Book Review: The Wood Sprite

Reviewed by Alexandria Ducksworth

About as wild as thrillers can get

The Wood Sprite by James Dobie is filled with surprises. Readers will never know what hit them. It drips with murder, horror, and strange family secrets straight out of a V.C. Andrews novel. 

The book’s protagonist, Mia Chandler, lives in Taos, New Mexico with her struggling parents, MJ and Gary. It’s not any going great in high school either, as people are bringing up the phallic-shaped birthmark on her face. Mia’s only true companions tend to be her beloved cat Frodo, weed, and books. 

One day, a strange man leaves a wooden totem at Gary’s shop. The man orders the totem to be given to Mia, and that’s when all hell breaks loose. Tired of high school torture, Mia makes a blood pact, shaking up the entire town of Taos.

Meanwhile in Oregon, work buddies Peter and Missy are trying to find a murderer on the loose. The deaths get worse the longer the killer is on the prowl. Peter’s life soon intertwines with Mia’s. Together, they go deep down into a rabbit hole of absolute madness.  

Each chapter in The Wood Sprite is a cliffhanger. The suspense keeps you in a stranglehold. You’ll struggle to catch your breath until you reach a climax. Dobie’s characters don’t get a break, especially Mia. She deals with bullies, house fires, and what appears to be a string of absolute bad luck.  As a reader, you can’t stop reading despite the heart-pounding trepidation. No matter what, Mia manages to get through it all.

Dobie knows how to get his readers hooked, especially with one of his most mysterious characters in the book: Wendy Ravenwood. She comes out of nowhere, attending Mia’s school. Since her arrival, death and despair follows. Did she come as Mia’s guardian angel or her ultimate demise? You don’t know. Wendy’s neutral nature makes her more appealing. 

Mia has a puzzling connection to Peter. While reading Pete’s adventures are worthwhile, there’s a lingering feeling Pete is not as important of a character as he should be. Readers probably won’t have a chance to connect with Pete since he appears much later in the book. Readers might have to remember he is a highly significant character too. However, in the span of his time in the book, Peter does grow from a naïve detective wannabe to a confident hero and protector.

Alluring dark vibes surround The Wood Sprite. Readers will know the book is not going to be all sunshine and rainbows as soon as the totem appears in Gary’s shop. Paranormal thriller fans should definitely pick up this book. Dobie knows how to deliver thrills and chills.

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