What a fun, engaging, cozy mystery! It brought all the personalities I've loved from the Golden Girls series, from Blanche's seductiveness and spontaneity, Rose's aloofness and authenticity, Dorothy's boldness and sarcasm, and Sophia's wit and insight. It then added a plot line that included a mystery. This storyline was a bit of a letdown for me however, as it fell a bit short overall, but it was a fun read regardless. I feel like I enjoyed it a bit more, being a Golden Girls fan.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Let me just start out by saying this was a great tribute to the Golden Girls tv show. As soon as I saw it was available I requested it. I grew up watching the show and loved every cheesy moment of it. This did not disappoint. It was just like watching the show again.

A wedding to plan, dating gone wrong, cheesecake, and a murder to solve. The perfect cozy mystery!

Golden Girls lovers rejoice! What a fun and cozy read that follows our beloved Golden Girls as they navigate a traditional St. Olaf wedding in Miami, video dating services, and of course a murder.

As someone who grew up watching and adoring Blanche, Rose, Dorothy, and Sophia on my tv screen, I was skeptic about a murder mystery novel with characters I was so familiar with. That being said, I loved it! Reading this book was like watching an extended episode of the show and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. The author did an amazing job staying true to the characters which helped keep me engaged in the story itself.

I definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a fun, cozy, murder mystery!

Murder by Cheesecake is a really fun cozy mystery.
And Yes, it is those Golden Girls.
This was a really great cozy mystery with all the characters from The Golden Girls, but with them as amateur sleuths and murder and mystery.

Really well written and great characters!

I hope there is another book in the series!

This was a very entertaining cozy mystery that featured Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia from The Golden Girls television show as the main characters. In this book they weren't just roommates, they were also doubling as murder mystery sleuths! The writing was excellent ... it really sounded like you were watching an episode of the tv show. The author did an excellent job writing their lines to sound just like the characters! I have a feeling she's watched as many episodes as I have over the years! The story itself was well-written and played out with all the twists, turns, and surprises you would normally find in a cozy mystery. There were a couple of minor things written in that wouldn't have been said or done in the 80s but not enough to detract from the story. I am looking forward to reading more books in this series. I hope that the main focus shifts in each book to a different one of the lovely ladies.

This book was exactly what I was hoping it would be. It was like watching an episode of the golden girls with a side of murder and mystery.

My thanks to Net Galley and Hiperion for this delightfully charming cozy mystery.

The Golden Girls solve a murder mystery.....bring it on! The girls plan a wedding for a relative of Rose s and find a man dead in a freezer that Dorothy went on a date with.

Very comical. I can picture the actresses on tv delivering the lines. Please invite me to read more in this series!

Great twist at the end.

3.5 stars, but rounding up because this book is exactly what it is meant to be! It’s a lighthearted and comedic who-done-it that legitimately feels like watching an extra long episode of the show.

I felt as though the author very faithfully portrayed the characters, and their TV personalities really shone through in the dialogue and the banter. So if you were a fan of the series, then you’ll be a fan of the book!

There could have been a little more focus on the mystery, and a little less of Rose’s obsessing over wedding details, for my own personal taste, but again, it was a cute story that stayed very faithful to its source material.

All that said, if you want to jump into a Time Machine and take a journey back into the world of the Golden Girls, then I definitely recommend picking this book up! It’ll make a cute shelf trophy as well!

Thanks to the publisher for this early access version of the story - all opinions are entirely my own!

What a fun ride!

I was absolutely stunned by how well Courage captured the voice, mannerisms, and personalities of each leading lady. This truly felt like it could have been a (very weird) episode of the original show. It felt very true to each character, and that was the biggest obstacle Courage had to overcome: the intense nostalgia and protectiveness I and so many others feel for this show and these women.

There was a bit too much of the silly St. Olaf wedding traditions, and I wish there was more from Sophia, but who knew that it would feel natural for Dorothy and the others to go full-on amateur sleuth? I actually ended up wanting more of the mystery, which I hope to get in the next book.

Murder by Cheesecake by Rachel Ekstrom Courage was so nostalgic for me. I grew up watching Golden Girls reruns with my mom or either of my grandmas. This story was fun and lighthearted, the perfect spring read.

I am truly grateful to have been able to read this early. I loved watching the Golden Girls growing up, I still do; but to put them down on paper was wonderful. I loved the girls trying to find a killer to help clear names.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hyperion for my copy of Murder by Cheesecake A Golden Girls Cozy Mystery by Rachel Ekstrom Courage in exchange for an honest review. It publishes April 15, 2025.
This was such a throwback! I literally felt like I was in a studio audience, watching this story unfold. You can tell that Rachel Ekstrom is a huge Golden Girl fan and definitely stayed true to the characters, the 80’s and Miami!
The St. Olaf details were so fun and funny and I really enjoyed the overall story here. I was definitely surprised at the end and didn’t want to put it down!
I highly recommend if you enjoy cozies, and if you enjoy Golden Girls!

