Sheriff Sunshine Vicram finds her cup o’ joe more than half full when the small village of Del Sol, New Mexico, becomes the center of national attention for a kidnapper on the loose.
Leave it to Darynda Jones to start off her new series in such an exciting way. A Bad Day for Sunshine had a complex storyline filled with snarky goodness, an awesome cast, and both heavy and lighthearted scenes in equal measure ... The silly small town antics were delightful and added to the mayhem poor Sunshine had to immediately deal with on her first day as sheriff of her hometown. It was the eerie similarities between the disappearance of a local girl and Sunny’s own past that made this a thrilling first installment ... Quirky, with plot twists galore and mysterious goings on, A Bad Day for Sunshine was a mile-a-minute treat I couldn’t get enough of. And I think readers will love how nicely Darynda Jones set up the next book in the series, which promises to drop even more bombshell secrets into Sunshine’s life. Can’t wait!
... begins a new series—but [Jones's] signature humor and suspense remain ... Jones has a real talent for balancing suspense with laugh-out-loud humor, never losing the tension from either. Sunshine’s past is grim, as is the truth about Auri’s father, yet the book never feels bleak. The humor, sometimes absurd (like a basket of cursed muffins), never detracts from the gravity of the case Sunshine is investigating. It’s a delicate balancing act, and it’s pulled off with aplomb ... With its wit and suspense, A Bad Day for Sunshine is a one-night read that left me craving the next installment in the series, especially after its truly surprising final reveal.
Jones departs from her usual paranormal fiction and creates a smart and sassy mother-daughter team in a small-town setting where anything can happen ... Though readers may find it difficult to keep track of the minor characters, this series opener provides plenty of action. Recommended for fans of Linda Castillo and J.A. Jance.
