This is a review of an ARC I received from the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you!

So, when I saw there was a new cozy mystery series about the Golden Girls, I knew I had to read. Good, bad, or indifferent, I had to! So I was thrilled when I received the ARC. And while I definitely have a lot of mixed feelings about the quality of this book, I came away feeling overall pretty positively about it!

Let’s start with the good: this book is FUNNY. To me, the most important quality this book needed was for the girls to feel like the girls, and for the most part, they do. I could easily picture the characters I know from endless reruns, Rose’s bewildering anecdotes, Blanche’s horny little daydreams, Sophia’s absolutely lethal comebacks—the dialogue is excellent. There are so many jokes and most of them land, with impeccable comic timing. I was utterly delighted.

Also, while she’s only around for a few pages, there’s a dog in this.

And onto the bad: the second half of this book was much better than the first but both had some problems. First of all, the prose, especially at the beginning, is rough. Too many words—so many unnecessary adverbs and redundant words and phrases, and it really destroys the flow of the otherwise excellent banter. It gets better over the course of the book, though.

The pacing is all over the place. The body isn’t found until almost a third of the way in and then nothing much else happens with the case until the halfway mark. The St. Olaf stuff is pretty funny (the entire scene at the end had me giggling) but in that section there was just toooooo much of it. It really dragged and to be honest, I considered DNFing. I’m glad I didn’t, but it was a near thing!

Towards the end, there are a lot of little conveniences that smooth over several conflicts that had been present throughout the story. A lot of the tension that wasn’t directly related to the crime ending up being for nothing.

And that climactic confrontation happened so fast! Blink and you miss it. To make this a bit of a compliment sandwich, though, this sort of scene is so bog standard for the genre and a lot of times it feels forced and kind of goofy. In this case I actually bought it, and the somewhat cartoonish villainy of the bad guy worked with the overall tone and style of the book.

Also, this book made me want cheesecake so bad and I have none and that’s criminal. No a recipe is not enough (though it was a nice touch).

Finally, the indifferent, or at least the neutral: kind of disappointing only Rose and Dorothy got POVs, but as this is meant to be the first book in a series I gather the girls will alternate who’s in the spotlight from mystery to mystery.

I really think I will continue in this series. Despite its flaws there was enough that was just so good and that keeps me from walking away.

3.5/5

I've binged watched almost every episode of the Golden Girls. It was one of the best shows made and to read them in a book solving a mystery was just as amazing. I love these characters. Highly Recommend if you want a good time and a good laugh!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am a huge fan of the Golden Girls, having seen the show hundreds of times, and even have pictures and magnets of the girls hanging up in my home. They are important characters to me so of course I was excited to read this!

What I think the author did super well was capturing Sophia and Rose’s personalities for the most part. A couple lines felt too modern, or too sweet, but they felt really on par and with those two I could hear them in Estelle Getty and Betty White’s voices so often. It choked me up a little in the beginning when I first could hear the lines as if Sophia was speaking out loud. The Sophia scenes brought a lot of levity to the story, as she does in the show, so of course I enjoyed any moment she was in. Particularly when we see Sophia with a doggy door. (You’ll have to read to see what that’s about).
I do feel that the author wasn’t as successful capturing Blanche and Dorothy. Truthfully, Blanche didn’t play any major role in the book as this centered around Rose’s cousin’s wedding and Dorothy’s disasterous date, and how that impacts Sophia too as her mother. Blanche is around a lot for the ride but isn’t moving the plot much. I felt like there were moments where Blanche would have said something more salacious and it didn’t. Towards the end of the book I do think this got better and she felt more authentic. Now, with Dorothy, I felt she was the most off. Which really can hinder the story as a lot of us Golden Girls fans do see Dorothy as the heart of the show. She has a dry sense of humor, and constant wise cracks. I feel like a lot of things she thought and said weren’t as true to character. I definitely think she would have jested more with Rose, instead of being so sweet and understanding. She is very no nonsense and Rose definitely brings the nonsense here with the St Olaf traditions. Some moments did feel like Dorothy but I was a little disappointed that she didn’t feel as much like Bea Arthur’s portrayal. Which is a little disappointing with Dorothy as my favorite character.

