Murder by Cheesecake is the most delightfu hi humorous nostalgic novel I have read in many moons. The characters do mimic the Golden Girls which makes them exceptionally light and endearing and so delectable to the reading appetite. Loved the book and definitely recommend it to those who like adherence to old customs.

I love the golden girls. Reading this I felt like I was on my couch watching an episode of the golden girls. While it was funny and could picture them all in this story I did feel like it was a little dragged out but still enjoyed the story.
Learning all about roses’s hometown wedding traditions was pretty funny..I was a little questionable about Jason’s intentions myself but glad I was wrong about him. Good humor, a mystery and a happy ending.

Thank you Hyperion avenue for the arc! Check this book out on 4/15/25

First of all, I was overjoyed to be able to read this book. I am a HUGE Golden Girls fan and I loved every part of this story. I could hear the girls voices in my head as I was reading ☺️❤️

Reading this is like watching an episode of the show. There are two story lines- one involving Rose and her cousin Hattie who is getting married and the other is about Dorothy looking for a date to the wedding. Ultimately there is a dead body in the freezer 😳

I am looking forward to continuing this series.

If you love the friendly antics of the Golden Girls, you need to scoop this up!

Rose's niece has come to Miami to elope but Rose has other plans. She tries to help her cousin adhere to the St. Olaf wedding traditions while trying to balance the wishes of the hubby-to-be's family.

In the midst of all this, Dorothy finds herself in a bit of a pickle after a failed dating service match-up. Can she get herself out of it or will "expired cheesecake" be her downfall?

If you want a good laugh and a nostalgic Golden Girl read, I highly recommend this book!

As a fan of The Golden Girls, I was excited to read an early copy of this mystery. The story centers on Rose, but all four of the characters get page time. I thought the author did a pretty good job of capturing the feel of the show and the voice of the characters though I thought she didn't quite succeed with Sophia (honestly it would be hard to do Sophia justice). It was an enjoyable story but less successful as a mystery. The ending felt rushed and normally in mysteries, there are breadcrumbs and clues along the way to help the reader figure out "whodunit" but there wasn't enough of that here. Instead, it was a cozy nostalgia filled read with a lot of St. Olaf content and very little mystery. I'd still check out a second book if it was a series and hopefully the mystery would be stronger the second time around.

I requested this book based off of the cover and the fact that I have never read a cozy mystery before. I think reading a story that involved the Golden Girls, which I watched with my mom growing up, brought a sense of appreciation for the genre. It's exactly what I was hoping it would be. It's a light story that brings about the expected jokes and banter between the group of friends. I think I will keep my eye out for more from the author!

I LOVED to watch The Golden Girls when I was growing up, so when I saw Murder By Cheesecake was a book with TGG, I literally jumped at the chance to read it! While I enjoyed, I just didn't feel it really caught the true Golden Girls essence for me. Maybe it was because I was reading instead of watching (it's usually the opposite). I did enjoy the story and I think I would even read some more. Thank you so much!

A big thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Rachel Ekstrom Courage's Murder by Cheesecake is a delightful cozy mystery that will have any Golden Girls fan grinning from ear to ear. The writing is sharp and witty, perfectly capturing the iconic show's signature humor. The story itself is a bit predictable, but the real magic lies in the author's attention to detail. Courage seamlessly weaves in familiar Golden Girls tropes and dialogue, making it feel like the girls are still with us. It's like watching a lost episode come to life.
I especially enjoyed how Courage brought each girl back to life in the most iconic of ways: Dorothy's snark, Blanche's flirtatiousness, Rose's quirky stories, and Sophia's sassy one-liners were all on full display. The mystery itself was entertaining, but it was the heartwarming portrayal of their friendship that truly stole the show.

** Spoiler Alert **

Thanks to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

Let me start by saying that I am a Golden Girls FANATIC, so when I saw this book, I HAD to request it. I went into this book knowing there would be high stakes for trying to do the girls justice.

I thought overall, the author did a good job of presenting the characters. I could hear their voices in my head while reading and clearly picture their house. It was fun to hear more stories as well as pick up references to different episodes. The author had clearly seen all of the episodes and that made me happy.

I do feel like the book was a little slow as far as the mystery goes. I wasn't truly invested in the story line until about 60% in. The book seemed to be overwhelming with St. Olaf traditions and was a bit tiresome to continue to read about.

