When I got approved to read an ARC of Murder by Cheesecake, I did a happy little Snoopy Dance. Then I got nervous, and sadly, I put off reading it. What if she's not able to capture the feel of the show, of The Girls? What if I don't like the mystery aspect? I am happy to say None of those are true.

The major storyline is about Rose trying to throw a traditional St. Olaf wedding in Miami for her cousin Nettie. She will need a lot of Herring and some help from her friends. Meanwhile, Dorothy is trying to find a date for the wedding. She just wants to find one good man, which she thinks she has done. They have talked and are finally ready to meet. It's not the meet-cute she was hoping for.

Let's get back to the main story. Rose is determined to show her St. Olaf Relatives that she can give Nettie a Traditional Wedding. Even if the Groom's Parents have their own plans. Rose is going to do what's best for Nettie. With everyone's help, she just might do it. Until they find a body in the freezer of The Hotel Nettie's soon to be In-laws' own. Surrounded by Cheesecakes.


Murder by Cheesecake is like sitting down and recapturing the joy you had when you watched an episode. Rachel Ekstrom Courage perfectly captured the feel, the laughter, the sass, and the ambiance. I wish we could watch them act out these stories. If you want to enjoy the Nostalgia, the 80s, Miami, and Stories of Sicily and St. Olaf. Go Buy a Copy Today

I have so many memories of watching The Golden Girls with my mom, grandma and aunt. Even now, when I need a nice show to just relax and watch, I find the reruns and turn back time, just to laugh and enjoy those great actresses and their banter. So when I saw Murder by Cheesecake as a Golden Girls mystery, it seemed right up my alley. Initially, it was just like stepping back into the tv show. The characters, the dialogue and the setting were all spot on. It was like being right in that living room or kitchen with Rose, Blanche, Dorothy and Sophia. As the story continued though, I found myself losing interest in the mystery plot of things. That part of the story just didn't grab me and pull me in. That said, I think this book could be exactly the right book for another person and if you like the Golden Girls, I'd say definitely give it a try.

I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a lovely cozy mystery that warmed my heart because I could hear the characters' voices as though I were watching their television show. I will read any other books in this series to hear their voices again.

When Rose learns her cousin is eloping to Miami, she is determined to throw her a St. Olaf-themed wedding that will guarantee the approval of the family. Unfortunately, the groom's family is equally invested in honoring their own traditions--of pretension and promotion of their business. The two visions have very little overlap.

Dorothy is determined to bring a date to the wedding, even if it means turning to the new VHS-based dating "site." Her first choice seems promising on video and over the phone, but when they meet in person, he seems totally different and ditches her halfway through lunch. When his dead body turns up in the hotel freezer, Dorothy is immediately a suspect. Rose, Blanche, and Sophia are determined to prove Dorothy's innocence--as is she--while helping Rose bring the wedding to fruition.

I confess I have never watched The Golden Girls--too young when it first came out--though I do have a bit of an addiction to watching Instagram reels. From what I can see, this book relies on caricatures of the characters, but it doesn't stop it from being amusing. The portrayal of life in the 1980s was spot-on (as someone who did live through that era). Hopefully the future entries in this planned series will iron out some of the exaggerations. #MurderbyCheesecake #NetGalley

This book did not disappoint! Filled with the suspense of a murder mystery along with the nostalgic humor from the original Golden Girls foursome, this book is best read in one sitting with coffee and cheesecake nearby. Loved it and I want many more! I hope this becomes a series as I was truly impressed with how accurate the characters were portrayed and how clever the storyline was. There is even a cheesecake recipe in the back! I truly felt like I was inside a Golden Girls episode. From references to the show to the way the characters interacted with one another, the authenticity is solid, as is the storyline and writing style. Loved it from beginning to.end!

I'm not even sure how to start with this review. It was like traveling back in time to the 1980's and sitting down in the kitchen wiht Rose, Blanche, Dorothy and Sophia, eating cheesecake. The book really mirrored the characters and captured them perfectly. It was amazing and a little weird at the same time. Since I am used to watching the show, and not reading it, I had to shift my perspective while reading.

The girls are getting ready for Rose's cousin's wedding, and yes, of course it is a St. Olaf-ian wedding. The St. Olaf crew has come to Miami for the wedding, but the only way the happy couple can be accepted back in St. Olaf is to abide by the strict St. Olaf wedding traditions. Rose is on it though! She is rearing and ready to go, herring and all.

