Magic to the bone by Devon Monk

Harper Voyager, 2009. ISBN 9780732289324
(16-Adult) Allie Beckstrom is a Hound, a tracker who seeks out the source of illegal spells cast on the innocent. In her world every use of magic has a cost, and sometimes people want to use it without paying. She is hired to help a dying boy who has had the cost of magic Offloaded onto him, and finds to her dismay that the spell leads her back to her estranged father, with whom she has a disastrous relationship. When her father is found dead and all traces lead back to her, she goes on the run.
I found the idea of a Hound tracing illegal magic to be quite an interesting one, and the action kept me reading to the end. The suspense was heightened by the fact that every time Allie uses her magic she loses some of her memory, and she was unable to recall what had happened to her. A hint of romance with the fascinating Zayvion Jones added to the enjoyment.
An entertaining but not particularly memorable book, it will be enjoyed by those readers who like paranormal suspense or urban fantasy. There is a sequel, Magic in the blood.
Pat Pledger