Let me just say that Darynda Jones has another winner in the books (no pun intended 😉)! I want to shout from the rooftops how much I love this series and well…all of her books 😁

She makes you laugh out loud with her humor, makes you want to fan yourself with the hot, sexy scenes and can bring you to tears at times with her writing and stories.

A Good Day for Chardonnay encompasses all of that and more. I love the mother-daughter relationship between Sunshine and Auri, the scorching chemistry between Sunshine and Levi, the awesome friendship with Quincy and the camaraderie with her colleagues. The storyline rocked too!

I highly recommend this book and series. Get your copy of A Good Day for Chardonnay today!

What the first book in the series promised, A Good Day for Chardonnay, the second book delivers. Darynda Jones gives the reader a mystery police story that is twisted yet light, with satire too. It is not a cozy mystery but not a satire either. It is a unique read with a unique Sheriff in a unique New Mexico town..

Some police work, some serial killer searching, some bar fighting, some family issues and some romance. It’s all in a day’s work for Sunshine Vicram. Whether you can read it as a stand-alone I can’t say. I read the first in the series before this one, being glad I did.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sheriff Sunshine Vicram, single mom and all around tough cookie, has to handle some kind of crime spree happening in Del Sol. She’s juggling multiple cases while parenting a teenager and pining for the hottie distiller. Her deputies seem like characters from the Andy Griffith show but know how to pull through in times of crisis either crime related or personal. Each of her staff could easily have their own series. I’m not-so-secretly infatuated with Quincy, the humor coming out of his mouth is more powerful than his physique. Sunshine struggles on the inside but is brave and courageous on the outside. She’s the luckiest person in the world to have the support of her family, friends and staff. Readers could probably read this without reading the first book but her personal story is told as a continuation. I was honored to receive an early copy and wrote my review voluntarily.

A Good Day for Chardonnay
A Novel
by Darynda Jones
St. Martin's Press
You Like Them
Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 27 Jul 2021 | Archive Date 10 Aug 2021

This is the 2nd book in the series and I can't wait for the third to come out!! I really enjoy the relationship between Sunshine and Levi. Makes me look forward to more!! I recommend this book for romance lovers. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
Thumbs up!!
4 star

A Good Day for Chardonnay is the second book in the Sunshine Vicram mystery series. This time (Sheriff) Sunshine is dealing with a multiple-assailant knife attack outside a local bar, a renegade raccoon, her teenage daughter’s evolving relationship with her boyfriend, and the still-unsolved mystery of her own abduction which occurred fifteen years ago. In the mix are the quirky and off-the-wall inhabitants of her small New Mexico town.

I enjoyed the first book in this series, but this one seemed a bit tedious. I found there were too many storylines and that seemed to make the book disjointed and lacking direction. The humor was well-done, but it became somewhat over-done. The author uses the word “adorable” a few too many times and some of the characters were just a tad too quirky to really be enjoyable.

The story itself extended well beyond its shelf life and it could have easily been pared down to a more reasonable length, thus making the story more manageable and cohesive. And, finally, the author created a cliff-hanger – something I really don’t like to see at the end of a novel.

With all this said, there were times I enjoyed A Good Day for Chardonnay, especially some of the interactions between Sunshine and her daughter. So, for this reason I will, with some reservations, give this book 3 stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

4.5 Stars, Rounded

Firstly – don't even try this book without reading the first, A Bad Day for Sunshine: you’ll need the background for this story to make sense – there are plenty of bits that are ongoing and continue to reveal throughout this story and, I can only assume, into the next. But, we are dealing with the here and now – and we have plenty to deal with. From the pressure from the mayor to discover IF the Dangerous Daughters are real or not, to Auri’s relationship with Cruz and her constant sneaking out, to flashbacks coming to Sunshine about her abduction and a special forces trained man being near-fatally stabbed at the local bar, and the ostensible sighting of a long-missing and presumed dead teenager: things are quickly hotting up.

