A Hard Day for a Hangover by Darynda Jones Series: Sunshine Vicram #3
Published by St. Martin's Publishing Group on December 6, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Police Procedural, Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths, Fiction / Small Town & Rural
Pages: 416
Format: eBook
Source: Library
A Library Reads Pick
The blockbuster conclusion to the bestselling Sunshine Vicram trilogy"Laugh-out-loud funny, intensely suspenseful, page-turning fun." —New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan
Some people greet the day with open arms. Sheriff Sunshine Vicram would rather give it a hearty shove and get back into bed, because there’s just too much going on right now. There’s a series of women going missing, and Sunny feels powerless to stop it. There’s her persistent and awesomely-rebellious daughter Auri, who’s out to singlehandedly become Del Sol’s youngest and fiercest investigator. And then there’s drama with Levi Ravinder—the guy she’s loved and lusted after for years. The guy who might just be her one and only. The guy who comes from a family of disingenuous vipers looking to oust him—and Sunshine—for good.
Like we said, the new day can take a hike.
Compulsively readable, laugh-out-loud funny, and brimming with big-hearted characters, A Hard Day for a Hangover will have readers cheering to the very last page.
"Fans will be delighted." -Publishers Weekly
Its always a little bitter sweet to say farewell to beloved characters. The only thing keeping me from tears is knowing that Jones will bring back her trademark humor, wit, and good times in a new story. Also that I still have yet to finish up Charley’s books.
I always compare the Vicram series to Gilmore Girls and I stand firm on that comparison. Sunshine Vicram remains firmly on my book girlfriend list. I would list all her great qualities but I’m sure I’ve done that in both previous book reviews. A Hard Day for a Hangover comes in with plenty of danger and some slightly questionable overlap between cases to link things together and move the larger story arcs forward. I will allow a bit of suspension of belief.
As in the other books, we have a couple different mysteries or ongoing dangers the Sun is juggling. Auri continues her maddening amateur sleuthing that drives me bonkers. But with all these cases, sketchy former sheriffs, Levi-drama, and a thorough spanking from Daddy Tequila has Sun spread thin. There isn’t as much Sunshine/Auri dialogue to enjoy as in previous books but what is there is so much fun. I 100% will be borrowing the “sin cave” and “spelunking” speech in the future.
I was a little disappointed in how quick the story wrapped up. For all the drama and tension that built up, the whirlwind really left me wishing it had been taken slower. There were a handful of loose ends, specifically with Quincy, that I wish had received some love.
Overall, I love this series so much! I will never not love Sunshine, Levi, Auri, Quincy, and all the supporting cast of Del Sol. I’m looking forward to whatever Jones dreams up with next!
About Darynda Jones
NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious RITA, a Golden Heart, and a Daphne du Maurier. As a born storyteller, she grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike. She currently has two series with St. Martin’s Press, the Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. Darynda lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of more than 25 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys.