Copper Beach is a shining example of a writer's ability to mix mystery, romance, and the paranormal, without loosing sight of any one part of the equation.

Many of Jayne Ann Krenz's recent paranormal stories have played too heavily on the paranormal aspects, loosing many readers who are looking for the mystery and romance. However, Krenz's new series, A Dark Legacy, begins on a perfect combination of of the three styles.

In addition, even those who are anti-paranormal as a whole, should enjoy this because it plays one scientific reality, the use of crystals in current electronics. So, what if there were more to crystals than we currently know or understand.

It is the possibility that there is more to our world that makes this story feel remotely possible. And as with any situation that is even remotely possible, there are those who want to find and control it before others. Some just want to get rich off the possibilities. Others want to find it believing they could help the world. Most want to control the paranormal activities for nefarious and evil reasons. But off-setting the paranormal are both the romance and the mystery. They get equal time being a perfect foil against the paranormal aspects.

Krentz uses a slightly unusual writing style where we see what is happening from several characters view points. Although the primary protagonist is a female, Abby, who has had an extremely difficult upbringing that still interferes with her life, there are two other character's that we meet from their point of view. The second character, Sam, becomes a combination client and bodyguard. These two characters become the romance. The third character, is Lander, a long lost, thought to be dead child all grown up.

Lander is actually the first character we meet, upon his father's deathbed, where he reveals the anger and torment of an unstable mind. Lander intends to find what he sees as his inheritance. He needs Abby to achieve that end. Abby appears on her way to meet Sam, a client recommended from a trusted friend. Sam has been recommended after Abby begins receiving threats. Sam is a bit of a recluse.

All three have a paranormal ability that is enhanced by certain crystals. Abby's appears natural, but Lander and Sam's abilities may be the repercussions of a horrifying lab experiment gone wrong and radiation fallout from the resulting explosion.

I cannot wait for the sequels where we will meet Sam's siblings and learn more thier parents and the experiment that literally blew up around them.

I received this book as part of the Goodreas First Reads Giveaway program.