Rose Nylund is quite excited. Her niece is coming to Miami Beach, Florida to get married and Rose will be hosting the event. Rose fully intends to incorporate all of her hometown’s traditions. It won’t be easy, but she’s going to bring St. Olaf to Miami. She’s hoping the three friends she shares a house with will help her out - Dorothy, Blanche and Sophia.

Dorothy Zbornak is concerned about attending the wedding solo, so she decides to try her hand at a new VHS dating service. Things don’t quite go as smoothly as she had hoped they would and her date winds up dead, face down in one of Rose’s cheesecakes at a pre-wedding event.

Things go from bad to worse when Dorothy becomes the prime suspect in her date’s death. The women desperately conduct their own investigation while juggling the planning for the wedding and dealing with the groom’s wealthy parents, who don’t seem too impressed with the St. Olaf ways.

What a surprisingly fun book this is. I loved the TV show, but I haven’t seen it in years. As soon as I started reading this, it all came back to me. I could hear each voice vividly. The author portrayed each Golden Girl to perfection. It felt as if I was watching a Golden Girls reunion TV movie.

The story is set in the 1980’s just like the TV show. The humor ran through each page from start to finish. Some of it is kind of silly, but it had me smiling. It’s very well written and it’s obvious the author knew the characters well.

It helps if you are familiar with the show before reading this book, but I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary. There are no carryover storylines. It’s a mystery contained in this book. It’s intriguing to figure out who the culprit is and how the Golden Girls will get out of this one. I’m looking forward to reading the next one in the series and see what crazy antics the girls get into next.








FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I’ll preface this by saying I’ve never watched the Golden Girls or been a big fan of the show! This was a fun little murder mystery mixed with a wedding and some very interesting Midwest culture all run by four older women. Their banter was fun and believable, and they were all as sarcastic as I’ve been told the women are on the show! I figured out the murderer just before the women did, so the suspense dragged on enough, and the action bits were very fun! Overall a good cozy mystery. Thank you to Hyperion Avenue for an early copy!

I struggled to get into this book. The nostalgia was great and the author really did her research but the pace dragged and the dialog was a little flat. It wasn’t for me but hardcore Golden Girls fans should definitely give it a chance.

This was a wonderful trip down nostalgia lane for a Golden Girls fan such as myself. The spirit of the characters was well captured. I do think if someone wasn’t a fan of the show they would miss some jokes but overall an enjoyable cozy mystery!

A golden girls mystery? YES please!

Murder by Cheesecake is the first installment of a 4 part series by Rachel Ekstrom Courage.

Fans of the show will enjoy spending time with our favorite four, Blanche, Dororthy, Rose and Sophia. This cozy mystery reads like an episode of the show.

I cannot wait for the rest of this series!

Thank you NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I had to DNF this book. Although it was very reminiscent of Golden Girls the comedic value did not come through as well and just felt a little boring to me.

I couldn't get into this one personally; but it was still a fun read! The dialog fell little flat for me, but still brought back lots of good memories of the Golden Girls for me!

This was such a fun and heartwarming read—a perfect cozy mystery that brought plenty of laughs and nostalgia. It followed the beloved 80’s sitcom so well, it truly felt like a missing episode of the four iconic roommates bonding over cheesecake… with just a bit more adventure thrown in! The author absolutely nailed each character’s voice and quirks, making it easy to picture every scene.

It was a refreshing break from the more serious reads I’ve been into lately, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the advanced copy—I’m happy to leave this review voluntarily!

As a big fan of the Golden Girls television show, I wanted to love this. Reading the characters in print is a different experience than hearing their deadpan delivery and pacing on television. I love the idea in theory, but it did not work for me as I hoped.

Vibes:
➤ Murder Mystery
➤ Golden Girls Cast
➤ Cozy Mystery
➤ Light Humor

Recommended For:
Anyone looking for a cozy murder mystery with a lighthearted plot. Would only recommend for those who have watched and enjoyed The Golden Girls as most of the appeal is in the nostalgia. The humor and voices of these characters was authentic, so if you enjoy The Golden Girls, you’ll love this!

