While the premise of this Golden Girls-inspired cozy mystery, Murder by Cheesecake, held immense appeal, the execution unfortunately missed the mark. As a devoted fan of both the iconic sitcom and the genre, I entered this book with high expectations, eager to find a charming blend of humor, camaraderie, and intrigue. However, the narrative became bogged down by an excessive focus on character exposition, particularly in detailing the individual quirks and neuroses of the protagonists.

Instead of allowing the story to naturally unfold through action and dialogue, the author relied heavily on lengthy descriptive passages that felt more like character profiles than organic storytelling. This resulted in a pacing that felt sluggish and uneven, hindering the development of suspense of the mystery. The actual mystery felt rushed. The resolution, when it finally arrived, felt anticlimactic and unsatisfying, failing to deliver the payoff that a well-crafted mystery should provide. Ultimately, while the book's concept held promise, the imbalance between character description and plot development prevented it from reaching its full potential.

I was so excited when I received this ARC and it did not disappoint! I am a huge Golden Girls fan and reading this book felt like watching the show. I highly recommend this book if you are a Golden Girls fan looking for a cozy mystery. Thank you Rachel Ekstorm Courage, Hyperion Avenue, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to love this book because Golden Girls. But sadly at 30%-- it had to end up on the DNF pile. But maybe it is really more of a Not Right Now. Because really, the writing in this book is great. The author is insanely talented to be able to bring the world of the Golden Girls alive on paper. I do think you have to be in the right mindset to read this kind of book. It is such a play off the show that it almost feels like you are watching an actual episode of Golden Girls. Which is what i am guessing the author was going for. But with that it can almost come off too satirical for my personal liking. I think I was expect8ing "inspired buy" and less " just like." Some of the jokes fell flat because it has been so long since I watched the show that I missed the context.

I think I will attempt to read this again when I am more in the right mindset for this kind of book. Now that I know what to expect. But because I wasn't able to finish I will give three stars for what I read.

When the characters of your favorite 80's television show The Golden Girls end up in a book, you rush to get it as quickly as possible. Thank you for the ARC copy NETGALLEY. For someone who doesn't read mysteries, this was a new genre for me, but with Dorothy, Blanche, Sophia, and Rose along for the ride, how could I help but want to give it a try.

Let's set the scene. The premise is simple: Rose is helping her niece with her wedding, and to say everything that could go wrong does is the understatement of the year. Throw in a murder, some nostalgia references, and some fellow St. Olafians, and the girls get into so much more than they ever bargained for.

I did find it enjoyable and found myself smiling every time a reference to something from the television show appeared, yet the story just didn't seem to gel for me. I personally would have liked more of the little nuggets from the various episodes and characters from the show we remembered and loved, and less of all the St. Olaf traditions. It got to be so many, that it became a bit hard to follow.

In my personal opinion, there were a lot of different characters and moving parts, and somehow the plot kind of got a bit muddied because of it., The central people in the story really could have been flushed out a bit to give more of a sense of the characters at play, and what their motivations might have been for becoming a suspect.

Perhaps the next installment will include Stan, Miles, and Sophia's sister Angela to name but a few. How fun would that be?

It was a nice read for a mega Golden Girl fan, that managed to get a bit more convoluted as the story went on.

I look forward to reading book 2 in the series and seeing what happens next.

Thank you Net Galley and Rachel Ekstrom Courage for the advanced copy.

I have only watched a handful of golden girls episodes but regardless this was so fun and enjoyable. There were moments where I was laughing out loud and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

I was in the mood to read a cozy mystery, so I decided to read this one because the cover is so adorable. I was obsessed with the fact that the characters are the golden girls (iconic). I really really enjoyed this book and I’m so excited that it is going to be a series. I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for the next book. The characters were so good and entertaining.

This was so much fun! And if you’re a Golden Girls enthusiast, all the little nods to the show were like little Easter eggs throughout and I loved it! This read almost exactly like an extended episode and the mystery was simple and straight forward but the twists at the end still threw me for a loop, which is what I adore about cozy mysteries. The expired cheesecake codename was genius. The St. Olaf wedding traditions on top of all the natives and Rose losing her marbles over it all was a breath of fresh air between the investigation and police visits. Do I recommend this? Absolutely. If you like the Golden Girls or cozy mysteries this is 100% for you!

I was unable to finish this and thus will not be posting a full review. The premise was ok and I love the show but this was not well done. I didn't care for it. Thank you for the opportunity.

This was a good read!! The author as able to get the banter spot on to make you feel like you are watching an episode of Golden girls. The only thing I didn’t like was the club scene as I didn’t feel seem like something Golden girls would do. Overall a cute read !!

Thank you NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the arc!

I love that this is my first read of the new year. This gave me everything. It was truly like watching an episode of Golden Girls! I loved the 80s references and references to some past GG episodes.

Please click the social media link to see the rest of my review that includes spoilers.

