Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for a completely honest review.

Golden Girls is my ultimate comfort show and I've lost track how many times I've watched every episode.

From the beginning this book made me smile. It felt like I was watching an episode (with a murder mysery to solve).

The author described things so well and nailed all of the personalities perfectly, I could hear their voices in my head as the story unfolded.

If you are looking for a cozy and nostalgic read, grab a piece of cheesecake, settle in and give this a read.

Picture it: January 17, 2025. It’s Betty White’ birthday and I was approved to receive an ARC of Murder By Cheesecake by Rachel Ekstrom Courage!

First, I must say that I am the absolute biggest Golden Girls fan ever and know anything and everything there is to know about the show and actresses. I could instantly tell that the author knows The Golden Girls inside and out as she completely captured the characters and settings perfectly. It was just like watching an episode as I read.

The story takes place in beautiful Miami with the Girls working together to plan a wedding for Rose’s cousin but they soon find themselves working together to solve the mystery of how Dorothy’s one-time date ended up dead in the hotel freezer! The Girls take us along for the ride as they do their best to incorporate the strict St. Olaf wedding traditions while trying to win over the groom’s family and solving a murder.

The only negative feedback that I have is that I wish the book had focused a little more on the murder rather than the wedding but it is still a great read, especially for fans of The Golden Girls and I cannot wait for the second book to be published!

Thank you, Hyperion Avenue, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Golden girls, cheesecake, and mystery...need I say more? I really enjoyed reading this one. Thank you for the opportunity!

I really liked the idea of this book and am thankful for the arc but unfortunately I wasn't able to finish it. It was unnecessarily descriptive and trying too hard to embody the girls.

When Dorothy’s obnoxious date is found dead in a hotel freezer, it not only ruins a gorgeous cheesecake but threatens the elaborate St. Olaf–themed wedding Rose is hosting.

I want to thank Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for allowing me to read and. review an ARC of Murder by Cheesecake by author Rachel Ekstrom Courage.
“With her careful planning and the support of her best friends, nothing at all could ruin this perfect week.”
The book is inspired by the tv series, The Golden Girls. Reading the book I can picture each one of the ladies.
Rose is planning a wedding in Miami with all the bells and whistles St Olaf requires And then a murder threatens to ruin everything! Reading this is really fun! Not the murder of course!
If you are looking for a book that will give you the giggles, this is it!
Murder by Cheesecake publishes this April.

Golden Girls TV sitcom is what this book is based on. Four women living together in Miami help roommate Rose to pull off a wedding for her niece based on traditions of the small town of St. Olaf, Minnesota she is from. Things not going as planned. Overbearing in-laws, struggles to carry out all traditions and a murder. Rose, with the help of her friends have a plan that the wedding will move forward. Some areas of the plot seem lacking full development, it was a quick read, and quirky humor throughout the plot. Thanks NetGalley and publisher for providing the ARC of this book.

I have loved The Golden Girls since I was a child, so I was extremely excited to discover this book bringing our favorite characters back to life. Unfortunately, this book missed the mark for me. I understand that the author wanted to implement as many references from the tv show into the book to tie them together, but it felt excessive. The mystery itself was okay, but poor Dorothy. 🙁 It was nice to revisit the girls again.

Muder by Cheesecake is a delightful imagining of the classic 80's Golden Girls, inadvertently becoming amateur sleuths in a murder investigation. 
Rose's niece, Nettie, is getting married and Rose has offered to throw the wedding in Miami. The groom comes from a wealthy family who owns a hotel in the area and offers the space for the event. When Rose's friends and family from St. Olaf arrive, chaos ensues. Not only must Rose make sure that Nettie's wedding incorporates every ridiculous St. Olaf tradition, she now has to contend with a body found in the hotel freezer!

This story was entertaining and fun. The author was on point when it came to the voices of Rose, Blanche, Dorothy, and Sophia – it was like watching an extended episode of the Golden Girls in your head! I do think the St. Olaf craziness could have been toned down slightly, as it felt a bit much at times, but overall a solid cozy to start a new series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Hyperion Avenue for providing me with a digital ARC to read and review.

Cheeky, fun and what I pictured Nancy Drew as a sassy lady in her golden years! This book held true to the beloved series and easily seemed like an episode unfolding.

The author did a fantastic job portraying the voices of the iconic Dorothy, Blanche, Rose and Sophia and the storyline was interesting, albeit a little predictable. Fans of the show will love this book if nothing else for the nostalgia. Nice, quick and easy read and I’m looking forward to seeing what the other books bring to the table.

If you are a fan of the TV show The Golden Girls, this book is for you. While very similar to the beloved TV show, the book brings a new twist in that the girls need to solve a murder after Dorothy’s date is found dead in a hotel freezer.

Rose’s niece is getting married in Miami and Rose is hosting a St Olaf themed wedding. What could go wrong? When Dorothy’s date is found dead, everyone is a suspect, including Dorothy. The girls need to solve the murder and get the happy couple down the aisle.

