I have been SO excited to read this book since I first saw it announced and it did not disappoint! If you love Golden Girls, this is a must read. The references to St. Olaf, Shady Pines and all the nostalgia is there! This isn't an edge of your seat thriller but I wasn't expecting that. I wanted something to remind me of watching the show with my own grandmother when I was little and it was perfect!

This book was alright. Feels like an extended episode of the Golden Girls but a little over done on their personality traits. We know that Rose and St. Olaf are a bit eccentric but this felt so exaggerated and ridiculous but on the other hand I get it. The story was just a little over the top for me but I can't say I didn't enjoy the descriptions and the sharp wit in it. I wouldn't run out and tell all my friends they've just got to read it but probably wouldn't discourage my friends who are GG fans from reading it either.

This was such a fun read. I loved that I could envision each of the characters throughout the story, and the fact that they were involved in a murder mystery!!! It was easy to follow, yet engaging and quirky. I enjoyed the mystery and the overall story as well. A super fun read for anyone who is a golden girls fan for sure!

This whole book played in my mind like an episode of the Golden Girls. If you’re a fan of the show, you’ll love this book. It’s GG with a mysterious twist.

It’s an easy, fun read that you’ll get through in a day or two. Definitely recommend if you need a light read between books.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

A wild, wacky, fun time. A major win for fans of the Golden Girls and equally as fun for fans of cozy mysteries.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hyperion Avenue, and Rachel Ekstrom Courage, for this ARC of Murder By Cheesecake; A Golden Girls Cozy Mystery out April 25, 2025!

📝Quick Summary: If you’re a Golden Girls fan, this was a cute little mystery (think Nancy Drew ish) that was nostalgic to the characters. I found myself thinking on their voices in my head while reading it 😂.

⭐️Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This novel was provided by the publisher, via Net Galley, in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed reading Murder By Cheesecake!! It was a cozy mystery, but I enjoyed the banter between the characters the most. For those who love the golden girls, it will feel so nostalgic! The humor and wittiness was on point!!

My only complaint is the pacing of the book. I still really enjoyed it!! Thank you NetGalley for this eARC!!

What a delightful dive back into the 80s with the crew. Book 1 of this series has set a high bar, as we follow Rose through a recreation of St Olaf's myriad quirky wedding traditions and Dorothy enters the dating scene with tragic results.

Rachel Ekstrom Courage has developed the gang from their TV show personas and placed them into a cozy mystery. The humor - and shoulder pads - are as big as I remember, and the twist of them becoming amateur detectives is a hoot. The references to things quintessentially 80s are a fun throwback, yet the book holds a modern sensibility.

I'm eager to read the next "episode" and hope to have Sophia and Blanche featured more. And of course, lots more Dorothy - she is and will always be my favorite.

⭐️⭐ Murder by Cheesecake by Rachel Ekstrom Courage

Things that make the Golden Girls so fun and funny just didn’t hit the same in book form. They just have to be said by the actresses themselves. And if you didn’t know the characters before reading the book, I fear the jokes would really fall flat.

I guess this book was really about as expected though. Silly, all over the place, and very sitcom-like. The writing style and storytelling were simple which made it a very quick read. The majority of the story surrounded around Rose trying to pull off a traditional St. Olaf wedding for her cousin. In the midst of last minute wedding planning, a murder hinders their arrangements and none other than Dorothy is the main suspect! So, they’re off trying to clear Dorothy’s name.

So if you like The Golden Girls, sure give it a try, why-not. If you’re in it for the mystery, you’re gonna be severely disappointed. One other thing that bothered me was this was set in the 80’s and there was a snippet that brought nothing to the story but was very today.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this title for review.

I really enjoyed this book. Every character was spot on with the show's personality of the Golden Girls
Rachel did a great job of bringing their characters to book form. The murder mystery took a shocking turn that I didn't expect, and although lengthy, the descriptions of the investigation were lacking. I wish I had learned more about the investigation. Then there are way too many rules for the wedding, but this is Rose's family we are talking about, the ditzy ones came across. We're talking about. If I had learned more about the investigation, I would have given this five stars, but due to the lengthy explanation of the wedding, it fizzled out for me. The best part was the sassy comments from Sophia , Dorthy and Blanche captured from the show, and that had me laughing and highlighting phrases
#Cheesecake #GoldenGirls #mstery #Girlsnight

I did not finish this book. I couldn't get past the head hopping and the ridiculous dialogue. I had high hopes for a fun little cozy but this just wasn't it for me.

2.75⭐️: Man I was excited for this one but it just ended up being okay. The mystery was very lack luster and boring. The writing also just felt like things/chapters were missing. Over detailed parts of putting on shoes but then just skips things to progress the story.

Now onto the real reason you would pick this up: THE GOLDEN GIRLS. I am not a die hard fan. I’ve seen episodes here and there. I know enough to judge the vibes but not enough to judge how lore accurate this book is. With that being said, everyone but Rose felt very on brand to me. I could picture all the girls acting/saying these things, besides Rose.

Overall, I say it’s worth reading if you’re a Golden Girls fan but don’t expect some major twists and turns. Enjoy it for the nostalgia.

I enjoyed this quirky cozy mystery. The author did a great job of capturing the Golden Girls in a different context. It was like they moved off the sound stage of the show and into various locations around Miami. Their dialogue was familiar and fun. There were lots of quirky side characters, too. I am looking forward to more of these stories.