And all she wanted was a day to just relax but that is not to happen. See, Levi (him of the major crush-love feelings she’s had) is in dangerous territory, first by knowing the special forces man now in the hospital in critical condition, and secondly from his uncle looking to take over his distillery and the family by any means necessary. Auri is convinced, after finding a box of news clippings in her grandparents’ attic, that Mrs. Fairborn, the serial confessor, may be connected to. We start with an errant raccoon and Quincy’s call for help, and soon find stabbings, conspiracies, an age-old serial murder case, questions, pressure and more revelations coming to Sunshine regarding her ‘missing time’, when she was abducted at seventeen. With everything being equal, the hijinks never end, including her parents setting her up with a local ‘exterminator’, who, all things being equal, wasn’t quite a match.

I adore this series and the characters – many of whom are over the top in all the best ways, because there is an underlying emotional component that allows readers to see and feel the connections, the love the respect (and in this book) the nsfw steamy moments between Levi and Sun, with all their baggage, unsaid words and plenty of sparks. Start with the first book, take a moment to suspend your disbelief for the multiple coincidental happenings – Jones weaves a tale told in two voices (Auri’s and Sun’s) and gives us a fuller and more emotionally complex story with revelations unexpected and imaginative. And still there are more questions to roll us into book three – one that I’m ready for now!!

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aWk /” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

A Good Day for Chardonnay by Darynda Jones is a phenomenal follow up to A Bad Day for Sunshine.

I love all of these characters! From Sunshine herself, to her mini me Auri, her life long love the mysterious Levi. To her best friend Quince and the crazy cast of characters that surround them.

I’m truly hoping they’ll be more books in this series, because I still have so many unanswered questions.

But I love the way Ms Jones wraps this book up.

5 Sunny Stars

Brilliantly funny, wickedly smart, fantastically written. This second outing in Darynda Jones' newest series is so worth reading and investing in. Sunny and Auri are such a solid Mother/Daughter duo, their banter is always so sharp, hilarious and on point. I love that the series is highlighting both of them and switching between their points of views. And the love interests are awesome and perfectly suited to the duo.

The town is a bag of crazy fun, the characters charmingly ridiculous and the story itself finally gets about answering some questions. Suspense, mystery, humor, total fun. Definitely read this after reading book one or you'll be lost. All in all, one of my favorites of 2021. Hopeful for book three.

Thank you Netgalley for an advance reader copy.

Harlequin Junkie Top Pick!

A Good Day for Chardonnay was a superb follow-up in the Sunshine Vicram series–and a novel that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Humor, a fast-moving plot, action, swoony romance…Darynda Jones included it all here and it worked perfectly.

First, I have to say that Darynda Jones has the most awesome book titles for this series so far. (Book one was A Bad Day for Sunshine, and boy was it ever) Second, I am simply in love with Sunshine, Auri, Cruz (adore him), Quincy, Levi (oh my word, Levi!), and the rest of the quirky locals in Del Sol, New Mexico. The town itself was like a living, breathing character in the story. From the townspeople to the locations Sunny and her crew explored in this installment, Jones described it all so well that I literally felt like I was there in every scene. And that’s impressive considering I’ve never been west of the Mississippi. (lol)

It’s always tough to review one of Jones’s books because I want to go all fangirl, first of all, but there are also so many layers to her stories that it would be easy to give spoilers. What I can say is that Sun was still fighting to figure out what happened in her past when she was abducted, who was involved, and how it related to what was going on in the present with a few outlying members of the Ravinder family. There was also, of course, a new case in Del Sol snagging Sunny’s attention and keeping the force on their toes.

There was a lot happening in Sunny’s spunky daughter Auri’s life as well. Much of it revolved around her boyfriend Cruz, whom I couldn’t love more if I tried. In some ways (the best of ways) Auri and Cruz’s relationship reminded me of Sunny and Levi quite a bit. Especially the guys. Levi and Cruz were just *good* to the core and were the type of guys who would do anything at all for those they loved. Jones reduced me to tears when it came to Cruz’s part of the storyline. But as sad as his situation was, it also showed the level of care and camaraderie locals in Del Sol had for him and anyone else in need. *sigh*

