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Death on the Lanai

A Golden Girls Cozy Mystery

Part of Golden Girls Cozy Mystery Series

Author Rachel Ekstrom Courage
Paperback
$18.99 US
| $24.99 CAN
Disney Publishing Group | Hyperion Avenue
On sale Apr 28, 2026 | 320 Pages | 9781368117876
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The New York Times bestselling series that began with Murder by Cheesecake continues with an all-new Golden Girls cozy mystery!

When the Girls accept a very strange invitation to a lavish party on a remote island estate, they find that murder has a way of ruining even the most glamorous of evenings.

The invite delivered to 6151 Richmond Street was short on details, only promising to celebrate “the greatest artist of the century” and accompanied by a jewel-encrusted brooch—the whole package a brand of mysterious opulence that another Saturday night of gin rummy just can’t match. 

Blanche Devereaux’s passionate dalliances are as plentiful as hot Southern nights, and surely one can’t be expected to remember all of one’s suitors. But when the Girls disembark the party’s ferry at a small Biscayne Bay island and meet their secretive host, the memories come flooding back: she a Radio City Rockette in her twenties, he the poor artist who could offer her nothing but his love. Fate drove them apart, but Declan, now a famous artist El Toro, professes that Blanche has always been his muse. 

Featured prominently in his artworks and central to El Toro’s return to the apex of the art world, Blanche is thrilled to have been such an inspiring figure to this man. But looking around at a party filled with those who have made their livings off the artist’s fame—his assistant, his art dealer, his greatest critic, and more—Dorothy isn’t so sure they’re welcome on the island after all. 

When a tropical storm knocks power out across the island, an optimistic Blanche proclaims that everyone looks better by candlelight anyway. But when Declan is found dead the next morning, all eyes are on her, his supposed muse of thirty-plus years. Trapped at the estate with the other guests—suspects all—the Girls must band together to find the true killer and get back to pleasant evenings of card games and cheesecake.
Praise for Murder by Cheesecake, Book 1 in the series

“[A] breezy whodunit … Courage splendidly captures the voices and mannerisms of her much-loved characters, and wisely resists the impulse to modernize the show’s 1980s Miami setting. For Golden Girls fans, this is a nostalgic delight.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Murder by Cheesecake is a nostalgic, fast-paced and hilarious escape. An absolute delight!”
—Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of Love and Other Words

“Murder by Cheesecake is the real deal. It takes guts and serious talent to write jokes worthy of Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia, and author Rachel Ekstrom Courage has the goods.”
—The Audible Editors, an Editors Select pick

“It's murder most witty as the Golden Girls sleuth, spar and support one another in their irrepressible style. This escape to 80's Miami, complete with teal, coral, breezy palms and shoulder pads, contains more red herrings than a St. Olaf wedding. Will young love triumph? Will justice be served, Everglades-style? Will Sophia take off her compression hose? You'll love—and laugh—with every page-turning moment.”
—Julia Spencer-Fleming, New York Times bestselling author of At Midnight Comes the Cry

"If you were a big fan of The Golden Girls, as I was, you’ll relish this chance to join them again for this lighthearted caper.”
—Rhys Bowen, New York Times bestselling author of The Tuscan Child

“Murder by Cheesecake shows the Golden Girls at their best: being true friends—and having fun at any age!”
—Nancy Martin, bestselling author of Some Like It Lethal

“[A] sparkling cozy. . . Humor, plot twists, convincing portrayals of the Golden Girls, and the Miami setting add up to a satisfying cozy that will be relished by Golden Girls fans.”
—Booklist

“If you are a Golden Girls fan, even a casual fan, or if you are a fan of cozy mysteries like Murder She Wrote, The Maid, or Thursday Murder Club—Murder by Cheesecake is for you.”
—H. Alan Scott, Senior Editor at Newsweek and co-host of Out on the Lanai: A Golden Girls Podcast

“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…. [An] especially pleasant, breezy way to have “the girls” back again for a little while.”
—Associated Press
Rachel Ekstrom Courage is a writer and cheesecake enthusiast who lives in Pittsburgh with her husband (the children’s book author Nick Courage) and their dog, Chaely. A literary agent by day, she’s worked in the publishing industry for over two decades—with some of the world’s most beloved mystery authors—and is the co-founder of Littsburgh, a literary community in Western Pennsylvania.
Rachel Ekstrom Courage View titles by Rachel Ekstrom Courage

About

The New York Times bestselling series that began with Murder by Cheesecake continues with an all-new Golden Girls cozy mystery!

