More of a 4.5/5

As a mystery 3/5: The puzzle was not very interesting.
As entertainment 5/5: The author clearly cares for the IP she is working with. This translates very well. It was a really enjoyable read. I could see the book play out as a Golden Girls episode/movie as I was reading it.

The book is a VERY light read. Perfect as something for when you’re traveling.

This was so fun and charming!! I haven’t watched Golden Girls in forever but watched it a bit when I was a kid, and I can’t believe how spot on the characters are even from my distant memories. Reading this feels exactly like watching the show because both the mannerisms and dialogue of each of the main characters is written perfectly and you can really picture each actor saying the lines.

Also, for a cozy mystery, I was pleasantly surprised when parts of the second half got quite action packed and a little suspenseful.

Plot wise I was left with a few questions and the mystery itself wasn’t quite as fulfilling as I would have hoped for, but I enjoyed reading this so much that it didn’t bother me that much either.

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

As someone who grew up watching the Golden Girls with my grandma (and that wants to be as amazing as Betty White was when I grow up), I may have squealed when I saw that this book was a thing! With high standards in tow, I dove head first into this book ... And as I'm sure you are waiting to hear... Did it disappoint? Did it not? Is your anxiety rising as I drag this out? Murder by Cheesecake was everything I hoped it could be! All the things I remembered from the television show were wrapped in with an amazing plot!
TO THE AUTHOR: THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS BOOK A THING! I HOPE THERE ARE MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES TO COME!!!!

My only complaint about this book was that it wasnt long enough!!! I LOVED this book. It felt like picking up with old friends and the author perfectly captured all of their voices. I cant wait for more books.

This was everything!! I loved this cozy mystery that featured the iconic Golden Girls, it felt like coming home from school and watching your favorite nostalgic sitcoms. The characters are so organically their own, while staying true to the personalities we all loved from GG and really made it such a fun reading experience. The girls find a dead body in a freezer, in the precious space that Rose keeps her cheesecakes….I will let readers find out what happens next. A must read for all those that love GG, enjoy a cozy sweet mystery and is ready to curly up with a hit of nostalgia, with an original voice.

A Golden Girls mystery series, I thought sign me up! Who doesn't love the Golden Girls? It's a true cozy mystery, that maybe tries a little too hard to capture the magic of the Golden Girls.

As a huge Golden Girls fan, I couldn’t wait to get into Murder by Cheesecake. I mean, come on—Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia solving a mystery? Sign me up! Unfortunately, this book left me feeling disappointed and, dare I say, a little betrayed.
Maybe I’m the wrong audience for this cozy mystery, but it felt less like a love letter to the show and more like a patchwork quilt of nostalgia. The plot read like a collection of classic Golden Girls moments, but when the characters weren’t goofing around like they did on the show, they felt completely off. My gals just weren’t written the way I know and love them. It’s as if their charm and sass got lost in translation.
The writing itself didn’t help. It felt disjointed and slapped together, making it hard to stay engaged. Honestly, it reminded me of when public domain characters get dragged into bizarre, off-brand horror films—like Popeye the Slayer Man. You recognize the names and faces, but everything else feels wrong.
If you’re a diehard Golden Girls fan like me, I’d say approach this one with caution. Sometimes, it’s better to rewatch the show and enjoy cheesecake with the real Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia instead of trying to force them into a genre that just doesn’t suit them.
Two stars for the concept, but I’ll stick with St. Olaf stories and Dorothy’s iconic side-eye, thank you very much.

As a child of the 80s, The Golden Girls were a staple of my childhood. This book was like stepping into an episode. It's perfect. I hope there will be many more in the series.

Murder by Cheesecake x Rachel Ekstorm Courage

If you don’t know anything about the Golden Girls - I feel bad for you 😂 kidding

It’s basically 4 older women (3 roommates & one of their moms) who all bond and get through life together, while eating cheesecake late into the night! It’s the best. Go watch the show if you haven’t.

So when I downloaded NetGalley & saw that there was an arc for a cozy mystery about my favorite ladies, I had to jump on it!

You have Rose who’s in the middle of setting up a St Olaf wedding for her cousin. Dorothy who hasn’t been so lucky with romance since her divorce, wants to bring a date to the wedding so she goes on a blind date hoping to meet her match. All is well until her date leaves her high and dry during appetizers. She’s bummed but doesn’t think too much until the police start investigating HER for her dates death!!!!

You can tell this author is a BIG fan of the show. The girls from the show reminded me just like the girls in this book! Sophia with her hilarious jokes. Blanche doing what she does. Rose being so naive but hilarious at the same time. I chuckled throughout this entire book.

The only bad thing I will say is that the formatting was off on kindle. Words were combined together. Like full sentences. Paragraphs mixed all together. It was a little confusing at first, but I obviously dealt with it lol
4 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for my copy!

Growing up I adored the Golden Girls and all their shenanigans, banter, and friendship. Therefore, when I saw "Murder by Cheesecake", it was an instant must-read.
The author did an amazing job capturing the personalities of the ladies and creating the same feel-good energy as the TV show.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and recommend it not only to fans of the Golden Girls, but to anyone who likes a witty and fun cozy mystery.

When I first saw Murder by Cheesecake, the Golden Girls-themed cozy mystery, I knew I had to check it out - even though cozy mysteries aren’t usually my style. But let me tell you, this book did not disappoint!

This felt like stepping right back into an episode of The Golden Girls. The humor, the sass, and the iconic personalities of Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia were all spot-on. At times, I could almost hear the laugh track playing in the background.

