Terrier

Beka Cooper is the latest addition to the Provost Guard, a group called the "Dogs." She's only called a "puppy," since she's new. Beka is painfully shy and has few friends, so it's a real challenge when she's sent to the Lower City of Corus, the capital of Tortall. Of course it's where Beka grew up, and lost her mother – the worst part of town for her to be in. Beka has some supernatural powers as well. She can hear the spirits of the dead. Someone is using magic to profit from the crime in the Lower City, and Beka, like the terrier of the title, isn't going to let it go. Why It Made the List The story has a youngish protagonist (16 years old) and was nominally written for young adults, but the story is so engaging and fascinating that all ages will enjoy it. The main character is painfully shy, and the author gets around that by having the story told from Beka's diary entries. This gives the reader unlimited access to Beka's point of view and really draw the reader into the story. 'Read It If You Like' Shy characters, new police, magic