In 1985, a sitcom about four women who were considered past their prime debuted in prime time. “The Golden Girls” turned out to be a ratings hit for NBC for seven seasons. After 40 years, people of all ages are still thanking Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, Estelle Getty and Betty White for being their friend. The comedy continues to find fans on Hulu and has spawned a pop-up restaurant and a fan convention. A whodunnit read — “Murder By Cheesecake: A Golden Girls Cozy Mystery” doesn’t seem like a far-fetched tie-in.
The central mystery arises when a man Dorothy meets through a video dating service turns up dead in a hotel freezer face-down in cheesecake — a macabre use of the characters’ favorite dessert. It’s the hotel where Rose is days away from staging a giant wedding for relatives from her often-mentioned hometown of St. Olaf, Minnesota. The homicide, of course, throws everything into disarray.
Because Dorothy was the last person to see the man — who had jilted her mid-date — she becomes suspect No. 1 with Miami police. Meanwhile, Rose is trying to keep the nuptials of her younger cousin and her fiance on track with all the required St. Olafian customs.
Be forewarned: “Murder By Cheesecake” feels more like a mix of “Murder, She Wrote” and “Miami Vice” than a “Golden Girls” episode. Rarely do the characters talk in sitcom rhythms of two lines, a beat and punchline. Sarcasm and sass were what made the original series sparkle. In this genre, some of that is there but not as sharp as on the hitcom. Sophia, known as a comeback queen, sometimes comes off more mean than amusing toward daughter Dorothy.
Still, the plot does a decent job of leading readers on a twisty chase to figure out who the victim was and who the murderer is. The women decide to play amateur detectives to clear Dorothy’s name. And it’s a hoot while reading to picture it: Dorothy, Rose, Sophia and Blanche donning disguises and clumsily snooping in the hotel manager’s office and the victim’s home. Even though their climactic showdown with the culprit seems pretty outrageous, it’s fun to see four “old ladies” get an action-hero moment.
There’s no doubt author Rachel Ekstrom Courage is a true “Golden Girls” devotee. She takes the time to describe even the furniture in the women’s home to bring us fans back to that familiar kitchen and living room. References to plots and recurring characters from the show are sprinkled throughout the pages.
The novel is primarily told through the angst-ridden thoughts of Dorothy and Rose. Unfortunately, Blanche and Sophia feel more like sidekicks. But, it’s likely that if this book is the first in a series, then those two will be at the center of things next time.
With the show’s cast all deceased, “Murder By Cheesecake” is an especially pleasant, breezy way to have “the girls” back again for a little while.
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