Be prepared to giggle, cry, and sigh happily–sometimes all within one scene–and for some shocking revelations when you read A Good Day for Chardonnay, Darynda Jones’s newest masterpiece. Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. It takes a delicate hand to create a character like Sunshine Vicram, and Darynda Jones did it well. For a character with such a heavy backstory, she is also surprisingly resilient and snarky, and I enjoyed getting to know her better in this sequel.
There is a lot going on in this book, and I will warn you that you'll think that the plot threads have been wrapped up, and then realize that there is more book left than you'd expect. Holy cliffhangers Batman, because despite multiple stabbings, kidnappings, an attack raccoon, murders, robberies, and blackmail, you are still left at the end feeling like you want more. Obviously, there is a lot of action, and a lot of story to cover, but it works, and it works well. I loved the interplay between Sunshine and Auri throughout the book, and I am definitely on tenterhooks waiting to see how the situation with Levi is wrapped up in the next book. Overall, this is a funny, wild, surprisingly emotional adventure of a book, and I can't wait to read more.

Read the first book! Do not read this book without reading the first book! Believe me. Take my word for it. READ THE FIRST BOOK!

Oh, yes, the first book? The title is A Bad Day for Sunshine. It leads right into book two: A Good Day for Chardonnay. I can guarantee that you will have no clue what is going on if you do not read the first book.

Are we all clear now? You do understand you have to read the first book first, right?

Now that that is out of the way.

I never thought Darynda Jones could top her Charley Davidson series, but she has definitely done it with the Sunshine books. These books are straight contemporary with a mystery and (will you get on with it?) a romance. Actually, they don’t have a mystery, they have multiple mysteries.

Who abducted Sunshine when she was a teenager?

Who is the father of her daughter?

Who is her Chief Deputy in love with?

Has Randy (the raccoon) been officially deputized?

And a new mystery involving one of Levi’s uncles . . . is he in prison unjustly?

And the thing about Darynda Jones, she can make you feel any of these mysteries are just as important as another.

This book does clear up some of the mysteries, but it definitely introduces more mysteries and problems. The plot is wonderful, but my favorite parts are the one liners.

For example, there is one scene where Sunshine has to climb a ridge. She thinks to herself that she needs more cardio and less Oreo. That could be me talking. No, I mean really. That could be me.

And of course, my absolute favorite parts of the books are her chapter headings. I’ll leave you with my favorite one.

“Donate blood today! Please note: it must be your own blood.”

This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

A Good Day for Chardonnay by Darynda Jones is the second book in the Sunshine Vicram series. This series is a mix of genres as it’s somewhat like a romantic suspense but it also has the feel of a humorous cozy mystery. Regardless of what you want to label it the books are certainly a lot of fun to read.

The Sunshine Vicram series has introduced readers to a new protagonist in Sunshine Vicram. Years ago Sunshine had left her small town of Del Sol, New Mexico with no real plans of returning after a traumatic experience she had kept quiet. Now that she has returned though her sneaky parents somehow got her name on the ballots to be elected the next Sheriff of the town. As much as Sunshine didn’t want the job she still wants to do the job well now that she has the title.

The second book of the series still has Sunshine chasing ghosts with trying to solve her own abduction that occured before she left Del Sol. In the meantime the small town is not without crime yet again even though all Sunshine wants is one easy day on the job. With everything else going on Sunshine also has to deal with her daughter sneaking out to investigate a local who she thinks is a serial killer and a pesky raccoon that just thinks he owns the town.

One of the reasons it’s hard to nail down where to classify this series is that it has so much going on. The series has continued parts of the storyline from the first book which is abnormal in romantic suspense and cozy mysteries so I’d warn that it’s best to start from the beginning. There is a ton of action and adventure within each book that flows well all at a wonderfully quick pace which I love and I’m still chuckling at some of the humor in the story. Just one thing held this back from a full five stars for me and that was the sexy parts, I would have probably toned that back a bit even though it is normal in romantic suspense but this series has so much more to offer and could fit a wider audience. Anyway, four and a half stars is still amazing and I’ll definitely be back for more.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

A Good Day for Chardonnay, by author Darynda Jones, is the second installment in the authors Sunshine Vicram series. If you haven't already read the first installment, please take time to do so before jumping into this book.* You've been warned.

