RACHEL EKSTROM COURAGE
Instagram: @rachelekstromcourage
Substack: @rachelekstromcourage
NOTHING BAD HAPPENS HERE
Delacorte/PenguinRandomHouse, 2025
Sun, Sand, and Secrets
A carefree New England vacation is just what sixteen-year-old Lucia needs to chase her sadness away. At least, according to her mom, who whisks them away for the summer with her ridiculously wealthy new boyfriend. Nothing bad happens in Nantucket, a charming island with cobblestone streets and million-dollar cottages.
But when Lucia stumbles upon the body of a teenage girl on a beach, the discovery reopens old wounds from her past. With the dead girl’s identity a mystery, Lucia takes it upon herself to investigate and crosses paths with Selah and her pack of devil-may-care besties. The three girls are beautiful, chaotic, and a little wild—and they help Lucia forget her crushing sense of grief and loneliness. But as Lucia becomes a part of their shimmering world, she begins to suspect that there are dark secrets hidden in this quiet enclave, and that uncovering them may be the key to solving the dead girl’s murder. Not everything on this island is what it seems…
“The perfect summer read! Rich teens beach-partying in glamorous Nantucket . . . and then a murder. Enough mystery, twists, secrets and surprises to keep you reading to the startling finish. Loved it!” —R.L. Stine, author of the Goosebumps series and Fear Street
“Part mystery, part thriller, part deep dive into the heart of a grieving teen, Nothing Bad Happens Here is compelling and vivid and absolutely pitch-perfect! A summer in Nantucket you won’t forget!” —Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Lake House
“Perfect for fans of We Were Liars. You won’t want to miss this tense, twisty, gorgeously written read!” —Kass Morgan, New York Times bestselling author of the series The 100 and The Ravens
“One part fairy tale and one part old-fashioned New England whodunit, with a twist I never saw coming!” —Katie Cotugno, New York Times bestselling author of Liar’s Beach
“Expertly layered twists and the perfect kiss of the supernatural. Thriller fans, rejoice!” —Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Thirteenth Child
“An atmospheric thriller where darkness is just beneath the surface.” —Mindy McGinnis, Edgar Award–winning author of A Madness So Discreet and The Female of the Species
“A can’t-put-it-down mystery layered with authentic relationships, sharp class commentary, and touches of magical lore. I absolutely devoured it.” —Jacqueline West, New York Times bestselling author of Last Things and the Books of Elsewhere series
“[A] smashing suspense debut! A page-turning exploration of the way the truth gets concealed—and the all-too-human and all-too-necessary desire to find the truth at any cost. Sure to be one of the best YA thrillers of the year. Don’t miss it!” —David Bell, New York Times bestselling author of She’s Gone and Nobody Needs to Know
“A serpentine sea-misted mystery as elegant and bold as a Nantucket sunset. I was fully seduced by Lucia’s dark and stormy summer and could hardly pull myself away. Rachel Ekstrom Courage’s debut is a riveting, graceful high wire act, a delectable and dynamic New England thriller that pulls no punches. It left me utterly breathless.” —Derek Milman, author of A Darker Mischief and Swipe Right for Murder
MURDER BY CHEESECAKE
Hyperion-Avenue, 2025
The first novel in the all-new Golden Girls Cozy Mystery Series!
When Dorothy’s obnoxious date is found dead in a hotel freezer, it not only ruins a gorgeous cheesecake but threatens the elaborate St. Olaf–themed wedding Rose is hosting.
Things are heating up, and not just because of Blanche’s hot flashes. Rose’s cousin is eloping to Miami, and Rose is playing host. If she can’t balance the groom’s family’s snobbery against the traditional St. Olaf wedding week guidelines, her hometown may never accept her cousin again!
Dorothy quickly realizes she needs a date with whom she can exchange wedding-related wisecracks. Turning to a newfangled VHS dating service, she believes she’s found the ideal conversationalist. Unfortunately, what looks good on TV can actually be a total jerk in real life. It seems she’ll just have to enjoy the company of Sophia, Blanche, and whomever Blanche has targeted for a hookup.
As the Girls all pitch in, Rose is thrilled that the tea-and-fish-themed kickoff event is perfect, not a herring out of place. That is until Dorothy’s date is found dead—face-planted in an otherwise scrumptious-looking cheesecake. With every guest a suspect (especially Dorothy) and a marriage on the line, the four besties must ID the real killer, get the should-be-happy couple down the aisle, and make sure nobody from St. Olaf gets lost in the wilds of Miami. It’s up to the Golden Girls to sleuth out a way for friendship and love to win the day!