There are some good things about this book and some not-so-good things.
The good: the book captures the characters pretty well (minus Dorothy's retroactive acceptance of Blanche's sexuality). I could hear each woman's voice in the dialogue. The author captures the time period perfectly. I mean banana clips! Core memory unlooked!
The not-so-good: Each woman doesn't get to shine. The book solely focuses on Dorothy and Rose and Sophia and Blanch only appear in capacity in how they relate to those two. Also, there's not much funny. This is a cozy mystery about the Golden Girls, there should be some laugh-out-loud funny. The humor here relies on just the peculiarities of St Olaf.
The story itself is a bit strained but I was so glad back to be in the world of these characters. I hope the stories continue fixing their errors and keeping their good bits.

Thank you Hyperion Avenue, NetGalley, and to the author for this ARC!

This was such a fun, and cozy read! I found myself laughing out loud several times. This novel takes the personalities of The Golden Girls, adds a slice of cheesecake and a bit of mystery and ties it up into a fun novel! I cannot wait to read more in this series if the author writes another! This would be a perfect rainy day read, or one to throw in your bag for a pool day!

This book was perfectly cozy! I loved the Golden Girls and the book had them spot on. It was such a fun ride with a handful of serious spots. In the end, it was happiness and girl friendships. Perfect!

If you’ve ever wished for The Golden Girls to star in their own cozy mystery, Murder by Cheesecake is the perfect treat. This hilarious and charming whodunit brings Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia back to life with their signature wit, sass, and an unfortunate case of murder-by-dessert.

The story kicks off when Dorothy’s terrible date turns up dead—face-down in a cheesecake—threatening to ruin both a wedding and a perfectly good dessert. Rose is juggling a high-pressure St. Olaf-themed wedding, Blanche is dealing with her usual romantic entanglements (and hot flashes), and Sophia, well… she’s just along for the chaos. With suspects everywhere and Dorothy under suspicion, the Girls take matters into their own hands to catch the killer.

Courage absolutely nails the humor and dynamic of the original show, making this mystery feel like an extended Golden Girls episode with a side of intrigue. The pacing is light and fun, the mystery keeps you guessing, and the banter is spot-on. Whether you’re a die-hard Golden Girls fan or just love a good cozy mystery, this book is a total delight.

Pour yourself a cup of coffee, grab a slice of (hopefully murder-free) cheesecake, and enjoy this nostalgic, laugh-out-loud mystery. I can’t wait for the next one!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Murder by Cheesecake is the first novel in the Golden Girls Cozy Mystery Series and it’s everything I didn’t know I needed! From the hilarious dynamic between Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia to the quirky twists in the murder mystery, this story was such a fun escape. It brought back all the best moments of the beloved show, and it was a treat to see these iconic characters coming off the page in a fresh new way.

As someone who grew up watching The Golden Girls on reruns, it was such a blast to hear their voices and antics in this cozy mystery setting. The banter between them was as sharp as ever—whether it was Dorothy’s sarcastic remarks, Blanche’s flirtations, or Rose’s innocent humor.

The story itself was lighthearted yet filled with plenty of intrigue. I had a great time reading it and couldn’t help but chuckle at the antics of the Golden Girls as they navigated the mystery. It's a cozy, heartwarming read.

Thanks to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for the ARC!

I love the Golden Girls. I use to watch it so much growing up and I still do at times. So when I seen this book, I got to excited! I liked the premise and how it started out. But I found myself getting bored with it pretty fast. It was hard to keep picking it up to read. This just wasn’t for me.

I want to thank NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue; an imprint of Buena Vista Books for the ARC of Murder by Cheesecake: A Golden Girls Cozy Murder Mystery by Rachel Ekstrom Courage in exchange for an honest review. -

Rose is planning a wedding for her Niece, Nettie in Miami Florida. All the St. Olaf traditions will be in place. During one of the many St. Olaf celebrations, a man is found dead in the freezer of the hotel. Can the girls solve the murder in time before it ruins the wedding?

What a cozy fun murder mystery story! Being a longtime fan of the Golden Girls television show, I was very excited to read this book, and it did not disappoint! The funny quips that the girls had in the television show translated seamlessly well into the story and I found myself laughing out loud. You can picture the girls sitting in the kitchen talking just like the television show with their banter and sarcasm. A great read for people who love the Golden Girls or anyone who likes a cozy murder mystery. My only problem with the book was I read it too fast! I just hope there are more stories to come.

This hit the cozy mystery spot perfectly. Oh, Rose! It was like watching an episode of Golden Girls play out in my head. Loved it! The essence of all four women came through.

Everything I hoped it would be and more! Perfectly captures the Girls' voices, the show's comedic vibes, and the pastel-tinged Miami of the 80s. I hope we get a million more books in this series!

If you absolutely love and adore the Golden Girls, you will love this story. Unfortunately for me, I am not as well versed with the golden girls so I found this story difficult to follow. The plot felt clunky at times and not progressing. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.