Set in the small mountainous town of Del Sol, New Mexico, Sheriff Sunshine Vicram has her hands full in this second installment. The story begins with Sunny on a blind date with a man named Carver that was set up by her parents. Sunshine believes that having her teeth pulled would be a whole lot more fun but Carver wants more. She then heads to her best friend Chief Deputy Quinn Cooper's along with her entire staff and the women from her mother's book club, where a raccoon has invaded his home. Hilarity ensues as the raccoon refuses to go down without a fight.

Sunshine then races towards Roadhouse Bar & Grill where an incident has left ex-military Keith Seabright seriously injured and likely drugged after being attacked by 3 unknown men who fled the scene. The fact that the love of her life, even though she won't admit it out loud to anyone, Levi Ravinder was also injured and refuses treatment after he went to Keith's aid, makes things more twisted. Keith's investigation brings Sunshine back to Santa Fe where there's an open investigation into a kidnapping. This case was the only case that she's failed to close.

Sunshine also has the Mayor of the town, Donna Lomas, blackmailing her into investigating a group called the Dangerous Daughters. They are allegedly a group of women that secretly run the town and who the Mayor believes helped Sunshine win her election as Sheriff after spending 10 years working for the Santa Fee P.D. as a Detective with a high clearance rate. Sunshine has gone over the towns records with a fine tooth comb, but she's gotten nowhere fast. Even though she knows who is who's pocket, she doesn't how close she could be to solving the mystery.

One of the ongoing issues that Sunshine is trying to solve is her own kidnapping. Which brings Sunshine to visiting Levi's uncle Wynn in prison in Arizona and some revelations. Wynn claimed he was responsible for killing Sunny's kidnapper but Sunny knows that he's protecting someone. Because Sunny doesn't have full memories of what happened to her thanks to a head injury, Levi may be the only person in town who knows the truth about what happened to her when she was kidnapped and held for ransom for 5 days.

To make matters more interesting is that Sunshine's daughter Aurora aka Auri is enamored with Levi who once saved her life when she was only 7 years old. Auri decides that she is going to be like her mom and investigate a series of disappearances in the town and the appearance of what may be a serial killer who is still alive. Her BFF Sybil and love interest Cruz joins her investigation and they get into lots of trouble. As a reminder, Auri's mom saved Sybil and Cruz saved Auri which has tied them together.

If you're like me and had lots of unanswered questions after A Bad Day For Sunshine, be prepared for what you'll discover after reading this story. The banter between Sunshine and Levi ratchets up to hot, and Ari might have found her future as the towns investigator after nearly finding a grave. The interactions and banter between Sunny's team, which includes Deputy Tricia Salazar, the ace shooter Zee, and 'newbie' Poetry Rojas, whom she blackmailed into becoming a cop, and who is turning out to have stellar instincts and spot on judgements.

Stick with this one even if you, like me, missed the first book and therefore feel a bit lost in the beginning. Know that there's a lot going on, a lot of characters, and a sometimes frantic tone but that once it settles down, there's a good story. Sunshine Vicram,, now the sheriff of Del Sol, a small New Mexico town, was abducted and raped as a teen, leading to the birth of her hoot of a daughter Aurora Dawn (Auri). Is Levi the man who rescued her or was it his brother or someone else? She's investigating an attack on a friend of Levi's and her daughter has decided that an elderly neighbor is a serial killer so she, along with her friends, is investigating that. No spoilers on what they find but both cases are more complex than expected. Some of the machinations were confusing to me at first but then all (or most) became clear. The characters are terrific (you'll be able to visualize them). It's funny (sometimes a bit over the top but sometimes serious smile making) and a bit poignant. And there's steam. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

The follow-up to the sensational A Bad Day For Sunshine resolves many of the intriguing plot points first seeded in its predecessor, even as it unearths some brand new mysteries centering on the quirky New Mexico town of Del Sol.

Just a short while ago, Sunshine Vicram was surprised to hear that she’d been elected sheriff of her hometown, especially since she hadn’t known she’d been running for office in the first place. But her aging parents had been so proud of themselves for getting Sunshine the position that she’d resigned from her job as police detective in Santa Fe and moved with her teenage daughter Auri back to a place where they’d usually only spent their summers. Over a decade earlier, Sunshine had fled Del Sol in the aftermath of a traumatic abduction that came nine months before Auri’s birth. Her memories of the incident are still obscured, as is the identity of Auri’s father.

