Moonset on Desert Sands

Murder, Tea & Crystals Book 2

by Sherri L. Dodd

Some wounds never fully close. Some enemies never truly die.

Arista Kelly has traded her redwood forest for Sedona’s red rock vistas, selling crystals and quietly rebuilding a life shattered by violence. Between reading auras and burning citrus candles for protection, she almost believes the worst is behind her.

But something dark has followed her.

A powerful and obsessive enemy circles her mountain town, convinced that Arista holds the key to the supernatural authority he has craved for decades. The coven senses it. The visions confirm it. And even the dead have started breaking through to deliver their warnings.

As the threat closes in, Arista must face ghosts both literal and living, a grief so fresh it still bleeds, and a confrontation she has been running from her entire life. The magic in her bones may be the only thing standing between her and the man who refuses to stop until he takes everything from her.

But some forces are older than obsession. Older than ambition. And they do not discriminate between the guilty and the innocent.

In a world where sage smoke curls through cold mountain air and true darkness wears a very human face, how long can you keep running before the only path left is straight through the fire?

5 out of 5 fairies

I was so excited to dive back into Arista’s magical version of our world, and I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest. Uncle Fergus is still around, and more dangerous than ever. The opening chapter gives us some insight into the lengths he’s still quite willing to go to, and sending chills down your spine. Dodd does a great job of weaving the story around you, bringing the various settings and characters to life. While I highly recommend reading book one so you have a better idea of the characters and understand the references to previous events in more depth, this could also work as a standalone. The story is full of tension, twists, and turns, along with a few more lighthearted moments. If you enjoy cozy small-town vibes with high-stakes mysteries, then you’re going to love this book and the series!

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Sherri grew up in southeastern Texas walking barefoot and catching crawdads as they swam the creek beds. Her childhood ran rampant with talk of ghosts, demons, and backcountry folklore, inspiring her first short story about a poisonous flower that shot toxins onto curious children. Her classmate bought it for all the change in his pocket. Not long after, her mother packed the two of them up and headed to the central coast of California. She has explored the vast area ever since, using it as a catalyst to her writing, from journaling to fitness articles to fiction. She holds a bachelor’s degree, and is pursuing her master’s, in holistic theology and believes this helps her to see the world through a more colorful and accepting lens. In writing, her publisher labeled her 2024 debut novel as a paranormal thriller. She would have described it as a cozy murder mystery with generous dashes of magic realism, showing that she loves to merge genres. Her trilogy — Murder, Tea & Crystals — released book one – Murder Under Redwood Moon in March 2024; book two – Moonset on Desert Sands in March 2025; and the final book in the series – Hummingbird Moonrise released October 2025! All three books became an Amazon #1 Best Seller in the Occult Supernatural genre.

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