Thoughts:
I personally enjoyed the dialogue so much between these characters, it felt so much like watching an episode of the show. I am personally not much of a cozy mystery fan, they move too slow for me and the stakes feel so low. So although I love The Golden Girls, I am afraid I am not the target audience due to the genre.

I really wanted to love this book, but it was hard to read. I am a huge Golden Girls fan and love reading a good mystery, but this wasn't it. It was written too simplistic for me. Maybe if I wasn't a fan of the show it might have worked for me? There just seemed to be parts of the story that were so slow and the writing was wordy when it wasn't necessary.

I wanted to love this one. Truly. A murder mystery inspired by The Golden Girls? Say less. I’m already picturing myself in a caftan with a cheesecake in one hand and a magnifying glass in the other. I'm pretty sure I’m going to grow up to be Dorothy Zbornak. But alas… this book and I were not meant to be.

I gave it a solid try. But the writing? It just didn’t work for me. It was too simplistic to hold my interest—and at the same time, weirdly trying too hard. Every object in the scene had a name, a color, a fabric type, and maybe a memoir. When I tripped over a sentence that included “coral-upholstered rattan sofa,” “fan-armed chairs,” “cream-colored carpet,” and “low-heeled pumps”—all in one breath—I had to tap out. My brain whispered, “Babe… you don’t have to do this to yourself.”

I’m sure there’s a reader out there who will vibe with this book more than I did. But it’s a DNF for me.

First line: Rose Nylund whispered into the lemon-yellow telephone receiver, twisting the cord tightly between her fingers, her words obscured by the gurgling of the coffee percolator.

Summary: Picture it…Miami. Rose Nylund is planning a beautiful St. Olaf wedding in Miami but things are not going as planned. She is working against the groom’s snobby family and the fact that Dorothy’s date was found face first in a cheesecake in the hotel’s freezer. What else could go wrong? Well it appears that Dorothy may be the prime suspect in the man’s death since their one and only date was disaster. The girls are determined to clear Dorothy’s name, find the killer and make sure the wedding goes off without any more problems.

My Thoughts: Several years ago I binge watched The Golden Girls for the first time and absolutely loved it! Those ladies were witty and the show as completely ridiculous but it is perfection in sitcom TV. When I saw that we were getting a Golden Girls mystery series, I was all in. It was a cute, quirky and silly murder mystery. In all it was exactly what you’d expect from these ladies. The things they did while pursuing the criminal were outlandish and the St. Olaf wedding preparations were beyond kooky. It could easily have been an extended episode of the show. While is it nothing overly fantastic it fits perfectly in The Golden Girls fandom by giving all the silliness and wit of the characters that many of us love. If you love the show you will like the book too.

Thank You Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, I grew up watching The Golden Girls with my mom. So once I saw that this book in a way revolved around the the girls I instantly wanted to read this and give it a go. Truthfully, I was a bit concerned because I didn't want the show I grew up watching to get misrepresented.... and this didn't do that luckily. I felt like the way the characters was written in a way sums up how the characters are when you watch the actual show. I appreciated the fact that the author, looks like (well in written form) that they are someone who actually spent time watching the show because of the references that was made along the storyline. A nice throwback to the actual show with a bit of a mystery element combined

The reason for my rating is more because I wasn't instantly hooked. I think it's more because of the fact that I wanted it to not replace my love for the show and for it to give me something slightly more different. Nonetheless, it's a good read.

I say if you are someone who loves/loved the show The Golden Girls to give this a try.

I am a huge Golden Girls fan. I re-watch probably every year and I can tell you what an episode will be about within the first five minutes. I even dressed up as Rose for work!