But Sunshine has learned to live with that, and formed a strong bond with both Auri and her parents in order to become the best person, mother and cop she can be. It helps that she’s still pretty close with many members of the Del Sol community, though not everyone is thrilled by her return. Mayor Donna Lomas especially is deeply skeptical of Sunshine, and isn’t above using her position to strongarm her new sheriff into investigating a pet project of hers, the legendary Dangerous Daughters:

QUOTE
Sun had heard rumors of the infamous group of women who’d come together to run the town at a time when only men were allowed to sit on the council. It all seemed pretty farfetched. Even if they had existed, surely they didn’t now. That was decades ago.

The mayor seemed obsessed with them, however, and part of the woman’s condition to stay out of the mountain of dirt that constituted Sun’s past was for Sun to uncover the members of the clandestine group. Their negotiations and general goings-on.
END QUOTE

All of Sunshine’s other cases go on the back burner, however, when a man is stabbed outside a bar owned by her long-time flame, Levi Ravinder. At first afraid that the victim was Levi, she’s then chagrined to discover that Levi is not only taking the stabbing of his friend personally but is also insisting on investigating the assault himself, even though he took a beating while fending off the attackers.

But her concerns about Levi’s health are nothing compared to the sheer terror she’ll feel when her own daughter’s decision to reopen an old serial killer investigation puts Auri in mortal danger as well. It starts out innocently enough, with Auri poring through her grandparents’ collection of old newspaper clippings and reading about a series of disappearances from decades earlier that were attributed to a passing drifter. Convinced that Hercules Holmes was wrongfully accused and that the venerable, if slightly dotty serial-confessor Mrs Fairborn was actually responsible, she decides to bring about her own version of justice. She just needs a little help from her best friend:

QUOTE
[“]I think Mrs. Fairborn was a serial killer before they even called them serial killers.”

“Wow,” Sybil said, just as intrigued. “Wait, what did they call serial killers before that?”

Auri shrugged. “Maybe pancake killers? Bacon-and-egg killers?”

They devolved into a fit of giggles and only sobered when a thought hit Auri like a line drive at a major-league game. “I think we need to investigate,” she said.

“Really? Can we do that?”

“Sure. My mom does it every day. How hard can it be?”
END QUOTE

Very hard, as the reckless Auri will discover. It’s nice that A Good Day For Chardonnay emphasises how detective work should be undertaken only by the intelligent and skilled, as the stakes are far too high otherwise. People can get seriously hurt, and reestablishing generational trauma is a horrible thing that ought not to be romanticized.

Fortunately, the grim subject matter is leavened by Darynda Jones’ trademark wit as well as by romances both steamy and sweet. In addition to solving the crimes currently plaguing Del Sol, Sunshine lays to rest several demons from the past, as she finally remembers the truth of who abducted her and who Auri’s father really is. It’s a satisfying wrap up of the mysteries left tantalizingly open in the series’ first book while also laying ground for more hijinks to come in the next.

OMG! There is a reason I love this author and read everything she write. She drawls you in. You laugh, and cry and route for the characters. This was no different.

Sunshine is on the case. There is something afoot in Del Sol, and as Sheriff, Sunshine Vicrum has a job to do. This book takes a number of turns, and adds a whole lot of Auri and Cruz. There is so much I want to say, or scream about, or throw hot coffee while yelling WTF. That can’t be the end. Oh hell to the no. But that would spoil the ride. Trust me, read A Bad Day for Sunshine. And then jump right into this. There are some great questions that get answered. Just beware, you get left wondering…

I loved A Bad Day For Sunshine, and eagerly anticipated this sequel. I was not disappointed! Loved the well- drawn, quirky characters, the lived-in relationships, and the exciting (but not convoluted) storylines. I ended this one satisfied with how the plot resolved, but with an eager eye towards book #3!