The mystery element was well-crafted, keeping me guessing until the end. When Dorothy’s date ends up dead in a cheesecake during Rose’s St. Olaf-themed wedding festivities, the Girls band together to solve the case—and hilarity ensues. The plot perfectly blends the cozy mystery vibes with all the outrageous charm you’d expect from Miami’s favorite ladies.

This story is cheesy in all the best ways, an entertaining and heartwarming tribute to the show. It’s a light, easy read that fans of The Golden Girls will adore. For me, reading this was like spending time with old friends.

If you’re a Golden Girls fan, this book is a must-read. I’m already looking forward to the next installment in this cozy series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback!

Omg!!!

When I saw this book on here. I just knew I needed this book. This book was so good, would definitely recommend to all anyone that loves the Golden Girls as much as I do.

I’m definitely the target audience for this book, being a life-long Golden Girls fan. I’m happy to report that this was a delightful romp that captures the fun and humor of the TV show. So cozy and nostalgic!

A new mystery series? Fave reading genre. Count me in.

Anything Golden Girls? Fave show. Count me in.

The Golden GIrls as the amateur detectives in a new 80s set mystery series? Uh that sounds like a truly terrible crossover idea that could go wrong in 80 different ways. Count me in.

Murder By Cheesecake surprised me in a good way. The book works well as a mystery and especially well in capturing the Golden Girls characters, most of all Sophia who as always steals the whole damn thing.

The plot? Doesn't matter that much, but it takes place at a wedding in Miami, where one of Rose’s St Olaf cousins (there’s a lot of herring and St Olaf stuff here) is getting married at a fancy hotel, and a dead body is discovered in the freezer, and the body is someone Dorothy went on one disastrous date with the day before, so she is a suspect, and the girls and a gaggle of St Olaf cousins set out to discover the real killer.

This is an easy, entertaining read that is an unexpected and fun way to spend time with the Golden Girls again. Looking forward to the next one.

I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley, The book publishes in April 2025.

4*

A fun twist to a classic TV show.

This Golden Girls mystery takes the original quartet and throws them in the midst of a murder. . . And a wedding. The author did an excellent job capturing the personalities of the characters on the page. It was funny, snarky, heartwarming.

One complaint is that some of the dialog for Sophia comes across as mean. Her normal blunt, comical comments have a far darker tone to them.

Another issue with the digital copy is the formatting. The layout, and spacing is horrid. There are some words missing spaces between them on every page. On a lot of pages you get multiple lines lacking any spaces between the words.

Delicious mystery that brings back to life the most beloved Golden Girls! Great fun for fans of the iconic TV show, or who-dun-it book lovers. Quite enjoyable. #murderbycheesecake #rachelekstromcourage #netgalley #goodreads

This is a super-fun book!I feel like I have been reunited with these ladies and oh, how I have missed them! This author has their personalities spot on. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come out until April 2025, or it would be #1 on my gift-buying list. More, please! Forever grateful to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Cozy Mystery + Pop Culture

I'm thrilled about this cozy mystery series featuring the Golden Girls! I can’t express how excited I am for this book and the series as a whole—I really hope there will be many more installments.

Reading this feels like watching an episode of The Golden Girls, which typically features two storylines. On one side, you have Rose, who is working diligently with the girls to plan a wedding ceremony for her cousin Nettie, following St. Olafian traditions in Miami. On the other side, Dorothy is on the lookout for a date to accompany her to the wedding.

What happens next is shocking for the girls: a dead body is discovered in the hotel freezer, right where Rose's cheesecakes were stored. I don’t want to spoil the story, so I’ll leave it at that.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The characters are true to themselves, making it a story you should read rather than listen to; you’ll want to hear the voices of the characters in your head. The author has done a remarkable job of staying true to the personalities of the characters from the TV show. All four ladies are exactly as we’ve seen them on TV.

The mystery and adventure in this book were exceptional. Even if you've never watched The Golden Girls, I believe you will still enjoy this book. If the characters weren't based on The Golden Girls, I would have probably rated the book four stars. However, the humor and charm of the girls elevate it to a five-star read. I can't wait for the next book in the series, and once it is released, I will definitely get a physical copy.

A super cute Golden Girls Cozy Mystery

I was so excited when I saw this book. To be honest I was a bit skeptical and wasn't expecting to like it at all. Well, I absolutely loved it! The author did an amazing job writing the characters exactly how we all know them to be from the television show. She was incredibly accurate writing their personalities.

For example we have Rose talking about her pregnant aunt running away with a poodle circus and the family thought the father was the Surgeon General's baby!
Now that is what we expect from Rose!

If you love the Golden Girls you will enjoy this book.
The plot and the characters are spot on. You will not be disappointed, you will be quite entertained!

I absolutely loved the book, the plot and the character accuracy. The writing was perfect, the author did a wonderful job making the Golden Girls come to life in her writing.

Murder by Cheescake is the first book in the series. The enjoyment and nostalgia I got from reading this book has me excited and crazy happy that there will be more Golden Girls coming! I'm ready for it!

WARNING:
Read this book in public at your own risk.
You WILL burst out laughing numerous times!

Murder by Cheesecake is an absolute delight! I was filled with joy during the entire read! I found myself wishing I was a part of this book so I could help the Golden Girls solve the murder! The whole novel gave me the warm, nostalgic feeling of being inside one of my favourite episodes, filled with wit, charm, and delightful characters. I was impressed by Rachel Ekstrom Courage's talent and ability to write a cozy, warm mystery that captivates readers. When I finished the novel, I was left wanting even more and hungry for a cheesecake dessert with the girls! If you are a fan of humour, mystery and friendship, this book is perfect for you!