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Some people believe that nothing exciting ever happens in a small town. But those people clearly never visited the town of Del Sol, New Mexico. Because in A Good Day for Chardonnay, the second Sunshine Vicram novel by author Darynda Jones, it seems like there’s never a break in the action.
The story catches up with Sunshine Vicram, the recently-elected sheriff of Del Sol, as she’s called in to investigate what looks like a bar fight that got out of control. One man is left in the hospital to fight for his life, three mystery men disappear without a trace, and Sun’s lifelong crush, Levi, is badly beaten but determined not to waste time with a visit to the hospital. As Sun and the rest of the police force investigates, the sheriff is faced with slowly returning memories of her abduction as a teenager—and a teenage daughter with a talent for getting into trouble.
Sunshine definitely has a lot on her plate—between her daughter, her latest case, and her slowly returning memories. Fortunately, she’s got a whole lot of backup—from her deputies, her parents, and even Levi (when he’s not on the run). This time around, though, the characters’ quirks are downplayed. That’s not to say that there isn’t any humor here; Sun’s deputy and lifelong best friend, Quincy, makes sure that there is. But it’s not quite as over-the-top has some of the author’s other novels have been.
Really, though, there isn’t a whole lot of room here for laughs; it’s too full of action. The author is a pro at juggling storylines—and her latest novel is no different. In fact, what should be the main storyline is wrapped up about two-thirds of the way through the book. But there’s so much more here: Sun’s ongoing investigation into her own past, her daughter’s investigation into a serial killer who may have lived in Del Sol, a blind date turned stalker, and a whole lot of hints and rumors about a shadowy group of women who reportedly run the town behind the scenes. And, of course, there’s plenty of will-they-or-won’t-they tension between Sun and Levi. It definitely sounds like a lot, but Jones once again weaves it all together in a way that just works.
The more readers get to know Sunshine and the other residents of Del Sol, the more interesting their story becomes. A Good Day for Chardonnay is a captivating and entertaining entry in the series—and it ends in a situation that will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next one.
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