Book Review: Murder By Cheesecake

Murder By Cheesecake

Murder By Cheesecake is a fun, laugh-out-loud cozy mystery with the four Golden Girls.

• Series: A Golden Girls Cozy Mystery (Book One)

• Written by: Rachel Ekstrom Courage

• Published by: Hyperion Avenue

• Release date: April 15, 2025

• Mystery type: TV Tie-In Cozy Mystery

Plot Overview

Rose is planning a St. Olaf-themed wedding in Miami for her cousin. When Dorothy’s obnoxious date is found dead in the freezer at one of the pre-nuptial events, he ruins a perfectly good cheesecake and derails the wedding plans. Now, everyone at the wedding is a suspect, especially Dorothy.

To keep the wedding on track, make sure Rose’s St. Olaf relatives don’t get lost in the wilds of Miami, and keep Dorothy out of the slammer, The Golden Girls will need to solve a mystery.

Spoiler-Free Review

I felt a jolt of excitement when I learned that there would be a Golden Girls Cozy Mystery. The Golden Girls, coupled with a light-hearted mystery, sounded like a match made in heaven. Obviously, I had high expectations. After reading the book, I was not disappointed.

I loved Murder by Cheesecake. It was great to experience a new adventure with Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia. I enjoyed their sleuthing antics and laughed out loud multiple times while reading the book.

In many ways, it was like reading a script from the TV show. Author Rachel Ekstrom Courage must have lived and breathed the series prior to writing this book, because she nailed the voices. I could almost hear the actors in my ears while reading the story.

Dorothy’s wry humor, Sophia’s wisecracks, Blanche’s risque jokes, and Rose’s sweet naivety were on display throughout the book. The St. Olaf contingent and the groom’s uppity family also added personality to the story.

People who have seen The Golden Girls television show will definitely enjoy this book more than readers who have never seen the show. There are tons of fun Easter eggs within the book. These little tidbits will delight readers who know the show and fly right over the heads of people who haven’t seen or barely remember the show.

That said, you will be able to easily follow along with the mystery and enjoy the characters if you’ve never seen The Golden Girls. I’m already looking forward to the next one.

Bonus Materials

Book Excerpt: Read a book excerpt from Murder by Cheesecake to get a taste of this cozy mystery.

Book Club Kit: This free book club kit contains an interview with the author, discussion questions, printable bookmarks, recipes, and minute mysteries.

Golden Girls TV Episode: Watch The Case of the Libertine Belle (Season Seven, Episode Two). This episode of the TV show has The Golden Girls embarking on a murder mystery weekend. When a real murder occurs, Blanche becomes the number one suspect.

Review disclosure: Cozy Crime Reads received an advanced reader copy of Murder By Cheesecake from Net Galley and Hyperion Avenue. Affiliate disclosure: This page includes affiliate links. Clicking on a link and purchasing a product may allow Cozy Crime Reads to earn a small commission. This will not cost you any extra, but it will help support the operation of this website.