Bekka Cooper: terrier by Tamora Pierce

Set in a fantasy world, country Tortall this is a first book in a new series. Pierce is a proficient writer who is a good story teller. In this book a young woman trains to be a "dog" (policeman). You learn the social structure of the town and solve 2 criminal cases. There is some magic included in the story--but not a lot. This series gradually links to Pierce's "Circle of Magic" series. She is creating an entire world that young adult readers can explore and learn about the relationships between people and friends.