As for the plot, I do think there was too much wedding and not enough detective work. I wish they had been more intertwined, like when they were at Coconuts. That was super interesting and meshed the two so well. It also would have been nice to tie more loose ends together, such as the Bryants getting along with the St Olafians. It seemed like at the end this was all brushed under the rug when it was setting up to play a larger part in the plot.

All in all, I think this is a huge element to tackle, and I do think the author is ultimately successful. This did seem like a Golden Girls adventure and I loved getting so many callbacks to the show. In essence, the author did capture the energy and vibe of such a beloved show with beloved and talented women. And did so in a way that felt true to form without going overboard on elements that didn’t age well. The show was progressive but that doesn’t mean it was always right by today’s standards. It teetered that line like the show did which I appreciated, and celebrated a lot of things that are so important in modern times, like lgbtq+ rights and diverse cultures.

I will be recommending, and I am excited for more!

This book brought me right back to the Golden Girls episodes I have watched repeatedly! The dialogue was perfect and true to character. The book itself seemed to move a bit slowly as I’m used to 30 minute sitcom Golden Girls episodes. I would have liked for it to be a bit faster pace.

When I read the blurb on this book I knew I wanted to read it. I remember The Golden Girls television series during the eighties. Well this cozy mystery author uses the Golden Girls characters as slueths to dig up clues and find out who the whodunnit is. The author did a fantastic job of bringing the girls back to life in this cute, sometimes silly cozy mystery. Because I watched the show I didn’t have to imagine what Rose, Blanche, Dorothy and Sophia looked like. This book was humorous, unpredictable and as the ending drew closer it was action packed and edge of seat reading. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. I knew I enjoyed the Golden Girls tv show but I wasn’t sure that the author of this book would be able to capture the likeness of the girls on the show with the characters in the book but she did not disappoint. I thought it was a good mystery and if there is a second book I want to read it too.
I recommend Murder by Cheesecake to all readers of Cozy Mystery. This is the first book of a new series. The book is scheduled to be released on 4/15/25.
I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed here in this review are solely my own.
#MurderbyCheesecake #NetGalley

I absolutely loved it and cannot wait for future releases! I've been a fan of the girls since I was younger and this definitely scratched an itch I did not know I desperately needed scratching lol this book gave "The Case of the Libertine Belle" (one of my favorite Golden Girls episode) vibes.

I absolutely adored this book. I’m a huge golden girls fan and have watched all the seasons many times over. This book was like a slice of nostalgia for a show that I hold dear to my heart. I think it was the perfect cozy mystery.

This was exactly like watching a comforting, funny, glorious episode of The Golden Girls that we all know and love- with a crime in the mix!! This was so fun, cozy, and silly- what we all know to love about our ladies! I’m so thankful for a chance to review this neat arc and see where this goes next ! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Ave for this advanced reader copy!

I will be honest- I have seen some Golden Girls episodes, but not all. I do like the show and its brand of humor, which drew me to this book. That being said, I enjoyed this book! It’s a very cozy murder mystery with lots of quips from the four famous friends. I loved all the weird wedding traditions Rose insisted that Nettie’s wedding should have, and the other side of the plot with murder investigation of Dorothy’s mysterious date was definitely a twisty mystery. I would definitely consider reading another GG themed book from Rachel Ekstrom Courage in the future!

DNF at 30%. This book was really hard to get into & I felt the writing wasn’t that great either.
Everything felt so random & kind gave me YA vibes.

I was really looking forward to this book/ series. But it may not be for me.

Absolutely loved this! I was so lucky to be chose to read this DRC of the book and review it. It was one of my must haves. I'm a big lover of all things The Golden Girls. I've watched the show in full so many times. So when I saw that this book was coming out I was super stoked to read it. I loved the spin on an all time classic! Plus I love me a good mystery. This book will have you laughing, and wondering what's going to happen next! I would definitely recommend this book. I can't wait to see what's in store for the classic four ladies next!

This book transports us back to the Golden Girls era. It brought me back to when I used to watch the episodes and could hear their voices and banter as I read.
The girls prepare to host a wedding but as those festivities commence they stumble upon a murder!
This book was fun to read, and I wanted to see where it was going.
It reads like a cozy mystery novel although some parts seemed forced with all the quips added but I grew to like them.
I would recommend it as a fan and someone who would like a quick read.
This book is good for those who like the Golden Girls and want some nostalgia!

