Muder Under Redwood Moon - haunting, heartfelt, and impossible to put down

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Murder Under Redwood Moon is a cozy yet chilling paranormal mystery that drew me in from the first page. Arista Kelly is such a likable protagonist, quirky, grounded, and full of heart. Her use of herbs, crystals, and her connection to the natural world add a unique dimension to the story while still keeping her relatable and real.

 

About the Book: Murder Under Redwood Moon 

The Santa Cruz Mountains setting provides a beautiful backdrop, almost becoming a character itself, serene and mystical but shadowed by danger. The mix of small-town community, family bonds, ghostly presences, and a serial killer gives this story warmth, tension, and suspense in equal measure.

BookHookup Review: Murder Under Redwood Moon 

The plot is well-paced and builds with page-turning suspense as young women begin turning up dead and Arista realizes the terror is inching closer to her. I especially loved how the paranormal elements blended seamlessly with the murder mystery, creating something that feels both cozy and thrilling. If there is such a thing as a Cozy Mystery Thriller, this is it.

If you’re looking for a fresh take on the cozy mystery with a supernatural twist, Murder Under Redwood Moon is haunting, heartfelt, and impossible to put down.

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As BookHookup, I am a longtime book reviewer. I received a free review copy of this book from Black Tide Book Tours and have not received compensation for reviewing or recommending it. Some links in this post are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliate sites.

 

About the author: Sherri L. Dodd 

Sherri was raised in southeast Texas. Walking barefoot most days and catching crawdads as they swam the creek beds, she had a love for all things free and natural. Her childhood ran rampant with talk of ghosts, demons, and backcountry folklore. This inspired her first short story for sale about a poisonous flower that shot toxins onto children as they smelled it. Her classmate bought it for all the change in his pocket. It was not long after that her mother packed the two of them up and headed to the central coast of California. She has ping-ponged throughout the area ever since.

Her first real step into writing was the non-fiction fitness book, Mom Looks Great – The Fitness Program for Moms published in 2005, and maintaining its accompanying blog. Now, transmuting the grief of her father's passing, she has branched into Fiction, specifically the genre of Paranormal Thriller with generous dashes of Magick Realism! Her Murder, Tea & Crystals Trilogy released book one - Murder Under Redwood Moon - in March 2024. Book two - Moonset on Desert Sands - released in March 2025, and the final book in the series will release October 2025!

Edge of your seat WWII fiction

Black Fox One is WWII historical fiction written with a twist. If you enjoy unpredictable romance couched in high-risk suspense, set in WWII’s political climate in Germany, this book will thrill you. It follows SS Officer Jonas Amsel and Ava Keller from mismatched childhood friends to young adults with bright futures as Nazis. As a gymnast, Ava hopes to compete in the Olympics for her country. Jonas has loved her since they were children, and his dream is to marry her and have a family. He has the ring, but then Eva and her family disappear. Jonas blames the Jews and throws all his time and energy into his career with the Nazi Party. Even in his work, he always looks for clues to find Ava. 

His success at locating members of the Black Foxes, and anti-Nazi resistance group, earns him the nickname “the Fox Hunter.” When he is tasked with capturing the deadliest Black Fox, the operative known as Black Fox One, he dreams of being awarded a coveted Nazi ring and hopefully one step closer to finding Ava. But the mission leads him to more than he bargains for. He comes face-to-face with the hardest choice of his life: His love for the Reich or the truth he discovers.

@donnasundblad BookHookup Book Review Black Fox One #booktok #bookrecommendations #bookreviewer #historicalfiction #wwiifiction #bookish #readersoftiktok #readersofbooktok ♬ original sound - Donna Sundblad

I recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction, a strong female protagonist, and an impossible romance amid an unpredictable plot, all couched in high-risk suspense set in Germany’s WWII political climate. It’s an edge of your seat read that pulls you in. I award it five out of five stars, and also recommend The Vengeance of Samuel Val, the first book in Project 613 series.

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As BookHookup, I am a long-time book reviewer and I received a free review copy of this book and have not been compensated for reviewing or recommending it. This review is posted in collaboration with Black Coffee Book Tours. Some links in this post are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliate sites. 

 

About the Author: Elyse Hoffman

Elyse Hoffman is a best-selling author who strives to tell historical tales with new twists. Having studied WWII since the age of thirteen and with interests in fantasy and Jewish folklore, she loves to combine them in her writing. Elyse started writing novels at fourteen and finished her first historical fiction work at fifteen. She studied English, History, and Law at George Mason University. In her spare time, she loves to read, work on pretty keyboards, and hang out with her co-authors - her Goldendoodle Ari and her ex-feral cat, Echo. Other books to check out include the five books of The Barracks of the Holocaust series and The Book of Uriel.