A Bad Day for Sunshine

Darynda Jones launches her Sunshine Vicram series with the kind of energy that leaves you slightly breathless. Sunshine — yes, that is her actual name — has just been elected sheriff of Del Sol, New Mexico, a quirky desert town where everyone knows everyone and secrets have a half-life of approximately forever. On her first day, a teenage girl goes missing and someone appears to be trying to kill her. Welcome to the job.

The humour hits immediately and does not let up. Jones writes comedy with the timing of a stand-up comedian, dropping one-liners and absurd situations with a precision that makes the pages fly. Del Sol is populated with characters who are simultaneously ridiculous and deeply loveable — the kind of people who make you want to move to a small town despite all evidence to the contrary.

Sunshine herself is a fantastic creation. She is smart, self-deprecating, fiercely protective of her daughter, and completely overwhelmed by the chaos of her new position. Jones gives her enough vulnerability to feel real and enough competence to feel credible. She is not a bumbling amateur playing detective — she is a trained officer navigating an impossible situation.

The mystery of the missing girl provides genuine tension beneath the comedy. Jones never lets the humour undercut the stakes, and the search for the teenager carries real emotional weight. The subplot involving threats against Sunshine adds a darker thread that keeps the narrative from becoming too lightweight.

Del Sol is a triumph of setting. Jones creates a town with its own distinct personality — sun-baked, eccentric, and harbouring enough secrets to fuel a dozen novels. The local businesses, the town gossip network, and the desert landscape all contribute to an atmosphere that is uniquely appealing.

The supporting cast is uniformly excellent. Sunshine’s best friend and chief deputy provides both comic relief and emotional grounding. Her daughter is written with the kind of sharp-tongued authenticity that suggests Jones has spent real time around teenagers. Even minor characters feel fully realised.

Jones handles the romantic subplot with a light touch. The mysterious Levi Ravinder lurks at the edges of the story, and the tension between him and Sunshine crackles without overwhelming the main plot. It is a slow burn done right — enough to intrigue without frustrating.

The pacing is relentless in the best way. Jones keeps multiple plates spinning and never lets any single thread stall for too long. Just when you think you have the rhythm figured out, she throws in a twist or a revelation that reshuffles everything.

The balance between comedy and crime is the book’s greatest achievement. Lesser writers would let one overwhelm the other, but Jones maintains equilibrium throughout. The funny moments are genuinely funny, the tense moments are genuinely tense, and the emotional moments land with surprising force.

If you want a mystery that makes you laugh out loud while still keeping you guessing, A Bad Day for Sunshine delivers exactly that. It is the start of a series with enormous charm and a protagonist you will want to spend many more books with.