murino believes it’s an accident, but Nonna Maria knew the man was a born sailor, and too good a swimmer to drown, no matter how much wine he might have drunk. While Captain Murino has his hands full, she pours herself a glass of white wine and gets to work, even though getting involved will expose her to the dangers lurking just beneath the surface of her idyllic home.

About the Author

Lorenzo Carcaterra is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Sleepers, A Safe Place, Apaches, Gangster, Street Boys, Paradise City, Chasers, Midnight Angels, and The Wolf. He is a former writer/producer for Law & Order and has written for National Geographic Traveler, The New York Times Magazine, Details, and Maxim. He lives in New York City with Gus, his Olde English Bulldogge, and is at work on his next novel.