The Inquisitor's Apprentice by Chris Moriarity

I found this book at my local library and gave it a rating of four out of five. Sacha becomes an apprentice to the legendary detective, Maximillian Wolf. They are joined by another apprentice, Lily, and their job is to stop the illegal use of magic. Lily comes from a wealthy family, so Sacha decides he must hide his poor background from Wolf and her. In their first case, someone is trying to kill Thomas Edison. Edison has invented a machine that can identify magicians, and the clues about the assassin's identity may lead the inquisitors to Sacha's family. In addition, someone is secretly following Sacha, hiding in the shadows, but there is something strangely familiar about the person. Sacha doesn't realize that his own life is in danger too.

The book reads like a mystery, and it offers several suspects to consider. I liked how the plot provided clues to keep me guessing, although my first thought turned out to be correct. The book mixes true information about New York with the fantasy of the plot. I never really understood what made some magic illegal; a baker paid a fine for using magic in a recipe. One of the characters mentioned that it's more about who is doing magic, not the actual magic being done. Officer Wolf is one of those characters who seems to hold a secret, and his innocent behavior is masking more power than others suspect. This book is the first in a series; the second book is called The Watcher in the Shadows.