The Beka Cooper trilogy can be read out of order but you won’t get the linear progression of Beka’s character and growth from Puppy to Dog that way. Still, Mastiff is a book that will easily exceed all expectations. I loved it even more the second time around, though it didn’t make dealing with the conflict of the story any easier. It’s one of my favorite books of all time. Mastiff is one of those stories that stays with you long after the story is over. This case – a Hunt that will take her to places she’s never been – will challenge Beka’s tracking skills beyond the city walls, as well as her ability to judge exactly whom she can trust with her life and country’s future. And they are nearly impossible to identify. They are able to hire the most skilled of mages, well versed in the darkest forms of magic. These are people with power, money, and influence. As Beka delves deeper into the motivations of the criminals she now Hunts, she learns of deep-seated political dissatisfaction, betrayal, and corruption. Within hours, Beka her partner, Tunstall her scent hound, Achoo and an unusual but powerful mage are working on an extremely secretive case that threatens the future of the Tortallan royal family, and therefore the entire Tortallan government. It is as Beka is facing these feelings that Lord Gershom appears at her door. Beka is faced with a mixture of emotions as, unbeknownst to many, she was about to call the engagement off. But her life takes an unexpected turn when her fiancé is killed on a slave raid. Three years have passed since Beka Cooper almost died in the sewers of Port Caynn, and she is now a respected member of the Provost’s Guard. Favorite Quote: “The harder the goal, the more important it is.”

Mastiff by tamora pierce