I loved watching the Golden Girls so this book was right up my alley. This author nailed the characters right down to the T. I swear I could hear their voices when I was reading this book. It starts out with Dorothy going on a date and he skips out on her in the deli. Rose is getting ready for her nieces big wedding St. Olaf style with the help of the other girls. Lo and behold they find Dorothy’s date dead in the freezer. Since Dorothy is a prime suspect they work together to solve the mystery. I loved this book and it made me laugh so much. I can’t wait for the next in this new series.

I received this ARC from Netgalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I didn't watch the Golden Girls so this was a fresh take on four mature female friends for me. Know that this is heavy on the worldbuilding (for lack of a better word) and light on the mystery but I appreciate the time Courage takes to introduce us to these women. It's almost but not quite a classic cozy but for sure it's light and it's entertaining. Thanks to netgalley for the Arc. I'm curious to see where this series goes next.

This book was a quick read. For me it brought a feeling of nostalgia. I could hear each of their voices in my head as I was reading. I would recommend this book to anyone but especially to those who can remember the TV series. This book captured the characters as they were on the show. I laughed out loud on a number of occasions.

Oof. As a devoted fan of The Golden Girls since the episodes first aired who gained a whole new appreciation for the show as an adult, I wanted to love this. Placing the four main characters within a cozy mystery seemed like a stroke of genius, and I was so excited to read the book early. While the ladies on these pages are certainly true to the vibrant personalities that were presented on the show, the rest of the tale unfortunately fell flat. Far too much of the story focuses on a wedding, with a large amount of that covering its many whimsical St. Olaf details, and not enough on the murder occurring during its events that the girls are trying to solve; I didn't end up caring much about the solution or the new characters who are introduced. The humor could have been turned up a notch, as there are amusing moments here and there, but nothing on par with the belly laughs that the show often provided. Although there are programs that have successfully spawned cozy mystery series in the past, this was a whiff for me.

Rose has signed up to help coordinate her cousin Nettie's wedding in Miami which will include all of the St. Olaf traditions. In an attempt to have a date to the wedding, Dorothy goes on a VHS dating service and meets a man. Though he is extremely charismatic and Dorothy feels a connection after they have talked on the phone, he turns out to be a complete jerk in person. However, this man is not completely out of Dorothy's life, as he is found dead at the venue of Nettie's wedding. And Dorothy becomes the prime suspect. Rose, Dorothy, Blanche, and Sophia must band together to bring Nettie's wedding together, solve the crime to remove Dorothy as a suspect, and NOT get killed in the process.

I was so excited when I got approved for this book. Golden Girls AND a Murder Mystery. That was an easy sign up for me! The book completely nailed the feel of the show and the characters. Many of the conversations I could visualize and hear the characters having just like on the show. I loved those parts!

The part of the book that fell flat for me was the mystery element. It really wasn't too exciting to follow the investigation, and it felt second fiddle to the wedding subplot of the book. That being said, it was a very quick read and still gave me all of the nostalgic feelings that I was hoping to get from it.

Thank you Hyperion Avenue, NetGalley, and Rachel Ekstrom Courage for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The banter and personalities felt true to the show, and the title and cover were spot-on.

That said, the mystery took a backseat to other plotlines (too much wedding content in my opinion), and the pacing dragged at times.

If you’re here for the girls, you’ll likely enjoy it - but if you’re craving a tightly woven mystery, this one may not fully satisfy.

I see that there’s a Golden Girls book and squeal with excitement! Then I got even more excited when NetGalley approved me for an ARC.

My favorite ladies. I start reading and picture them in their kitchen with cheesecake and even hear the audience laughter. I keep reading and sadly, I just can’t do it. The writing wasn’t my cup of tea. It was a bit too cheesy for me, even from a GG standpoint.

I’m sad that this wasn’t for me but hope others wanting something cozy might enjoy it.

Hold on to your hats fans of Golden Girls! This book was like an episode laid out in story form. The author did a great job making the characters come to life. Focusing primarily on Rose and Dorothy’s POV after a murder occurs.

Let’s just say the murder is not really the focus of the book - the usual shenanigans of Rose, Dorothy, Blanche and Sophia steal the show.

Sophia’s one-liners were expertly captured. Safe to say, if you loved the show you’ll love the book.