Sheriff Sunshine Vicram is back along with her teenage daughter Auri and the rest of the quirky crew from the first book A Bad Day For Sunshine. Before I tell you a bit about the story, I have to say, this is a series you want to read in order, so make sure you read book one before this one. Sunshine Vicram is investigating a case linked to her past while her teenage daughter, Auri, is investigating a cold case involving a serial killer. She and her BFF along wit boyfriend Cruz, are involved in this sleuthing and what fun that is. Meanwhile the man Sunshine is "secretly" in love with, Levi Ravinder, is involved in a serious bar fight, where one person is dead and another in the hospital, and that has another investigation going on. Then there are town secrets, who are the Dangerous Daughters?

If you are looking for a serious mystery, you might want to give this one a pass. This is a humorous, sort of rom-com with a mystery as well. It is sarcastic, with witty banter and laugh out loud scenes. The story further investigates Sunshine's abduction years earlier and gives us most of the answers. Sunshine knows that Levi Ravinder could not have been behind what happened, but clues are pointing in that direction. The search into the past only strengthens their relationship and there is one scene that was a bit cringe worthy for me. The graphically descriptive intimate scene had me fast forwarding before my ears set on fire. I really enjoyed getting to know Auri better. She is a scrappy teen, who wants to follow in her mother's sleuthing footsteps.

I can't review this book without talking about the banter that Darynda Jones is known for. The dialogue will have you laughing out loud, so it's probably best that you are not drinking anything while you read or listen to this one. The rest of the cast are also wonderful and all play a part in this entertaining read. I would love to have a best friend like Quincy, and to work with him is great. His antics with the raccoon had me laughing out loud. I love Sunshine's parents. They only want their family happy, so besides setting Sunshine up on hilarious blind dates, they are the stable hand in raising Auri. This quirky town sets a stage for all the highjinx and shenanigans, while supporting each other, especially Sunshine and her family. If you enjoy a fun mystery, with some romance and a lot of humour, then this book is for you.

Read this if:
- You often come home and pour a big glass of wine after a long day;
- You love witty banter;
- You need a LOL cozy mystery.

My thoughts:

This was a super fun summer read. I didn’t realize before starting that it’s the second book in a series. I’m sure reading the first book before this one would have made figuring some of the characters and their relationships easier, but it still worked as a standalone! I looked forward to picking it at the end of the day because I knew no matter how I was feeling after work, this was sure to give me a laugh.

What I liked:
- So many quirky, loveable characters! By the end of the book, Sunshine and some of the others feel like old friends;
- Each chapter starts with short tag lines for local businesses – they were absolutely hilarious!
- There were both past and presents mysteries at play, so I was constantly left guessing at things.
- The ending was perfect for a series. Enough of a cliff-hanger to make me want to read the next one, but such big one that I was frustrated at being left hanging.

What I didn’t like:
- It was sometimes hard to keep the various story lines straight.
- The pacing was a little off for me. At the beginning and the end, I didn’t want to put it down, but it dragged a bit in the middle.
- Be warned there are some stereotypical story lines/characters (think unrequited love for a tall, dark and handsome bad boy). I didn’t mind this, but it might not work for you if you don’t like this trope.

At the end of the day, pick this one up if you’re interested in a light-hearted mystery series. I’ll definitely be going back to read the first one!

Review will also be posted to:
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Darynda Jones is one of the few authors that is on my “will order without even knowing what the book is about” list. I know I’m always in for a good time and a few laughs while reading her books. And while I was a wee bit saddened when her Charley Davidson series ended… although she’s continuing it with short stories about some of the characters…. Sunshine Vicram is just as good, but in a less supernatural way. And there may have been some rumors of turning Sunshine into a TV or movie series…. !!!

One of the things that made the Charley Davidson series so spectacular was the relationship between Charley and her BFF, Cookie. Jones has been able to continue that loving and sassy relationship between Sunny and her daughter, Auri. We also get a sexy as all get out and brooding love interest in Levi… and we find out some major new information regarding him. I’m really glad Jones didn’t keep any of those questions dragging on, since I think it could have brought the series down a bit.

Add in a racoon on the loose, a mysterious group of women who may or may not really be running the town, a crooked ex-sheriff, a woman who when she delivers muffins bad things happen, a potential serial killer that may still be living in town decades later, and lots of other craziness and side stories, and that gives you an inkling of what you can expect when reading Darynda Jones.