Murder by Cheesecake by Rachel Ekstrom Courage

Available: May 15, 2025

Rated: 5 cheesecakes

I am a HUGE fan of the Golden Girls. I loved the show when I was little, even though I didn't get any of the jokes, and I love it even more now that I do. There is just something about those ladies that pulled me in from the very first episode I ever saw. When the seasons first came out on DVD I didn't have cable so I bought season 1 and watched it on repeat until season 2 came out, etc. I've got Golden Girls magnets, fake drivers licenses, I've crocheted the characters, I've won every Golden Girls trivia contest I've entered, and I've seen the live play and gotten a backstage pass to meet the actors and get their autographs and photos.

All that being said, when I picked up this book I knew I would either love it or hate it, there could be no in between. Well... I loved it! Throughout the book I was constantly picking up references to episodes and I could just see the characters as I was reading. The author did her homework and this book really stayed true to the characters and plot lines of the show. Kudos!!! [Clapping enthusiastically]

Rose's niece, Nellie, has come to Miami to get married. While Nellie isn't really into the traditional St. Olaf ways, her outsider husband, Jason, is ALL IN. While Rose is scrambling to fit every bit of St. Olaf culture into the wedding ceremonies, Dorothy goes on a date with a mysterious man she met through a dating service. When that man ends up dead in the cheesecake at the hotel, Dorothy is suspect number one. Can the girls investigate the murder and clear Dorothy's name, and still pull of the wedding in such a way that qualifies the newlyweds to collect Nellie's inheritance?

This wild Miami romp is everything a cozy mystery fan desires and everything a Golden Girls aficionado could dream of! A must read for anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries and anyone who loves Golden Girls!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.