Thank you NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

as a huge golden girls fan i was so excited to receive this arc from NetGalley. This is written like an episode where if you close your eyes you can hear the girls voices. This was a cozy mystery with so much laughter and banter...I truly enjoyed this arc and cant wait for more mysteries for the girls to solve.

Exactly what I expected…a silly mystery told in true Golden Girls fashion. There were lots of St.Olaf stories from Rose, attempted romance from Blanche, quips from Dorothy and put downs from Sophia. In the end they always have each other’s back and treasure their friendship.
The mystery was fairly easy to guess for me. I didn’t read this expecting it to be more than silliness and the ladies getting into some trouble.

The story was very cute and nostalgic. It did feel pretty slow at times, and I would’ve loved to have had more mystery/thriller elements to it. But really loved seeing the Golden Girls together once again!

Thank you, NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue, for the ARC!

Genre: Cozy mystery

Realse date: Apri 15th 2025

Rose decides to put on a wedding for her cousin Nettie, causing Dorothy to search for a date. After connecting with the ideal man through a VHS dating service, Dorothy decides to have a lunch date where she realizes he might not be worth her time. While at the first of many wedding events, the girls find Dorothy's past date dead in the freezer.

Let me start off by saying I love the Golden Girls and was running to read this arc! The majority of the book revolves around the wedding and all the many St. Olaf traditions. So much so that the mystery element almost felt forgotten at times. If you're picking up this book for a cozy mystery, I think you'll be disappointed. I'm giving this book a four-star rating just for my enjoyment of hanging out with the girls. I would honestly give the mystery a two-star. The mystery didn't really go anywhere until close to the end, where the solution was quickly unraveled. I would definitely read the next one in the series to see if it's more mystery-focused. If you love the Golden Girls, you should give it a shot!

"But she could still milk a cow in under four minutes, win a round of Gugenspritzer, and chug eggnog with the best of them."
This Golden Girls cozy mystery (love that it's a thing, hope it does turn into a series!) tackles chaotic weddings, amateur murder investigations, and romance in a fun way. There are some serious topics here (murder, family drama, etc), but the feel of "Murder By Cheesecake" is always on the cozy/fun side. The focus was mainly on Rose and Dorothy, with Sophia & Blanche being sidelined to supporting roles. I understood that happening with Sophia's character, but Blanche really should have had her own storyline going. Still, I love the happy & somewhat bittersweet ending, and the author perfectly sets up further adventures for the Golden Girls.

I was SO EXCITED to read this book. I'm currently re watching the show, and was recently part of a production of "Funny Little Thing Called Love", which was written by some of the same people.
But honestly, this reads like it was written by AI. The characters are just flat copies of the show, and the plot just doesn't really go much of anywhere.
It's a really missed opportunity, tbh. This gets two stars from me because the cover art is fantastic!

I really wanted to like this book, because I love the golden girls, but I didn’t. I had to put it down halfway through because it was dragging and going nowhere. I felt like I was reading a long drawn out episode of the tv show. And the investigation/detectives scenarios seemed so fake and drawn out.

My review is already live on Goodreads (linked below), my blog and bookstagram (links below) have posts/reviews scheduled for 02/03/25

Review:
*First thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for the ARC of this book and chance to read it and share my honest, personal opinion and thoughts!*

Thank you for being a friend... Oh goodness, I loved this so so much! What's better was I read it in the evenings in my Golden Girls t-shirt and while the show played in the background on the TV!!

Based off of the show, this is the first book in a new cozy mystery series that played out just like a two-episodes-storyline of Golden Girls.
The characters were true to themselves and I could picture the scenes so easily from the dialogue to the setting.
It was just like I stepped into an episode from the show!

We followed Rose preparing for her niece's St. Olaf traditional wedding coming to Miami, Dorothy's dating adventures, and then a cozy murder mystery plot!
I would love for the next book to follow Blanche and Sofia, I think the author will do that to keep true to how each episode of the show itself had two storylines going for two women at a time... but that's a theory and hope!
We'll see what the author does next, and I can't wait to find out!!

I will say I've seen some bad reviews for this book already...because those people seemed to want more of a thriller murder mystery, and frankly that's not the vibe a murder mystery with the Golden Girls would have. Comedic, not overly complicated, & fun is what this book is.
That's what I'd expect it to be too, and it perfectly delivered in every single way. (My favorite part was honestly watching the girls turn into amateur sleuths lol)