Bloodhound is the second book in Tamora Pierce’s trilogy centered around Beka Cooper, an ancestor of George Cooper’s (the Rogue from Pierce’s earlier Alanna series). Sequel to Terrier, Bloodhound continues the story of Beka’s life as one of the Provost’s Guard, Tortall’s police, also known as the Dogs.

In Bloodhound, counterfeit coins are flooding Corus, Tortall’s capital, devaluing the silver and pushing prices up. The Provost’s Guard tries to keep the scale of the problem secret to prevent panic, and the counterfeits are traced back to Port Caynn. Beka is sent there with Clara Goodwin, after another Dog in their group was disabled during a riot, to investigate the counterfeits. There, they soon realize the size of the operation…

Bloodhound is a worthy addition to the Beka Cooper series, though the wait between it and the previous book was a bit excessive. It stands well on its own, but you get more out of it if you read the first book before starting Bloodhound.