When the Girls accept a very strange invitation to a lavish party on a remote island estate, they find that murder has a way of ruining even the most glamorous of evenings.

The invite delivered to 6151 Richmond Street was short on details, only promising to celebrate “the greatest artist of the century” and accompanied by a jewel-encrusted brooch—the whole package a brand of mysterious opulence that another Saturday night of gin rummy just can’t match. 

Blanche Devereaux’s passionate dalliances are as plentiful as hot Southern nights, and surely one can’t be expected to remember all of one’s suitors. But when the Girls disembark the party’s ferry at a small Biscayne Bay island and meet their secretive host, the memories come flooding back: she a Radio City Rockette in her twenties, he the poor artist who could offer her nothing but his love. Fate drove them apart, but Declan, now a famous artist El Toro, professes that Blanche has always been his muse. 

Featured prominently in his artworks and central to El Toro’s return to the apex of the art world, Blanche is thrilled to have been such an inspiring figure to this man. But looking around at a party filled with those who have made their livings off the artist’s fame—his assistant, his art dealer, his greatest critic, and more—Dorothy isn’t so sure they’re welcome on the island after all. 

When a tropical storm knocks power out across the island, an optimistic Blanche proclaims that everyone looks better by candlelight anyway. But when Declan is found dead the next morning, all eyes are on her, his supposed muse of thirty-plus years. Trapped at the estate with the other guests—suspects all—the Girls must band together to find the true killer and get back to pleasant evenings of card games and cheesecake.

Reviews

Praise for Murder by Cheesecake, Book 1 in the series

“[A] breezy whodunit … Courage splendidly captures the voices and mannerisms of her much-loved characters, and wisely resists the impulse to modernize the show’s 1980s Miami setting. For Golden Girls fans, this is a nostalgic delight.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Murder by Cheesecake is a nostalgic, fast-paced and hilarious escape. An absolute delight!”
—Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of Love and Other Words

“Murder by Cheesecake is the real deal. It takes guts and serious talent to write jokes worthy of Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia, and author Rachel Ekstrom Courage has the goods.”
—The Audible Editors, an Editors Select pick

“It's murder most witty as the Golden Girls sleuth, spar and support one another in their irrepressible style. This escape to 80's Miami, complete with teal, coral, breezy palms and shoulder pads, contains more red herrings than a St. Olaf wedding. Will young love triumph? Will justice be served, Everglades-style? Will Sophia take off her compression hose? You'll love—and laugh—with every page-turning moment.”
—Julia Spencer-Fleming, New York Times bestselling author of At Midnight Comes the Cry

"If you were a big fan of The Golden Girls, as I was, you’ll relish this chance to join them again for this lighthearted caper.”
—Rhys Bowen, New York Times bestselling author of The Tuscan Child

“Murder by Cheesecake shows the Golden Girls at their best: being true friends—and having fun at any age!”
—Nancy Martin, bestselling author of Some Like It Lethal

“[A] sparkling cozy. . . Humor, plot twists, convincing portrayals of the Golden Girls, and the Miami setting add up to a satisfying cozy that will be relished by Golden Girls fans.”
—Booklist

“If you are a Golden Girls fan, even a casual fan, or if you are a fan of cozy mysteries like Murder She Wrote, The Maid, or Thursday Murder Club—Murder by Cheesecake is for you.”
—H. Alan Scott, Senior Editor at Newsweek and co-host of Out on the Lanai: A Golden Girls Podcast

“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…. [An] especially pleasant, breezy way to have “the girls” back again for a little while.”
—Associated Press

Author

Rachel Ekstrom Courage is a writer and cheesecake enthusiast who lives in Pittsburgh with her husband (the children’s book author Nick Courage) and their dog, Chaely. A literary agent by day, she’s worked in the publishing industry for over two decades—with some of the world’s most beloved mystery authors—and is the co-founder of Littsburgh, a literary community in Western Pennsylvania.
Rachel Ekstrom Courage View titles by Rachel Ekstrom Courage

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