Dorthy is trying to prep for the wedding by finding a date via a VHS (right???!!!) dating service. She quickly learns that something is off with her date, especially when they find him dead in the freezer at the wedding venue.

I really hope there are more of these. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Thanks for the ARC, Netgalley! I wanted to like this so much, but it wasn't for me.

After reading a few heavier books, I was looking for a fun, light-hearted mystery. I live in Minnesota, and I'm trying to figure out if the author has any ties to the state or Norwegian heritage because it was over-the-top with the stereotypes and wedding traditions that I think were all made up. Maybe that's the whole 'golden girls' storytelling style that I'm not familiar with, but I wanted more focus on the character development vs. the ridiculous herring balls, a donkey, a clown.... Perhaps I felt a little offended as well? I'm all for making a little fun of silly traditions, but this one went too far for me. Sorry!

Murder by Cheesecake by Rachel Ekstrom Courage

I unabashedly love the Golden Girls. I grew up in the 80s and watched it in its original run with my mom. We also used to watch the reruns all the time on Lifetime. I own the entire series on DVD. And I always get compliments when I wear my “Stay Golden” t shirt with the girls on it. (FYI, Dorothy is my favorite, hands down).

But I still couldn’t believe it when I found out that they were publishing a Golden Girls tie in series of cozy mystery novels! What a ridiculous,0 wonderful concept! I was very excited when I got an eARC from the publisher and NetGalley right before a family vacation to Miami and the Florida Keys.

This book was so much fun! Some parts of it were a tad clunky, but the author really knows the characters and was able to find their voices. The murder mystery wasn’t bad, but I was mostly just along for the ride. I got a paper copy of the book and gave it to my mother to read - I think she’ll enjoy it too. Can’t wait for the next book in the series!

What I Loved:

The Girls. For anyone unfamiliar with the Golden Girls, the popular show followed Blanche, Rose, Dorothy, and Dorothy’s mother, Sophia as they navigate being "older" single women living in Miami. Three are widows and one is a divorcee, and they all live together in a house Blanche owns. Each of them have strong personalities and can differ in a lot of ways, but at the end of the day, they commiserate over ice cream or cheesecake in the kitchen. Murder by Cheesecake does an excellent job of capturing each woman's voice and mannerisms: Rose's naïve but sweet outlook on life, Blanche's flirtations, Dorothy's practical and brusque tone, and Sophia's wild stories and spontaneous actions. While the plot focuses on Rose's cousin getting married, it is Dorothy whose inner thoughts we spend the most time with as she contemplates finding love in a way she rarely vocalizes. Reading this feels like hanging out with your favorite aunts.

The St. Olaf Traditions. I loved how progressively absurd each wedding tradition is, from the donkey to the outdoor showers, clowns, and of course, cheesecake. Rose's niece must follow them all to access the famous St. Olaf family trust, and intrigue abounds when Rose accuses the village elders of making the task seem Herculean to prevent the new couple from spending the money. I love microcosm cultures, and Murder by Cheesecake had me looking up more references and learning about St. Olaf culture more than the show did.

What Didn't Work for Me:

The Murder. For a cute cozy mystery, the murder felt like a major afterthought to the overall plot. Dorothy's date Henry is found in the freezer dead, and the only reason the Girls get involved is to save the wedding and clear Dorothy of the murder. While there was some good bonding moments as the Girls try to solve the murder, the overall sleuthing process feels very ancillary to the wedding and the resolution of the murder was out of left field. More murder, please.

The Pace and Tone. Similar to the above, because the murder was a secondary plot point, Murder by Cheesecake was all over the place pacing wise. Some moments were all action as the Girls run around looking for clues, some were glacial as the wedding gets sorted in fits and starts. There was a lack of dialogue in parts when the Girls are all split up to try and interview suspects, and all you have is inner monologue that drags a little. The over the top descriptions of all things eighties also slowed the plot down. The author spent too much time telling the reader about how eighties this book is and less time letting the reader feel like they were in the eighties.

I am a huge Golden Girls fan. I have watched the series several times and I adore it each time. So, I was extremely excited about this one. Mystery solving and GG, yes!

I appreciated seeing the girls on paper but this just didn't work for me. There was a mystery. It wasn't great but the storyline was there. It felt secondary to the other plotline. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I was aware of the Golden Girls, but never really watched it. However, this book did such a great job with the characters that I could immediately picture all of them. It was a fun caper - Rose is attempting to put on a traditional wedding from home town, and the traditions are extensive and hilarious. In fact, that was my favorite part of the book. I laughed a few times and enjoyed the interactions. The mystery was kind of a side story, and that was ok.

