Media

Praise for The Mystique of the Last Cannoli

Camille Cusumano’s The Mystique of the Last Cannoli is a richly textured novel of a Italian American family that blends humor, memory, spirituality, Old World tradition, and mystery into a heartfelt story set largely in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Rooted in Sicilian heritage, the novel succeeds as an engaging narrative on memory, grief, and cultural identity. —Primo Magazine

"Everything Camille Cusumano writes about comes from a passion—with tango, Italy, Mexico, and now, her Sicilian heritage. In this novel, Camille weaves tales of her Sicilian ancestors with the deeds of their relatives on the other side of the Atlantic, making for a lively read that will be sure to be a great companion on a trip to Italy."  
—Laura Fraser, author of An Italian Affair

"A long-frozen cannoli is the guardian of memories from the old country and the gateway into Camille Cusumano's novel of a luminous family history. This life-affirming novel is inhabited by ancestors from the island (Sicily) forever kicked by Italy's boot, by a combative yet loving father, by a mother who postpones her dreams to hold together a family of ten children. Carmela, the youngest, vividly re-creates the lost world of rough-and-tumble New Jersey in the 1960s and '70s, when she witnessed her family navigate the pull of priests and con-men, and just about everyone in between."
—Michael Shapiro, author of The Creative Spark

"A delicious deep dive into the heart of Sicilian New Jersey. Cusumano weaves together compelling characters, fascinating old-world traditions, a spice of mystery, and the power of family bonds to create a story that moves us deeply."
—Susan Van Allen, 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go

"A delightfully engaging romp that weaves together the bonds of Sicilian sisterhood and family secrets across two continents. Perfetto per la spiaggia!" (Perfect for the beach!) 
—Carla Gambescia, award-winning author of La Dolce Vita University: An Unconventional Guide to Italian Culture from A to Z 


Along with Christy Cote and Tom Lewis, I appeared on Spotlight TV talking about my books, Tango, and the Mystique of the Last Cannoli

Tuesday, May 12, 2026, Hear my spoken literary essay about my beloved Marin Headlands in this KQED Perspective, Embracing the Land.

In 2014 I was invited to give a TEDx Talk on my tango journey in the spirit of the hero’s journey. You can find the written transcript of my talk on the YouTube site.