Ghosts of Coronado Bay (A Maya Blair Mystery #1) by J.G. Faherty

By all accounts, 16-year-old Maya Blair is a typical teen-age high school student. She hangs out with her best friend Lucy, has a turbulent relationship with her ex-boyfriend Stuart, and works at her family's diner - the main restaurant on the island of Coronado Bay.
But Maya has an extraordinary secret - she can see, hear, and talk to ghosts. And when spirits are near her they revert back to solid form. She is what her deceased grandmother Elsa calls a Seer.
For years, Elsa was the only ghost Maya knew. But that changes when the century-old wreckage of the Black Lady, a ship that capsized in Coronado Bay's waters, is raised from the ocean floor and placed on display in the local museum. During a school tour of the Black Lady exhibit, Maya meets Blake Hennessy, a young, fair-skinned boy to whom she is instantly attracted. Shortly thereafter, a sensual, gothic young man named Gavin Hamlin crosses her path, and she is equally smitten. Her feelings bloom before she realizes they are both ghosts - Blake, the kind-hearted spirit who cares for Maya's well being, and Gavin, the dark wizard who thirsts to finish the evil task he longed to complete 100 years before.
To accomplish his nefarious plan, Gavin has to be human again. And for that, he needs the blood of a virgin witch. In his mind, Maya is the perfect candidate. Now it's up to Maya, Lucy, and Blake to save Coronado Bay and the world from destruction. But time is running out, people are dying, and Gavin's powers are growing.
Things were so much simpler when all she had to worry about was a date for the dance.

Good Reads Summary

Anyone up for taking over the world?  This novel is a very quick, fast-paced read.  Maya lives in a sleepy little town; she rarely looks for trouble, but trouble finds her nonetheless.  Maya is soon deep into a plot to save the world, taking her readers on an exciting adventure.  It is easy for the reader to enjoy reading about Maya and her friends; they are all quite likable and not overtly "teenagerish" or immature.  Maya is a good protagonist, with qualities that are good, but not annoyingly "nice" or "perfect".  The author did a good job with the secondary characters, the reader will want to hear more about them and their quirks in the novel.  The plot is intriguing for a teen novel; the characters will keep the readers interest.  This novel is recommended for teens/young adults who enjoy well-written novels. 

3 1/2 stars