While I enjoyed the mystery in the book and getting to see Sophia, Dorothy, Rose and Blanche solve a mystery. It lacked the charm of the TV show. However it does have Nostalgic feel which makes a great walk down memory lane.



I received a copy of this book from the author as part of a blog tour I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

The entire draw of this book is the connection to the Golden Girls - right down to the title. I found myself reading it in the TV show characters' voices. Without the iconic connection it would have been bad. If you are a die hard fan, it is worth the read.

Ugh, this book is a slog to try and get through until the 50% mark.

I LOVED the Golden GIrls show and was so excited to see this mystery pop up. I had really high hopes and I suppose I should have known better. I don't feel that the voices of Rose, Blanche, Dorothy and Sophia are always captured correctly in the book. There isn't the snappy dialogue that I expect from seeing the show so many times. I am fine with the premise of a St. Olaf style wedding trying to be done in Miami but something felt off about how it was presented.

Luckily the story really picks up in the second half of the book. Once the gals are investigating it's much easier to forget that this is supposed to be a Golden Girls mystery and just flows much better. The expected way that Rose misunderstands things also improves. I don't know where this leaves me now that I've finished the book. It was okay but not fantastic.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for providing me with an arc..

Thank you to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for the arc copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Rose, with the help of Sophia, Dorothy, and Blanche, is planning a traditional St. Olaf wedding for her niece Nettie in Miami, as the only hotel in St. Olaf is unable to accommodate a wedding. Rose is determined to do things the right way, especially with Nettie talking about eloping. However, Nettie's fiancé's family owns a large hotel in Miami and wants to take over everything, throwing all St. Olaf traditions out the window.

Meanwhile, Dorothy turns to a dating service to find a date to the wedding and meets Henry, whom she instantly connects with. Henry ditches Dorothy mid first date, and she assumes she will never see him again. Unfortunately, she is very wrong. Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia find Henry dead in a freezer at the fiance's family hotel, and Dorothy becomes the only person of interest. The girls must work together to clear Dorothy's name, find the real killer, and get Nettie married off the St. Olaf way.

This book is a cute murder mystery with easy writing. It brings a sense of nostalgia for Golden Girls fans, with all 4 original cast members from the TV show included. I could hear the actresses voices in my head reading throughout, especially Sophia with her insults. Reading this book brought happiness overall and I would recommend it as an easy palate cleanser / lighthearted mystery. 3.5 stars rounded up.

If you love the Golden Girls, you will like this book. It is like an extended version of a wonderful episode. You know the one that you don’t want to end and had more to the story. Rose is front and center planning a wedding. The girls are helping in their usual manner.

As someone whose comfort show is Golden Girls, I was so excited to read this. The cover is so good and drew me in right away. Where I have an issue with this book is that I felt like the author was trying to write an episode of the show. It focused so much on Rose’s cousins wedding and the traditions from St.Olaf where the murder mystery part started to feel like a side story. Unsure if I’m intrigued for the next book.

This Golden Girls themed cozy mystery is perfect for anyone who loved the Golden girls or just loves a good whodunit. While Rose is busy planning her cousin's wedding, a dead body is found in the freezer where the cheesecake for a pre-wedding event is being held. The man has ties to Dorothy and she becomes a suspect. The rest of the book is then dedicated to finding out what happened and also trying to pull off the wedding with all of the Saint Olaf customs in place. Very cute, sweet, fun mystery read!

Thanks to Hyperion Avenue for an advanced copy of Murder by Cheesecake.

This was a slightly cheesy Golden Girls cozy mystery, but kinda exactly what you expected.

Murder by Cheesecake was a hilarious and delightful read! Rachel Ekstrom Courage nailed the character interactions—I felt like I was watching a Golden Girls movie. The vivid descriptions made it easy to visualize every scene, and it brought back fond memories of watching The Golden Girls back in the day. In fact, I may or may not have taken a break from reading just to watch an episode! Rachel did a fantastic job weaving in nostalgic '80s references, which added a fun and authentic touch to the story.

** Thank you NetGalley, Hyperion Avenue, and Rachel Ekstrom Courage for an eARC copy of ‘Murder by Cheesecake’.