The Sunshine Solution - by Rosalie Rayburn (Paperback)

About the Book

Digger Doyle's new boss asks her to spy on a political rival's plan for a solar project. She suspects the boss is hiding something. But why?

Digger confronts powerful forces bent on revenge by destroying a man's political career.

Book Synopsis

The Sunshine Solution is a sequel to The Power of Rain which introduced readers to Elizabeth "Digger" Doyle a young investigative reporter who earned her nickname by exposing the shady secrets of politicians in the fictional Southwest city of Las Vistas.

Digger has landed her dream job with a government department in Santa Fe. But when her new boss asks Digger to spy on a political rival's announcement for a multimillion-dollar solar energy project, she suspects her boss is hiding something and the project is a cover-up.

Investigating the solar company, Digger and a former newspaper colleague follow a team of imposters from the ancient walls of Chaco Canyon to the twisting streets of Santa Fe, to a struggling Native American pueblo community. The pursuit brings Digger into conflict with powerful forces bent on revenge by harming her wife Maria and destroying a man's political career.

A vindictive ex-girlfriend and a sleazy opponent try to sabotage Maria's campaign for election to the state legislature. Digger uncovers the corrupt motives behind the attacks against Maria.

The Sunshine Solution explores contemporary themes such as the nature of progress in conflict with local culture, the clash between development and exploitation, and the power of family history to affect political decisions.

Review Quotes

review quotes

Nick blurb A hard-nosed reporter-turned-detective? Check. Corrupt politicians? Check. Sleazy developers? Check. Political intrigue? Check. Welcome to The Sunshine Solution, Ms. Rayburn's second entry in her engaging Digger Doyle mystery series, set amidst the breathtaking vistas of New Mexico, where the author worked for two decades as a staff writer for the state's largest newspaper. Can a third Digger Doyle mystery be far behind?

-- Nick Pappas, author of Crosses of Iron: The Tragic Story of Dawson, New Mexico, and Its Twin Mining Disasters

Illuminating, profound, deeply romantic, and even comic at times, the Digger Doyle novels truly are a treat, even if you're not a mystery buff. If you haven't read The Power of Rain, you're in for a double treat: start there and then continue with The Sunshine Solution. You'll love the time you spend in Digger's world.

-- Sarah Jane Herbener, editor Savvy Communication

Digger Doyle is back and those who have met her in Rosalie Rayburn's first novel "The Power of Rain" will be familiar with her relentless investigations into murky local politics in New Mexico. In The Sunshine Solution Digger focuses on the pressing issue of climate change and the need for sustainable energy solutions.

-- Sue Broidy, author of "An Unexamined Life"