The interesting thing about the Beka Cooper trilogy is that even though it is a fantasy, it doesn’t necessarily feel like a fantasy. There are so many real-life connections in this trilogy that even a someone who isn’t a fan of fantasy will get lost in the story. In fact, it’s been called a police procedural for teens. I'm currently finishing the final book in the trilogy, MASTIFF, and have listened to the MP3 recordings of all of them.
In Terrier, Beka Cooper has achieved her dream job. She has been appointed to the Provost’s Dogs in the Lower City, Corus's toughest district. As a new trainee, she must serve a year as a Puppy and tag along with two full-fledged Dogs. While some Puppies may think the Lower City is a terrible assignment, Beka wanted to be stationed there since she lived in the poor district for many years. She knows how to navigate the streets and spot ne’er do wells. Beka can’t believe her luck when she is assigned to the best Dog pair in the kennel and gets swept up in one of the biggest mysteries the Lower City has seen in years. Beka uses her natural instincts, intuition, and magically abilities to break the case wide open and earn herself a name among the Dogs.
Bloodhound and Mastiff follow the same pattern, but add new characters and new mysteries. All three of the books are told in first person through journal entries so it’s like Beka is telling you the story herself. I love that Susan Denaker narrated all three of the books making it even easier to connect with Beka. Denaker does a nice job portraying the many accents that make up Beka’s world.
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