Book Review: Murder Under Redwood Moon

Reviewed by Chelsey Tucker

An energetic and suspenseful witchcraft-filled murder mystery

In the small mountain town of Boulder Creek, beautiful young girls begin to go missing. Even worse: they show up in the river later. 

The entire town is on edge, but for Arista and her friends, it hits closer to home; they knew some of the victims. As a serial killer lurks in the shadows, danger continues to ramp up with snakes and upside down pentagrams signaling dark times.

A family relic that her Great-Aunt Bethie shows her may be the key they need to help solve these murders. “Our Ouija is rich with a past of providing details about serial killers—which is coming, my dear, you watch!” It soon comes to light that she may be in more danger than most, and her great-aunt knows why. Family is supposed to protect and care for one another, so how could they hurt you instead?

Arista’s whole world crumbled when her parents intentionally left her at her Great-Aunt Bethie’s when she was a young girl. It was something that Arista learned to live with—a task made easier by her great-aunt teaching her how to use her gifts. She quickly made friends and eventually pushed out the desire to ask about her parents. However, when the bad things start happening in Boulder Creek, Aunt Bethie seems to have no choice but to tell Arista the full story about the darkness lurking in her family.

Murder Under Redwood Moon’s story structure provides the perfect pacing to nail the suspense factor. The author handles multiple viewpoints well and provides a macro-picture with micro-details—an essential piece to telling a captivating murder mystery. The reader is led to believe that they know more than they do, and just when they start piecing some things together, the point of view switches and we venture off in a new, enticing direction.

There are times when a few side characters feel like extras without real purpose. As the story progresses, however, it’s shown just how integral many of the characters are to the story, especially during their Ouija session. 

“First, I must tell you, it is not often that we have each element covered. Evan, you are earth, hence your placement on the north end of this table. Shane, you, being air, will note that you are on the east side. Our lovely Arista is fire, at south…which leaves me at the west side…Scorpio, that I am.”

Murder Under Redwood Moon is going to be a fun read for mystery junkies as much as for fans of modern fantasy fiction and witchcraft. Dodd provides a refreshing tale while still including some staple lore conventions like the witch’s cat and broomsticks. The pages really fly by. 

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Thank you for reading Chelsey Tucker’s book review of Murder Under Redwood Moon by Sherri L. Dodd! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.