My only true complaint about the book is I felt like the mystery had a loose end. I understand that the body was Henry's twin brother, but if thats the case, how would Dorothy's name/number be on a piece of paper located on the twin? The main reason Dorothy was a suspect was due to them finding the paper on Morty, but they never talked about how it got on him rather than being on Henry.

Overall, it was a cute book if you love The Golden Girls. I will buy the book when released just for it to look pretty on my bookshelves.

Can I tell you about the speed with which I R.A.N. to NetGalley to beg for an early copy of this as soon as I saw it???? And then I read it . . . .

Oof. This was rough so let’s talk about the positives for a second. Obviously GOLDEN GIRLS. I mean that is just a winner. And the idea of our favorite ladies from the ‘80s Scooby Dooing about Miami? Talk about the chef’s kiss of a cozy. Title and cover art? Fantastic. Staying true to the girls’ personalities and banter? Perfection.

But then there was the story itself. Waaaaaay too much wedding and way too little what happened to the dead guy in the freezer. The St. Olaf traditions schtick got old super fast and unfortunately the author doubled down on things to the point where my beloved Rose was not so likeable. The key to a cozy is truly the K.I.S.S. method – keep it simple, stupid. The wedding should have simply been a vessel to introduce the dead body in the freezer – not overtaken the entire story.

That being said, there is zero chance I won’t be buying a copy of this for my bookshelves if only for the nostalgia it provided and I will absolutely read the next in the series with high hopes that it finds its groove.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

This book is an absolute must-read! Even if you’re not already a fan, you’ll still find so much to love. Reading it felt like getting an extended version of one of their classic episodes.

The author did an incredible job capturing the essence of all four friends, bringing their unique personalities to life on every page. Their humor, charm, and bond truly jumped out of the story, making it a delightful and nostalgic read.

This book is a warm hug for Golden Girls fans and a treat for anyone who enjoys heartwarming, character-driven stories.

What fun!!! This book did justice to The Golden Girls while also not feeling bogged down in references. I enjoyed reading this in the characters’ voices, and could easily picture the scenarios. A perfect book for any fan.

This is a super cute murder mystery with the Golden Girls. The writer did a great job getting all the womens' personalities in this book, and navigating their strengths and friendship to figuring things out.

This is probably one of the best ideas for a book I have read in a long time! Such a clever idea, to make a Golden Girls cozy mystery. The girls must team up to figure out who killed Dorothy's date at a wedding event Rose is hosting - especially important because Dorothy is implicated! All while trying to ensure the wedding gets off the ground.

Nothing more really needs to be said about what is inside the pages of the books - this was pure fun! The characters' TV personalities were captured well in this written form, and I am super excited for another installment!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not for me, but for you. This was excellent in the Golden Girls vibes, capturing their personalities and everything. It was just a little too cozy for me. And that's a ME problem. I know so many will love this nostalgic read!

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. This delightful book is the first in the series of the Golden Girls cozy mystery stories. I felt like I was reading an episode of the Golden Girls show. The story was about Rose’s niece from St. Olaf and her wedding plans to marry an “ outsider”. Sophia, Blanche, Rose and Dorothy all help to create the perfect wedding following all the St. Olaf wedding rituals. In the middle of all the wedding chaos a dead man appears in the freezer where the cheesecakes for the wedding are stored. The man happens to resemble a man Dorothy just had a blind date with. Dorothy becomes the prime suspect as the friends try to find the real murderer and plan the perfect wedding for Nettie and Jason.

This mystery featuring the beloved Golden Girls blends humor with suspense as Rose navigates wedding chaos while Dorothy's ill-fated date takes a deadly turn. The plot cleverly balances the quirky charm of St. Olaf traditions with Miami’s snobbish social scene, creating a delightful setting for both slapstick and sleuthing. The dynamic between the characters shines as they band together to solve the murder and keep the wedding on track, showcasing the strength of friendship amidst farcical chaos. Fans will relish the mix of comedy and intrigue that captures the essence of what made the show iconic.

The story was fun and definitely captured the sassy ladies from the Golden Girls. Will be a cute series if it develops further. I received this as an ARC from Hyperion Avenue via Netgalley.

This was cute. A bit average. I didn’t like the trust part with the St. Olaf family. Aside from that, it was decent. It was fun getting to spend time with the golden girls again!

I’ve been a Golden Girls fan forever, so l was excited for this book and it was really nice to revisit all of my favorite characters. The author included many references from the show into the book to tie them together, but it did feel excessive at times. The mystery itself was okay and I’m glad I had the opportunity to visit The Golden Girls again!