Bloodhound

Beka Cooper is finally a Dog—a full-fledged member of the Provost’s Guard, dedicated to keeping peace in Corus’s streets. But there’s unrest in Tortall’s capital. Counterfeit coins are turning up in shops all over the city, and merchants are raising prices to cover their losses. The Dogs discover that gamblers are bringing the counterfeit money from Port Caynn. In Port Caynn, Beka delves deep into the gambling world, where she meets a charming banking clerk named Dale Rowan. Beka thinks she may be falling for Rowan, but she won’t let anything—or anyone—jeopardize her mission. As she heads north to an abandoned silver mine, it won’t be enough for Beka be her usual “terrier” self. She’ll have to learn from Achoo to sniff out the criminals—to be a Bloodhound. . . .

from bn.com

Beth says 5 stars...

I'm going to try and keep the gushing to a minimum. However, I LOVE Tamora Pierce's books. Bloodhound is no exception. It read even more like a detective novel than Terrier, but it worked. It's set about a year after Terrier ends and skips some major events (like when Beka is made a Dog). Pierce subtly shows how many of the characters have grown through brilliant dialogue and their actions. After a series of incidents, Beka finds herself in Port Caynn investigating some counterfeit coins that have made their way into circulation. The plot moved forward beautifully, its complexities neither getting lost nor hampering the flow of the story. Because most of the story took place outside of Corus, I missed some familiar characters (Rosto, Kora, Aniki, Lady Sabine, etc.). Pierce attempted to make up for this by introducing some new characters that were fantastic. This pulled me in and refused to let me go. Beka continued to grow and develop. It will be interesting to see what Pierce will do with her in the next book. This book reminded my of why I love Tamora Pierce's writing so much. Her versatility and ability to create a story are anstounding and distinguish her as an extraordinary talent. Simply put, this book was AMAZING!

Nathan says 5 stars...
My love affair with Tamora Pierce began long ago, and this latest tryst left little wanting. As I began Bloodhound, I was once again walking in the muck of the Lower City trolling for Rats next to our favorite Dog, Beka. The instant pull of her writing sucked me in totally. The partner storyline felt a bit ominous, and I guessed the outcome, but I love Pierce so much it didn't matter. I enjoyed the ride to the inevitable. The detailed and believable characters create the magnetism in Pierce's books which has made her a powerhouse in the YA world, this is true of Bloodhound also. The Port Caynn crew made a welcome addition to the series. Readers will be anxious for more of this well-conceived bunch. It was a fairly quick read, but that may be because my life was nearly paused until I finished. As I'm writing this I'm trying keep my book-self from gushing onto the keyboard. Pierce fans will be ecstatic and new readers will be hooked, though I would suggest reading Terrier first. Wait-why are you still reading this? You should be pre-ordering Bloodhound. Go! No really, now, I promise it won't dissapoint.