Ugh very disappointed.
I was really looking forward to this and it came across pretty flat. The Girls playout much better on screen than in print.

Murder by Cheesecake is the first in a cozy mystery series inspired by the beloved Golden Girls, and it brings the iconic foursome back to life with a nostalgic, 1980s Miami setting. The story kicks off when Rose decides to throw her cousin a St. Olaf-themed wedding in Miami after the original venue falls through. Meanwhile, Dorothy, hoping to find a date for the big event, turns to a dating video service—only for her disastrous date to turn up dead at the hotel hosting the wedding.

The author captures the vibrant atmosphere of 1980s Miami well, creating a strong sense of place and time. Unfortunately, the characters and plot take a while to find their footing. The first half of the book feels slow, with much of the focus on the wedding rather than the murder. The dialogue is occasionally stiff, and the characters come across as flat, lacking the spark and wit that fans of the original show might expect. Although the murder occurs relatively early, the investigation doesn’t gain real momentum until about halfway through the book—once Dorothy becomes the prime suspect.

However, the second half of the book is a noticeable improvement. The story picks up speed, the characters become more engaging, and the classic Golden Girls charm starts to shine through. Once the investigation begins in earnest, the plot moves quickly—perhaps a bit too quickly—but it's undeniably entertaining. Shenanigans ensue, and fans of the original series will appreciate seeing the ladies back in sleuthing action.

While Murder by Cheesecake stumbles in its setup, the payoff in the latter half offers enough fun to satisfy cozy mystery lovers and Golden Girls fans alike. Here’s hoping future installments build on this foundation with stronger pacing and more balanced character development.

Thank you Netgalley for providing an ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This cozy mystery held all of the humor and love that fans of the Golden Girls would expect. Watch the girls get themselves far too caught up in a murder investigation in Miami in the 80s, while continuing to support and razz one another. The mystery itself takes a back seat to the wedding-planning chaos, but includes enough twists and turns to keep the pages flipping. Dorothy herself would have absolutely loved this book!

So much fun so much fun sooooo much fun! This book reads like a bunch of related episodes of the Golden Girls. Rose is planning a wedding for hee niece in Miami but with all of the St, Olaf traditions. Dorothy is tired of not having a date for events, and tries dating by video. Blanche and Sofia aren’t in it as much, but help solve the mystery- Dorothy’s date ends up dead at the potential wedding venue.

Everything you love about the show is here. It really feels like you are hanging out with the characters in the 1980s in Miami. I sincerely hope this becomes a series with manty installments!

3.75 stars
This book is the first book in a new Golden Girls mystery series. It's such a clever idea to create a cozy mystery series based on the beloved television show. Many of the elements of a cozy mystery were already there - an interesting setting, likable characters who are close friends, and humor. All it needed was a crime to solve to make a fun cozy mystery and the author did just that!

There are two main storylines in the book. Rose is planning a traditional St. Olaf wedding in Miami for her cousin (and honorary niece) against the wishes of the groom's parents. Dorothy goes on a date with a man she met through a dating agency and it goes sour. When the man's body is found dead in the freezer at the venue where Rose is planning a wedding event, Dorothy becomes the prime suspect. Dorothy, her mother Sophia, Rose, and Blanche are determined to find the real killer and make sure Rose's young relative gets her dream wedding.

You don't have to be a Golden Girls superfan, but I think you will enjoy this book more if you've at least seen a few episodes of the TV show. I could hear the actresses as I read the book and it elevated the dialogue and made it more fun. There could have been more mystery and less of the silliness surrounding the St. Olaf wedding traditions, but it was a quick, fun read. I think the series has a lot of potential and I would definitely read more if the series continues.

I received an advance copy of the ebook from Hyperion Avenue Books and NetGalley for review consideration. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

As a fan of The Golden Girls, I was excited to read this. The vibes are spot-on! The author does a great job capturing the energy and essence of Rose, Dorothy, Sophia, and Blanche, and the dialogue sounds like it came straight from the TV show. It is very easy to picture the iconic characters, and in many ways, this reads like watching the show, complete with lots of humor and banter.

The story starts with a fun set-up. Rose is hosting her niece's wedding in Miami, and all the St. Olaf traditions must be upheld. But a body found in the freezer threatens to overshadow the festivities unless the four friends can solve the case.

While this has many elements you would expect in a cozy mystery, the wedding aspect of the story overwhelms the mystery, which ends up more like a minor subplot. This could be because it is the first book in the series, but I wanted more of the mystery. It is still a fun concept and an enjoyable read brimming with nostalgia. Golden Girls fans will want to check this out!

Also, the cover is great!

Thank you to Hyperion Avenue and Netgalley for the gifted ARC

Man, what a ride. This book is not good. Haha. But it’s also amazing! If you read the book for the plot, you may be disappointed, but if you read it for the love of the Golden Girls, you’ll have the best time. All of the little nuggets of details that were imbedded into the characters, the details of the lanai, of the mannerisms and little pulls from the era were genius. There were small things that the author added that if you didn’t know the show well, may pass you by, but if you pay attention to the details of the show, you’ll catch them.

I’ll definitely be purchasing this when it comes out and will certainly reread it when I need a bookish hug!