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’.

This book. What a cozy, fun time.

As a girl growing up with the Golden Girls I adored this book and getting to go back with them. The author captured them all pretty true to character and I felt all the nostalgia of being reunited with some of my favorite girls.

I cannot wait to see this author grow and take these characters on to new levels while still getting more of the ladies we already love.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

This was a very nostalgic read. If you loved watching the show then being able to read about them will be enjoyable. The author did a good job capturing the characters personalities on paper. It was nice reading a cozy mystery with characters you already feel a connection with.

I don't know what I loved more, the caper or the characters! The Golden Girls is a comfort show that never fails to bring a smile to my face. Reading about the gals going on a new adventure was just what the doctor ordered! I can't wait to read more in what I'm hoping is a new cozy series!

I’m a Golden Girls stan, and wouldn’t pass on the opportunity to welcome them in any version. I was pretty delighted and eager to give this a read.

The author, Rachel Ekstrom Courage, is clearly also a stan. The intricateness of each of the girls was perfectly captured in the dialogue. I loved the pacing and the humor.

I usually don’t feel the need to comment on cover art, yet I must. It had me at hello. Well-played, Hyperion Avenue (the publishing company). It’s perfect, and someone deserves a bonus for the art design alone.
I’m hoping this blossoms into a series, and can’t wait for more!

*Note I have received a free digital copy of this book and it will not affect my thoughts or feelings towards this title*

If you are looking for a quick read and are a fan of the Golden Girls this book is perfect for you! As a massive fan of the original series I was intrigued to see what a murder mystery and Golden Girls crossover would be like and I was not disappointed. The major strength this book has is the dialogue as it feels ripped right out of the TV show and all the humor from each of the main four sound exactly the same. The pacing of the novel was great too as it always kept moving and there never a time for a delay in their case. My only complaint for the book was some of the action occurred between chapters so we only heard about it and did not witness it.

Overall I would rate this book 3.5/5 stars rounded up and would recommend it to any other cheesecake lovers.

My bookclub references the Golden Girls all the time, so I was excited to see this. Unfortunately, the secondhand cringe was so bad that I DNFed. I think the author did a good job of capturing the characters’ tones from the TV show, but it really didn’t work for me in print.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions written are completely honest and my own.

I loved having my girls and their cheesecake back again and Rachel Ekstrom Courage perfected their characters as only a fan could. The story was outlandish and ridiculous, perfect for The Golden Girls

This book was very cute and comfy. I grew up watching the Golden Girls. Fun, quick, easy read! Would recommend.

This was a fun cozy mystery full of nostalgia!
I LOVE The Golden Girls - it’s one of my comfort shows - so I was excited when I found about this new cozy mystery series featuring them. It did not disappoint!

In Murder By Cheesecake Rose is trying to plan the perfect St. Olaf wedding for her younger cousin, Nettie when a dead body is discovered in the hotel freezer. To further complicate matters, the dead body belongs to a man Dorothy met through a VHS dating service so she becomes the prime suspect. Sophia, Blanche, Rose and Dorothy take it upon themselves to clear Dorothy’s name and find the real killer all while trying to make sure Nettie and Jason’s St. Olaf themed wedding goes off without a hitch.

The author did a great job portraying the personalities of characters we all know and love. It was incredibly easy to picture this as if it were another episode. The humor, charm and sass were perfection! Sophia and her one-liners had me cracking up.

Since this is a mystery, I do wish there’d been more focus on solving the murder because the wedding drama kind of took over the plot. Don’t get me wrong, the St. Olaf traditions were entertaining but I would’ve preferred a little less of that and more sleuthing because those scenes were quite fun.

This is a must-read for fans of The Golden Girls and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series!

This Golden Girls mystery was a delightful read! I’d classify it as a cozy mystery with a quirky twist. If that’s your favorite genre, you’re in for a treat. As a fan of the show, I loved all the playful references and the classic sass from our beloved four ladies. If you love the Gold Girls and cozy mystery this is for you!!