Everything you would expect is in this book. Rose, Dorothy, Blanche and Sophia are true to their TV characters personalities. Included are St Olaf stories, Sophia’s wise advice, Herring, Dorothy’s wise cracks, sassy Blanche and of course cheesecake. It’s an enjoyable story of friendship and familiar characters that never get old.

This book is about the characters from the GC who go and solve a mystery., I really enjoyed this book and it made me feel like I was back sitting on my couch watching my favorite ladies. However I felt like some parts of this were really long ( the st Olaf traditions) while there wasn’t enough about the murder. It also was a little long at times and dragged on but on the whole, I really enjoyed the story. .

Anyone who remembers the Golden Girls will be happy to see their is now a cozy mystery surrounding the dear ladies. The story was ok. The reader can picture each character as they were on television and hear their voices. Rose is trying to plan a wedding for a niece who has had to change locations and venue from St Olaf to Florida--not exactly optimal nor anywhere near the same vibe. Of course Dorothy's date is found dead in the freezer and chaos ensues. Thanks to NetGalley, Hyperion Avenue Pub, and Ms Courage for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5 stars

A fun cozy mystery with easily recognizable characters. This was an easy read with an enjoyable storyline.

When I found out about Murder by Cheesecake: A Golden Girls Cozy Mystery by Rachel Ekstrom Courage, I was intrigued as a fan of the Golden Girls TV Series. The author stayed very true to the original characters’ quick quips and included references to story lines from the original series. Rather than feeling like a murder mystery book, it felt as though it was the plot line of a Golden Girls two part episode or film. However, it had some classic murder mystery elements, including one I didn’t see coming. I enjoyed this book and I think other Golden Girls fans will as well. I’m planning on getting a copy for my friend’s birthday once the book is released.

I will not be adding this to my online review, but this book needs a serious copy edit. There are multiple instances where words are run together and several places where proper names are not capitalized. Additionally, there was one section of the book where Nettie called Rose to say her wedding dress was missing from the room. Rose promised to be there the next morning to help find it, but then the matter was not addressed again until almost the end of the book when the person who took it made a comment. This felt like a loose end. for most of the book. I will post the info below on Goodreads.

Murder By Cheesecake is a book based on the characters from the Golden Girls television program. The author did a great job with these women, maintaining the characters as all fans of the show knew them. I could almost hear the voices of the actors saying the words. The rhythm and tone felt completely true to them.

Rose is beyond excited at the prospect of the cousin she helped raise getting married. Rose has talked her into getting married in Miami when she learns the venue in St. Olaf has burned down. Of course St. Olaf has a multitude of unusual customs that must be followed for the young couple to live happily ever after in St. Olaf. Rose is determined to ensure this wedding is conducted following all of them! Upon learning that the prospective groom is a local Miami boy whose parents own a hotel, Rose is sure everything will be perfect and it is, right up until they find the dead body in the freezer where Rose's Welcome Tea cheesecakes are stored. Craziness ensues as Dorothy becomes the prime suspect the they all do everything possible to both investigate the crime to clear Dorothy's name and make certain the young couple has a wedding to remember.

The plot moved along, dragged down only a bit by the many customs of a St. Olaf wedding. I enjoyed the appeal of a Miami I have never visited, only seen on television and in movies, harkening back to the days of Miami Vice and Golden Girls. Additional nostalgia was provided by the midwestern folks from Rose's hometown visiting such an exotic locale for the first time. For anyone who experienced hosting company and trying to show off your town at it's best, this story provided more than a few laughs. I did determine who the perpetrator was fairly early on in the story, but questioned myself a few times before arriving at the confession. I have to say the big twist came as a complete surprise and here's hoping Nettie, Jason, the Golden Girls and all of the folks visiting from St. Olaf get their happy ever after!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy I was freely provided in exchange for my honest review.

Golden Girls Cozy Mystery--Need I say more?! Roses niece is getting married but after an accident with the venue the only option is a Miami Destination wedding for the Entire St. Olaf Community! But after a body is found the morning of the first pre-wedding events, it's up to our favorite leading ladies to solve the crime to before the wedding!
It was everything I wanted & more! kept me giggling at all the antics & banter. If you loved Golden Girls you will definitely love this one!

okay but the dedication at the beginning already had me in tears 🥹
This book was everything!! I had such a fun time with it and it was a breeze to get through! I loved the references to the OG show as well, it’s clear the author is a hardcore fan!! I can’t wait to read the next one!
Thank you to Hyperion Avenue for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love my Girls so much that I requested this ARC so fast. Sadly this book was just fine. I felt this wasn’t so much a mystery book than Rose being overwhelmed planning a wedding book. Most cozy mysteries clock in at 200 pages, and this book would have benefited by cutting out 100 pages of St Olaf wedding traditions. I will keep reading this series because it’s Golden Girls but this book didn’t quite hit for me.

I’ve only seen a few Golden Girls episodes, but Murder by Cheesecake was a fun cozy mystery. The characters’ personalities and witty quips shine just like on the show. Fans will love it, but it’s a treat for casual viewers too!