I was apprehensive about this book because the show is a beloved classic and do we really need to try something new with it? I was pleasantly surprised because it was so nice to spend some more time with my girls! It felt like a warm hug.

I could tell that the author watched the show because she referenced several different episodes. I feel like the banter between the girls was so spot on to the show. The book was a perfect mix of the usual GG stuff and a cozy mystery. I can't wait to read more in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel Ekstrom Courage, and Hyperion Avenue for the opportunity to read Murder by Cheesecake. I have written this review voluntarily and honestly!

3.75
Rose’s cousin Nettie is getting married to Jason. Her parents aren’t involved so Rose volunteered to plan the wedding. The venue burned down in St. Olaf so they have decided to have it in Miami. Rose wants to have include all of the St. Olaf traditions included. Dorothy doesn’t want to go to another wedding alone so she decides to go in a date with a man she finds thru video dating service. They decide to meet at a diner and they haven’t even gotten the meal before Henry doesn’t the restroom and never comes back. He tells the waitress to let her know the bill is payed and he had to run off.
A few days later they go Jason’s parents hotel to start the wedding festivities. When Rose is taking the cheesecakes out of the freezer she finds a dead body that happens to be the man Dorothy went on a date with. Later the police find a note his is pocket with Dorothy’s name on it. She is now a suspect in a murder. The murder is ruining the wedding festivities. The ladies decide they need to solve the murder to save Dorothy from going to jail and to save the rest of the wedding.

This book really did feel like a long episode of the Golden Girls. The author really captures each of the characters language and mannerisms. Her GG knowledge runs deeps. I like the way the mystery unfolded. This is a perfect read for GG fans that love a mystery.

Murder By Cheesecake is the first book in a new cozy mystery series starring The Golden Girls. I wanted to read this book because I love The Golden Girls and also love cozy mysteries. It was a delight from the first page to the last.

Rose is planning a wedding in Miami for her beloved niece from St. Olaf. Her niece is engaged to a young man from a prominent Miami hotelier family, and there are clashes about the wedding plans. Dorothy wants a date to the wedding and decides to try computer dating. She meets a handsome man from the dating service for lunch and they hit it off ... until he pays the bill and vanishes mid-meal. Later he turns up in a hotel freezer, and Dorothy becomes a suspect in his murder. The Golden Girls work together to solve the mystery, while also helping Rose with her family wedding dilemma.

This mystery is well paced, with short chapters and lots of twists and turn. The author captures the personalities of Rose, Dorothy, Blanche, and Sophia perfectly. Murder By Cheesecake is so fresh and different. I can't wait for the next book in the series! Five enthusiastic stars from me.

This was an adorable read filled with characters we all know and love. This story is a deliciously clever cozy mystery that blends sass, suspense, and just the right amount of sweetness. When a wedding week turns deadly and a date ends face-first in dessert, it’s up to four fierce, fabulous ladies to crack the case. With sharp wit and lovable chaos, this story is a golden treat for mystery lovers and fans of friendship-fueled hijinks. Funny, fast-paced, and totally bingeable!

Thank you NetGalley & Hyperion Avenue for the ARC.
3 stars!

Loved it! It was fun to be able to dive back into the world of THE GOLDEN GIRLS. We have already purchased copies for our branches and I know that our customers will adore them.

I began this book with so much excitement as I am a long time fan of The Golden Girls television show. And I started to lose interest about 30% in. I went back to give it another try and then realized this just may not be for me right now.

There was no real need for character development here as the show has done that part for the author and I knew I would love the characters. However, I just wasn't feeling as though things were moving at a pace that worked for me. I also thought that the St. Olaf words and traditions became such a redundant part of the plot. It was almost as if the murder wasn't a pivotal part of the story, and the wedding planning took over everything.

The writing was solid and I wouldn't not recommend it to fans of The Golden Girls. It just didn't work well for me in the way that I expected it would.

Also FYI - there were so many issues with the kindle file I received that it made the reading that much more difficult.